Ecclesia Global Missions

Isaiah 40:11

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11 He will protect His flock like a shepherd,

He will gather the lambs in His arm,

He will carry them in His bosom;

He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.

Matthew 2:6

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6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are not in any way least among the leaders of Judah;

For from you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

As we continue in this series of asking ourselves if we know Who Jesus truly is, this week, our focus is on Jesus as our Shepherd. 

What does a shepherd do?

• Tends to the flock:
• Gathers the flock
  • Keeps them together, safety in numbers, 
• Protects the flock
  • Keeps the flock from danger, shields them from harm,
• Guides the flock
  • Leads them to where they are needed, whether it is a rich pasture or in a fold, shelter. 
• Gate Keeper

This is a general list or guide of what a shepherd does. When we look at what Jesus does for us, He fills these roles in our lives. He is our Shepherd, but not just any Shepherd. 

Jesus states that He is our Good Shepherd,

John 10:11

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I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep.

John 10:14-15

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I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep.

Shepherding was a way of life, and people of the time easily recognized this statement. 

Have you noticed that ‘Good’ and ‘Shepherd’ are both capitalized? And as His statement about being the Light of the world was an I am statement, this is too. 

Through this, He is stating that He is a deity, that He is part of the Triune God, so we are reminded of that again, as we were in our first meeting on this series. 

As mentioned earlier, shepherding was a way of life; however, they also referred to God Himself as their Shepherd…another link to Jesus as God.

Genesis 48:15

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Then Jacob (Israel) blessed Joseph, and said,

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked [in faithful obedience],

The God who has been my Shepherd [leading and caring for me] all my life to this day,

Psalm 23:1

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The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],

I shall not want.

Psalm 80:1

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Hear us O Shepherd of Israel,

You who lead Joseph like a flock;

You who sit enthroned above the cherubim [of the ark of the covenant], shine forth!

Jesus was not just a man who was born and claimed to be God; He was not a man who was like us. He did walk the earth and through that, He knows what we go through, He has first-hand experience to walk as we walk.

Through Adam we are sinners,

Romans 5:12

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Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned.

Jesus did not sin; He was perfect.

2 Corinthians 5:21

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He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

1 Peter 2:22

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He committed no sin, nor was deceit ever found in His mouth.

1 John 3:5

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You know that He appeared [in visible form as a man] in order to take away sins; and in Him there is [absolutely] no sin [for He has neither the sin nature nor has He committed sin or acts worthy of blame].

So not only did He perform many miracles, healings, and teachings, but He was sinless! To me, that speaks volumes in itself. Think about yourself and how hard you sometimes try to walk the right path and avoid temptation. Yet it happens. We make the wrong choices. Jesus did not.

John 20:30-31

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There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name.

John 21:25

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And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were recorded one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

We must remember this when we recall Who Jesus is. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is mighty, powerful, compassionate, humble, and so many other attributes. There is power in His name.

Are you viewing Jesus in this light? Are you seeing Him as part of the Godhead, or are you seeing Him as man? As someone who taught well, and even performed miraculous healings in His time? Are you not viewing Jesus in the way that He deserves to be viewed, to be recognized? Have you taken Him for granted? When we take things for granted, they lose the power and hold they once had in our lives. This too can happen with our view of Jesus. Have you felt so let down over and over again, felt like you didn’t matter, or even that your life didn’t matter? This is so not the case.

You matter very much. As Jesus stated, a Good Shepherd will lay down their life for their sheep. 

We know Jesus, and He knows us, not just a knowing about Him and He doesn’t have just a knowing about us, it is an intimate knowing, a deep love for each other, a love that involves having a relationship with Jesus. Let’s look at v14&15 again in the AMP

John 10:14-15

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I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep.

We are His, and we know Him through having a deep personal relationship with Him! This means we spend time getting to know Him, to know Who He is, to talk to Him, to listen for Him, to pay attention to Him, and to be obedient to His commands.

John 14:15

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“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

John 14:21

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The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].”

Think about how well God the Father knows Jesus; they are one and the same, they are part of the Trinity. Jesus is saying that He knows us intimately, and we are to and can know Him in the same way. We have permission to know Him deeply and to love Him. Have you been taught previously that you are to keep Jesus at a distance, that you have to seek someone else to go to Him for you, or that He isn’t all that important to begin with? Have you believed that you are not worthy of His love? That maybe, you are not worthy to know Him that well? Have you been told that you can’t know Him? Or have you been taught that part of the reverential awe we are to have of Him is keeping us from getting close to Him? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe that He loves you? That He died for you? That He laid down His life for you, as He states a Good Shepherd does? 

