Tag: Good Shepherd

Who is this Good Shepherd?

Luke 10, John 10:22-42

Devotion by Jerry Wierwille (New York)

John 10:22-42 opens with the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, where Jesus walks in Solomon’s porch and faces many direct questions about his identity. The passage is filled with challenges to expected norms, the importance of faith, and the safety and strength of the Shepherd’s hand.

The Challenge of Faith

As Jesus walks through the Temple, a group gathers around him, pressing in on him with questions that reveals both their curiosity but also their skepticism: “How long will you keep our souls in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24). Jesus responds by saying, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me. But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep” (John 10:25-26).

Here, Jesus points out that belief is not simply a matter of intellectual assent or witnessing miracles. True belief is about recognizing the Shepherd’s voice and responding in trust. The works of Jesus—his miracles, his teachings, his ministry—are clear evidence of his mission and that he is from God. Yet, as Jesus notes, only those who are truly his “sheep” respond to him in faith. This situation echoes a recurring theme in Scripture: the spiritual life of faith is not about seeing the miraculous but about having a heart that is receptive to the things of God.

Reflect: Are there areas in your life where you find it difficult to trust Jesus, even when you see evidence of God’s work? What might it look like to move from being less skeptical to more faithful, trusting the Shepherd’s voice even when some answers are not immediate or obvious?

The Shepherd’s Hand

Jesus continues with one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture: “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them life in the age to come, and they will absolutely not perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

This passage reveals one of the most profound promises that comes from belonging to Jesus. His followers are not only known by him, but are also protected by the power of God. The assurance that “no one will snatch them out of my hand” is a promise of lasting spiritual safety and belonging for those who follow Jesus. Undergirding this assertion is the truth about the unity of Jesus and God. But it is not a unity of identity, but about a perfect partnership in purpose and action. This unity in purpose with God and Jesus is the foundation for the believer’s confidence and hope.

Reflect: In what ways do you need to rest securely in the hand of the Shepherd? How does knowing that the purposes of Jesus and God are unified change your outlook on challenges, fears, or uncertainties?

Invitation to Deeper Faith

The immediate response to Jesus is intense and divisive. Some pick up stones, accusing him of blasphemy for making himself “a god” (John 10:33). Jesus, however, points them back to Scripture, referencing Psalm 82:6: “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?” (John 10:34). He challenges their understanding and invites them to examine his works as evidence of his mission from God: “If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I am doing them, though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you will come to know and continue to know that the Father is in union with me, and I am in union with the Father” (John 10:37-38).

As the opposition persists, Jesus withdraws beyond the Jordan, where many people come to him. They recall John the Baptist’s testimony and recognize that everything John said about Jesus was true (John 10:41-42). The Jordan area was away from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem and was a quiet countryside. Many believe in him there, showing that trust often grows in places and moments where hearts are open and receptive.

Reflect: Are you willing to examine Jesus’ works and words with fresh eyes/ears and an open heart? How can you invite others to explore the truth of who Jesus is, even when it challenges their expectations?

Encouragement

This section reveals who Jesus is and why people should listen to him and believe him. He is the Shepherd who gives life to those who follow him, challenging the audience to move from doubt to faith. Take time today to listen for his voice, trust in his protection, and share his truth with those around you. As you do, may you experience the peace, assurance, and security that only the Good Shepherd can give.

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Spiritual Sight – or – Spiritual Blindness

John 9:1–10:21

Devotion by Jerry Wierwille (New York)

Several accounts in John 9:1–10:21 invite us to reflect deeply on spiritual sight, the voice of Jesus, and the abundant life he offers. We are going to look at three separate aspects of the section and then reflect on their significance.

From Blindness to Sight

The section begins with Jesus encountering a man born blind. Jesus’ disciples ask whose sin caused this—his or his parents’—but the question is ill-posed, and Jesus redirects their thinking by saying, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but let the works of God be revealed in him” (John 9:3). Jesus then heals the man, giving him physical sight.

This healing is more than a mere miracle—it’s a sign of God’s power and how God can transform lives. The man’s journey from blindness to sight mirrors the spiritual awakening that Jesus brings to those who invite him into their life. It was undeniable the transformation that had happened physically in the man. Later, when questioned, the man boldly testifies, “One thing I do know, that, though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).

Reflect: Where have you experienced God’s transforming work in your life? Where have you been blind but now you see? And are there areas where you still need the light that Jesus brings to break through the darkness that can blind us? The passage encourages us to trust that God can reveal His work in us even in situations that seem hopeless or confusing.

Humility vs. Pride: Who Really Is Blind, And Who Can See?

After noting that the man was healed, the Pharisees investigate, but their hearts remain hardened to the truth. Jesus tells them, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see will see, and that those who see will become blind” (John 9:39). The Pharisees, confident in their own understanding, ask, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus replies, “If you were blind, you would have no sin, but now, since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (John 9:41).

Ironically, Pharisees are both “blind” and “deaf” to the truth. Humble people, like the man born blind, can “see” and “hear” Jesus, while the proud cannot. This theme echoes throughout Scripture: spiritual pride blinds us to God’s work, while humility opens our eyes and ears. The Pharisees thought they could “see,” but that false confidence was their undoing. Jesus says because of this their “sin remains.”

Reflect: Are there areas where pride or self-reliance might be keeping you from seeing or hearing what God wants to show you? Is there a concrete action you can take to promote cultivating a humble, receptive heart in your life?

