Well, we want to look at this famous passage from John 10, where Jesus declares himself to be the Shepherd of shepherds, the good shepherd, the best shepherd ever. And I'm not going to read to you the whole section, but I want to just read a couple of verses.
So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."
There are several things that this passage says to us. One, this is Jesus naming, rebuking the false shepherds of Israel and declaring that he is the good shepherd. And he does that in fulfillment of Ezekiel 34, where there's a promise that a better shepherd will be sent by God.
Well, there are five things that you want to get out of this passage. First, Jesus says, "I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved." Jesus is saying, "I am the one and only way to God." Salvation is only ever through his person and work. There aren't fourteen ways to God; Jesus is the way.
Second thing he says, "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." What in the world does that mean? Does it mean this comfortable, pleasurable life, nice cars, big houses, good food, and great vacations? No! Jesus says, "I'm calling you, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, no, not at all! But to a rich, full, joyful life; one that's overflowing with meaningful activities, one that's lived under the personal favor and blessing of God and continual fellowship with his people." The good shepherd wants his people to thrive with lives that are rich in meaning and purpose and the constant blessing of his presence and grace.
Third thing he says is that "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." This is where hope is to be found--not in my theological knowledge, not in the track record of my obedience, not in my commitment to ministry, not in anything I do for God, but what he has done for me in the willing sacrifice of his Son in payment for my sins. You see, the cross of Jesus Christ stands as a monument to where true hope, true eternal hope, true-right-now-right-here hope, is only ever to be found.
Fourth thing he says is, "I know my own and they know me." This is so sweet and tender and beautiful; I can't capture it in words. Here is the stunning relationship that we have been ushered into by God's grace. The language here is tender and personal and beautiful. It's the language of a close, loving, committed, and personal relationship. Think about it; by grace, the grace of Jesus, by his life, death, and resurrection, we are connected to God in a deeply personal love relationship, all because the good shepherd is willing to sacrifice his life for us. God looks at his children with personal, tender, patient love. "I know you; I love you, and you know me!"
The fifth thing that Jesus says is, "I lay down my life that I may take it up again." Here is Jesus, pointing to his resurrection, the grace of his resurrection. Because death cannot hold him, it won't hold us either! In these words, we find the promise of eternal life for all who believe. Yes, even in our day, there are many bad shepherds out there. They make promises they cannot keep.
May we put our hope, in this life and the one to come, in the only perfectly good shepherd, Jesus!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. Would you say that you are currently living an abundant life in Jesus? Why or why not? The good shepherd wants you to thrive and live a rich, meaningful life full of purpose under his grace--take a moment right now to ask the Lord to open your eyes and heart to what this looks like for you specifically. Ask him to help you see and understand how he wants you to live out your life each day, and pray that you would bend to his will for you each and every moment.
2. Where would you say you are tempted to put your hope apart from Jesus? How might your internal perspective shift toward your true hope in Christ? What kind of heart change and purposeful practices can you put in place to help you understand, minute-by-minute, what it looks like to live a life of hope in Jesus?
3. Is there a gap between your head knowledge of being in relationship with God and your lived experience of being in a personal, close, loving, and committed relationship with him? How might that gap close so that you experience daily, rich, deep, thriving connection with the living God?
4. How do you believe God views you? Do you see yourself as the object of God's personal, tender, and patient love? What would it look like to consistently remind yourself of the truth that Christ knows you, loves you, and desires to be in a close relationship with you?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children:
• What is the difference between what we think about God and what the Bible says about who God is and how he views us as his children? Let's name a few things together. Let's look at John 10 together and see how Jesus describes himself and how he views us.
• What makes you happy when you see how Scripture describes Christ and how it explains who we are as his loved children?
For Older Children:
• Why is it important to know the truth about who Christ is and how he views us? Are there currently any lies you and I might be believing about God and ourselves that are getting in the way of growing in our relationship with him?
• What do you think Jesus means when he says that he came that we might have abundant life? What do you think abundant means when Jesus says it? How have we changed the meaning of "abundant" to make it mean what we want it to mean as opposed to what Jesus meant when he said it? When reading the Bible, why is it so dangerous to redefine things in ways that we like instead of truly understanding what they were intended to communicate?
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