Mixed Metaphors – John 10:1-18

Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them…. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming…. “ (John 10:7-12, CSB)

When we read John 10 it almost seems like Jesus is mixing His metaphors. First, He says He is the gate for the sheep. Next, He says He is the good shepherd. Then, He says He is not the hired hand that looks after the sheep.

Throughout the Gospel of John Jesus portrayed Himself and His ministry with a number of analogies:

  • I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
  • “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5).
  • “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
  • “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
  • “I am the true vine” (John 15:1, 5).
  • “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58). While not an analogy, it is a play on words that the Jews clearly understood in which Jesus equates Himself with the “I AM” title God gave Himself in Exodus 3:14.
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God Will Take Notice – Exodus 2:23-25

ear-hearing“The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, and they cried out; and their cry for help ascended to God because of the difficult labor. So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the Israelites, and He took notice” (Exodus 2:23-25, HCSB).

Hundreds of years had passed since Joseph was prime minister of Egypt and had urged his father, Jacob, and his brothers to move down to Egypt. From the original seventy migrants, the Israelites had grown into a huge nation probably numbering in the millions.

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God Fights For You – Deuteronomy 3:21-22

RockyBalboa“I commanded Joshua at that time: Your own eyes have seen everything the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms you are about to enter. Don’t be afraid of them, for the Lord your God fights for you” (Deuteronomy 3:21-22, HCSB).

These are words spoken by Moses when he transferred leadership over Israel to Joshua. There’s no enemy that Joshua and the Israelites should fear because…

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God’s Catastrophic Health Insurance Policy – Psalm 91:9-13

“If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!”  (Psalm 91:9-13, NLT).

This wisdom Psalm expresses confidence in God as the One Who provides protection against catastrophe for those who take refuge in Him.

His promised protections are like the comprehensive coverage of a catastrophic health insurance policy!

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