THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Several years ago, while traveling in a major city, our family was using the subway on an especially crowded day. When the train arrived at our station, my wife and I surged ahead with the crowd, moving two of our children forward. We each thought the other was holding our youngest son’s hand, but as the train began moving, we saw him standing in the boarding area. Alone.
We panicked. We jumped off the train at the next stop and grabbed the first train headed back in the other direction. We prayed the whole way, trying to hold back the tears, fearful of what might happen to a little boy left all alone. We arrived to find our son still standing there on the platform, wide-eyed and wondering where we had gone. In the end, all was well.
We all know the feeling of vulnerability is disconcerting, to say the least. Jesus knows life can be overwhelming, but He has not left us alone. He protects us and assures our ultimate safety with Him.
We panicked. We jumped off the train at the next stop and grabbed the first train headed back in the other direction. We prayed the whole way, trying to hold back the tears, fearful of what might happen to a little boy left all alone. We arrived to find our son still standing there on the platform, wide-eyed and wondering where we had gone. In the end, all was well.
We all know the feeling of vulnerability is disconcerting, to say the least. Jesus knows life can be overwhelming, but He has not left us alone. He protects us and assures our ultimate safety with Him.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
John 10:7-15, 27-30 (NIV)
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
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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.
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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.
27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are one.”
The gate for the sheep (v. 7)—A shepherd corralled sheep into makeshift pens at night for protection, forming a door with a bundle of sticks or his own person.
To the full (v. 10)—The Greek word carries the connotation of super abundant or exceedingly abundant, well beyond the minimum. It can refer to both quality and quantity.
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John 10:7-10
When Jesus announced, “I am the gate for the sheep” (v. 7), He meant He was the only door for the sheep. He was claiming an exclusive status as Savior of the world—a claim that is repeated throughout the New Testament (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). While some chafe at this claim and try to soften it, there are no alternative meanings for Jesus’ words. Jesus is not one way to God, He is the only way.
Jesus based His illustration on a sheep pen with a gate, not a closed room with a door (as our culture would think of a door). The only way to legitimately enter a sheep pen is through the door or gate. Since the sheep pen symbolizes a relationship with God, it follows that Jesus, the Gate, is the only way to enter that relationship. Trusting in anything else—good works, religious tradition, the faith of others, and so on—will not give you access to a relationship with God. You must trust in Jesus alone.
Jesus warned about people who would distract His sheep from following Him. He said, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers” (v. 8). Jesus was referring to religious leaders, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were more interested in personal gain than in leading people to God. In very strong language, Jesus condemned anyone who interferes with people coming to Him.
Yet Jesus’ words were not all negative. He also gave two wonderful promises:
Jesus’ followers move freely through life enjoying His blessings. We are promised abundant life—the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
Modern advertisers promise you can “have it all,” but they lie. You can never get what you need through the products they advertise. Jesus promised you would have everything you need in life for true contentment and fulfillment—but only in Him. Jesus has given you more than you deserve and all of what truly matters in life.
When Jesus announced, “I am the gate for the sheep” (v. 7), He meant He was the only door for the sheep. He was claiming an exclusive status as Savior of the world—a claim that is repeated throughout the New Testament (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). While some chafe at this claim and try to soften it, there are no alternative meanings for Jesus’ words. Jesus is not one way to God, He is the only way.
Jesus based His illustration on a sheep pen with a gate, not a closed room with a door (as our culture would think of a door). The only way to legitimately enter a sheep pen is through the door or gate. Since the sheep pen symbolizes a relationship with God, it follows that Jesus, the Gate, is the only way to enter that relationship. Trusting in anything else—good works, religious tradition, the faith of others, and so on—will not give you access to a relationship with God. You must trust in Jesus alone.
Jesus warned about people who would distract His sheep from following Him. He said, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers” (v. 8). Jesus was referring to religious leaders, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were more interested in personal gain than in leading people to God. In very strong language, Jesus condemned anyone who interferes with people coming to Him.
Yet Jesus’ words were not all negative. He also gave two wonderful promises:
- Anyone who follows Christ “will come in and go out, and find pasture” (v. 9).
- “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (v. 10).
Jesus’ followers move freely through life enjoying His blessings. We are promised abundant life—the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
Modern advertisers promise you can “have it all,” but they lie. You can never get what you need through the products they advertise. Jesus promised you would have everything you need in life for true contentment and fulfillment—but only in Him. Jesus has given you more than you deserve and all of what truly matters in life.
John 10:11-13
Jesus made another significant “I am” statement in verse 11: “I am the good shepherd.” Every shepherd does good for his sheep—leading them to pastures, protecting them from predators, tending to them when they’re sick, and so forth. Jesus’ listeners would have expected this, but He claimed much more. He described the good shepherd as one who “lays down His life for the sheep” (v. 11). Jesus does more than care for His sheep; He died for them.
Unfortunately, Jesus also highlighted two kinds of enemies who can limit people from establishing a relationship with God:
1. The hired hand. Since he doesn’t own the sheep, the hired man leaves them and runs away when trouble comes.
2. The wolf. The wolf “attacks and scatters” the sheep as an intentional act of destruction.
One enemy abandons the sheep when trouble comes; the other is the trouble. The Pharisees who heard these words likely cringed at the comparison. Jesus earlier had compared them to “thieves and robbers” (v. 8), and now to hirelings and wolves. Jesus minced no words in describing the damage religious leaders do when they are more concerned about preserving their traditions than introducing people to Christ.
Jesus’ condemnation extends to any person—even a simple church member—who puts religious traditions and preferences ahead of helping people find their way to Him. It’s easy to lose spiritual focus and think the church exists to meet our needs. It’s dangerous to think our ways of doing things are the only acceptable choices and our preferences are best for everyone.
That’s what the Pharisees did, and it can happen to us as well.
John 10:14 -15, 27-30
Jesus’ care for His people (His sheep) is comprehensive and irrevocable. He promised that when He gives eternal life, His followers “shall never perish” (v. 28). He used a two-fisted example to demonstrate what He meant. Jesus said of His followers, “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28) and “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (v. 29).
As a young Christian, the fact that Jesus held me securely was difficult for me to believe. My mistake was assuming my efforts secured my relationship with God. While talking with a youth pastor and another friend about this, the pastor took off his wedding ring and handed it to my friend. He told him to make a fist around the ring and then wrap his free hand around his fist. Then the pastor put both his hands around my friend’s hands. My youth pastor turned to me and said, “Try to get the wedding ring out of our hands.”
Obviously, I couldn’t do it. Then he said: “Jeff, Jesus has hold of you. God has hold of Jesus. You are completely secure. You are like the wedding ring; nothing can get to you.”
That illustration isn’t perfect, but it has stuck with me over the years. We are far more secure than that wedding ring. Once you establish a relationship with Jesus through faith, you belong to Him completely and permanently. No attack can defeat you, no sin can disqualify you, and no person can steal you away from Christ (see Rom. 8:31-39).
As a young Christian, the fact that Jesus held me securely was difficult for me to believe. My mistake was assuming my efforts secured my relationship with God. While talking with a youth pastor and another friend about this, the pastor took off his wedding ring and handed it to my friend. He told him to make a fist around the ring and then wrap his free hand around his fist. Then the pastor put both his hands around my friend’s hands. My youth pastor turned to me and said, “Try to get the wedding ring out of our hands.”
Obviously, I couldn’t do it. Then he said: “Jeff, Jesus has hold of you. God has hold of Jesus. You are completely secure. You are like the wedding ring; nothing can get to you.”
That illustration isn’t perfect, but it has stuck with me over the years. We are far more secure than that wedding ring. Once you establish a relationship with Jesus through faith, you belong to Him completely and permanently. No attack can defeat you, no sin can disqualify you, and no person can steal you away from Christ (see Rom. 8:31-39).
LIVE IT OUT
How will you respond this week to the offer of Jesus’ protection?
Consider the following options:
When fear arises, remember your security is in Jesus. He and the Father have you in a double-fisted handful of protective custody. Nothing can pluck you from their hands!
Lesson Today:
This week we look at "Our Need for Protection" as we continue in this series from the Gospel of John. You know, home security is a big business. Burglaries occur every 15 seconds. Homes with security systems are 3-times less likely to be broken into and 75% of those burglaries are never completed because of the alarm system. That's a pretty convincing endorsement for the need of a security system and a lot of people are paying attention to this need for protection!
Unfortunately, we don’t always give the same attention to our spiritual lives. No matter how much protection we wrap around things, they can still be removed or destroyed by force or by natural disaster. However, we can have a life secure in Christ that nothing or no one can take from us or destroy.
In this week's lesson Jesus states that He is the Good Shepherd who can offer us ultimate protection.
I. JESUS: THE GATE WHO PROTECTS and the ENTRYWAY to ABUNDANT LIFE
John 10:7-10
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
What does Jesus mean when He says that He is the gate for the sheep?
Who was Jesus referring to as thieves and robbers?
Where do we encounter “thieves and robbers” in today’s world?
Jesus gave two wonderful promises:
1. Anyone who follows Christ “will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
2. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
What does Jesus mean by having life to the full?
II. JESUS: THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO CARES for US John 10:11-13
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.
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the good shepherd?”
- Identify your fears. Be especially aware this week of circumstances that cause you to experience fear or concern. Record those moments in a journal or list, and use them as a starting point for prayer.
- Study Christ. Read more about the relationship between Jesus and the Father. See page 61 for a short description of what we know about God, and invest time in reading the Scriptures provided.
- Share what you’ve learned. Be intentional about sharing how Jesus has calmed your fears with someone who needs to hear it this week. Pray that God would provide opportunities and conversations that open the door for you to share what you’ve learned.
When fear arises, remember your security is in Jesus. He and the Father have you in a double-fisted handful of protective custody. Nothing can pluck you from their hands!
Lesson Today:
Click Here to Watch
This week we look at "Our Need for Protection" as we continue in this series from the Gospel of John. You know, home security is a big business. Burglaries occur every 15 seconds. Homes with security systems are 3-times less likely to be broken into and 75% of those burglaries are never completed because of the alarm system. That's a pretty convincing endorsement for the need of a security system and a lot of people are paying attention to this need for protection!
Unfortunately, we don’t always give the same attention to our spiritual lives. No matter how much protection we wrap around things, they can still be removed or destroyed by force or by natural disaster. However, we can have a life secure in Christ that nothing or no one can take from us or destroy.
In this week's lesson Jesus states that He is the Good Shepherd who can offer us ultimate protection.
I. JESUS: THE GATE WHO PROTECTS and the ENTRYWAY to ABUNDANT LIFE
John 10:7-10
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
What does Jesus mean when He says that He is the gate for the sheep?
- When Jesus announced, “I am the gate for the sheep” (v. 7), He meant He was the only door for the sheep. He was claiming an exclusive status as Savior of the world—a claim that is repeated throughout the New Testament (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). While some chafe at this claim and try to soften it, there are no alternative meanings for Jesus’ words. Jesus is not one way to God, He is the only way.
- Jesus based His illustration on a sheep pen with a gate, not a closed room with a door (as our culture would think of a door). The only way to legitimately enter a sheep pen is through the door or gate. Since the sheep pen symbolizes a relationship with God, it follows that Jesus, the Gate, is the only way to enter that relationship. Trusting in anything else—good works, religious tradition, the faith of others, and so on—will not give you access to a relationship with God. You must trust in Jesus alone.
Who was Jesus referring to as thieves and robbers?
- Jesus warned about people who would distract His sheep from following Him. He said, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers” (v. 8). Jesus was referring to religious leaders, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were more interested in personal gain than in leading people to God. In very strong language, Jesus condemned anyone who interferes with people coming to Him.
Where do we encounter “thieves and robbers” in today’s world?
Jesus gave two wonderful promises:
1. Anyone who follows Christ “will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
2. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
What does Jesus mean by having life to the full?
- Jesus’ followers move freely through life enjoying His blessings. We are promised abundant life—the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
- It is tempting for us to equate abundant life with the cheap imitations of the world. The abundant life that is ours through Christ does not necessarily involve comfort, wealth, or an abundance of worldly things. When Jesus talks about abundance, he is referring to the things of God—relationship, presence, power, steadfast love, and abundant forgiveness.
- Modern advertisers promise you can “have it all,” but they lie. You can never get what you need through the products they advertise. Jesus promised you would have everything you need in life for true contentment and fulfillment—but only in Him. Jesus has given you more than you deserve and all of what truly matters in life.
- Indian Jones and the Last Crusade is one of my favorite movies—it’s great entertainment but it packs a powerful punch of a message about finding happiness and joy [Show the clip toward the end of the movie when Elsa has fallen to her death grasping for the grail and then Indiana nearly dies as he reaches for the Holy Grail even as his father is trying to save him.] Indiana Jones is grasping for the Holy Grail even as he is about to plunge to his death. His father implores him, “Indiana, let it go.” All too often it is not what we lack that inhibits us from experiencing abundant life: what keeps us from experiencing life abundant is the stuff of earth that we do not want to let go of or to lose. Jesus said that he came to give life, and give it abundantly. If that is the case, then we have to seriously talk about what keeps us from experiencing the life abundant that Jesus came to give us. Here’s a clue: The things that inhibit us from experiencing life abundant on earth today and in heaven to come are the things we refuse to let go of.
II. JESUS: THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO CARES for US John 10:11-13
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.
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the good shepherd?”
- Every shepherd does good for his sheep—leading them to pastures, protecting them from predators, tending to them when they’re sick, and so forth. Jesus’ listeners would have expected this, but He claimed much more. He described the good shepherd as one who “lays down His life for the sheep” (v. 11). Jesus does more than care for His sheep; He died for them.
The 23rd Psalm
There was a man that many years ago started with a company at the bottom but was determined to get to the top. He had unusual abilities and energy and he used all that he had. He succeeded and became the president of the company and has all the things that go with this position. Yet, along the way, he left out something, and one of those things he did not achieve was happiness. He had become a nervous, tense, worried, and sick man. Finally, one of his physicians suggested that he talk with a minister.
The minister talked to him about how his physician had given him prescriptions and he had taken them as prescribed. Then the minister took a sheet of paper and wrote out his prescription for the man. He prescribed the 23rd Psalm, five times a day for seven days. And the minister insisted that he take it just as it was prescribed. He was to read it first thing when he woke in the morning. Read it carefully, meditatively, and prayerfully. Immediately after breakfast, he was to do exactly the same thing; also after lunch, again after dinner, and finally the last thing before he went to bed. It was not to be a quick, hurried reading. He was to think about each phrase, giving his mind time to soak up as much of the meaning as possible. At the end of just one week, the minister promised, things would be different for him.
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most powerful pieces of writings in existence, and it can do marvelous things for any person. It can change your life in seven days.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.” Marcus Aurelius said, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make it.” Norman Vincent Peale said, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” The Bible says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
The 23rd Psalm is a pattern of thinking, and when a mind becomes saturated with it, a new way of thinking and a new life are the result.
Let’s break it down:
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.
What does this mean to you?
Immediately after World War II the Allied armies gathered up many hungry, homeless children and placed them in large camps. There the children were abundantly fed and cared for. However, at night they did not sleep well. They seemed restless and afraid. Finally, a psychologist hit on a solution. After the children were put to bed, they each received a slice of bread to hold. If they wanted more to eat, more was provided, but this particular slice was not to be eaten – it was just to hold. The slice of bread produced great results. The child would go to sleep, subconsciously feeling it would have something to eat tomorrow. That assurance gave the child a calm and peaceful rest.
David points out something of the same feeling in the sheep when he says, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” Instinctively the sheep knows the shepherd has made plans for its grazing tomorrow.
So the Psalm doesn’t begin with a petition asking God for something, rather it is a calm statement of fact – “The Lord is my shepherd.” We do not have to beg God for things. In Matthew 6:8 Jesus says, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him,” All life came from God. That includes my life. God keeps faith with the birds of the air and the grass of the field. And Jesus asks us to think that if God will do so much for a simple bird or a wild flower, how much more will He do for us? (Matthew 6:25, 34) David says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” With that faith we can work today without worrying about tomorrow.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
What does this mean to you?
The shepherd starts the sheep grazing about 4am. The sheep walk steadily as they graze; they are never still. By 10am the sun is beaming down and the sheep are hot, tired and thirsty. The wise shepherd knows that the sheep must not drink when it is hot, neither when its stomach is filled with undigested grass. So the shepherd makes the sheep lie down in green pastures, in a cool, soft spot. The sheep will not eat lying down, so he chews his cud, which is nature’s way of digestion. If you study the lives of great people, you will find that every one of them had to take moments away from the hurry of life for rest and reflection. The Psalmist said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Elijah found God, not in the earthquake or the fire, but in “a still small voice.” Jesus took time to be alone and to pray. This many times is the most difficult thing for us to do. Sometimes God will put you on your back in order to give you a chance to look up: “He maketh me to lie down.”
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
What does this mean to you?
Sheep are very timid creatures especially around swift moving water. They are poor swimmers because of their heavy coat of wool. Instinctively, the sheep knows it cannot swim in swift current. The sheep will not drink from a moving stream. The sheep will drink only from still waters.
The shepherd doesn’t laugh at the sheep’s fears. Nor does he try to force the sheep. Instead, as he leads his sheep across the mountains and valleys, he is constantly on the watch for still waters, where the sheep can drink.
This has wonderful meaning for us. God knows our limitations, and He does not condemn us because we have weaknesses. He does not force us where we cannot safely and happily go. God never demands of us work which is beyond our strength and abilities. Instead, God is constantly ministering to our needs. He understands the loads upon our shoulders. He also knows where the places of nourishment and refreshment are located. It should give us confidence in knowing that even while we sleep, the Shepherd is working to prepare for our needs tomorrow.
One of the finest ways to relieve a tension in your life is to picture still water clearly in your mind. Maybe it’s a small lake among the pine trees, maybe a tiny cool spring on a hillside, or maybe even a calm sea with gentle, rippling waves. After the picture becomes clear, then start repeating and believing, “He leadeth me beside still waters.” Such an experience produces a marvelous surrender and trust that enables one to face the heat of the day confidently, knowing that there is refreshing and relaxed power waiting under the leadership of one wiser than we.
He restoreth my soul.
What does this mean to you?
David remembered that as the sheep start out in the morning graze, each takes a definite place in line and holds that same position all during the day. However, some time during the day each sheep leaves its place in line and trots over to the shepherd. The shepherd gently rubs the nose and ears, lightly scratches the ears, and whispers in an ear of the sheep. Reassured and encouraged, the sheep takes its place in line again.
David remembered how close he once was to God, how God protected him as he went out to meet the giant Goliath, how God guided him along the way to success. Then David got busy. He was able to look after himself. He felt no need of God. He lost his nearness to God. And he did wrong. His burden of guilt became too heavy to bear – he repented, and God heard, forgave, and restored David again.
“He restoreth my soul” can have another meaning. “He revives life in me.” Lie a watch, the human spirit can just run down. We lose our drive and push. We become less willing to attempt the difficult. Like squeezing the juice from an orange and leaving just the pulp, life has a way of squeezing the spirit out of us. We can become only a shell. We feel the thrill of no new enthusiasm, the dawn of a new day leaves us cold and hopeless. The Bible tells us that God made the first man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). And God has the power and the willingness to breath a new breath of life into us when we need it. Only God has this power – “The psychiatrist’s couch cannot take the place of the church in solving the problems of a frustrated society.” “He restoreth my soul” – “He revives life in me.”
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
What does this mean to you?
We come to forks in the road of life and cannot decide which way to turn. There are decisions to be made and yet it’s so hard to decide. We get lost. We need guidance, and confidently David declares, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness” (in the right paths).
David remembers his own experiences as a shepherd. He knew that the sheep has no sense of direction. A dog, a cat, or a horse, if lost, can find its way back. Not so with sheep! The sheep has very poor eyes. It cannot see 10 or 15 yards ahead. The sheep are willing to trust the shepherd for where they go.
Notice that the Psalm says, “He leadeth me.” God doesn’t drive. He is climbing the same hill that we climb – man is not alone. The wise man says, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6). That is such truth – the person who sincerely seeks to do God’s will, whatever His will may be, will know the leadership of Eternal Wisdom.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.
What does this mean to you?
There’s a story of a mother who collapsed when she heard the news that her son had been killed. She went in her room, closed the door, and would not see anyone. Her minister came and sat down beside her but she wouldn’t speak to him. For a little while all was quiet and then slowly the minister began saying, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Phrase by phrase, he gently spoke the words of the Psalm, and she listened. When he came to that great phrase of comfort, she joined in and together they said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.” And a smile came upon her lips, and she said, “I see it differently now.”
Of course, “the valley of the shadow of death” refers to more than the actual experiences of physical death. It has been translated, “the glen of gloom.” It might refer to every hard and terrifying experience of life.
There is an actual Valley of the Shadow of Death in Palestine: It leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and is a very narrow and dangerous pathway through the mountain range. The path is rough, and there is danger that a sheep may fall at any moment to its death. But the sheep are not afraid. Why? Because the shepherd is with it.
And so we too, can say with assurance as David did, that wherever my pathway leads, I will not be afraid, why? “For Thou art with me.” There is power in His presence.
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
What does this mean to you?
There once was a man that was hurt terribly during a cyclone. From then on much of his fear in life was tied to the event of yet another cyclone. There was nothing he could do about it. One day his children decided to build a cyclone cellar. When the man saw the cellar he felt that he had protection and it was a great comfort to him.
