The Law of Connection Part 15
Jesus a Shepard-John 10:1-16
Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, a leader who guides His people as a shepherd leads his sheep. The Old Testament prophets use this metaphor many times, from Moses (Num. 27:15-17) all the way to Ezekiel (Ezek. 34:1-10).
Everyone who wants to lead in the kingdom of God must develop certain heart qualifications. The image of the shepherd best captures the heart of a godly leader: Shepherds are tender, sincere, intimate, loving. They guide, correct, protect, and feed. John contrast the good shepherd with a hireling. A hireling receives pay for his job but has no heart for it. He watches out for the sheep until he no longer benefits.
| The Hireling | The Shepherd |
| 1. Labors only for money (Matt. 20:7) | 1. Labors out of love |
| 2. Has no heart for the sheep (John 10:13) | 2. Has a heart for the sheep |
| 3. Leaves when trouble comes (Jer. 46:21) | 3. Gives his life for sheep |
| 4. Is unfaithful to his master (John 10:12) | 4. Faithfully serves his master |
| 5. Feeds himself, not the sheep (Ezek. 34:3) | 5. Feeds the sheep |
| 6. Neglects the sheep (Ezek. 34:3) | 6. Tenderly cares for the sheep |
| 7. Drives the sheep hard and lacks mercy (Jer. 23:2) | 7. Leads the sheep wisely |
Join me next time for The Law of Connection Part 16
