A Heart Open To God Is Soil In Which The Seed Of His Word Can Flourish

Reading and meditating on the Word of God is essential to our spiritual life.
The Hebrew word for meditating means chewing. So when we are meditating we are chewing on God's Word.
I'll be sharing a few of my morsels with you from time to time.
Today I'll be sharing on JOHN 10 about THE GOOD SHEPHERD with reference to PSALM 23 also. 
It is a teaching I did on the 19.05.96 in my church.
John 10:1-18, 27-30  English Standard Version (ESV)
I Am the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 

² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

³ To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 

⁵ A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 

⁶ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷ So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 
⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
⁹ I am  the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 
¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 
¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 
¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 
¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 
¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 
¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 
¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 
¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.This charge I have received from my Father.”

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 
²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 
³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Shepherding was a common occupation in Israel. Every time the word "sheep" is used it is in the plural form. They were reared for meat, milk, wool and for sacrifices. They were not fenced and were not left to fend for themselves. 
Sheep are peculiar animals. They are totally dependent on the shepherd. They need the shepherd to lead them to grass and water. At night, they are guided into a fold built by the shepherd. The fold has only one entrance and the shepherd lies down there the whole night. Any predator had to get the shepherd before they could get to the sheep.
There is a special bond between the shepherd and the sheep. Each one has a name and the shepherd would call out the names and the sheep would follow him.
In the Scriptures mentioned above, in the gospel of John, 6 classes of people are described:

• 1. v11 - The shepherd - Jesus himself
• 2. v3   - The porter or doorkeeper
• 3. v1  - Thieves and Robbers - pseudo Messiahs
• 4. v5  - Strangers - Any person assuming leadership without pretending to     be a Messiah
• 5. v4 - Sheep - represent the Lord's people who hear His Voice and follow   Him
• 6. v12 - The hireling - represent the priests and pharisees who entered the fold as an authorised agent condemned for cowardice and selfishness.

The Shepherd                                             Verses

• enters through the door                                2
• receives cooperation of the porter                 3
• receives obedience of the sheep                   3
• calls His own sheep by name                        3
• leads them out                                             3
• precedes them and guides them                    4
• is followed by them                                       4
• is the door of the sheep                                 7
• is the only true shepherd                                8
• is the avenue to safety and sustainance          9
• brings life for the sheep                               10
• sacrifices his life for the sheep                     11
• knows the sheep                                         14
• has several folds (speaking of Gentiles)        16
• is under necessity of bringing other sheep     16
• sacrifices himself voluntarily                          18
• possesses power over his own life                18
• provides security for the sheep                      28

The hireling

• lacks the spontaneous responsibility of the shepherd for the sheep  12
• is cowardly, and flees in the face of danger                                   12
• has no particular concern for the sheep                                         13
• his sole interest is in the reward                                                    13

The Sheep

• recognise the shepherd's voice (involves familiarity)                      3
• follow the shepherd                                                                    4
• refuse to follow strangers                                                        5, 8
• their safety and sustainance is in the shepherd                             9
• are not all of one fold                                                                 16

Nature of true believers

• sensitive - They hear my voice                                   27
• fellowship - I know them                                            27
• obedience - They follow me                                        27
• have life - I give them eternal life                                 28
• assurance - They shall never perish                             28
• security - No one will snatch them out of my hand         28

Is Jesus our shepherd? Are we His sheep? Do we recognise His voice when He calls us? Do we obey Him when He leads and guides us? Do we have the assurance that no one can snatch us from His hand?