The relationship between shepherd and sheep is one of trust. The sheep know the voice of the shepherd. He calls them by name. They follow him. But they won’t follow someone whose voice they don’t recognise; in fact, they will run away from that voice. Do you recognise the voice of the Good Shepherd when he calls your name? How would you know if it were an imposter calling you?
‘I am the Good Shepherd’
25 April 2021 • Pastor Michael Dutschke • Fourth Sunday of Easter
Bible Passage: John 10:11-18
+ expand“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
New International Version (NIV) - for other versions see BibleGateway.com
