Episode 206 — John 10:11–18 — The Good Shepherd 

Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s fabulous to be here with you today.
Today is August 1.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.


Slow Down
Jesus is here. He’s sitting in your favorite spot, waiting for you to join Him.
You may have a million things on your mind, but for these few moments, set them aside. Relax. Calm your body.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd.” 
As you exhale, pray: “You know and love me.”
Repeat this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 
“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” 
(John 10:11–18, NLT)

Notice
What stands out to you in this passage? 
Is there a word or phrase that stands out to you? 
Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread
Hear this passage again — and notice what Jesus says about Himself and His relationship with His sheep.
  
Meditate
The Good Shepherd doesn't just manage the sheep. He knows them. And He dies for them.
Jesus draws a sharp contrast in this passage. The hired hand works for a paycheck. When the wolf comes — when things get dangerous, when the cost gets too high — he runs. The sheep don't belong to him. He doesn't love them. He leaves.
But the Good Shepherd stays.
Not because He has to. Not because He's trapped. But because He chooses to. "No one can take my life from me," Jesus says. "I sacrifice it voluntarily."
This is not a reluctant sacrifice. This is love in its purest form — a shepherd who sees the wolf coming and steps between the wolf and the sheep.
"I know my own sheep," He says. "And they know me."
Jesus doesn't just die for a crowd. He dies for sheep He knows by name. He knows your fears. He knows your wandering. He knows the places you've been scattered. And He came anyway.
Take a few moments to sit with this question:
Do I truly believe that Jesus knows me — not just generally, but personally — and that He chose to lay down His life specifically for me? 

Respond
Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd. You didn't run when the cost got too high. You stayed. You laid down Your life — voluntarily, knowingly, for me. Help me to rest in the knowledge that I am known by You and kept by You. I trust You with my life.

Exercise
The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Known by the Shepherd 
Today's habit is an act of trust: bring one hidden or unspoken need to the Good Shepherd.
Jesus says, "I know my own sheep." That means He knows what you're carrying right now — the worry you haven't voiced, the fear you've been managing alone, the need you haven't brought to anyone because it feels too small or too complicated or too shameful.
He already knows it. But He's inviting you to bring it to Him anyway. Because that's what sheep do with a shepherd they trust.
Find a quiet moment today. Write down the one thing you've been carrying alone. The thing you haven't prayed about because you're not sure it matters, or because you're afraid of the answer, or because you've asked before and nothing seemed to change.
Then bring it to Jesus and pray: "Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd. You know me. You know this. I've been carrying _________________ alone, and I'm tired of carrying it. I'm bringing it to You now. Not because I know how You'll answer, but because You didn't run when things got hard. You stayed. You laid down Your life for me. I trust You with this."
The hired hand runs when things get difficult. But the Good Shepherd stays. He is not managing you from a distance. He knows you. He is with you. And whatever you're facing today — the wolf is not bigger than your Shepherd.
Bring it to Him. He already knows. And He is not going anywhere.

I have one ask of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today? One person at a time will grow this podcast to help more people walk with Jesus.
That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.