Friday, April 20, 2018

The God Pause Daily Devotional of The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 20 April 2018 - John 10:11-18

The God Pause Daily Devotional of The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 20 April 2018 - John 10:11-18
John 10:
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, since he isn’t a shepherd and the sheep aren’t his own, sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf drags them off and scatters them. 13 The hired worker behaves like this because that’s all he is, a hired worker; so it doesn’t matter to him what happens to the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me — 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father — and I lay down my life on behalf of the sheep. 16 Also I have other sheep which are not from this pen; I need to bring them, and they will hear my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 “This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life — in order to take it up again! 18 No one takes it away from me; on the contrary, I lay it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”
(Complete Jewish Bible).
In this gospel reading, Jesus makes the intentions of his ministry clear: that there would be one flock and one shepherd. In addition to tending to those who already know and trust his voice, Jesus says that he must bring in those who do not already belong to his fold. He then speaks of the great exchange of love that occurs. The Father loves Jesus and his willingness to lay down his life. Jesus' act of laying down his life for all, even those who do not yet know him, demonstrates his boundless love for us and for all of humanity. Our role as the "sheep" in this metaphor is to simply receive and trust that this unconditional love is a gift to us--but also for those beyond. There are times when we are aware of the great love we have been given, but there are inevitably times when we aren't so sure of that love for ourselves or for others. In either case, Jesus is present to guide all of us home.
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of grace we receive in Christ Jesus. Help us to bear witness to this love in our lives as we seek to minister through the gospel and share your message of salvation for the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Sarah Sumner-Eisenbraun, '07
Pastor, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, San Diego, Calif.
John 10:
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away--and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."
 (New Revised Standard Version)
The Luther Seminary
***

No comments:

Post a Comment