May 18

John 10

Let's take ourselves back 2000 years and envision a sheep pen.  They were caves, sheds, or areas surrounded by walls with stones or branches.  The sheep were gathered at night to sleep and their shepherd would sleep across the doorway to protect them.  The shepherd lovingly protected the sheep and watched over them.  The sheep could only go in and out of the pen through the doorway, guarded by the shepherd.  Sometimes a "hired hand" would watch over the sheep, but he tended the sheep for money, not out of love as the shepherd did. Let's now mirror that image to the Kingdom of God, as Jesus intended us to look at it. The pen of course being the Kingdom, and Jesus is The Good Shepherd as prophesied in the O.T. Scriptures such as Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34.  The only way to enter into God's Kingdom is through Him.  Political leaders and false prophets might try to steal us and take our life from our shepherd BUT because Jesus loves us and we know His voice, we won't be led astray.  As Christ followers we know that Jesus' life, death and resurrection were all part of God's divine plan.  His parables, for us, are ways to relate our life to the Kingdom that awaits.  The Pharisees thought he was crazy because as a man His claim to Divinity was incomprehensible.  Let's not forget, He chose to live with the limitations of a man.  The miracles He performed, however, were real making His claim as God undeniable. Throughout His life and ministry He was proving that He is The Good Shepherd and the prophesied Messiah.  So today, as His sheep,  "if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Heb. 4:7). 




Randi