I Am the Good Shepherd! Part 2

The Good Shepherd came "to seek and to save that which was lost." (5)

In this old world, we, like sheep, often don't even know when we're lost. However, our Eternal Father knows our plight and has provided for it. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (6) Jesus stated, "I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." (7)

Just as a shepherd does not judge his sheep or condemn his sheep, God does not judge or condemn us. He cares for us in so many ways. Here are just a few of those ways.

1. The Good Shepherd came to save sinners, "for He will save His people from their sins." (8); "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (9) "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (10)

2. The Good Shepherd teaches us values to live by such as loving our neighbor as God, through Jesus, has tenderly cared for and loves us, "love one another as I have loved you… By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (11)

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (12); "For (God) made (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (13)

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another." (14)

3. Our Good Shepherd has not only made us His friends, He has adopted us into His family. Jesus told Mary after His resurrection, "Go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' " (15) Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, Savior and best Friend has made us to become His very brothers and sisters. With Him, we have been adopted into the family of God.

John by inspiration wrote, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (16)

4. The Good Shepherd provides for every need of the human family and He teaches us the will of the Everlasting, All-Knowing, All-Powerful Creator Who adopts us into His eternal family when we yield our hearts to be led by His Ever-Present Spirit. What an awesome God!

5. Jesus expressed the contrast between the impostor and the Good Shepherd, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (17)

All these things show us how much God cares for us. The Good Shepherd came "to seek and to save that which was lost." (5); He came to save lost sinners, He teaches us values to live by, He teaches us how to love, He demonstrated His love toward us by becoming sin on the cross for us in order that we might be made righteous in Him, He yielded his own life so that we may have a more abundant life here and now, and eternal life hereafter. He makes us His friends, adopts us into His family, and makes us His brothers and sisters.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love, with loving-kindness I have drawn you." (18)

Thank you Eternal Father, for all that You do for us, and for sending Jesus Christ to be our Shepherd, Savior, Brother and Friend. I love you!

5. Luke 19:10.
6. John 3:17.
7. John 12:47.
8. Matthew 1:21.
9. Matthew 9:13.
10. 1 Timothy 1:15.
11. John 13:34, 35.
12. Romans 5:8.
13. 2 Corinthians 5:21.
14. John 15:13-17.
15. John 20:17.
16. 1 John 3:2, 3.
17. John 10:10.
18. Jeremiah 31:3.