The Good Shepherd

"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.
John 10:14-16

The Bible gives us several different pictures of the relationship between Jesus and us, his people. He is our Savior, our brother, our husband, and our King. But one that we don't often talk about is this; He is our good shepherd. Jesus spoke these words himself and the things he said give us insight into his heart for us, his sheep.
   Jesus said that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. In John 10:11-13, he speaks of the difference between the good shepherd and the hired hand. He said that the hired hand, when confronted by a ferocious animal, will run and leave the sheep to fend for themselves. Obviously, this results in the loss of sheep. But the good shepherd will never leave the sheep. He will give up his own life for the sake of the flock...and that is exactly what Jesus did. But this picture of the good shepherd is a different look at our relationship with him. It is more than the fact that he died for us. This is a picture of a protector. Jesus takes care of us. He will never allow the enemy to destroy us. This resulted in his death, but he conquered even that. Now he lives to protect the sheep at all costs. You and I are under his watchful eye, his tender care, and his strong arm of protection. 
    We the sheep, know the voice of the good shepherd. I know there are many times when we don't think we hear the voice of God very well. But when we really look at our lives and examine the input of the Holy Spirit into our thinking, we must understand that we do know his voice. It's called discernment. Every one of us has a sense within us that warns us if we are listening to the wrong voice. This is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus the good shepherd, at work within us. We know it and the only way we don't accept it is if we choose to ignore it. We are sheep and we do know the voice of our good shepherd. 
    There is only one flock. Jesus said that he has more than just one flock. The reference here was to the gentiles. He was speaking to the Jews, but all the gentile nations would later be invited into the blessed salvation offered by Jesus. All are now included, there is only one flock. I think this is important because we have tried to be separate flocks. There is the Catholic flock, the fundamental flock, the evangelical flock, the pentecostal flock, the charismatic flock, and others. But the reality is that in the eyes of the good shepherd, there is only one flock and it is made up of sheep who recognize his voice. If we know Jesus, we know his voice, for he is the good shepherd. What a blessing it is to be a sheep in the flock of the good shepherd. We are well protected by the One who will never leave us or forsake us.