John 10:14-15
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Application: 

Not only is Jesus the gate through which the sheep pass, but he also protects and cares for them: I am the good shepherd. Notice he’s not just any shepherd but a good one. What does a good shepherd do? He lays down his life for the sheep (10:11). A hired hand, on the other hand, is only there to earn a living. He doesn’t care about the sheep because they aren’t his. So when a wolf attacks, the hired hand runs away, while the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep (10:12–13). But the good shepherd knows his sheep, and they know him (10:14). Jesus declared, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (10:15).

Although it wouldn’t have been clear to his listeners at that moment, Jesus was speaking of his substitutionary atonement when he would sacrifice his life on the cross for the sins of the world. As he would tell his disciples later, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends” (15:13). Although the Pharisees cared only for themselves, Jesus was ready to sacrifice everything to save the sheep he loved.

David compared the Lord to a shepherd in Psalm 23, as he was familiar with tending sheep. After all, he used to do that job (see 1 Sam 16:11–12; 17:15, 34–37). He knew firsthand what it meant for a shepherd to protect and provide for sheep, so he described his relationship to God in those terms. What David had been to his sheep, God had been to him. Notice that the Lord wasn’t just a generic shepherd to David; he was David’s personal shepherd. He calls him “my shepherd.” As a result, David confidently proclaims, “I have what I need.” Because God had met all of David’s needs, he recognized that he lacked nothing.

Some Christians trust God to save them for eternity, but they lack confidence that He can provide for them in everyday life. David’s beautiful, poetic testimony can help build our trust that He can. After declaring the Lord to be his shepherd, David continues in the rest of the psalm to show how God met all his needs.

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 519,1040.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write blogs. Consider this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures to determine whether what I write is so. Always consult with your church ministers about biblical matters. I am also not a professional writer, so some grammar or spelling errors may be present. I try my best to write as efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo

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