Why Would I Want A Shepherd?
Series: The Great ''I AM''
Jeff Strite
John 10:11-16
OPEN: Several years ago in the country of Turkey, a flock of sheep made the news. It seems that the shepherds of the flock had been eating breakfast when their sheep began to wander off. Now, ordinarily this wouldn't have been a problem, except the flock was just a stone's throw away from a cliff. Suddenly, one of the sheep went over the cliff and 1500 more followed it. Four hundred of the flock fell 45 feet to their deaths. The other 1100 survived only because the dead sheep broke their fall. But many of which were seriously injured. Cost to the local farmers was estimated at around: $74,000
In John 10:12-13 we read ''The hired hand... doesn't own the sheep... ... and CARES NOTHING for the sheep.'' The flock really isn't his so he's not as watchful as he might be to dangers etc. And that seems to have been what happened that fateful day in Turkey. The hired shepherds allowed their sheep to get to close to a ravine, and the result was devastating.
By contrast... Jesus said: ''I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.'' (John 10:11). This GOOD shepherd cares enough for HIS sheep to even die for them because they belong to Him.
Back in Old Testament, there was shepherd boy named David who took on giant named Goliath. The King (King Saul) was skeptical about how this would turn out, so he questioned whether David had it in him to do this. And David replied: ''Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.'' I Samuel 17:34-35
A hired hand wouldn't have bothered with that - but these sheep belonged to David's family. They were precious to them. David was willing to even face death to protect them. And that's what Jes ...
Series: The Great ''I AM''
Jeff Strite
John 10:11-16
OPEN: Several years ago in the country of Turkey, a flock of sheep made the news. It seems that the shepherds of the flock had been eating breakfast when their sheep began to wander off. Now, ordinarily this wouldn't have been a problem, except the flock was just a stone's throw away from a cliff. Suddenly, one of the sheep went over the cliff and 1500 more followed it. Four hundred of the flock fell 45 feet to their deaths. The other 1100 survived only because the dead sheep broke their fall. But many of which were seriously injured. Cost to the local farmers was estimated at around: $74,000
In John 10:12-13 we read ''The hired hand... doesn't own the sheep... ... and CARES NOTHING for the sheep.'' The flock really isn't his so he's not as watchful as he might be to dangers etc. And that seems to have been what happened that fateful day in Turkey. The hired shepherds allowed their sheep to get to close to a ravine, and the result was devastating.
By contrast... Jesus said: ''I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.'' (John 10:11). This GOOD shepherd cares enough for HIS sheep to even die for them because they belong to Him.
Back in Old Testament, there was shepherd boy named David who took on giant named Goliath. The King (King Saul) was skeptical about how this would turn out, so he questioned whether David had it in him to do this. And David replied: ''Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.'' I Samuel 17:34-35
A hired hand wouldn't have bothered with that - but these sheep belonged to David's family. They were precious to them. David was willing to even face death to protect them. And that's what Jes ...
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