Our problem of sin has a solution—Jesus, our Good Shepherd and Savior.
Time of Grace Ministry
Day 1
Scripture: John 10:14
Prone to wander
A famous old hymn said, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” The author admitted that his heart had a tendency to stray from God.
Jesus would agree. When he said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep, and my sheep know me” (John 10:14), he was implying that we all, like sheep, go astray. We are prone to wander.
Why? Sheep see something they want (like green grass) and pursue it without checking if that pursuit takes them far from their shepherd. In addition, their flocking instinct means they are prone to follow their friends, no matter how near or distant those friends are from the shepherd.
Sound familiar? Often, we see something we want (the best education, athletic achievement, extra money, etc.) and pursue it without seriously asking about its effect on our closeness to Jesus (think church attendance, your prayer life, etc.). In addition, we tend to follow the example of people we respect, scheduling our lives in similar ways, even if they aren’t seeking God’s kingdom before all else.
Perhaps the wisest thing for sheep like us to do would be to ask, “Will ______ keep me close to Jesus? Even if ________ isn’t inherently wrong or ________ is a pretty good person, will it/he/she keep me close to the protecting arm of my Good Shepherd?”
As a Christian, you know Jesus Christ. You know he wants what’s best for you. Therefore, listen to his voice, the loving call that will keep you close and overcome the temptation to wander.
Day 2
Scripture: John 10:14
The problem with being human
According to Jesus, the problem with being human is that humans are like sheep.
Sheep, despite all they offer our world (wool, milk, meat), have a fatal flaw—they can’t conquer wolves. Even a varsity sheep can’t outrun a JV wolf, and once caught, a sheep can’t fight back. It has no bearlike claws or sharklike jaws. No protective scales or alligator-strong tails. Sheep without a shepherd are dead meat.
Some people make the mistake of thinking they don’t need Jesus because they are, by comparison, pretty good people. That might be true, as true as some sheep being faster than others, but that doesn’t deal with their/our fatal flaw. Without a Shepherd/Savior, we are dead meat. We are unable to fight back against the reality of our sin and the soon-to-come judgment of God. We don’t have the perfection required to defend ourselves before the holiness of heaven.
But that is why we sheep love our Good Shepherd. Jesus affirmed, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:14), and with those words, he offered us his protection. A shepherd can fight back against a wolf, striking with staff, sling, and rod, and Jesus fought back against our sin, conquering it with his life, his cross, and his blood.
Our problem has a solution. His name is Jesus, our Good Shepherd and great Savior.
Day 3
Scripture: John 10:11-14
Jesus didn’t run
If you know the geography of Jerusalem, you realize that Jesus could have run. On the Thursday night that he was arrested, Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the east side of the city. The garden was right on the edge of the Judean wilderness, the cave-filled desert that was ideal for escaping from your foes. Judas was leading a group of soldiers from the West, and Jesus knew it, which meant he had the perfect chance to flee to the East and save his own life.
But Jesus didn’t run. Here’s why: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11-14).
Unlike some selfish shepherd who only “serves” for his own self-interest, Jesus served for the sake of others. In order to save us from the wolf of sin, he was willing to lay down his life. What a sacrifice!
The next time you read about Jesus in Gethsemane, think about how he could have escaped. Then marvel at the love that held him in place until the work of saving you was done.
Day 4
Scripture: John 10:11
The marvelous motivation of our Good Shepherd
Why do shepherds shepherd? Why would anyone choose to spend those long days and weary nights watching the flocks and searching for the strays? Simple answer—for themselves. Despite the work, sheep provide shepherds with wool, milk, and meat, which provide clothing, meals, and paychecks. Like any other job, shepherding brings home the bacon (in this case, the mutton 😊).
But this is what makes Jesus so marvelous. Why did Jesus become our Good Shepherd? Did he come down from heaven because he needed clothes? No, he was clothed in glory. Was he hungry? No, he spent all eternity at the feast of heaven. Was he broke? No, the sheep on every hill belonged to him as true God.
So why did Jesus do it? Here’s why: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). For the sheep. Have you ever read such marvelous words? Jesus came down to be the Shepherd “for the sheep.” His motivation was not self-preservation but your soul’s salvation. He wanted to clothe you in holiness, feed you with his goodness, and enrich you with God’s presence.
No one in history has ever been motivated by such selfless love. That’s why we love the name of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.