Knowing Who to Follow

My daddy raised a small herd of Hereford cattle when I was a boy. Just about every day he would walk out into the pasture to check on them. Most of the time the cattle would be back over the hill out of sight so he would call them. His voice echoed across the farm with a distinct call, not quite a yodel, but something similar to that. I remember trying it, but the cows never came when I called. However, when daddy called them it wouldn’t be long before everyone of them appeared at the top of the hill. When they saw him they would walk right up to him as if saying, “Here we are.”

I use this analogy because we did not raise sheep, and a flock of sheep is key for where I’m going with this. Shepherds call their sheep the same way my dad called his cattle. In biblical days, shepherds had their individual flocks in the fields together. Each shepherd had his own distinct call for his flock. When it was time to take them to the sheep pen the shepherd would call his sheep. The sheep understood their master’s, call and they would come to him. They knew their master’s voice, and they would follow him only.

Jesus said, “I’m the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” He lays down his life “for” the sheep. That preposition “for” has two meanings in the Greek. One is to do something on behalf of, and the other is to do something in place of. The second meaning is the one Jesus used here. Jesus was saying,  “I lay down my life in your place so that you will not die spiritually.” I am you substitute. I am taking the punishishment that you deserve. We are like sheep. Jesus was referring to us. He has laid down his life for us so that we can belong to him.

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10: 27-28 When we accept Jesus we will know his voice and follow him. We know we will be safe with Jesus, our master. There are others who call us with promises and answers to our problems. There are many want to be messiahs and saviors in our world: politicians, celebrities, con artists who don’t care about us.They will lead us astray, to places we don’t need to go.   All they want is power, fame and wealth. They are not good. Only Jesus is good. He is the Good Shepherd. Be sure that you know his voice, and follow him only.