MOTIVATE

Few people study the life of a shepherd. They are regular workers not typically worthy of research. They have a nomadic lifestyle and sleep in fields without luxury amenities. They spend hours running after animals that smell terribly and barely listen. Their annual accomplishment is keeping an animal alive through desert heat and wilderness cold to remove its full-fledged funky hair (wool); then repeat each year. Why waste time talking about shepherds?

We do so bc the God of heaven used the metaphor to describe the mystery of that which is sacred in all of life: faith. We are sheep having faith in the Good/Beautiful Shepherd. Further, the Scriptures use the metaphor of shepherds for those who are leaders, whether in the home, the church, or among a nation.

Today, I want to briefly reflect on John 10 and then listen to examples of godly men discuss the Good Shepherd’s work in their life.

EXAMINE                 John 10:22-30

²² At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. ²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Jesus celebrates special moments.

• Feast of Dedication = Hanukkah. This was not a “Scripture” feast but a traditional holiday the Jews set aside. Hanukkah begins on Dec 25^th with an 8-day festival commemorating the rededication of the temple following its desecration from Greek Emperor Antiochus Epiphanes (God manifest; even claiming to be Zeus incarnate); he worshiped idols and sacrificed pigs on the temple altar.^[1] To us Gentiles today that’s a delicious lip-smacking bbq lunch, but to a Jew it was sacrilegious. The emperor forced this worship at the consequence of death – thousands were slaughtered.
• Antiochus’ enemies called him Epimanes (madman). Jewish families would not sit idly amid false worship. One, Judas Maccabeus, led a revolt against Antiochus’ leftover military. They were able to recover the Temple area, and one of their first acts was to cleanse it from idol impurities, and rededicate it to God. They restored the menorah lamps with remaining oil, which should have only lasted a short time in the day. However, it lasted for 8-full days. So, 8 candles are light each day to commemorate this work of God. The Maccabean revolt is retold in the Apocrypha.

>> So, Jesus’ celebration of Hanukkah is an example to us to redeem moments and holidays with others. Likewise, Christians can celebrate special holidays like birthdays, Christmas, Easter, and the like – even if they have some secular background, and redeem their meaning in a Christ-centered perspective. Today, Father’s Day, is a wonderful opportunity to spend time honoring others God has placed in your life.

>> Understand the power of today. Every day that ends in Y is an opportunity to cherish and communicate your thoughts and feelings with those around you with grace and gratitude.

Jesus follows the Father’s plan.  

• works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me Jesus’ teaching and sign miracles pointed others to God
• Previously, Jesus was celebrating another holiday feast and conflicted with the Pharisees. They mocked Jesus saying his birth was by immorality and made him illegitimate without knowing his father (Jn 8:41). Jesus told them that their father was the Devil (Jn 8:44).
• Ultimately, Jesus claims that the Scriptures testify of His life, and that He is one with God the Father (Jn 5:39-46; 7:16; 8:18-59).

>> Regardless of circumstances, our Heavenly Father is loving, forgiving, and wise, and we should seek to honor Him. Living for ourselves is like eating dessert for every meal. It’s exciting and tasteful for the short-term, but in a matter of weeks and months it becomes disastrous. Your whole body feels the weight of this choice, and you dread walking through each new day. Some of us need to change our emotional(and physical) and spiritual diet.

>> God the Father is faithful and powerful so that no one can separate us from His love. He’s the Good and Beautiful Shepherd who lays down His life as the only door for the sheep to enter; He isn’t afraid to use the rod of discipline bc He loves us; or leave the 99 to pursue the 1 from harm and hurt. Jesus came to give us abundant and revitalizing life, even thru valleys/shadows of death.

*** Father’s Day Panel ***

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^[1] Gary Hardin, “Hanukkah,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Chad Brand et al. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 713.