“I Came That They May Have Life”
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who
does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a
thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He
calls his own sheep by name and leads his own, he goes ahead of them, and the
sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger,
but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.
Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he
was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, “Very
truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are
thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate.
Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find
pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they
may have life, and have it abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who
is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves
the sheep and runs away – and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The
hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not
care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for
the sheep…”
Some people want God to be their
source of advice. But when our sight is dim and our way is dark, as it often
is, we need more than good advice – we need the Good Shepherd to guide us.
As we follow Christ each day, we will
have all the guidance we will ever need.
Looking for
guidance?
Follow Christ,
your Guide.
Our Daily
Bread –