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The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd
God often used the analogy of shepherd and sheep to describe the relationship between spiritual leaders and His people. Joseph said the God had been his shepherd all of his life (Gen. 48:15). Num. 27:17 speaks of God going before His people to lead them out and bring them in, "that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd". The kings were to be shepherds of God's people (cp. Saul in 2Sam. 5:2; David in Ps. 78:71). Many of the leaders were selfish and ungodly and left the sheep without good shepherds (Ezek. 34:5,8). The 23rd Psalm shows how the Lord shepherds His people for THEIR benefit and good.
Jesus is our shepherd. "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant" (Hebrews 13:20). "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me" (John 10:14).
Not only did He lay down his life for us but he leads us in paths of righteousness for OUR good. He desires the best for us and has given us instruction. His teaching is designed to produce life indeed. Following His word will furnish us completely unto every good work (2Tim. 3:15-17)
The problem is not with our shepherd, but with being stubborn sheep. We often wander off into unrighteousness and then, when we suffer the consequences of such life style, we complain and murmur about the shepherd. I am convinced the biggest problem for most of us is our near-sighted goals. We are immature in the faith and cannot look beyond the 'immediate'. This is particularly true with 21st century Americanism. We want 'instant' everything including spirituality and godliness.
The Hebrew writer wrote: "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised (Heb. 10:36). Like Jesus, we need to have our sights set upon the goal that is set before us. Like Jesus we must learn to be obedient / trusting sheep. It is when the chief Shepherd appears that we will receive the unfading crown of glory (1Pet. 5:4).
Jesus said: My sheep KNOW me. John said: "Hereby we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments". Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice allow Him to lead them (John 10:4). His sheep do NOT listen to the 'voice of strangers'. There are many religious teachers but only one good shepherd.
What kind of sheep are you? Hugh DeLong
