Sheep And More Sheep
Wednesday May 22, 2013
Jesus, speaking as the Good Shepherd, said that His sheep knew Him and He knew His sheep. Then He said it was similar to His Father knowing Him, and Him knowing His Father. Jesus said that He had other sheep as well as those in the sheep pen and that they would listen to his voice and He would bring them into the fold and there would be one flock and one shepherd.
“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.” (John 10:14-16 MSG)
When Jesus spoke these words He was speaking to a gathering of Jewish people who were leaders of the Jewish synagogue. The other sheep, that Jesus said were not in the sheep pen, were people who were not Jewish but who would believe in His name and follow Him. Jews had a high opinion of their faith and nation and considered they were God’s chosen people because God had given them the law through Moses and the prophets. Those who were not Jews were considered unclean. Most of the time the Jews would have no dealings with those outside the faith for fears they might be defiled if they touched them or came into contact with any vessel they might have used. Jesus, however, came into the world to seek and save ALL those who were lost. On one occasion when He was tired from a long journey, He asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. The woman was quite surprised that he would even speak to her let alone drink from a vessel which she had used.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (John 4:7-9 NIV)
Jesus saw this woman as a lost sheep and talked to her about her past life. The outcome of the conversation was that she believed all that He said to her and then went and told her testimony to her neighbours. Then the neighbours met Jesus and because of His words they too believed.
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 9:39-42 NIV)
Because of Jesus’ love for this little lost sheep, He brought her into the fold. She, in turn, brought others. After hearing for themselves, they believed Jesus really was the Saviour of the World. This is how the other sheep are brought into the family sheep pen where there is one flock and one Shepherd. This is how the family of God grows. Jesus says to all of us in Luke 10:37, “Go and do likewise.” ©2013 Partners in Hope www.partnersinhope.ca
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