For the Shepherd , those who watched over and cared for the folks,
their priority was to see that, in the end of the season, that as many
of sheep arrived home safely as possible .The sheep were Shepherd's priority, he was driven by a love for them, and sheep, are difficult animals to tend to. Sheep often behave badly and often, foolishly. Sheep but against each other needlessly and spread parasites and disease to one other, yet, it is for just such an animal that the Shepherd was willing to lay down his life.
The Good Shepherd
Sheep in so many ways, mirrors the behavior of humanity and even Christians yet it is for this lot of humanity for which Jesus Christ died to demonstrate God's unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.
Jesus made it his priority , to come and do all that is needed so that we could, like the sheepfold at the end of the season, be with our God and Father and have eternal life.
Jesus laid down his own life for all of us, and he did it willingly. Jesus was not compelled nor forced by any law or resident power to go to the cross ,it was only out of his love for us, each and all of us and his Father that he did this to show the great depth of God's love and mercy toward and for us all.
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Jhn:1-18
Jesus did for us, each and all of us, what not even the best of us could never had done for ourselves. Even in our sinfulness our God showed us his unconditional love for us . God would not abandon us to the wolves of sin and death, but came to us, was among us as one of us all to deliver us.
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rm:5:6-8
As a Shepherd Jesus made us his priority, to redeem us, and bring us into his eternal sheepfold that awaits any and all who will but freely receive it beyond the confines of this life.
The Father’s Will
Jesus did this out of love for us,, but also out of Love for the Father in Heaven to fulfill God' purpose which he has ordained and his loving desire to have us as his Children. This was, and is, the eternal will of God.
Jesus came to do the will of the Father which was for us to have eternal life.
"All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”Jhn:6:37-40
Jesus came to do the will of the Father which is that the Father wanted you and I and all of us as his own.
Jesus Will get us Home
The Shepherd never took is flock where he himself has not gone. Jesus has walked the the life we each and all live, Jesus as the great Shepherd knows how to get us home when our season upon this Earth come to a close, Jesus has made us his priority, to bring each and all and as many who will but freely receive it into the household of the great God for all eternity.
Benediction: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" Amen.
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 2101 Old National Pike Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301 www.gcfountainoflife.org
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