I used to work with a blind physician, whose listening skills were so astute, he could hear things most of us could not. When we did rounds together in the hospital, I would take his arm or he would follow my voice up and down the halls. His perseverance and skill humbled me. He was not only an excellent clinician, but he was also one of the most caring people I have ever known. Eventually, diabetes took its toll, and my dear friend and colleague went home to be with the Lord. This lovely man's compassion and keen listening skills is a powerful testimony I carry with me still.
In chapter 9 of John’s Gospel, Jesus healed a man who was blind since birth. Because the blind man would not denounce Jesus, he was kicked out of the synagogue and forced to fend for himself. But Jesus found him, and this former blind man will never be alone. What follows is one of my favorite passages of the Bible and one of my favorite images of Christ.
While Christ is teaching several Jewish leaders, He uses an illustration of sheep and their shepherd to make His points. Sheep are still cared for today in the middle east very much like they were thousands of years ago. In the middle east, there is usually only one large pen in a community. These sheepfolds were often made of stone with only one entrance or gate. Everyone in the community would use the pen to confine their sheep when they weren’t grazing. They would also pull their resources together to pay a gatekeeper to stay with the sheep at night. All of the sheep from the community were mixed together into one big herd. The shepherd even had names for his sheep. As soon as he would begin calling them, they would follow him, because they knew him.
Verse 9 in our passage says “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” This verse tells us Christ is the means by which we enter God’s kingdom. Christ is the means by which we receive our blessings and Christ is the assurance of God’s provision. We know these things to be true because of the scriptures. We know these things to be true because we know our shepherd’s voice and we follow.
In Christ, we are not just protected from the destruction of sin. We are given the opportunity to walk with Christ. He doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life, but he does promise us when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will not be afraid (Psalm 23).
If Christ is not the center of your life, then the things replacing Christ in your heart will only steal your joy. Christ came to give us abundant life through our salvation (John 10:10). There are many things which will tempt us to seek green pastures elsewhere, but they will only steal your joy away. We must be careful not to wander out the gate seeking pastures of our own choosing. Every time you do, you will find the grass will not satisfy your hunger. The grass in not always greener on the other side. The false shepherds of Israel didn’t protect the sheep. They didn’t lead the people they were called to serve into green pastures. Instead, these false shepherds left the sheep to fend for themselves.
Jesus Christ will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). When the wolves come running, Jesus doesn't run away, because Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Christ protects His sheep with His own life. If you know the Good shepherd, you know His voice and you follow. To enjoy the abundant life Christ offers, we must first BELIEVE Jesus is God and God is Jesus. The Apostle John presents this truth in the prologue to his Gospel.
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God and all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and darkness had not overcome it”. (John 1:1-3)
The Pharisees could not see Christ as the Messiah, because they were living in darkness. They were looking for a political leader who would overthrow Rome. Our conspiracy theories of today remind me of the political and religious climate Jesus faced 2,000 years ago. The religious leaders chose to believe in a truth of their own making, rather than believing in God’s truth. Despite the many miracles and wonders Christ revealed, they still would not believe. They preferred to wander in spiritual darkness. Jesus shows the Pharisees a second reason for their unbelief in verse 26, “you do not believe because you are not among my sheep”. The Pharisees did not know the shepherds voice and they did not follow.
Once we are a part of the Good shepherd’s flock, we can never be taken away. Nothing can steal our salvation. The Apostle Paul said: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,” For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:32-36)
Not even Satan himself can rob you of your salvation, but He will certainly attempt to make you think you can lose it. Satan will attempt to cover you in darkness and keep you from hearing God’s truth and His word. Satan will attempt to keep Christ’s sheep from following Him. But Satan will fail. If you know the Good Shepherd, you follow His voice and His voice alone.
Have you put your hope in the saving grace of Christ? Are you choosing today, to follow the voice of the Good Shepherd?
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