New Testament Words for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe

Author:Warren W. Wiersbe
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Bible. New Testament—Meditations, REL012020
ISBN: 9781441244482
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2013-09-20T07:00:00+00:00

52

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

JOHN 10:11

A flock of sheep is one of the most familiar metaphors in Scripture for the people of God. The Old Testament believer prayed, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock” (Ps. 80:1); and the new covenant Christian knows Jesus as the good shepherd and the local church as his flock (Acts 20:28–29). The leader of a local flock is called “pastor” (Eph. 4:11), which comes from a Latin word meaning “to feed, to shepherd.” In the nation of Israel, the civil leaders were also known as shepherds because they were caring for God’s flock. Unfortunately, not all of Israel’s shepherds were faithful to the Lord or to his sheep, and the prophets had to warn them and the Lord had to judge them (Ezek. 34; Jer. 23:1–4; Isa. 56:9–12). They drove the sheep instead of leading them and robbed them instead of feeding and caring for them. Jesus warned the people against thieves and robbers and the hirelings, the selfish, grasping, false shepherds who were more interested in money and power than in ministry and compassion.

Jesus is our good shepherd, a word that in the Greek means “choice, best, blameless, praiseworthy, and beautiful.” Let’s give thanks for all he means to us and does for us!

He died for us. “The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “I lay down My life for the sheep” (v. 15). “I lay down My life that I may take it again” (v. 17). In the Old Testament, the sheep died on the altar for the shepherd, but under the new covenant, the Shepherd died on the cross for his sheep! He knows us personally and intimately and he calls us by name (v. 3). He gives us eternal life and abundant life (vv. 10, 28). How could we question his love when he yielded his life on the cross for us?

He lives for us. “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever” (Heb. 13:20–21). Jesus the High Priest intercedes for us in heaven, and we have access to the mercy seat at all times (4:14–16). He goes before us, and not only leads the way but prepares the way, and we have nothing to fear. He lives and he serves.

He speaks to us and leads us. The word voice is used five times in John 10 (vv. 3–5, 16, 27) and refers to the Spirit speaking to us by the Scriptures. One sure mark of genuine believers is their appetite for the Word of God and their desire to understand and obey it. A true Christian can detect the voice of a hireling, a thief, or a false prophet and wants nothing to do with them.

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