I Am Known Of Him

John 10:11 (ESV) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Repeatedly throughout the scriptures we're presented with the image of the sheep and the shepherd. Not to put too fine a point on it, sheep are probably some of the stupidest creatures that were ever created. The Way they to try to defend themselves is to make this terrible bleating sound. That's it!

So here comes a wolf, making a run for one of the sheep, lips pulled back, fangs bared..... ready for the attack.....

And the sheep, seeing the wolf coming says to himself, "This will get him...", and he hauls off and lets' the wolf have it..... "Baaa-a-a-a-aa!!!!" ...... that'll show him!

Not only do they make a mess of defending themselves but there are afraid of the silliest things. Take them to a a swiftly running creek or river and the sound of running water creek will scare the sheep to the point that they won't drink at all.

A few years ago Joan and I were going home from church Joan looked out of the car and said, 'look at that'... I couldn't take my eyes off the road so I asked her what it was.

It was raining and there was a sheep out in the middle of the field looking up as if to say what is going on? Joan made the comment, 'That thing is going to stand there and drown.'

Sort of puts you in mind of a lot of people doesn't it? We see the mess our lives are in and we don't change anything and we hope things will somehow get better...

The other thing about sheep is that they seem to have no sense of direction. They wander off and get lost so easily...

So it's no wonder sheep need a shepherd.

Well, it's also no wonder that we are referred to as sheep...

We get lost, we think we know the way, but we really don't....

We get scared and afraid and can't really defend ourselves from the onslaught of the one who comes as a wolf among sheep.....

We think that we can stand our own ground, but the truth of the matter is that we are just as powerless as any sheep to defend ourselves without someone to watch over us.... a shepherd maybe? … It would take a good one....

Well, Jesus tells us that He is the good shepherd.... I'm glad I'm following Him!

CH Spurgeon - What is there about me that I should stand where so many others have fallen? There is nothing to hold me up if I am left to myself; but if, confessing my liability to fall, confessing my liability to be seized by the lion, and the bear, and the wolf, I can still say, "The Lord is my Shepherd," I am safe! The sheep is not safe because it says, "I am stronger than the lion;" or, "I am able to escape from the bear;" or, "I shall always be able to avoid the wolf." Silly sheep, what canst thou do to protect thyself from thy foes.

Verse 11 of our scripture this morning says, " I am the good shepherd:"; and again in verse 14 Jesus says the same thing, but it goes on to say, " I know my sheep, and am known by mine."

I know my sheep.... Folks we're his sheep....

We're the ones who've been repeatedly lost.... We're the ones who get into the most terrible situations....We're the ones who scatter and run when the wolf comes upon us when all we really need to do is to turn to the Good Shepherd....

He knows His sheep..... He'll protect them....

I don't know about you but it greatly impressed me to learn that Jesus actually knows me....

Here I am, a little speck of a nobody in the grand scheme of things and the Lord of all the universe actually knows me.....

What have I done to deserve that kind of love and attention? What is it about me that makes me special enough for Him to love me and to know me? Not one thing...

There is nothing in me that would require Him to even acknowledge my existence.... But, He knows me all the same..... It's all about His grace....