Christ is the Good, the Great, and the Chief Shepherd….
….and He calls us….yet we must will to follow where He leads….
We choose where we are in His flock….following close to Him, or at a distance….where distractions can lead us astray.
John 10:11, 14, 27 “I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.
I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:”
The Good Shepherd came to lay down His life for the sheep….to save them……to give them life.
He knows His sheep, He calls to them and they answer Him.
He leads them, and they follow Him.
Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
The Great Shepherd makes us complete (perfect) in His Will…….molding us by HIs Spirit……that they might live the life He has for them.
He covers us with the protection of His blood. Entering into an Everlasting covenant of peace with us…..and making, and molding us into “that which is well pleasing in His sight.”
1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”
The Chief Shepherd has all authority over His sheep, and watches from heaven for any slight done His flock.
When He comes again…..He will reward all who seek the good of HIs people.(Acts 20:28-29, 32, John 13:35)
As our Shepherd, Christ Jesus has and will come to find us….
Frankly, I think, that we sometimes put these verses just for children….but if we are born again, we are His sheep….following Him…..or having wandered away….. lost to His fellowship, guidance and protection.
Luke 15:4-5 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if He lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, till He find it?
And when He hath found it, He layeth it on His shoulders, rejoicing.”
Our Shepherd first found us….and brought us into His flock by salvation
….then He leads us into HIs pastures and HIs paths,…..guiding and forming us into obedient children of the King….finding us again and again, when we have gone astray….saving us from all sorts of danger…
….then, when He comes again…..He will find and reward all who have worked for the good of HIs flock….with a crown of glory.
Christ is our Shepherd…..why should we be wandering?
What has claimed our attention?
What can’t we give up, or talk over with Him?
Problems, grief, pain, hurt?
Maybe we are not even aware of what has come between us….He will show it to us, if we come back to closeness to Him.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 