From my reading in John 10:1-23 in the One Year New Testament.

Jesus is the Ultimate Shepherd

If you are a part of his flock you experience many benefits. Jesus shares the benefits of putting yourself under his care.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:3

Jesus Speaks To His Sheep

“And the sheep recognize his voice and come to him…”

If you are a follower of Christ, he will speak to you. Learning to recognize God’s voice is something that you can grow in. Through His Word and prayer, over time you will be able to discern what he is telling you. Hearing God’s voice is a comfort and it gives us important insight into our purpose in life.

Jesus Knows His Sheep By Name

“He calls his own sheep by name…”

Jesus knows us each personally! He calls us by name. He has a specific plan for each of us! What a privilege it is to be known by the God of the universe.

Jesus Leads His Sheep

“And leads them out.”

Jesus guides his sheep. If you are a part of his flock Jesus will lead you. I lead a college ministry and I see that many college students don’t know what they are going to do with their lives.

If you are a young person who isn’t sure what to do with your life, it is comforting to know that Jesus will speak to you and lead you where he wants you to go if you will listen and follow him!

Jesus Fulfills and Satisfies His Sheep

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10

A rich and satisfying life is not the same as an easy, fun life. A satisfying life can include much pain and suffering, but if you are following Jesus he will protect you and get you through.

God made us. When we are fulfilling the purpose we were created for, that’s when we are most alive.

Jesus Protects His Sheep

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.” John 10:11–15

The full and meaningful life he offers us is costly. Like a good shepherd dying to protect his flock from a lion, Jesus died to protect us, not from a lion, but from our sin and the consequence of eternal separation from God.

Jesus knows his sheep and his sheep know him.  Jesus sacrificed his life so that we can experience this relationship with him.

Jesus Loves His Future Sheep

“I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.” John 10:16

Jesus care about those not yet in his flock. He has people that will come to know him that will be a part of his family. As his sheep, we should invite and welcome others into our flock!

 There is no better way to live than to live under the protective love our our shepherd.  Through his death on the cross we can…

Know Jesus’ voice.

Be known by Jesus personally.

Be guided by him.

Experience and rich and satisfying life.

Be protected from hell.

If you have yet to join the flock, Jesus wants to give these things to you! Join the flock and experience life as it is meant to be lived!

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