This is me and Leigh with some recent graduates of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. We went to Jos. A Banks to help them pick out some new suits!

 

GOOD 

John 10:11-18 

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”  

I’ve noticed the teaching of John is often repetitive. Three times in verses 11 and 14, Jesus calls Himself “GOOD”. The good shepherd. Everything about Jesus is good. And all that He does for us is good. To stretch it a little further, “all things work together for our good…” Romans 8:28.  

How do we understand God as being good? Many years ago, I had an acquaintance whose daughter had a terrible accident. Many weeks in the hospital followed and her life hung in the balance. Fortunately, she survived and recovered and is now doing well. In telling the good news of her recover, the dad would summarize the story with “God is good.” 

I don’t want to minimize the goodness of God and the healing He provided, according to His kind intention. But I couldn’t help but wonder, if she had not recovered and died, would we still end the story with “God is good”? As a parent and grandfather, I’m not sure I would? 

There’s a popular worship chorus that many of us have sung in church. “God is Good All the Time.” What should our thoughts be as we sing this song? I believe John 10 gives us some insight to this question. The emphasis here in John 10 that Jesus is GOOD goes beyond our view of Him causing our life to be good on earth, i.e., happy and free from suffering.  

The key to insightful Bible study is to ask good questions and then search the scripture for the biblical answers. The question at hand is “what does it mean that Jesus is the good shepherd?” 

Verse 11 and 14 give the straight answer: 

• I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 
• I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, ever as the Father knows Me and I know the Farther; and I lay down My life for the sheep 

There it is. He is good because He gives His life for us; those who know Him and love Him. The full expression of Him laying down His life for us is the cross. Whatever our circumstances on this earth, He is good because He has secured the full blessings of heaven upon us through the cross.  

Psalms 23 expands upon the blessing of the Good Shepherd. I don’t even need to explain it. Read it and see that the Lord is Good toward us on every level. His goodness doesn’t ensure physical happiness and deliverance from pain. Yes, we may walk through the valley, but the goodness of the Lord sustains us and leads us. 

Psalms 23 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want 

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the quiet waters. 

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflow. 

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Thank you, Jesus, for calling me, knowing me and extending good to me always. In all things may you work out your good purposes to make me like you. To be like Jesus, is the ultimate good purpose of my life. Everything else is context. Jesus, may I be in the center of your good work to make me like you! Amen.