Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 23

January 23;   John 10:11;   78/260(VI);   ‘The Good Shepherd’

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Easily one of the most known and beloved names for the Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He is often portrayed holding a sheep on His shoulders.  Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd.  Of course this was speaking prophetically of the Lord Jesus.  He beautifully fulfills the prophecy of David here in John 10.  Here are just a few thoughts concerning the Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd.  The Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  A real shepherd would risk his life, putting it in danger to protect his sheep.  In (v12-13) of this chapter, the Lord Jesus tells us that a hireling, who does not own nor care for the sheep, will run away in the face of danger.  The hireling does not care about the sheep.  God the Father would not put our eternal destiny in the hands of someone who did not really care about us.   The Lord Jesus not only protects us from dangers in this life, but literally laid His life down to protect us from eternal death in hell. A true shepherd made sure his sheep had food and water.  We, the Lord’s sheep have the food and water of the Word of God. Water in the Word can also mean the Holy Spirit.  Even when Jesus went back to heaven, He did not leave us alone, but sent the Holy Spirit to be in us and help us in every way.  The shepherd knew his sheep and the sheep knew him and his voice.  The Lord Jesus knows each of us personally and we know His voice, the Word of God.  The true shepherd genuinely loved the sheep.  Our Good Shepherd loves us with an everlasting love.  We can lay down and sleep peacefully, Jesus, the Good Shepherd is watching over us.