Jesus, our Good Shepherd

 

After reading John chapter 10, I would like to expand a bit more on Jesus being our Good Shepherd.

In 2017 I read a book by Phillip Keller titled “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.”  I have not enjoyed a non-fiction book as much as this one (not counting the Bible, of course).  Keller preaches the Truth so eloquently that it struck me to the core. He opened up the world of shepherds I never knew.  After reading his book, the 23rd Psalm, as well as the fact that Jesus refers to Himself as our Good Shepherd, makes this comparison so much more meaningful.  Real sheep 100% rely on their shepherd to properly care for them.  A bad shepherd has underfed sheep full of parasites living in dying pastures.  Just like Jesus, a good shepherd takes care of His sheep’s every need.  He takes great care moving his sheep from pasture to pasture in order to assure they always have plenty of green grass.  He anticipates their every need.  (Please read Keller’s book, he says it so much better, and you will see the Bible in a completely new light.)

Only our True Shepherd may enter through the correct door to our hearts.  The thief and robber, Satan, may try to gain access, but the sheep (the true believer) will not recognize his voice, and will not let him in.  Or should not let Satan enter.  When we first submit to God, then resist the devil in the name of Jesus, Satan will flee. (James 4:7 ) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Our Good Shepherd protects not only the doors to our heart, but literally laid His life down for us. Jesus is the door of life.  Jesus longs only for good things for our lives (see Jeremiah 29:11), and desires that we may lie down in green, lush, beautiful pastures next to still waters.  He longs for a life full of abundance, or full of plentiful blessings.   

Satan is the door of death.  Why would you choose to walk through a dark and twisted door that would only steal, kill, and destroy your soul? 

Do not waste your life waiting to decide whom you will follow and allow access to the door of your heart.  Choose today whom you will serve.  Make Jesus Lord of your heart, mind, body, and soul.  Lock the door of your heart to the sins of this world and do your very best to walk down paths of righteousness.    

 

Although this was mentioned in the previous books of Matthew and Luke, I would also like to revisit the parable of Jesus and the Lost Sheep, my favorite parable from Jesus.  It is proof that Jesus loves us and does not want any of us to perish spiritually.  He is actively seeking out each and every one of us and wants to welcome us into His fold.

There is more than one version of this parable, so I'll start with the one from Matthew:

(Matthew 18:10-14) “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.  “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.  

 
Jesus already gave His life for us.  He shed His holy, sinless blood on the cross with the desire that we might live with Him forever. 
 
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  

 
Christ does not have to do anything else; it is up to us to choose to accept God's precious gift.  Yet, in spite of this fact, God still actively seeks each of us out and calls us to Him.  He will search for the one lost sheep that has wandered away.

 I would next like to focus on what it means to be lost.  The Bible makes it clear that we are all like sheep that have gone astray.   
 
(Isaiah 53:5-6) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Or put it another way:
 
(Romans 3:23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  

 
Which means we are all in need of God's saving grace.  
 
We all have sinned, but being a lost sheep does not just refer to those who have yet to receive Christ as their Savior.  For one thing, we all sin every day. Although we do not lose our salvation with every minor sin, we still should daily confess our sins.  There are those, however, who have been saved and have backslidden.  Therefore, to me this parable is also about those who received Christ as Lord of their life, then later fell away.  In other words, one can become lost again.
 
(Revelation 2:5) Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.  

 
There is no shame in admitting that we have done wrong and allow God to change us from the inside out.  Sometime that requires a daily cleansing and always a daily self-examination of our hearts.
 
(Psalm 119:175-176) Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep;

Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.

(Psalm 139:23-24 ) Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

Jesus loves us all very much and wants to rescue us from a life of sin.  He will never stop chasing us.  His Word shows He has compassion for us and longs to capture us forever.  He wants to teach us, guide us, direct us, encourage us.  He wants us to cling to the folds of His robes and learn at His feet (by reading the Bible).
 
(Mark 6:34) And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.  

 
Once we have been rescued, we are to remain changed.  We are not to give into the temptations of the world.  Reading the words of Jesus will really encourage and guide you in your daily walk.  Obviously, there is nothing wrong with the Old Testament and I love and study the entire bible.  However, if you truly want to learn and grow and be rescued, studying the gospels and really allowing Jesus' own words to sink deep into your heart and soul will transform you.  I can say from experience that really focusing on the words of Christ will make you calmer and feel more at peace with everyday life.  It will make it easier to live a life set apart from the ways of the world.   
 
(1 Peter 2:1-3 & 21-25) Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.  

Jesus referred to Himself as "The Good Shepherd," and He is indeed good.  Life is often full of pain, sorrow, and frustration, but God's love never changes.  Jesus is the only way to Salvation and a life of peace. 

Since I started with the Parable of the Lost Sheep from Matthew, I will end with the version of Luke: 

(Luke 15:1-7) Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.  And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying:  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.