Jesus,
the Shepherd
“The man who enters by the gate is
the
shepherd of his sheep. …
He calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out. …
and his sheep follow him
because they know his voice.”
John 10:2-4 (NIV)
Thank you, Jesus, that those reading this message know your voice. If you do not know the voice of Jesus, please send me an email and I will get back to you. For those who do know the voice of Jesus and follow Him, is it not a great comfort to have the assurance of Jesus’ words: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV)?
A good shepherd has a unique relationship with his sheep. He tends to know their little quirky ways: those who lag a little, those who run ahead a little, those who tend to wander off a little, those who are faithful and obedient, and those who may not be well. Shepherds generally name their sheep; they know them individually. Researchers believe that sheep can link the sound of their name to the image of their shepherd or to the scent of their shepherd and so they come to the shepherd, when he calls them.
Jesus makes this categoric statement: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me –” (John 10:14 NIV). But how does this really work? The end prize is laid out by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46, where He tells the disciples that He will separate the sheep from the goats at the appointed time, and then He will take the sheep into the: “… kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”
To be considered as one of His sheep at that time, we need to make every effort while we are still alive and kicking to walk a path of righteousness that includes inter alia, getting rid of our habitual sin, for as times get tougher, the devil will push the narrative that it is okay to ‘sin’ as God loves you after all, and before you know it, you are that sheep that has wandered far off.
Stand firm, contending with me as we stay on the path, following Jesus.
Grace, joy,
and peace be with you.