April 21, 2018
John 10:11-15…“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.” vss. 14-15
As John recounted the words of Jesus, he often used the words “I AM” to remind his readers that Jesus was the one in whom the great “I AM” had become incarnate. Jesus was YHWH or I AM in human form, and through him we can catch a glimpse of God’s nature. Jesus’s words here echo those of Psalm 23 and we are reminded again that the Lord is our shepherd. And he adds one thing: he tells us that the good shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep. That’s how much we are loved by Jesus–he was willing to give his life for us. While we may not understand how Jesus’ death is connected to us, we cannot deny that the image intensifies the nature of his love. We are loved so deeply by God through Jesus! So much that God in Jesus was willing to die! There’s power in that message, a power that has captured the imagination of countless believers through the centuries. We aren’t hopeless, hapless, bumbling sinners wandering our way through the confusion of life, we are precious in the eyes of God–we are loved! Someone has actually died for us! We have significance! Our lives are valuable! We have a good shepherd and there is nothing to fear…ever!
Thought for the Day: Why did Jesus have to die for me?
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