His Ambassador Blog

Last week we looked at Jesus as the door for the sheep, this week we have a very similar description of Jesus. When we read about the door for the sheep, we had more of a focus on who we are as sheep and the behaviors that are similar between believers and sheep. We looked at the only way that we are able to enter the pasture of everlasting life. But this week we are going to have more of a focus on who the Shepherd is, in all His goodness. 

I am so thankful that Jesus is good. Not only is He good, but He also seeks to know me and to save me. As the Shepherd, Jesus:

Gives His life for us.

John 3:16 says, “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.” Christ lived a perfect life here on earth, devoted everything to God, and then surrendered Himself to die on the cross. He took our place. As sinners, we deserve hell. We deserve punishment. We are not worthy to step foot into the kingdom of God. Yet Jesus took our punishment, He let Roman soldiers nail him to the cross along with our sin, so that we might have the opportunity to live at peace with God and then live with Him for eternity in heaven. Verse 18 of chapter ten, Jesus says that no man took His life. Jesus could have said at any given moment that He did not want to go to the cross. At any point He could have stopped the soldiers in their tracks and sent them trembling. But He didn’t. He laid down His life. In doing this, he gave us eternal life, as He says in verse 28. A shepherd seeks to keep his sheep alive, no matter the cost. Jesus describes how anyone who is not the shepherd, such as a hired hand will run away if he sees a wolf coming to hunt the sheep. But the shepherd stands between the sheep and the wolf and risks sacrificing his own life for theirs. Jesus paid the ultimate price and there is no greater love than what the Good Shepherd has done for His sheep. 

Protects us and Provides for us.

When they wolves seek to attack the sheep, it is the shepherd’s job to protect them. There are many evil spirits that desire to bring us harm. Psalm 23 verse 4 says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” I’m so thankful that I no longer have to fear evil because the Holy of Holies is on my side and fighting for me. He is my strength and my shield. He surrounds me with angel armies and ensures that no weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Not only does He protect us, but He provides. Paul promises in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.” Because Christ is our shepherd, we don’t need anything else. Psalm 23 also talks about how we ‘shall not want’ because we simply don’t need to! Christ supplies what we need exactly when we need it. He is not a minute early or a minute late. The great thing is, He knows what we need as well, sometimes our own selves don’t even know exactly what it is we need. But He does.

Knows us. 

Verse 27 of John 10 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus knows you and I don’t mean that He is aware of your existence because He is omniscient. I mean that He truly knows your heart, mind, and soul. I think back to Psalm 139, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, You are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” Humans desire to be known and understood. God does both of these things for us. Not only does God know everything about us, but He also seeks to know us in a personal way, to have a relationship with us. In that relationship God also understands us. Before we even say the words He knows the desires of our hearts, the tears we need to cry, the anger we need to express, and the words we can’t say. Jesus truly knows us and understands us. He calls us by name, each one of us. Do you know Him?

Cares for us. 

If I were to ask you, ‘Who loves you the most?’, what would you say? You might answer with, ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad’, you could even say, ‘My spouse.’ But if you were to think about their love for you and multiply it infinitely, that is how much Jesus loves you. So much so that He went to the cross and died for you! He loves you despite all that you are and all that you are not. He is the only One who knows every single thing about you, all of your sin, all of your dirt, all of those thoughts you don’t share with anyone, and yet He loves you unconditionally. In loving us, God is there for us in times of need. 1 Peter 5:6-7 say, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” He is ready to receive our troubles, our worries, our mistakes, as soon as we are ready to surrender them. 

Christ is our Good Shepherd. He will walk with us into eternity. He will protect us in times of need. He will be there when we need a friend. He provides for all of our needs. He is to be our everything. I’d simply like to leave you with the 23 Psalm this week:

1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 
2He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 
3He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; 
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; 
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; 
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”