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Other Sheep I Have
Jesus says, “other sheep I have.” He is telling us here that there are those who will be saved and included in His flock who are not Israelites. God offered salvation to them through Christ first. Then the gift of salvation was extended to the Gentiles. Praise God! Salvation was made available for Jew and Gentile alike. God sent us Jesus, the Good Shepherd of God’s Flock, to us All!
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:14-16 NKJV
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Our verses today remind us that Jesus is indeed the Good Shepherd.
The sheep of a flock know the shepherd by his voice.
We recognize the goodness of God in Jesus. We “know” His voice. Likewise, Jesus knows those who believe in God the Father and who believe that He, Jesus, is the Risen Son of God. He knows us and we believers know Him.
HE LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE
The Father God knows His Son and Jesus knows His Father. Jesus has been given the task to come to earth and die for the sins of the world. He lays down His life for the sheep. He dies for us, taking our sins upon His sinless life, to give us eternal life with God.
FOR US ALL
There are other sheep, not of the fold of Israel, and Jesus will bring them in too. These other Gentiles will hear His voice and will respond. Jesus makes a way to heaven for them as well through His death on the cross.
BELIEVING AND FOLLOWING
We hear and see the evidence and believe. We hear His voice, so to speak, and the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and we respond. There is a whole new life ahead when we ask Jesus into our lives as Savior.
Believing leads to immediately asking God for forgiveness of sins through Jesus.
One doesn’t just ask for forgiveness but repents and turns from those sins to obey and follow Jesus always. Desiring to do good works in His Name and doing them is a sign of truly being a saved believer. We will be producing fruit when fully connected to our Savior.
Good sheep follow the Shepherd.
We can all be included because Jesus says, “other sheep I have…” Praise God, we can ALL be a part of the fold.
It is a joy to be in the flock of God. There is no better Shepherd to lead and protect and love us than Jesus.