John 10:7-21

John 10:7-21
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

   We've rented before and we've owned, and there is definitely a different mindset, even if you don't intend for it to be that way.  When you rent, there isn't a sense of pride in the place -- you take care of it, but you aren't committed to its long term well being.  You don't think the same way about things, and you're less likely to make improvements that may hurt in the short term but be long-term beneficial.  When you own, the commitment level is completely different.
  This is the point Jesus is driving at -- he is the shepherd, and the sheep belong to him.  He loves them in a way that a caretaker would not -- he is committed to your long-term well-being, and he loves you with a ferocity that is unmatched by someone not willing to die for the sheep.  He isn't just a hired hand -- he knows each and every sheep, and he loves us beyond compare.  He was willing to pay any price to secure our eternal freedom from sin and death, and even though that meant death on a cross, Jesus was willing to ascend the cross so that we might have life with him.
  Some people thought he was crazy.  They couldn't understand the love the Father had for them, the depths to which God would go to redeem his people and God's willingness to take on human flesh to save us from our sins.  They thought they could save themselves
  We call him Savior, because we understand the mess we were in and we are grateful that God was willing to do any and everything to redeem us from sin
  Thanks be to God!