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Knowing the Good Shepherd
Reference: SHM-S02-001-Mw-R00-P2
(Originally spoken on 3 September 2006, edited on 7 October 2011)
Web site: http://www.ajourneyinlife.org and http://www.ajourneyinlife.com
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Let us ponder over the words of the Lord Jesus in John 10: 14.
John 10: 14
- "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me..."
It is a simple sentence, but it is good for us to ponder over who the Lord Jesus is, and whether we truly know Him as the good shepherd.
The Lord Jesus - we recognize, acknowledge He is our Lord, He is our Saviour, we are grateful to Him. The Lord Jesus tells us: "I am the good shepherd," and He says, "I know My own and My own know Me".
Why did the Lord Jesus say, "I know My own"? After all, He is God. Surely He knows all of us. What is the significance of the Lord Jesus knowing us? God knows all of us - but is this the meaning that He is saying? I do not think so.
What the Lord Jesus here is referring to is a reference to a special relationship: "I know My own". "My own" refers to "those who are specially Mine; they belong to Me; they have a close relationship with Me".
How does He know us? There are many people who claim that they know the Lord Jesus; they also claim that they do many things in His name. The Lord Jesus refers to this in Matthew 7: 21-23.
Matthew 7: 21-23
- "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
- "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
- "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
The Lord Jesus said, "I never knew you". It does not mean that He did not recognize them, He did not know who they were. He knew. He was omniscient; He knew all things. But He said, "I never knew you" in a personal relationship, a meaningful close relationship. Why?
He says, "DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS". If our hearts are not one with Him, if we choose to go a path that is contrary, that is different from what is in His heart, how can He know us in that way? He says there are many who will do many things in His name but He says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."
Ultimately, the Lord Jesus will know us if we truly love what is good, if our hearts are one with Him in direction, if we appreciate the principles of His kingdom, what is important to Him.
It is good for us to ask ourselves the question: "What is it that is really important to us? Are we really concerned about what He is concerned about? Do we really appreciate what is really good in His sight? Would we want to devote our lives to the things that are important to Him? If we do, then the Lord will be pleased to know us.
Then the Lord says, "I know My own and My own know Me."
Do we know the Lord? Do we really appreciate who He is, the good shepherd who really cares for us, watches over us, provides for us, takes care of us, seeks to help us in whatever situation that we go through? Do we understand His ways that are higher than our ways? Are we learning each day to love Him more and to learn to walk with Him?
In a Christian life, it is possible for us to know many things about the Lord Jesus, to say many things about Him that may be interesting, that may be quite knowledgeable of the Scriptures, but ultimately the important question is, "Do we truly know Him?"
Some of you may have read the story which I came across many years ago. It was said that many years in the past, there were two famous preachers in London and people who came to London would often go to listen to them. In the morning, they would go to listen to one, and in the evening they would listen to the other.
So one man went in the morning to listen to this preacher, at the end of which he said, "What a wonderful speaker!" He was so impressed with what he could say: What he said was so interesting, so knowledgeable - very impressive.
In the evening he went to listen to the other preacher, at the end of which he said, "What a wonderful Saviour!"
The first preacher was able to speak well. Many people listened and they appreciated, but it did not so deeply help them to appreciate who the Lord Jesus really was.
The second preacher may not be so impressive, but his heart was filled with the Lord and when he spoke, people knew who the Lord Jesus was and this drew them to the Lord, to appreciate Him.
So if we do not know the Lord Jesus personally, appreciate Him deeply, live for Him fully, how can we communicate Him to others? So it is important that we learn to do that.
Another story that you may be aware of is the event of a concert. Someone was asked to recite the 23rd Psalm, and this man went up and he spoke: "The Lord is my shepherd..." And as he went through the 23rd Psalm, the people were very impressed with his ability to communicate, to speak so clearly and to express so well. People clapped when he came down.
Then an old man went up, and he said the 23rd Psalm haltingly, hesitantly; he expressed the words with difficulty but it came straight from his heart. At the end of the Psalm, people were weeping and the first man turned back and he said, "I know the Psalm, he knows the shepherd."
Let us evaluate our lives and consider whether does the Lord really know us because we truly love Him? Do we truly love Him and know Him personally? Will our lives transmit life that comes from Him, or would we be communicating ideas and knowledge?
Let us come before the Lord and ask Him to help us to deepen in our response to Him, that our love for Him may be sincere, genuine and lasting, that we appreciate Him and that we will live for Him.