The Flock
Psalm 100; John 10:1-21
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
(John 10:11)
One would be hard-pressed to find a more pervasive image for Christ and His church than that of the Shep-herd and His flock. This image has roots that reach back deep into the Old Testament and provide the back-ground for some of the richest, most enduring word-pictures for the New Testament church. But what does God want us to understand through this image?
First, God wants us to know what He does for us. He gathers the flock together (Psalm 100:3). Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads His flock (John 10:4). Unlike the "thieves and robbers" whose only purpose is to "kill and destroy," Jesus gives "abundant life" by laying down His own life for the flock (John 10:10). Finally, while others run from the flock when danger arises, Jesus protects His flock from the wolves that would devour and scatter it. But God also wants us to understand better our response to such rich pastoral provision. Sheep must trust their shepherd and follow his voice wherever it may lead them, even if the way seems treacherous.
INSIGHT
"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want."
(Psalm 23:1)
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Lamentations 3
Psalm 129
2 Corinthians 11
Psalm 100;
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 100:3 Or and not we ourselves
John 10:1-21
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
1 "Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 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. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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.
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to 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 authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"
21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
Footnotes:
a. John 10:9 Or kept safe
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