4-17-16 Scripture Reflection

Read
John 10:27-28
John 9
John 10

The Good Shepherd

Watch the Good Shepherd in action in chapter 9. A man was blind since birth and Jesus miraculously healed him. You’ll notice how Jesus wasn’t finished with him. Jesus pursued him. Then Jesus shared how He cares for His sheep and how His sheep respond to Him in chapter 10.

Reflection:

What do you appreciate about Jesus as our Good Shepherd? As you listened to Jesus’ voice at JCLA, did you get a sense that He wants you to do something specific? Ask Him to help you take action knowing He will be with you.

I'm assuming JCLA is referring to the Jesus Culture Los Angeles conference. Wish we all could've gone!

What I love about the timing of these chapters is I really do feel the Good Shepherd calling His sheep amongst JG. I hear Jesus calling out new boldness and strength in Jon. Derwin, I know the Shepherd is calling your family! And Ashley if you ever read this, Jesus is going after you & He won't give up on you. For all of us, He leads us to green pastures and quiet waters to restore our souls (Psalm 23).

Something specific God is working on in me is to speak when He gives me words for others or even questions. I've held back too much because I'm scared of how it'll be received &/or what others will think of me but I have been taking action this week and it's been so rad to see Him with me. Maybe sometimes I sound like a fool but I have to risk encouraging 2 people and offending 8, than not offending anyone but leaving all 10 discouraged.

Having been the recipient of sickness, what I appreciate of Jesus in these verses is how he clears up how sin and sickness are not necessarily always tied together. The Pharisees automatically call the blind man "born in sin". sometimes we can get judgemental about things we don't understand.

““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬
““I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:27-28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus sacrificed His life for me,
He knows me,
He allows me to hear His voice,
Gives me eternal life
And won't let anyone snatch me away
How much more can my Good Shepherd pursue me?
This is extremely humbling for me.

It is very comforting to have a shepherd to trust in.  The world does not have anyone they can place all their trust in.

I like verse 9:32 -

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

I love the wonder that Jesus was at that time.  That no one had ever heard or conceived of something like Jesus.  I like to imagine what it would have been like back then to meet Jesus without ever having heard of him and feel the hope that he would bring.

Another scripture that speaks deeply to me is John 10:11 and 14-15

11-I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

14-I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15-As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

as contrasted by John 10:12-13

12-But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13-The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I think that there are many leaders in churches that are hirelings, but I want my heart to be like the master's, willing to lay my life down for his sheep.  The fathers of the early church had his heart and loved his sheep and laid down their lives and they set great examples for us.  I pray for our group that God would give us grace and change our hearts to be like his.