Sometimes the people whom Jesus spoke to did not comprehend what he was saying even though he used everyday illustrations to help them understand who He was and where He came from. The Bible tells us in John 10:7 that He spoke to them again. Jesus tirelessly tried to help them see but from their lack of interest in knowing truth, it would appear they chose to be blind to the scripture writings that spoke of Him. How do we react when something new is revealed to us by the scriptures? Are we teachable or are we like the Pharisees who chose not to see or act on the truth of God’s word? Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— (John 10:7-14 NIV)
When a shepherd is out on the hillside he goes before the sheep and they follow him to the green pastures and quiet waters that he finds for them. When evening comes, he looks for a safe place for the sheep to rest. He will fence an enclosure for the sheep and leave only a small opening to the area where they are. He then will lie across this opening acting as a door. Nothing can get in or out of this enclosure except the shepherd gives access. The shepherd protects the sheep from anyone or anything which may seek to harm them. King David, a shepherd in his youth, tells his experience this way:
“Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.” (1 Samuel 17:34-35 NIV)
When we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour, we come under the protection of the Living God. Our Shepherd has promised to never leave us or forsake us. Others, who have been responsible for our care, may remind us of the hired hand that does not own the sheep. They may have left us physically or emotionally to cope with whatever danger came our way. They may have abandoned or rejected us because of a happening in their own lives. They may have caused us harm, or we may have done something to offend them. Jesus never will leave us in any situation. He is the Good Shepherd and when His sheep are in trouble He will come alongside and protect and deliver them from whatever seeks to harm them. The sheep just need to come close to the shepherd and He will gather them up in His arms.
Jesus said that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. On our own, like sheep, we are not equipped to handle those things which come against us. When we rely on ourselves or anyone else, we can be sure that “happenings” in our life will prevent us from having the full life that Jesus promises. Only when we follow the Good Shepherd can we be assured that He carries us close to His heart. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11 NIV)
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