“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10).
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things he spoke to them. So He spoke to them again, "I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" (John 10:7-11).
"But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd". I am the good shepherd, I love them and lay down my life for them. My sheep follow me.
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me", v. 27. The truth is the word of God, he was in the beginning with God, was God, was the word of God (John 1). He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus said his sheep follow his voice, he calls them by name and leads them in and out into green pastures. Because he said these things there was a division among the Jews, some said he had a demon, in response others said these are not the words of one with a demon and how could he open the eyes of the blind, v.19-21. They next asked if he was the Christ, his response; I told you but you do not believe, you are not my sheep, v.24-29, my sheep follow me.
Jesus tells them, "It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life" (John 6:.45-48). Here again Jesus gives a "hard teaching" and again he says to them you do not believe because you are not of my father, all that the father gives me will come to me and I will not cast them out, for I have come down from heaven to do his will and his will is that I will lose none that he has given me. He then asks them to "eat his flesh and drink his blood", to which many turned away saying this is hard teaching. Jesus said my sheep follow me.
"He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice", v.4. When we know the love, the goodness of Jesus, like the good shepherd whose sheep trust his voice, we trust and follow him. Even if it is a "hard teaching", the Word of God is His truth and it will lead his sheep into green pastures, those who are not His will turn away. My sheep follow me, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture" (John 10:9). I am the door, the way, the truth, and the life, I am the bread of life and the living water. Follow me, Feed my sheep, Point them to me. My sheep follow me, they know me and I know them, I am the good shepherd who leads them into green pastures, beside still waters.
"I know who goes before me and I know who stands behind, the one who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine..." - Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) - Chris Tomlin
"I know who goes before me and I know who stands behind, the one who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine..." - Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) - Chris Tomlin