I Am “His Own”
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John 10:11-18
11. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15. as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father."
I believe I used this scripture recently – maybe not from John – but from one of the gospels. I was drawn to these verses again this morning as I reflected upon the tremendous privilege of being considered worthy of Christ and His sacrifice for us! We are “his own.” The people of this day fully grasped the language Jesus used in teaching them. They knew the difference between a good shepherd and a “hireling.” If shepherds oversaw large flocks, hired help was required to care for one part of the flock. But the hired help only relied upon wages and would not consider risking severe injury or especially death to protect the shepherd’s flock!
Jesus is declaring himself as the one true shepherd of the flock. He will lay down his life—in fact he’ll do anything—absolutely anything—to save us. He will willingly, voluntarily, obediently lay down his life for the salvation of our souls. No “hireling” would do that! No “false god” would offer us eternity. When the wolf comes, only One stands between us and that enemy. Only One places his body firmly in front of us—disregarding personal risk—to protect us. I would throw myself in front of moving semi to save one of my children—I understand loving a child that much. But this is so much more—this love is so much greater, more expansive, more all-encompassing!
Jesus came to earth, walked with us, taught us and preached the Good News to us. He offered himself to save us all. And he didn’t just offer eternity to the “chosen!” No, he offered to anyone who chose to follow him. There are so many thieves – vying for our souls. Money, power, prestige, you name it, they interfere with the one and only thing we need in our lives! Our pastor talked yesterday about pride being one of the biggest obstacles to being healed and whole. He gave examples of all the ways pride manifests itself and I don’t think too many of us could say, “Nope, you didn’t include me in that example.”
Pride is Satan’s way of distracting us. It’s his way of interfering with the Good Shepherd. He likes it when we listen to the wrong master. He likes us to roam off and try it our way—away from the power and protection of our Savior. He wants us to wear ourselves out running after the things of this world. He wants us to be weak and frail and beaten down so that he has an easier time of getting us to follow him. He offers the “easy way.” Christ offers the best way. Satan prods us that it’s better to be right. Jesus tells us there is only way to be right.
I hope today you choose to follow the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for you. And that you’ll declare to Satan “I am ‘His Own’.”
Mary
