JOHN 10:11-18 FOR THE LOVE OF THE SHEPHERD

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

The willingness to die for the sheep is what separates the good shepherd from just any other shepherd. The purpose of his life is to gather, feed and protect the sheep. In addition, the shepherd is the one who makes sure that the sheep fulfill their purpose. When the wolf attacks, the shepherd risks life and limb in order to perform all these roles. The wolf does not sneak up on the shepherd and kill him so that he can devour the sheep. Rather the wolf is a thief who tries to pick off the sheep. The shepherd is the one who purposefully confronts the wolf on behalf of the sheep. However, a human shepherd may demonstrate his love for the sheep by laying down his life, but it is only the Son of God who has the authority to pick it up again.

What is more wondrous and amazing about the love of our Shepherd is that he did this even when we had wondered off to seek the wolf. And even more, he knew what he was going to suffer and still was willing experienced it for us. It was no heroic adrenalin rush or naïve optimism with which Jesus experienced the whip and the cross, it was with a grim and determined knowledge that our Lord faced torture and death because we deserved to die forever. And he was not the sacrifice for the Jews only, but also for the Gentiles. Through that sacrifice he united us as one flock of redeemed sinners (Ephesians 2:13-22). How will you acknowledge the love of your Shepherd with your life today?

The love that you have demonstrated for me, Lord Jesus, demands the greatest response of love that I can muster. What else can I offer but myself? Lord, take my life and let me live it in faithful obedience to your loving will, so that it is no longer I who live, but you living in me. Amen.