“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
—John 10:11
In the words of our text, the Lord Jesus tells us who He is and what He has done. These are words that explain the meaning of the cross of Christ, and they tell us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and that on the cross, He gave His life for His sheep. These words teach us the willingness of Jesus to die the accursed death in the place of all those who were given to Him by the Father. In other words, the Lord Jesus goes to the cross and willingly dies for His sheep. He does not do it out of some external pressure, but He does it willingly. Jesus makes this clear in vs. 17-18 when he says, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again.”
In John 18, when Judas brought the Jewish leaders and a detachment of soldiers to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And they all fell to the ground.” They had no ability to take Him. Jesus also told Peter to put his sword away when he tried to defend Jesus from being arrested. Jesus said to Peter, “Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”
But the point is that the cross of Christ was not some tragic event in history. Rather, Jesus says in our text, “I give My life for the sheep.” This is what is prophesied of Christ in the Old Testament. Psalm 40:7, “Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.” Isaiah 53:12, “He poured out His soul unto death.” Clearly Jesus was determined to pay the sin debt of His sheep on the cross and redeem them from the wrath of God and the torments of hell. Do you realize what believers have been redeemed from? It was because of Christ’s love for His Father and His sheep that Jesus willingly placed Himself before the wrath of God to provide a perfect salvation for His people. The Good Shepherd gave His life for the sheep.
And notice those for whom Jesus willingly died is His sheep! But His sheep are not righteous, good, and loving people. Scripture says in Romans 5:6, “Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:10, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Christ died for those who “have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah 53). We are the ones who would not have Christ rule over us. We are the ones who would say with Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him?” We are rebellious, evil sinners of ourselves. Christ did not come to save the righteous, but sinners. For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. It was the eternal grace, mercy, and love of God that gave His Son to take our place for our evil and rebellious nature and actions. And it was Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who willingly took our place on the cross in loving obedience to His Father to redeem a multitude, which no man can number, from the wrath of God and the torments of Hell. Hallelujah! What a wondrous Savior! Are you trusting Jesus? He is the only hope of salvation. Trust in the person and work of Christ and be saved from the wrath of God!
Friday Devotional: August 7, 2026
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
