Sacrificed Life – John 10:11-21

JESUS LIVED a “you-first” life.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

What does “lays down his life” mean? The Message paraphrase says, “…puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.” In other words, He let go of His aliveness in order to make more aliveness available to us. This in contrast to the thief (Satan) and to most of the religious leaders (hired hands) of Christ’s day. “The hired hand …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…cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:12-13).

You would think being a sheep would be a fairly simple job description, but there are complications, aren’t there? Besides being mentally deficient, sheep face challenges from thieves, cowardly hired hands, and hungry wolves. When Jesus was arrested, the gospel of Mark says that the sheep (His followers) quickly scattered (Mark 14:27). Sheep become confused and vulnerable when they scatter. Have you ever been part of a “scattered” flock? A scattered fellowship? A scattered family?

The Good Shepherd said, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15b). That’s quite a contrast to the hired hand who “cares nothing for the sheep.” Through the years of our lives, you and I will encounter both kinds of leaders—from selfless to selfish. Selfish leaders, from pimps to politicians, use people. Good leaders love people, and lay down their lives for people.

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life…of my own accord” (John 10:17a-18a). What does Jesus mean here? What does God love about Jesus being willing to die—to be disconnected from God’s rich aliveness—in our place? God the Father is a lay-down-My-Son-God. He is a lay-down-My-life-God. When He sees His only begotten Son living His likeness on this planet, He loves it.

This kind of talk caused another split in the Jewish ranks (John 10:19a msg).

Of course it did! Jesus’ words always have and always will split people apart. Sheep from goats. Believers from scoffers. Wheat from tares. Light from dark. Life from death. One group of those who heard Him that day said He was “demon-possessed and raving mad” (John 10:19). Another group said the opposite, that no demon-possessed man could speak with such wisdom and open the eyes of a blind man.

When it came to Jesus, there was no middle ground that day.

There never is. 

Life Question: Can you name one good shepherd you’ve known, other than Jesus? Tell someone about that lay-down-your-life person today.