Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
December 21, 2022: SOAP #4766: John 9-11

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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.

OBSERVATION:  It is the teacher’s responsibility to communicate truth to the students in ways they can understand.  It is not for the students to learn the teacher’s vocabulary; it is for the teachers to limit themselves to the vocabulary of the student.   In this, and the surrounding passage of scripture, the Master Teacher takes that responsibility.  Wanting his listeners to understand the relationship they could have with him, He spoke of shepherds and sheep.  To teach them about their heavenly family, Jesus started with the common relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. 

APPLICATION: A good shepherd would sacrifice his life to protect the sheep in his care.  This is what the Lamb of God, Jesus, did for us on the cross.  A good shepherd would know the individual sheep, and the individual sheep would know him.  Which is the relationship God desires with each of us today. 

The question is:  How well do I know Jesus?  Am I as interested in knowing Him as He knows me?  Am I willing to have a relationship with Jesus like the one Jesus has with the Father?  Hmmm…

PRAYER:  Lord, I am trusting your death on the cross to be the payment for my sins.  You have come to live with me in this physical body.  I want to live counting on your presence and your promises.   Amen

Pastor Leon
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