114. The Good Shepherd

“Anyone who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. But one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 

Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 

Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

Jesus spoke to them again, “I tell you, I am the door for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the door. If you enter in by me, you will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that people may have life, and have it abundantly. 

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired hand, who isn’t a shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, and runs away, leaving the sheep. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them. The hired hand doesn’t care about the sheep. 

I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep also, which are not of this fold. I must bring them as well, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. 

The Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this authority from my Father.”

A division arose again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has an evil spirit, and is insane! Why do you listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by evil. It isn’t possible for an evil spirit to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”

Reflection

This is such an intimate picture of a shepherd who knows and loves his sheep, calling each one by name and protecting them from all harm. The intimacy goes both ways because the sheep know the shepherd so well they will follow no one else. Does this image characterize your relationship with Jesus? Do you sense you are part of a flock or on your own? 

Prayer: Help me recognize your voice clearly and follow you closely, Lord, trusting you to protect me always.