[11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."
Jesus' statement about laying down His life for His sheep, while although very familiar, still grabs me every time I read it. In verse 12 He says that hired man runs away because he doesn't own the sheep, in effect saying that there is no value to him in the lives of the sheep. However, to the owner every sheep is valuable, and significant. It is this value that He places on His sheep, being willing to lay down His own Life, that is astounding!
I mean think about that statement - Jesus, the very Son of God, puts our lives in the same value category as His own, since He is willing to lay down His own life that we might live. He sees such value in our lives that He is willing to exchange His life for ours. That is simply unfathomable. I could understand it if maybe it was the most important person in the whole world, but it certainly makes no sense when talking about sinners, pathetic followers, weak and broken people. Yet, that is exactly what He means. It just as true for you and me, as it is for any man that has ever lived. We are all that valuable to Him.
I love the promise of verse 14, that He knows us and we will know Him. I know that there is an invitation to knowing the Lord deeply, and this promise is that. We can come to know Him, His voice, and join ourselves to Him, as our shepherd. He sees such great value in us that He is willing to lay down His life for each of us, no exceptions. This is not some scenario where we don't qualify because of something we did, for it is our very sins, every sin that He has already laid His life down for, and the very thing that He paid for. He sees our value, He paid for us all. He is going home to the Father with everyone who will accept His payment for their sins.
To quote Bill Johnson, "wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!" It is too good to be true, but it is!
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