John 10:11-15

 ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

“I am the Good Shepherd”

 In the contemporary world it’s not popular to describe yourself as a sheep. Sheep are not known for their intelligence, or courage, and certainly not their steadfastness in resisting the crowd. Perhaps we don’t think of ourselves as humbly as we ought to. Sheep, when times are peaceful, disperse in search of grazing, but when they sense danger they draw together. Even sheep know that there is security and support in numbers. What good is that security if there is no shepherd, or even worse, a faithless shepherd who abandons them at the first sign of danger? But this is not the shepherd we follow; if we belong to Christ we will recognise his voice and he will not abandon us.

During Lent, the walk towards the cross looks a lot like abandonment. The good shepherd was, himself, abandoned by his sheep and by the Father. He willingly took upon himself all the punishment that was due to us. “I lay down my life for my sheep” (v.15). No power could force this upon him; he could only do it willingly, and willingly he experienced hell. Being pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5), experiencing an inconceivably horrific death on a lonely cross; a cross outside the city walls, outside of the security of the sheepfold, indeed cast out of heaven altogether. What cruel irony that the shepherd should offer his own blood as atonement, rather than that of a ram and seven lambs (Numbers 29:8), and that precious blood offered for a faithless flock which had scattered.

Yet, that is not the final word. Death could not possibly contain him, and our hope is renewed, and our joy is made complete in the triumph of the empty tomb, of the risen Christ. This is testament to the Good Shepherd, and this is his gospel:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.”

Let this declaration nourish our souls and strengthen our fellowship with each other ─ all brothers and sisters in Christ’s flock, by the grace sealed through his redeeming blood.

Prayer

Lord, open our ears and grant us wisdom to discern your voice. Speak to us through your Spirit. Lead us and protect us and make your presence real to us every hour of every day. Let us never tire of rejoicing in the victory you have won over death. In your name. Amen.