This evening Pastor D opens by reading from the next eight verses from John 10:
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, 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 hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just 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 listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
As we discovered in the previous session, He’s “the door” but now we learn Jesus is also the “good shepherd”. In order for us to get into the sheepfold, we must go through the door and through the shepherd.
The good shepherd not only protects his sheep but is willing to die for them. Why? Because there is an intimacy and closeness between him and the sheep. As the sheep, we know this and can recognize his voice. We know he gives us protection, care and recognize the benefits we get from following the shepherd. The issue is we as the sheep are prone to wander when we don’t get what we want. Pastor D explains two reasons why some of us struggle with our belief in Jesus.
1. We haven’t gotten to know the shepherd well enough so therefore we never have experienced his goodness.
2. Because of not experiencing his goodness we just keep on roaming around looking for better places, more satisfaction, more fulfillment, or places outside of God just like the sheep.
The word of God is a gift given to us from God that from the more we know it more connected we are to Christ.
Pastor D explains three things to look at if you are struggling with closeness and intimacy with God.
1. What do we do about being intentionally about spending time with God?
2. What does your prayer life look like?
3. You’ve simply left the sheepfold/community.
Jesus is the good shepherd that will die for his sheep and he’s not done saving his people and he wants us all to come to him.