SUNDAY SCRIPTURE (JOHN 10:7-14)

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.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me,

John 10:7-14 (ESV)

When a shepherd would go out with the sheep into the wilderness, they would have pens already built to keep them safe at night.  As you can see from the picture above, there is no door.  Rather the shepherd himself is the door.  Jesus compares himself to the door and the good shepherd.  They are one and the same.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  Jesus did just that by dying on the cross to pay the penalty of our many sins.

The door is the only safe way in or out.  When you enter in, the shepherd is there to protect you.  When you go out, the shepherd leads you to safe pasture.  Jesus does the same for us.  He watches out for us and protects us from thieves.  They are out to steal, kill and destroy.  They do this through false teaching.  They don't want you to trust the good shepherd, so they spew lies to create the impression that you don't need Jesus.

But Jesus' sheep know his voice and don't listen to another's.  For them, Jesus is the only voice of safety.  Jesus is the way of salvation.

How about you?  Do you know Jesus' voice?  Turn away from all other voices and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  He is the good shepherd who came so that you can have everlasting life.