Easter, week 4 (Good Shepherd) – Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18

Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep and runs away
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.

The hired man doesn’t care about the sheep. But what or who does he care about? He probably cares about himself, he cares about getting paid. Therefore, when someone pays for abandoning sheep . . .

How many in recent years have presented themselves as leaders, shepherds, and then taken payment for leaving the sheep behind? No, not pieces of silver. Although there may have been some coins in it. But it’s more about payment in the form of attention, recognition, applause . . .