JOHN 10:14–15 – I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
THEME OF THE DAY: SHEPHERDING ONE ANOTHER. Today’s scripture is taken from the “Good Shepherd” chapter in John’s gospel. It is a great place to run to when weary, fearful, anxious, and needing a fresh look unto Jesus for a good word of encouragement and help. But also add this scripture to today’s because it applies – When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you (John 13:12-15). The application? Read on.
In today’s scripture, Jesus defines Himself as the Good Shepherd, and provides the evidence He is such by the giving of His life for the sheep. He is referring to the cross looming over the horizon of His life. When this truth – Him being the Good Shepherd – is aligned with His words after He washed the disciples feet, “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to You”, the clear application is the responsibility to shepherd other Christians with Jesus as our example. Obviously, we are not talking about a vicarious death for our salvation as Jesus is the One and Only sacrifice, but the principle applies. We are to sacrificially serve His people with His love, by action, motivated by His honor and their good, and to do so as a lifestyle, not isolated acts of service.
So, what does that look like in the day-to-day life as a follower of Jesus? Two words – intentional obedience. Perhaps our greatest sins as Christians are not those of commission but of omission. Test my statement. Do you, do I, wake up and start planning how to commit sin against God? Do we scheme how to break His commandments? Are we lying awake at night pondering ways to go out and “sin up a storm” the next day? Of course not, but now think on this. Do we daily ask the Lord to let us shepherd His sheep and then be an answer to our prayer by intentionally obeying at least one or two of the over fifty “one another” commands in the Bible? Maybe just these two – bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (law of love) – Galatians 6:2 and encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).
Yes, Jesus leaves us an example and it is not just an isolated example of an act of service like washing feet. It is an example of a shepherding life to His people by being shepherd-like, making intentional obedience to His one another commands our patterns in life.
PRAYER: “Father, help me see my responsibility to shepherd other Christians modeling the love of Jesus, my Shepherd.”
QUOTE: “When Jesus gives us an example to follow, it is a command to obey for our joy and influence for Him.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim