Can we know for sure that we are one of Christ’s sheep? While the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His own. Pastor Lutzer describes three of Jesus’ purposes as the door to the sheep fold. Imagine what a difference it would make if we lived securely as the object of His love.
Here are all of the ways that you can follow along with 5 Minutes With Pastor Lutzer:
- On our Podcast via iTunes and Google Podcasts
- On our Facebook page
- On our YouTube channel
Transcript: Welcome to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” I’m so glad that you joined us again today as we continue our study, entitled, “When the Good Shepherd Holds Your Hand.” I’m so excited about this because I have to tell you that as I prepared these messages, my own heart was greatly blessed.
Today, we’re in John 10 and by the way, lest I forget, be sure to subscribe, to follow, and to share because as we study God’s word we are always taking the opportunity of being blessed but especially blessed by the Good Shepherd. Chapter 10 of the book of John. I wish I had time to read the first 15 or 20 verses but we can’t do that here. I encourage you to do it on your own. What you will discover here is that Jesus uses imagery and He is first of all the door. He says, “I am the door.” He also says that he is the shepherd.
I was thinking about this last evening, I realized that he is both. Of course he’s the door. You know that shepherds often times they would sleep at the door to make sure that if any marauder came through they would deal with him directly. And in the very same way Jesus is both the door and he is the Shepherd. So let’s talk about that imagery for just a moment.
The Door. The door means of course a means of entrance. And Jesus says if anyone tries to get into the sheepfold in any other way he is a thief and a robber. And Jesus is the only door into the sheepfold. Don’t have time to expound on that but take that to the bank, so to speak. It’s found throughout the scripture. Because only he has the qualifications of being the Savior. So he says, “I am the door.” It’s the entrance.
It also means exclusion. Of course the Christian faith is exclusive. “No man comes to the Father but by Me.” No man gets into the sheepfold apart from Jesus Christ. But also it’s protection. When you are in that sheep fold, you receive God’s protection all the way until evening.
Well, we could go on and emphasize this. Jesus says that the Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Imagine that. Now, in Old Testament time sheep were used of course as sacrifices. The sheep gave their lives for the shepherd. In this instance, the Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Have you ever thought to yourself that you are not valuable to God or that you are not the object of his love? Imagine that.
Jesus goes on to say that, “My sheep hear my voice and they know me and they follow me.” Have you heard the voice of Jesus Christ? Have you come to the point in your life where you know for sure that you are one of God’s sheep? Well, Jesus says that “My sheep hear my voice, they know me, they follow me, and I give on to them eternal life.” “The thief comes but for to steal, to kill, and to destroy,” Jesus said, “but I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Now, I want you to be blessed today and realize that first of all, Jesus knows his sheep. The text says here that he knows them by name. I want you to imagine yourself arriving in heaven and Jesus knowing your name. That’s our Shepherd. I have a friend who was walking along the street and there was a fortune teller there. And my friend went to that fortune teller and said, “I’ll allow you to tell my fortune. If first of all you tell me my name. First, middle, and last name.” The fortune teller said, “Well, of course I can’t do that.” And then my friend says, “I belong to somebody who knows me by name.” The Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name.
Not only is Jesus the Door, not only is he the Good Shepherd, but let us be blessed today by the recognition that he is also of all things, our Brother. And you remember when Jesus was raised from the dead and Mary Magdalene held onto him. Jesus said to her, “I ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to your God and my God.” Well, let’s take time to think about it. Obviously if Jesus Christ says our Father in Heaven is my Father and He’s also your Father, well of course,as the book of Hebrews points out, we are also brothers.
I emphasized in a previous episode that when a sheep is sick, when a sheep is going through a difficult time, it receives very special attention from the Shepherd. Today you may be going through a very difficult time. I don’t know your experience but I do know this, that Jesus Christ—if He is your shepherd—has you in mind and you are number one on his list of things to be Interested in in this whole universe.
Please join us next time because we’re going to be going on in this passage of scripture and I’m going to be talking about the security of the sheep. As I frequently emphasize, be sure to subscribe, follow, and share because we are here to bless you through the word of God and as for today, well, you just go with God.