Sheep(s) and the Shepherd!

In John 10 Jesus makes pretty clear that His followers are to know Him by the sound of His voice and they will follow that voice. 

You can read the whole chapter, but the two main pieces I find interesting are verses 3, 4 and 14:

 . . . the sheep listen to his (the shepherd’s) voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. – John 10:3-4

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me . . . – John 10:14

Clearly Jesus’ analogy is one where His followers are compared to sheep and He is the shepherd.  At the same time it is clear that Jesus’ followers are to know Him so well that they listen to His voice and follow Him as a result.

That means they must know what His voice sounds like.

It also means that they must trust that He has their best interests at heart.

They must believe that He knows the way.

And, maybe most importantly, they then have to choose to follow His voice over any other voice.

When you look at this simple passage, what does it say to you?

How is it that so many people who claim to be Christian end up going in such different directions, sometimes clearly away from the one Jesus would lead them?

What is the way forward for us oftentimes stubborn and dim-witted sheep?

Did Jesus contradict Himself?

In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus made this bold statement during the holiday known as the Festival of Tabernacles.  It was an 8-day celebration centered at the Jerusalem Temple celebrating the harvest and God’s graciousness to Israel!  All of Jerusalem was filled with temporary shelters like tents known as tabernacles or booths.  The festival began with worship on the first day where four large lampstands would be lit at the temple that were so large and bright that the entire city was lit up by them,  These lampstands symbolized the light of God.  There would also be a number of symbolic processions used in their worship and celebration, including torch-light processions well into the night. 

When Jesus says that HE is the light of the world he is making that bold statement during the festival, with all that rich symbolism and imagery in the background.  Jesus is saying quite clearly that HE is the true light of God.  But HIS light is not limited to Jerusalem, but extends to the entire world.  This presents everyone with one of two choices: to follow Jesus and live in His light or to walk in darkness away from Him.  There simply is no ambiguity to that statement.  You are either one or the other.  Either you revolve around the Son or you don’t. 

But on another occasion in Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said, “YOU are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How can this be?  Is Jesus contradicting Himself?

Who is the light of the world, Jesus or us? 

In John Jesus is defining who HE IS!  In Matthew, Jesus is defining who WE ARE IN HIM!

We are NOT, CANNOT and NEVER WILL BE the light.  Our lives only reflect Jesus and His ongoing work in us.  Jesus’ light, shining through us, is so attractive that it draws others to Him. 

This means we need to be sure where our lives are in relationship to the light source.  We are not the center.  Jesus is.  Our agenda cannot be the driving force.  Only Jesus’ agenda can.

Over 1500 years ago a brilliant man, Galileo, discovered something amazingly new about the earth’s relationship to the sun.  Ptolemy, another brilliant man from an earlier time, believed the sun revolved around the earth, meaning the earth was the center of the universe.  But Galileo observed different things through a telescope.  The sun didn’t revolve around the earth.  The earth (and all the other planets) revolved around the sun, making the sun the center of the universe. 

With that, everything changed!

Today, we are faced with a similar reality that should alter our understanding of the spiritual universe.  We are not the center of the universe.  Jesus is.  Our lives should revolve around Him and reflect His light and not the other way around.

We must revolve around the Son instead of looking for a Son to revolve around us.

What are the implications for this in your everyday life?