The Good Shepherd

Found this whilst looking for something else. Use it if you ever need a poem on John 10.

‘The usual way to enter is to open up the gate
If you vault over the fence then you’re a thief;
Normal shepherds use the door,
Know their buddies, cross the floor
And by and large would rather dine on beef.

‘The usual sort of shepherd knows his sheep and all by name -
Hello Dolly, Dolly, Dolly, Dolly, Dolly.
He calls them out of choice
And they listen to his voice
But a stranger’s words they don’t find very jolly.

‘If they hear it then they run, just in case it spoils their fun
Don’t you get it?’ Jesus asked them, ‘Don’t you see?
I’m the door and I’m the gate,
I’m your destiny and fate;
It’s a metaphor you dimwits. Follow me

‘All the ones who came before, who didn’t enter through the door,
They were thieves and robbers, swindlers dull and weak.
They must have been quite boring
As they left the sheep ignoring them -
You must appreciate of whom I speak?

‘But if you treat me as the entry then the truth is elementary -
You’ll be saved and you’ll be free to come and go.
You’re the sheep and I’m the shepherd,
Hate the wolves and hate the leopard,
Life in all its fullness is the thing to know.

‘Other shepherds drive you mad with their reputations – bad;
Tend to scarper at the slightest hint of trouble.
They are not my kind of worker,
Not a shepherd more a shirker;
You will find that my commitment’s at least double.

‘You see the thing that really matters is to gather not to scatter;
Sheep gate central has a Jesus–managed lock.
By the doorway I will lie
And eventually die
So that my sheep are an everlasting flock.’

Let's be clear what Jesus meant or we’ll get his teaching bent,
He’s the saviour, he’s the master, he’s the king.
Make a promise, make a deep wish,
Try to follow, don’t be sheepish;
You’ll not want in God’s green pasture that’s the thing.

(St, L/Spa 2004)