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The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd
Words of Faith 12-1-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 10
[11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

First, Jesus revealed His nature as the Shepherd of His people, the voice that calls and gathers us. Then, Jesus revealed that He is the Gate, the entry into the protection and provision of God. Now, Jesus makes a different point. He is the Good Shepherd.
What is the Good Shepherd like? He lays down His life for the sheep. Those listening knew that shepherding could be a dangerous vocation. There were many predators including thieves and wild animals. Lions, wolves, jackals, panthers, leopards, bears, and hyenas were common in the countryside.
As a shepherd, David fought at least one lion and one bear (1 Sam. 17:34-35, 37). Jacob also faced the difficulty and toil of being a faithful shepherd (Gen. 31:38-40).
Protecting the sheep was a matter of honor and valor. A good shepherd was expected to do whatever was necessary to protect the sheep. The good shepherd always stood in stark contrast to the “hireling”. A good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for the sheep.
This was different from a hired hand that had no real commitment to the sheep and had no honor. The hireling would say, “Oh well, just another sheep, there are more where that came from.” Jesus taught that a good shepherd will leave 99 sheep in order to search for just one that is lost (Luke 15:3-7).
We have learned in our modern society that some things are worth dying over and others are not. Even a storeowner will often hand over money rather than lose life protecting that which is just “material”.
Few of us would fail to assume whatever risk is necessary to protect family. But we consider it to be unusual valor that calls a person to protect someone who is not family or sacrifice life for a person without thought of whether that person is “deserving”. Among the powerful lessons of September 11, 2001 are the images of rescue personnel striding up smoke-filled staircases in the hope of saving just one.
Jesus is the ultimate Good Shepherd. He is the Shepherd who, while we were still sinners, died for us (Romans 5:8). He is the Shepherd who demonstrated that there is no greater love than that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).
We are called to be like the Good Shepherd. We are not called to be hirelings. We don’t quit when our shift is over. We don’t stop when the pay runs out. We don’t retreat when danger comes near. We are called to lay down our lives for one another rather than scatter when things are dangerous or inconvenient.
Of course this cannot happen in our own strength. Only as we surrender to the Good Shepherd in us, can we be the Good Shepherd to others. It is only the Good Shepherd in us that lay aside life for others.
Have you met this Good Shepherd? He is the One who was willing to die for you when you needed Him most. Have you taken on the Spirit and the Way of the Good Shepherd? As we surrender to His Spirit we become more than a hireling as He is the Good Shepherd in us.

Lord, I give thanks that You are my Good Shepherd. I surrender to You that You might shepherd others through me. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.