Many years ago King David had an experience in the time when the Philistines came in and harassed the people of Israel. He said to three of his brave men, “Oh, how I long for a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem’s gate.” And do you know, those three men broke through the Philistine ranks and brought water to David from the well at Bethlehem’s gate? And do you know what David did? He said he couldn’t drink it. He wouldn’t drink it because this represented blood. They had taken their lives in their hands to get the water from the well at Bethlehem’s gate.
Some people will die for a friend. These three brave men risked their lives for their king. But, who will die for an enemy? Who would even dare to die for one he does not love?
We are told self-preservation, to keep alive, is the first law of human existence. There is a higher law though, SELF-GIVING LOVE. That’s what I want you to think about as we come to the words of Jesus. Three times in John 10:11-18 Jesus tells how He will give His life for the sheep.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
In this Bible text we find EXPLANATIONS why Jesus died for us or why He would give His life for the sheep in self-giving love.
Explanation number one:
There is One Shepherd.
He is the good Shepherd. He is the trusted Shepherd. He is the faithful Shepherd. The One who is faithful even until death. He said, “I give my life for the sheep.” The others are hirelings, hired to do the job, but they don’t care for the sheep. They only care for themselves. So their central thought is “my life.” I want to be sure that I am protected. So when the wolf comes they run away and leave the sheep to their fate. Jesus said so. He said that’s the way the hireling operates.
But Jesus said He gives His life for the sheep. There’s only one shepherd who would do that and that is the good Shepherd. What a wonderful fact this is, one shepherd. Not many shepherds, my friend, one shepherd. And Jesus said, “I am the good Shepherd.”
There is a second Explanation:
There is One Fold.
Notice how He said there is not separation between the shepherd and the sheep? Strangers, they won’t follow. We learned that before. But there’s no separation between the shepherd, the true Shepherd, and the sheep. There is one fold.
There is also a relationship between the Shepherd and the Father. He spoke of the reason why the Father knows Him and He knows the Father. He said, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” Ther...
