His Sheep

Today I was reading in John in chapter 10 about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Verse 16 struck me today and I want to write a few post on some of the thoughts that I have.

John 10:16
"And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd."

The first things that struck me or the Holy Spirit illuminated and challenged me with was the first sentence in the verse. "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold." So Jesus has other sheep. I am not His only sheep. The pride I feel and even some arrogance that I am Jesus and He is mine is wrong. I should feel love in Jesus not pride. I am one of His sheep. Just like He chose and found me when I was not of this fold, so now that I am in this fold I should feel love for my Shepherd and find joy in supporting Jesus in bringing others into the fold. I am not the only sheep. Yes, Jesus knows my name, knows the hairs on my head, and has my life in His hands, but I am not the only sheep. I got challenged by that sentence, when was the last time I prayed for a sheep that was outside the fold that Jesus could bring in?

The second thing God showed me was that Jesus loves all the sheep. He says, I have sheep, which means even those outside of the fold. Jesus loves the others outside the fold just like they were His own. Those outside of the fold Jesus still calls His sheep, which means He loves so much that He brings them inside the fold with His other sheep and calls them by name. So I should love those outside of my fold. Jesus love everyone like His sheep, that means I should too. I need to love those outside of my fold like Jesus, sacrificially.

"Not of this fold", is how Jesus ends the sentence. That means if I am one of His sheep, am in the fold. This is a comforting fact. I am in the fold of Jesus and am one of His sheep. If I watch the Shepherd as one of His sheep, I am safe and secure and should not fear.

Tomorrow, I want to look at the second sentence, first clause "I must bring them also". But do not forget, there are other sheep of Jesus not of our fold.