Daily Devotions

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14,15

The Good Shepherd Knows

A fan can know a lot about a celebrity on a superficial level. They can know the celebrity’s birthday, life story, and so many other details. However, if they were to bump into each other in public, the celebrity would know nothing about the fan. It’s a one-sided, superficial relationship at best.

Have you ever thought of your relationship with Jesus in the same way— “I know a lot about him, but does he really know me?” Or maybe you are searching the Bible to learn more about God and what he’s like, but does he really know you? It’s actually the other way around. Jesus, your Good Shepherd, knows you. And not on a superficial level. He knows you better than you know him. In fact, he knew you, loved you, and laid down his life for you before you ever came to know him.

Before the sheep realized the danger, the shepherd knew and acted to save the sheep. Before it ever dawned on us how much we needed Jesus and his salvation, he laid down his life for us. He knows his sheep. He knows you intimately. At first thought, it might startle you to realize God knows you that well. Perhaps there are things about you that no one else knows, and it would terrify you if they did. Jesus knows those things. However, it didn’t lead him to run away or shun you. It led him to lay down his life for you. Listen to what your Good Shepherd calls you: my sheep!

He knows your deepest needs better than you do, and he knows how best to meet them. He knows the guilt you’ve felt and the trouble you’ve experienced. He takes you in his arms, cleanses you of all guilt, and calms your troubled heart. Your Savior knows you and loves you. You are his!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through the ups and downs of life and grant all that I need, as you know best. Amen.

[Jesus said] “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:12-15

The Good Shepherd Saves

Save the animal in danger, or save your life? Which would you choose? It seems like a no-brainer. As much as you care for a creature in danger, would you protect that creature if it cost you your life? A hired hand would protect his own life over the life of a sheep, and understandably so. But not the shepherd, especially not the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects and saves his sheep at the expense of his own life.

Of course, we’re not just sheep. God is our Creator, and we are his creatures—the crown of his creation! Humanity didn’t mindlessly wander away from the Lord; we sinned and rebelled against our Maker. It’s understandable that a hired hand would not spare his life to save a sheep. It’s even more understandable, humanly speaking, that our perfect God would take our life as punishment for our sins. Instead, he gave his life to save us from sin. Our Good Shepherd didn’t abandon his creatures who once abandoned him. He laid down his life for us.

You are more precious than a sheep. You are such a precious soul that your God and Maker valued your life at the price of his own Son’s life. Your Good Shepherd defied all human understanding by giving his perfect life to give you eternal life. He saved you from being abandoned and devoured by sin and Satan. He brought you into his fold, where you belong to the God who made and saved you.

Prayer:
Lord, I belong to you because you created me, and you saved me with the price of your own blood. Thank you! Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”
John 10:11-13

The Good Shepherd Cares

There is pride in ownership. When someone rents a house, they might not care as much about the day-to-day upkeep. Some tenants don’t treat it like their own because it’s not. When you buy the house, and it’s yours, the pride of ownership brings a whole new level of care and upkeep. An hourly employee may put in a good, honest day’s work, but at the end of the shift, he punches the clock and goes home. However, the owner stays late to do what it takes and makes sacrifices for the company because it’s his.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus makes the point that a shepherd who owns a flock of sheep cares for them in a way a hired hand does not. He cares for them because they are his. He will care for and protect them at any cost.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Unlike a hired hand, he does what it takes and makes the ultimate sacrifice because we are his. Jesus is not simply another human sent by God to serve on God’s behalf. He is true God from eternity and the God who made us and who came to save us. Jesus cares for you and laid down his life for you. He takes pride in you because you belong to him for time and for eternity. Your Good Shepherd cares!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through life ever closer to your tender, loving care. Amen.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:11,14

Too Good To Be True?

Almost daily, some advertisements make incredible claims: “This is the best product on the market.” “This is the most effective product.” “There is nothing that can compare with this.” These are just a few of the claims. Then, the offer becomes even more enticing: “Double the amount at an incredible savings.” Finally, there is the clincher: “A one-hundred percent money-back guarantee.” Almost immediately the thought ignites: “This is too good to be true.”

Too good to be true is often a reliable axiom. But not when it comes to the claims made by Jesus. In a very precious and picturesque way, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Good Shepherd.” What makes this claim believable is how he backs it up. Jesus gives more than a money-back guarantee. He even offers more than double the regular amount. He provides solid and unmistakable proof.

