Voluntary Sacrifice

Sheep grazing in Israel.
Are they listening for their shepherd's voice?
Are you?

"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 10:14-18

Meditate on sacrifice. To what voice, advice, or stories are you listening?

Have you ever been around sheep and noticed that they follow their shepherd when he calls to them? Listen for Jesus’ voice. Jesus is our shepherd and He tells us in this passage today that He sacrificed His own life for His sheep. That’s us. Sacrificed. Gave up His very human life. Would we do that for anyone? Jesus gave us lots of advice. Consider His teaching to his disciples when they asked about the end of the age.

Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Matthew 24:4-8

Wars and rumors of wars. Although wars have been almost constant throughout history, we have conflicts occurring now in and around Israel that people are attributing to end times. Have you Googled information on earthquakes lately? There have even been a series of small quakes within 60 miles of my home that appear to be related to fault lines that go all the way other fault lines in the Pacific Ocean. Does all this point to the End Times about which Jesus was warning? He told His disciples not to be misled. He also told them to be prepared. How are you preparing yourself and your family for such a time as this?

               Remember how Mordecai challenged his cousin Queen Esther, wife of Persian King Ahasuerus, to prepare herself to save the Jewish people from eradication.

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" Esther 4:13-14

 So—has God prepared you where you are to encourage others at such a time as this? Will you keep silent or speak up for the Lord? The choice is yours to respond to Jesus’ message to be prepared and not to be deceived.

            What do we learn about Jesus from this passage?

 

Prayer – Lord, I’m listening for Your voice. Help me to hear it clearly amongst all the noise today. Don’t let me be swayed by those who claim that they are telling Your story—but they are trying to glorify themselves, not You.           

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:16

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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