John 10: Do You Know The Good Shepherd?
Verse of the Day: (V11) “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
1. Shepherd (V1-21)
V10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Jesus declared that He was the good Shepherd who loved His sheep, and willingly gave His life for them. Indeed, Jesus left the throne of heaven to live among man, and subsequently died on the cruel cross and shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. Whosoever therefore believes in Jesus shall never perish, but shall have abundant life with Him now and ( forever in heaven. Jesus warned the people to watch out for the thief or the hireling or the devil, who would come and steal their joy and peace, and eventually would destroy and kill them, and condemn their souls to the fiery pits of hell.
V11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
2. Sheep (V22-30)
V27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
Jesus, the good Shepherd, assures His sheep that He will always be with them, and they will hear His voice and follow Him. Once we believe and receive Jesus as our personal Saviour and Lord, we will be God’s children forever, and no one, not even the devil, can take away our abundant life, and relationship with Him. Indeed, God knows His precious sheep, and only those who trust and obey Him, are truly His sheep and His children.
V29 “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
3. Stone (V31-42)
V31 “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.”
Though Jesus time and again declared that He was the Son of God, many of the Jews stubbornly refused to believe Him, and instead they tried to stone Him to death for blasphemy. The Jews were blinded by the devil, and insisted that Jesus was just a man, and not God. In fact, they plotted to kill Jesus, however this was exactly God’s perfect plan of redemption for mankind. Indeed Jesus must be betrayed and crucified so that He could shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. Whosoever therefore believes in Jesus will never perish, but have everlasting life with Him in heaven one day.
V33 “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for being my good Shepherd who gave Your life for me.
