Thursday, November 12
What does it mean that Jesus is the one and only True Shepherd? It means He knows us like no one else ever has or ever will. But more than that, He is the shepherd who loves us more than life.
Four times in John 10:11-18, Jesus speaks of laying down His life for His sheep. This is, to say the least, going beyond the call of duty for a shepherd. David, for instance, was unquestionably a good shepherd. He claimed to have slain lions and bears to protect his flock. But if you asked him to die for those dimwitted puffballs, he would have looked at you sideways. For that matter, we shouldn’t think our dog groomer will throw herself in front of a semi to protect our precious Fido. The trainers at Sea World can’t be expected to dive into a school of sharks to rescue Shamu, either. But Jesus is determined to die for His sheep. That is the definition of love. That’s who He is. And this is the central truth of Scripture. Once you see it, you can’t un-see it:
In the Garden, Adam and Eve became ashamed of their nakedness. Their attempts to cover themselves were pathetic, but God clothed them in garments of skin. Something had to die to cover their shame.
When Abraham was starting to doubt God’s promise to make of him a great nation, God told him to take animals, cut them in half, and lay them on the ground. Then God, in the form of a smoking firepot, passed through the pieces on the ground. The message was clear: “If I don’t keep my promise, may I also be slain.”
Later God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. But at the last minute, he substituted a ram. God did not require man to sacrifice his son…but He would sacrifice His own instead.
When Joseph in Egypt seemed determined to punish his brothers for their treachery, Judah offered to sacrifice his own freedom so that his little brother Benjamin—their father’s new favorite—could be set free. This act of sacrificial love broke Joseph and lead to him forgiving them all. Someday, a descendant of Judah named Jesus would arrive and offer a far greater sacrifice.
Those are just a few of many examples…and that’s just Genesis! All through the Bible, God keeps pointing to a future atoning sacrifice, all the while hammering home the same theme: You mean more to me than life itself.
“Lord Jesus, apart from your love, I have no life. Because of your love, you gave up your life. Keep that truth before me every day. I pray that it would define me, how I see myself, how I see others, and most of all, how I see—and worship—you. In your name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
