Christ Church Daily Devotion Feb 27 2024

In today's Daily Devotion, we read from John chapter 10. Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd who knows and loves his sheep. He is willing to lay down his life for them and bring all his sheep together as one flock. The Jews were divided in their response to Jesus' words. The main characteristic of the Good Shepherd is his sacrificial love for his sheep. Other religious voices exploit and abandon the sheep, but Jesus wants to share his life with them. Through his death, we receive fellowship and a beautiful life. We should focus on worshiping the Great Shepherd who loves us infinitely. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for February 27, 2024. Today we will be reading from John chapter 10, verses 14 through 21. I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life, only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again, the command I received from my Father. The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him? The others said, These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can the demon open the eyes of the blind? The primary characteristic of the Good Shepherd is that he loves unto death. He is willing to die for the sheep. The disciples never could get over the fact that Jesus loved them so much he was willing to die for them. Many of the epistles of Paul, of John, and James, and Peter contain awestruck references to this. John writes in Revelation, Unto him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1, 5. Paul says in Romans, While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5, 8. Peter said, He bore our sins in his own body on the tree, 1 Peter 2, 24. The writer of the Hebrews declares, Who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot unto God, Hebrews 9, 14. They are amazed that this blessed one, this sinless Lord, this matchless Christ, would consent to die for his own. But that is the mark of the Good Shepherd. What a contrast with the hireling. What do all these other religious voices that we hear want from us? They want something for themselves. They regard the sheep as something to be exploited, to be used to advance, and to build themselves up. When the sheep get into trouble, when the enemy comes, when the wolf, the devil, strikes, they flee, leaving the sheep to fend for themselves. Jesus declares that the end of his laying down his life is to share his life with the sheep. Notice how he puts it, I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. What Jesus speaks of here is that intimacy of fellowship, that beauty of life, which was evident in Jesus as he loved the Father, and the Father loved him. This, he promises, is what comes to us as a result of laying down his life for us. Richness of fellowship, that beauty of life, which is imparted by this one who was willing to lay down his life that we may have life. Your personal worship option today is, Lord, help us not to be so preoccupied and self-conscious about being sheep that we are failing to worship the Great Shepherd who has given his own life to infinite love for his sheep. Amen.