October 24

Christ The Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, — John 10:14 BSB

“Good” does not only mean kind and benevolent, but also genuine and true. It is contrasted with the robber and the hireling. A hireling may perform his duties adequately up to a point—he will not desert the flock for trivial reasons, and he will earn his pay. But when the supreme test comes, the hireling will abandon the flock to danger rather than sacrifice himself for it. There are such shepherds today, those who take up pastoral roles as a means of livelihood rather than as a calling.

How different is our Lord, the Good Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep. Why does He love us so much? It will always remain a mystery! He seeks out those who belong to His fold but have wandered off into the paths of sin. Jesus goes after the lost sheep until He finds it—that is the way of the Chief Shepherd.

The Revised Version emphasizes the intimate knowledge Christ has of His flock: “I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.” No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Yet, in the same way, the Lord Jesus knows each of us. He knows our every action, our motives, our joys, our anxieties. He comforts our sorrows in ways no one else can. To be known by Christ is a great comfort, for there is no need to explain ourselves to Him.

Christ also seeks those who do not yet belong to any fold (John 10:16). There will always be many folds, as people naturally view truth from different angles. Some people believe that if others don’t share their beliefs, they cannot belong to the flock. But they forget that while there may be many folds, there is only one flock (John 10:27-28). The most important question is this: Do you hear and obey the Shepherd’s voice? If so, you certainly belong to the one flock, and no one can snatch you from the Shepherd’s hand.

Prayer

O Lamb of God, who reigns in the midst of the Throne but also walks the rough pathways of this world with each trembling heart, may we be abundantly satisfied with Your provision and follow in Your footsteps. Amen.