The fullness of life in Jesus.
Jesus is the Shepherd, contrasted first of all with the thief, and then with the hireling. In this verse the contrast is with the thief. The thief comes to steal, taking away the sheep from its proper owner. The thief comes to kill, taking away from the sheep all further use and enjoyment of its own life. The thief comes to destroy, ravaging through the fold in pure malice and wantonness, killing the sheep, not for food, but just through devilish delight in inflicting injury. The shepherd comes to nourish and protect the sheep. He leads it by the green pastures and still waters. It shall have the very best, and then it must make the very best of it. So Jesus comes to give and maintain life; and what he proposes he actually performs. Wherever else there may be injury, death, destruction, decay, from Jesus there comes life, and nothing but life. Thus we must look at our deficiencies in respect to life. We do not live as Jesus lives; we know not the consecration, the devotion, the purity, the self-abnegation, that belonged to him. The sheep need a shepherd because they have not in themselves the resources whereby to provide for themselves and protect themselves. The life-giving fullness of Jesus must, therefore, be considered in contrast with the natural deficiencies of men. Listen to other voices, which try to say in their measure that they have come that we might have life.
I. LISTEN TO THE FOOD-GIVING EARTH. Rather to those innumerable products of the earth which God has given for the maintenance of human life. Every field of grain, every orchard, every plot of earth where anything grows that is good for support of man, all may join in one great chorus of proffered service. "We have come that thou mayest have life." But then they speak equally to the lower creation. The fowls of the air sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; while in the sweat of his face man has to eat bread. Then the supply is limited. When every wilderness has been turned into a fruitful field, and every fruitful field has its powers developed to the utmost, the supply will still be limited. Then above every other consideration is that of the difference between man and beast. Man wants a higher life than any visible thing can nourish. When nature can do least, grace can do most. When the visible comes back in impotence, the invisible comes forward in the fullness of its strength. Jesus will give heights and depths of joy that no combination of natural ministries can ever afford. Men who really want to enjoy life and drink its pleasures to the last drop, know not what they lose in neglecting Christ.
II. LISTEN TO THE AIR WE BREATHE. It says, "I am come that ye might have life." To be just a few minutes without it means death. The air of heaven is nearer to an unconditional gift than anything we know. Yet when that air puts out its full force it is the destroying tempest. Notice also how it gets subtly mixed with all manner of corruptions and poisonous elements. Wherever we go we must breathe such air as we find. We cannot take about with us a special stock of pure air for our own use. But those who are willing to take the gift of Jesus in all its purity and energy may have it so.
III. LISTEN TO THE PARENTAL RELATION. An infant left utterly untended would be dead in twenty-four hours. And when we see the love, the constant watchfulness and forethought of parents and guardians, when we consider the necessity of all this and the good results of it, we should be led to have similar grateful thoughts with respect to the ministry of Jesus in sustaining spiritual life. Spiritual infancy, as much as natural, means weakness, dependence, need of constant love and care. How plain it ought to be that God will provide for the days of helplessness in his own spiritual children!—Y.