Jesus Laid Down His Life For His Sheep

 Jesus Laid Down His Life For His Sheep

St. John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

Jesus likened his leadership role as a shepherd and his followers as sheep. Shepherds carry their sheep to the pasture where the sheep can get green grass to feed on. This will guarantee sustenance for the sheep. By this, the sheep will be kept alive and vibrant. The sheep have still to know where the sheep can get food. It is one thing to be a shepherd and yet another thing to be a good shepherd. A shepherd can do all that is needed to get food for the sheep and lead the sheep to the pasture where the sheep can eat to satisfaction. It is yet another thing to stand and fight for the sheep when a wild animal attacks the sheep. While a good shepherd will fight off any intruder, risking his life, on the other hand, the other shepherds will run and take cover not minding what happens to the sheep. When the attack.is over, the good shepherd is standing strong with the sheep and they are intact and ready to continue where they stopped before the attack. On the other hand, the bad shepherd will be either be no where found or will be confused as to how to put the sheep together again.

What the good shepherd does is that he lays down his life for the sheep. This means that he will rather die in the process of protecting the sheep than allow the sheep to be takened by the intruder. This is risking his life because he might in the process of protecting the sheep die and dieing will mean that the sheep will be takened by the intruder. That will mean a double lost i..e the sheep and the shepherd will be takened.

Jesus said;

"I am the good shepherd: ..."

To make claims is one thing but to stand by the claims when an intruder comes is yet another thing. Jesus proved to be faithful to his word. He kept his word until he lost his life. It was not a lost after all. Jesus gained back his life after laying it down. He died and rose again. By his death, he destroyed the work of the devil and when he rose again from the dead, his disciples moved in another level of power over the enemy. God demonstrated His love by the dead of Christ Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

While the focus here is the good shepherd, what about the good and bad sheep? A good sheep will comply to the instructions of the shepherd whether the sheep likes the instructions or not while on the other hand, a bad sheep will do whatever it feels comfortable with. This will mean that the shepherd will have different approach to different reactions of the sheep. Jesus was known to love the sheep irrespective of the reactions of the sheep.

"...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

This is true leadership. That a leader is ready to go any length for the sheep whether the sheep is cooperating or not is an indication of good leadership. In some cases, the sheep will later understand what the leader was doing and repent not under compulsion but willingly. Even if the sheep will never comply, Jesus did what he did (died) out of love. This leadership style is rear. In most cases, leaders make claims that they did what they did out of love but on a careful look, the leader has a hidden personal agenda. Jesus proved to be faithful to his word. While his sheep was unfaithful, Jesus laid down his life.

1 John 3:16 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

What lesson are we to learn from Jesus? It has been done to us, we are to do it for others. We are loved in Christ so that we love others to Christ. We have been given love so that we give out the overflowing love to others according to the measure of love given to us.

Will God trust you to be ready to lay down your life for others? Will you stand and go all the way for them? When you say that you are doing it for them, when we take a careful look, will we not see your secret personal agenda? For some leaders, they take advantage of the sheep by enriching themselves and becoming wealthy and when the money stops coming, they run away to another sheep where they will make money. For some leaders, they advantage of the sheep to pry into their privacy to find what to take advantage of. Not so with Jesus. He went all the way and God honored him.

It may appear like there is no reward in going all the way for the sheep but the case of Jesus have proven to us that there is a reward. God will honour such a shepherd who will do all that is necessary for the sheep to enjoy green pasture. You want to see true honour? Follow Jesus' example and you will be honoured by God. Success will be yours.

Pray:

My Father and God, thank you for the example that Jesus gave. He laid down his life for me so that I will learn to lay down my life for others who are my sheep. Today, I trust you to make out of my life someone who can be trusted with the sheep who are hungry for green pasture. Thank You for by Your help, I will succeed in Jesus name. Amen!