Just think about the claim Jesus makes as the Good Shepherd. When rejected because of failure and disappointment, the Good Shepherd calls us his own. When cries for help go unanswered, the Good Shepherd responds in the best way possible.

It almost sounds too good to be true. But it is true! Assurance comes from what Jesus did and what he does daily. His obedient life, his willing death on the cross, his precious shed blood, his victorious resurrection—here is indisputable evidence. Our Savior-Shepherd will always be there. He even gives his word: “I know you.”

Although this may sound too good to be true, it is the good news Jesus established through his innocent suffering and death. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows us, and he loves us!

Prayer:
O precious Savior, because you gave your life for me, I am now your lamb. Be with me. Keep me safe in every danger. Guide me and give me peace in knowing, I am your sheep, and you are my Shepherd. Amen!

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1,2

You Have an Advocate

A criminal defense attorney said the most frequent question he is asked is: “Why do you defend people you know are guilty?” Normally he responds that he doesn’t consider himself to be a successful attorney only if his client never sees the inside of a prison. He admitted that most of his clients are guilty of something. “However,” he went onto say “not every person charged with a crime is treated fairly.” Under the law, even criminals have rights—rights that are sometimes violated or ignored. The attorney said his goal is to make sure every person is treated fairly under the law. That way, he can be successful whether his client is found to be innocent or guilty.

The Bible describes Jesus as an advocate—someone who, like a lawyer, comes to the defense of someone. And the Bible says that those whom Jesus chooses to defend are those who sin. In other words, he chooses to defend us—individuals who are most certainly guilty of pride, hate, arrogance, greed, and any number of other sins.

But he not only defends us, knowing we are guilty of sin. He also did something even the very best criminal defense attorney wouldn’t. He volunteered to take our punishment. Not by sitting in a prison. But by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins on a cross.

And the reason he did that is to give you rights. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you have the God-given right to walk through life knowing you are forgiven. You have the right to be released from the heavy burden of guilt you’ve been carrying. You have the right to know that God loves you, no matter how you have sinned. You have the right to know that you will always have an advocate who will come to your defense and always win.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being my advocate. Amen.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8,9

Full Forgiveness

People love to minimize the real faults in their lives. They will admit to doing something wrong in the past, but they will quickly explain how it’s not as bad as what someone else has done. They claim to be improving, at least to the point where previous faults should not be brought up. They have thought through so many rationalizations that it becomes hard to pin them down.

God says that is a dangerous way to live. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, plain and simple. Everyone has sinned and continues to sin. There is no one righteous, not even one. If you claim that, you are simply not telling the truth.

It is far safer and healthier to confess our sins. In fact, the healthiest practice is daily confession. You don’t have to fear that you are conceding something to God when you confess the bad things you have done, or the good things you have neglected. God has promised to forgive you and is faithful to all his promises.

Because of the work of Jesus, taking the punishment for your sins, God is even just when he forgives you. He cleanses you from all unrighteousness by his powerful word of forgiveness.

Prayer:
Holy God, gracious Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:48

Extraordinary Eyewitnesses

Your friend busts into the room with an amazing story. He tells it with great gusto and appropriate hand gestures. He pauses just before the good parts. You are captivated. Then you ask him, “Were you there?” And he responds, “No, I just heard about it.” It doesn’t take away from your enjoyment of the story, but it does make you wonder whether it actually happened the way he described it.

Every Easter we hear the story of Jesus rising from the dead. It’s breathtaking, and it gives us shivers to hear it, think about it, and celebrate it. But some wonder whether it got garbled in the retelling. Did it really happen the way that the Bible says it did?

The disciples of Jesus saw the resurrection happen. They reported it just as they had seen and heard it. Jesus gave them a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that they could report it word for word without mistakes. When it comes to Jesus rising from the dead, we have extraordinary eyewitnesses.

When the details of the resurrection get garbled in your head, go back to the original accounts in the Bible and read them again for yourself: Matthew chapter 28, Mark chapter 16, Luke chapter 24, and John chapter 20. You will be able to read what the eyewitnesses have to say, and can enjoy repeating their story with gusto and joy.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 746, st. 6)
Lord, I love to tell the story.
O wonderful redemption!
The price for sin is paid,
Salvation is accomplished
My heart is unafraid
For God has raised Christ Jesus
To show the work was done;
His glorious resurrection
Declared the vict-ry won! Amen.