The sheep is a helpless animal. It has no weapon with which to fight. It is an easy prey to any wild beast of the field. It is afraid. But the shepherd carries a rod about 3 feet long to fight off the prey. David remembers his own need for a rod as he told Saul how he slew a lion and a bear in protecting his sheep.
Also the shepherd carried a staff, about 8 feet long. At the end of the staff it was turned into a crook. If a sheep lost its footing and fell, the shepherd could reach down with his staff and place the crook around the small chest of the sheep and lift it back on the pathway. The sheep is instinctively comforted by the shepherd’s rod and staff.
I have insurance on my automobile and home. I hope I will never need it, but I’m comforted by the fact that I have it. I regret that our country spends so much money on military preparedness, but I’m comforted when I think of the condition of this world, and the strength that we have.
There is overwhelming evil in the world. We are scared people. Many times we feel helpless; then we find comfort in realizing the power of God.
God is not just a cyclone cellar or insurance policy, but listen how James Montgomery describes Him:
God is my salvation: what foe have I to fear?
In darkness and temptation, my light, my help is near:
Though hosts encamp around me, firm in the fight I stand,
What terror can confound me, with God at my right hand?
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
What does this mean to you?
The pastures of the Holy Land had poisonous plants that were fatal to the sheep if eaten. Also, there were plants with sharp thorns that would penetrate the soft noses of the sheep and cause ugly sores. Each spring the shepherd would go out and dig these enemies of the sheep out of the ground and pile them up to burn. Then the pastures were safe for the sheep to graze. The pastures became, as it were, a table prepared. The present enemies were destroyed.
As we move along through life, we know there will be enemies seeking to destroy, but the Shepherd of men is out ahead of us and we can be assured of His protection.
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over
What does this mean to you?
Sometimes when the sheep had grazed all day, they would come in through the gate and the shepherd would check them one by one to see if they had cut or bruised their heads on stones or thorns while grazing. If they did, he would put soothing oil on their head to heal and soothe their wounds. David says here, “Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup …” He didn’t say “our” heads. It’s a singular pronoun. In our verses today John 10:3 says, “He calleth His own sheep by name” – I like that, it makes me feel important.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
David was an old man when he wrote the 23rd Psalm. He has seen tragedies and disappointments, but he had also come to know God – a God who knows the needs of His children and who abundantly provided for those needs, a God who can restore life and takes away fear. In spite of dark clouds that may have loomed on the horizon, with a God like Him whom David knew, David was sure the sun would shine tomorrow.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
There’s no place like home…
III. JESUS: THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO SECURES US ETERNALLY
John 10:14 -15, 27-30
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.
27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
How is Jesus our ultimate security and protection?
- Jesus’ care for His people (His sheep) is comprehensive and irrevocable. He promised that when He gives eternal life, His followers “shall never perish” (v. 28). He used a two-fisted example to demonstrate what He meant. Jesus said of His followers, “No one will snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28) and “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (v. 29).
What makes Christians question their security in Christ?
- As a young Christian, the fact that Jesus held me securely was difficult for me to believe. My mistake was assuming my efforts secured my relationship with God. While talking with a youth pastor and another friend about this, the pastor took off his wedding ring and handed it to my friend. He told him to make a fist around the ring and then wrap his free hand around his fist. Then the pastor put both his hands around my friend’s hands. My youth pastor turned to me and said, “Try to get the wedding ring out of our hands.” Obviously, I couldn’t do it. Then he said: “Jeff, Jesus has hold of you. God has hold of Jesus. You are completely secure. You are like the wedding ring; nothing can get to you.”
- Once you establish a relationship with Jesus through faith, you belong to Him completely and permanently. No attack can defeat you, no sin can disqualify you, and no person can steal you away from Christ (see Rom. 8:31-39).
What’s our role in accessing and benefiting from Jesus’ protection?
- When fear arises, remember your security is in Jesus. He and the Father have you in a double-fisted handful of protective custody. Nothing can pluck you from their hands!
LIVE IT OUT
Our national leaders make promises, our government sets policies in place, and our law enforcement and military personnel put their lives on the line to make us secure as a people and nation. Even so, the truth is, our world is an insecure place. We live in an era of threats generated by people with hearts filled with hate.
Only one source of security is certain. We can only be secure in Jesus. Even those who may threaten and take the body cannot touch the soul (Matt. 10:28). All who trust in Jesus are protected and safe in Him. We take hope in that wonderful truth.
Prayer of Commitment
Good Shepherd, I live today and face tomorrow believing I am eternally secure in Your hands. Amen.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
