John 10:1-30

  Jesus told a parable about sheep. There are two characters.. actually three.. that we need to recognize in this story...  First there is the doorkeeper.  He is the one who opens the gate for the shepherd.  Secondly, there is the shepherd. The shepherd goes to the doorkeeper and the door is opened. The shepherd calls his sheep and they follow him, knowing His voice. Thirdly, there is the stranger. the thief, the robber.. the one who comes to "steal and kill, and destroy." 

Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd".  He also calls Himself "the door".   He came to give life to His sheep. He came to lay down His own life for His sheep.  Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep.. and that they know Him.  It is a relationship founded in the Father, Who loves the Son.. who gave the Son authority to lay His life down and to take it up again.. on behalf of the sheep. Jesus.. promises to bring "other sheep" to join His flock.. His flock will be all those who hear His voice and follow Him.  He knows His sheep, He tells us.. for the Father has given them to Him and "no one shall snatch them out of My hand."  -  the thief and robber cannot snatch those who belong to the Father for the Father is" greater than all".

To belong to the Father and to the Son is to have abundant life.. eternal life.. to be His sheep.. is the gift to all who will believe.  The Jews would not believe and Jesus told them that because they would not believe the witness of the works that He did in the Father's name.. they were not His sheep.  Those who don't hear His voice and follow Him.. those are the ones He does not know. They are the ones who will perish.. who will be snatched out of His hands... out of the Father's hand.. stolen by the great thief. 

Father, we pray to You.. to bring more sheep into the flock of Jesus Christ. More to hear His voice and follow Him.. more to believe so that they might not perish but have eternal life in Jesus.  Our hearts break to see so many who refuse to believe..who refuse the Truth. Oh Father of mercy and grace.. let Your Light shine through us, Your children, so that others might turn from unbelief and find life in Christ our Good Shepherd.. the only One to lead us to salvation .. Thank You for patiently waiting , for hearing our prayers. and for bringing others into the flock.. into the family of Heaven.  Amen.