DAY 288 Read John 9:1 through 10:31; Matthew 19:1, 2; Mark 10:1; Luke 9:51 through 10:24.
Today's reading: After Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath, He again encountered the bitter prejudice of the religious bigots. Again He defended Himself with deeply spiritual teaching.
Memory gem: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine" (John 10:14).
Thought for today:
"In a beautiful pastoral picture He [Jesus] represents His relation to those that believe on Him. No picture was more familiar to His hearers than this, and Christ's words linked it forever with Himself. Never could the disciples look on the shepherds tending their flocks without recalling the Saviour's lesson. They would see Christ in each faithful shepherd. They would see themselves in each helpless and dependent flock.
"This figure the prophet Isaiah had applied to the Messiah's mission in the comforting words, 'O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!...He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.' Isaiah 40:9-11...
"Christ applied these prophecies to Himself, and He showed the contrast between His own character and that of the leaders in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven one from the fold, because he dared to bear witness to the power of Christ. They had cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was drawing to Himself. In this they had shown themselves ignorant of the work committed to them, and unworthy of their trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now set before them the contrast between them and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to Himself as the real keeper of the Lord's flock....
"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.' He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth."--The Desire of Ages, pp. 476-480.
Today's reading: After Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath, He again encountered the bitter prejudice of the religious bigots. Again He defended Himself with deeply spiritual teaching.
Memory gem: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine" (John 10:14).
Thought for today:
"In a beautiful pastoral picture He [Jesus] represents His relation to those that believe on Him. No picture was more familiar to His hearers than this, and Christ's words linked it forever with Himself. Never could the disciples look on the shepherds tending their flocks without recalling the Saviour's lesson. They would see Christ in each faithful shepherd. They would see themselves in each helpless and dependent flock.
"This figure the prophet Isaiah had applied to the Messiah's mission in the comforting words, 'O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!...He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.' Isaiah 40:9-11...
"Christ applied these prophecies to Himself, and He showed the contrast between His own character and that of the leaders in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven one from the fold, because he dared to bear witness to the power of Christ. They had cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was drawing to Himself. In this they had shown themselves ignorant of the work committed to them, and unworthy of their trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now set before them the contrast between them and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to Himself as the real keeper of the Lord's flock....
"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died. The distress of every one touches His heart. The cry for aid reaches His ear. He also knows who gladly hear His call, and are ready to come under His pastoral care. He says, 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.' He cares for each one as if there were not another on the face of the earth."--The Desire of Ages, pp. 476-480.
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