Thematic Bible: Of the people of Christ
Thematic Bible
Sheep » Illustrative » Of the people of Christ
Again Jesus said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, are you devoted to me?" He said to him, "Yes, Master, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Then be a shepherd to my sheep!" Jesus said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because the third time Jesus asked him if he loved him, and he answered, "Master, you know everything, you can see that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep!
So Jesus said again, "I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep would not obey them. I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will pass in and out and find pasture. read more.
A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come to let them have life, and to let them have it in abundance. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd will give his life for his sheep. A hired man who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, will leave the sheep and run away, and the wolf will carry them off and scatter the flock. For he is only a hired man, and does not care about 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 am giving my life for my sheep. I have other sheep too that do not belong to this fold. I must lead them too, and they will obey my voice, and they will all become one flock, with one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I am giving my life, but giving it to take it back again. No one has taken it from me, but I am giving it of my own accord. I have power to give it, and I have power to take it back again. These are the orders I have received from my Father." These words caused a fresh division of opinion among the Jews. Many of them said, "He is possessed and mad! Why do you listen to him?" Others said, "These are not the words of a man who is possessed. Can a madman make blind men see?" That was the time of the Rededication Festival at Jerusalem. It was winter time and Jesus was walking up and down inside the Temple, in Solomon's Colonnade. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are really the Christ, tell us so frankly!" Jesus answered, "I have told you so, and you will not believe it. The things I have been doing by my Father's authority are my credentials, but you do not believe it because you do not belong to my sheep.
A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come to let them have life, and to let them have it in abundance. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd will give his life for his sheep. A hired man who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, will leave the sheep and run away, and the wolf will carry them off and scatter the flock. For he is only a hired man, and does not care about 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 am giving my life for my sheep. I have other sheep too that do not belong to this fold. I must lead them too, and they will obey my voice, and they will all become one flock, with one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I am giving my life, but giving it to take it back again. No one has taken it from me, but I am giving it of my own accord. I have power to give it, and I have power to take it back again. These are the orders I have received from my Father." These words caused a fresh division of opinion among the Jews. Many of them said, "He is possessed and mad! Why do you listen to him?" Others said, "These are not the words of a man who is possessed. Can a madman make blind men see?" That was the time of the Rededication Festival at Jerusalem. It was winter time and Jesus was walking up and down inside the Temple, in Solomon's Colonnade. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are really the Christ, tell us so frankly!" Jesus answered, "I have told you so, and you will not believe it. The things I have been doing by my Father's authority are my credentials, but you do not believe it because you do not belong to my sheep.