Hearing and Following Jesus’ Voice

As the section continues, Jesus states, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:9-10). Jesus’ self-ascription is “the Good Shepherd,” and his sheep know his voice and follow him.

When the text says that the true “sheep” (i.e., believers) “hear” the voice of the Shepherd (i.e., Jesus), while others do not, this is not talking about mere intellectual understanding, but about a trusting relationship. To “hear” the voice of Jesus means that you follow him because he leads, protects, and provides for you (his sheep), offering more than what is needed for survival, but a more abundant life.

Reflect: Are you attuned to Jesus’ voice in your daily life? What practices help you recognize and respond to him as your Good Shepherd? In a world full of competing voices and influences, this section invites us to focus on hearing the voice of Jesus and to be willing to follow him wherever he leads.

Encouragement

Through the narrative of this section, we are being challenged to move from spiritual blindness to sight, to embrace humility over pride, and to follow the Good Shepherd who offers an abundant life. Take time today to ask God to open your eyes, soften your heart, and help you listen for Jesus’ voice. As you do, may you experience the fullness of life that he promises and that only he can give.

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An Offer of Life

Ezekiel 32-35

Devotion by Rebecca Dauksas (South Carolina)

The LORD explains so much of His perfect character in Ezekiel. He is merciful, loving, caring and He is just. We continue to see that each person is judged by their conduct and actions. The LORD declares that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but wants the wicked to turn from their evil ways and live. He warns to “turn back, turn from your evil ways!” The LORD offers life. The LORD sends the message that true repentance brings forgiveness. Ezekiel gives good news to the one that repents and lives for God. “None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall surely live” (33:16).

Not only does the LORD offer life, but life with Him.  In chapter 34, He gives us this beautiful description of a caring shepherd. The LORD cares for and gathers His sheep. “I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick” (verses 14-16a). What a wonderful description of our Good Shepherd.

So why didn’t the people listen to their watchman, Ezekiel? He was giving them the warning against their evil practices and the instructions to turn to the LORD for life. Instead of hearing God’s message, they acted as if Ezekiel were some kind of entertainer. They encouraged each other to come and hear what God’s message was, but just showing up was not enough. The people heard the words, but they did not put them into practice. We are told that they did the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their hearts went after their own gain. The LORD told Ezekiel, “Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words, but do not put them into practice.” (33:32)

I hope that is never said of us. We want to take in the LORD’s message. We will heed the watchman’s warnings and receive the blessings that God offers. The greatest is to always be in His presence. In the presence of our Good Shepherd there will be showers of blessing. (34:26)

Reflection Questions

  1. How have you responded to the LORD’s offer of life? Are you hearing the words but not putting them into practice?
  2. What warnings do you think Ezekiel (or any modern messenger for the LORD) would have for you today? What role does repentance play?
  3. Is there a time/place God is asking you to be a watchman?
  4. Do you spend time in the presence of the Good Shepherd? How? How could you remain in His presence more? What are some of the blessings found there?
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The 23rd Psalm

Psalm 23

Saturday, July 9, 2022

What comes to your mind when I say “The 23rd Psalm?”  Perhaps you know that it is the most famous of all the Psalms, or even the most well-known chapter of the Bible.  You might think, “Ahhh, the Shepherd Psalm.”  Maybe you remember its author, David, and that he was a shepherd boy.  Or, perhaps you know that Psalm 23 is identified as a Messianic Psalm, picturing Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  These thoughts are all reasonable when considering Psalm 23.  But here are my thoughts when the words “The 23rd Psalm” are said to me. 

I remember a little 4-year-old girl attending the Church of God Illinois State Conference Bible School in Oregon, Illinois in the summer of 1956.  During our lessons that week, the children in attendance were challenged to memorize Psalm 23.  The little girl thought she could memorize it just as well as her older brother, and she was determined to do so.  At the end of the week, each child was asked if he/she wanted to go in front of the gathered students, and recite this beautiful Psalm.  The little girl was shy, but went up in front, by her teacher, and proudly recited the Psalm.  There were a few missed words, but she finished well, and was applauded for her efforts.  She was so proud to receive a ribbon with a “Shepherd and sheep” seal upon it, as an acknowledgement of her accomplishment.  She kept that ribbon for years!

As I (the little girl, as you probably guessed) grew older, I would occasionally recite the psalm to myself.  Years later as an adult, I realized I couldn’t recite it anymore.  I was disappointed in myself.  I made an effort to re-memorize the Psalm, and now it is a part of me.

If you are sad, recite the 23rd Psalm.  Are you stressed, weary, needing direction?  Quote Psalm 23.  Is everything swirling about you, are the burdens weighing too heavily on your shoulders, is hope fast disappearing before you?  Say the 23rd Psalm to yourself.  It offers comfort, strength, and encouragement every time. 

As you say the words, picture yourself as a sheep, lovingly cared for by Jesus, our Good Shepherd.  He leads you to green pastures for grazing, quiet waters for a refreshing drink, and guides you THROUGH dangerous territory, “the valley of the shadow of death.”  He draws you close with his staff, and he rubs oil in any wounds you might have.  What reassurance and love the Shepherd gives his sheep.

As Jesus states in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

The 23rd Psalm’s words are a treasure to all who read or recite them, providing immeasurable solace in the midst of life’s challenges and troubles. 

The opening sentence actually sums it up.  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

-Paula Kirkpatrick

Questions for Reflection

  1.  When you hear the words, “The 23rd Psalm”, what comes to your mind?
  2. What scriptures provide comfort and peace to you?
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