John 10 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees: “The person who doesn’t enter the fold by the door, but enters a different way, is a robber. The person that does come through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The sheep hear his voice. He calls them by name and they follow him. He leads the sheep out of the fold. They will not follow a stranger, because they don’t recognize the voice of the stranger.” The Pharisees didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about, so He explained Himself. “I am the door to the fold. Those who try to get to the sheep any way other than me are thieves, and my sheep will not hear or follow them. If anyone enters the pasture by me, they will be saved and find rest. A thief’s motivation is to steal and kill. My motivation is to give my sheep life and abundance. The hireling is not the shepherd either and is not bonded to the sheep of the shepherd. When a wolf comes to threaten the fold, the hireling runs away to save his own life and abandons the flock. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep. I will lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this flock that I must also gather. They will hear my voice and join together, and then there will be one flock and one shepherd. The Father loves me because I give my life for the sheep and take my life back again. No one will take my life, but I give it of myself. I have the power to give my life, and I have the power to take it back again. I have received this commandment from the Father.”
