May 5, 2025
The Good Shepherd - Part 1
John 10:11
05/05/2025
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep. (ESV)
There are two Bible passages with which most people are
familiar. The first is John 3:16, ``For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life.''[1] The other
is the Twenty-Third Psalm, ``The LORD is my shepherd I shall not
want.''
In this week's Gospel reading, Jesus ties the two passages
together in order to bring comfort and hope to all people. Jesus
said, ``I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep.''
When we look at the Twenty-Third Psalm, we realize that we,
the sheep of God's pasture, are very dependent of the Shepherd.
He feeds us, He gives us water, He comforts us when we are
afraid, He binds our wounds when we are injured, He gives us a
safe and secure home with protection from those things which
would hurt us.
God's sheep are far from show quality, far from being
perfect examples of the flock. They are weak, sick, injured, and
helpless. They like to stray away, they like to leave the
Shepherd to seek new adventures. Yet the Shepherd loves them
enough to die for them, to take upon Himself their guilt, the
stain of their sheepish ways.
May our Lord grant that we see the Good Shepherd as our
Savior from sin and death, and in Him dwell securely. Amen.
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1. John 3:16 KJV