I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11 ESV

I am pretty sure than when Jesus called us sheep, it was not a compliment. No matter how many sweet coloring book pictures we fill in of pure white sheep strolling through pastures, it doesn’t make it so. Sheep are helpless, and that is their best attribute. Next, they are dirty and last of all, not particularly bright. He didn’t intend for us to respond by saying, “Wow! God made us sheep! Now life will be perfect!” No! Instead, Jesus wanted us to know that as sheep, we were in need of a shepherd. And as He points out in John chapter ten, not all shepherds are equal. Some just show up for the pay. They do the minimum, by making sure we don’t starve to death or die of thirst. But when a real problem – like a WOLF! – shows up, they are as gone as a snowball in… well you know where!

But the Good Shepherd…that would be Jesus. He didn’t see the wolf and run. Instead, he stayed between us and the fangs and killed the wolf but died in the battle for our soul. Now that’s a Good Shepherd worth following, and if He said that He is the good shepherd and I am His sheep it means that I belong to Him! I do hope you will take time to read the entire story of the Good Shepherd in the book of John and that you will be blessed with this short message given at Life Care Center this past week.