Thematic Bible: Of the people of Christ
Thematic Bible
Sheep » Illustrative » Of the people of Christ
Then he asked him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter told him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "Take care of my sheep." He asked him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he told him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!"
So again Jesus said, "Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, I'm the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep didn't listen to them. I'm the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He'll come in and go out and find pasture. read more.
The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I've come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired worker, who isn't the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, deserts the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf snatches them and scatters them, because he's a hired worker, and the sheep don't matter to him. I'm the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that don't belong to this fold. I must lead these also, and they'll listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it back again. No one is taking it from me; I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This is what my Father has commanded me." Once again there was a division among the Jews because of what Jesus had been saying. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why bother listening to him?" Others were saying, "These are not the words of a man who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?" Now Hanukkah was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking around in the Temple inside the open porch of Solomon. So the Jewish leaders surrounded him and quizzed him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you're the Messiah, tell us so plainly." Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you don't believe it. The actions that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf, but you don't believe, because you don't belong to my sheep.
The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I've come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired worker, who isn't the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, deserts the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf snatches them and scatters them, because he's a hired worker, and the sheep don't matter to him. I'm the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that don't belong to this fold. I must lead these also, and they'll listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it back again. No one is taking it from me; I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This is what my Father has commanded me." Once again there was a division among the Jews because of what Jesus had been saying. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why bother listening to him?" Others were saying, "These are not the words of a man who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?" Now Hanukkah was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking around in the Temple inside the open porch of Solomon. So the Jewish leaders surrounded him and quizzed him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you're the Messiah, tell us so plainly." Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you don't believe it. The actions that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf, but you don't believe, because you don't belong to my sheep.