Jesus, The Chain Breaker

The Thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, once told a parable about a tyrant and his subject. He said, “There was once a tyrant who summoned one of his subjects into his presence and ordered him to make a chain. The poor blacksmith—that was his occupation—had to go to work and forge the chain. When it was done, he brought it into the presence of the tyrant and was ordered to take it away and make it twice the length. He brought it again to the tyrant, and again he was ordered to double it. Back he came when he had obeyed the order, and the tyrant looked at it then commanded the servants to bind the man hand and foot with the chain he had made and cast him into prison.” Spurgeon continued with an application. “That is what the devil does with men. He makes them forge their own chain, and then binds them hand and foot with it and casts them into outer darkness.”

Lord Jesus uses a parable of sheep and a shepherd in John chapter 10. He presents himself as the good shepherd and the doorway to the Salvation. He affirms that he is the Way and all those who came before him promising the salvation are thieves and robbers. When Jesus said all who ever came before Me were thieves and robbers, He referred to those leaders and so called saviors who cared not for the spiritual good of the people but only for themselves. Jesus, the Shepherd provides security for His flock from enemies. He also provides for their daily needs (the sheep come in and go out, and find pasture).  The thief, that is, a false shepherd, cares only about feeding himself, not building up the flock. He steals sheep in order to kill them, thus destroying part of the flock. But Christ has come to benefit the sheep. He gives life which is not constricted but overflowing. The thief takes life; Christ gives it to the full. The thief promises much and makes the subjects to work hard only to bind them with their deeds and cast them into darkness. Similarly today, many come forward promising easy living and easy money only to leave you with much pathetic position. The thief makes you forge your own chain, but Jesus gives life and life in abundance. He redeems His people from all the chains that are forcefully forged by the devil. He is the answer to all the bondages. So he says: Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing…

¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

Blessings

Daniel Solomon Raju