When He is calling us to obedience, He is calling us to be part of His flock. A flock of sheep obeys, they follow their Shepherd, and they allow their Shepherd to lead them. 

This can be a very real struggle for some of us at times. Being able to and willing to let go of our expectations, our perspectives, our wants, our desires, our view of how things ought to go or ought to be, and releasing it all to Him, our Good Shepherd. We must be willing to let go of control or let go of the want, and our desire to be in control.  Just as the sheep believe that the shepherd knows what is best for them, that the true shepherd looks out for their well-being, we must too believe that Jesus knows what is best for us, that He is looking out for our well-being, and our safety. 

After all, He gave up His life for us. He did it out of love so that we can be saved. So that we can have eternal life with Him.

John 10:9

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I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security).

Hebrews 13:20

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Benediction

Now may the God of peace [the source of serenity and spiritual well-being] who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood that sealed and ratified the eternal covenant,

Part of relinquishing control can also be letting go of family members and trying to control how they feel about Jesus. It is true that we are to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, that we are to impress upon them Who Jesus is, whether it is through our walk (action), through words spoken, or through sharing our Bibles. It is imperative that we pray for others to know and receive Jesus. But it is not up to us to shove it in front of them, to impose our beliefs, and not give time for God to work in their lives.  After all, it is God Who calls each one of us by name.

John 6:44

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No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me]; and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

I am not saying to never share Jesus, I am not saying to stop praying for others. I am saying to follow the guidance and the leading of the Holy Spirit in this area. When we do things out of our own hearts and desires, we can push people away from God rather than toward Him. 

Letting go of control in this area also means trusting that Jesus cares about your family members, your loved ones, and the people for whom you are praying as much as you do. Knowing that He cares about them so much more than you do. More than you can even grasp hold of. Jesus tells us this as well in John:

John 10:16

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I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become one flock with one Shepherd.

He is bringing others into His flock; He is searching for the lost ones.

Luke 15:3-6

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So He told them this parable: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, [searching] until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’

And just as you rejoice in those sheep being found, the family members and friends that come to Christ, there is more rejoicing in Heaven!

Luke 15:7

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I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

When we turn to Jesus and accept Him, we come repenting.

There is concern for their safety and well-being. He is the One Who laid down His life for all of us, not just certain people, not only a special few or those who know Him already, but He did it for everyone, and He did it willingly.

John 10:17-18

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For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father.”

This is part of Jesus as The Good Shepherd, not a Good Shepherd, not any Good Shepherd, but THE Good Shepherd. Meaning there is only 1!!!

In light of this, we are reminded in John 10 that a hired hand, meaning someone who is hired to help with the sheep, someone who is not the owner of the sheep, will not defend the sheep when harm comes. They may run away and leave the sheep to whatever may come. They may not care about the sheep as much as the owner.

John 10:12-13

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But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep.

Knowing our Shepherd, knowing His voice is so important for our walk, our way of Christian living. It is important for our spiritual safety, for our growth, for our progress, and most importantly for our relationship with Him. 

Do you know His voice? Do you allow time for Him to speak to you, to guide you, or do you simply do all the talking, or all the sharing? Are you silent at all?

Psalm 46:10

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“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

1 Kings 19:11-13

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So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Are you paying attention to what is going on around you, paying attention to what is being said by others, or shared out of the blue, or are you ignoring it, not seeing or hearing Him speak to you? Be aware of how He speaks to you, of His voice, and of how He is leading you. 

Jesus provides our spiritual nourishment through His Word, His teachings, and the Holy Spirit, reminding us of who Jesus is and what He taught, and of what the Word says about God’s commands, God’s will, and God’s expectations for us.

Matthew 4:4

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But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’”

1 Peter 2:2

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like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment],

Growth comes from nourishment, this nourishment helps our relationship with Him, it helps us to walk in line with His ways, it helps us to see Him, to seek Him, it helps us to love Him and it helps us to know Him, to love Him, to be devoted to Jesus as we have discussed in the previous meetings. To remain steadfast, faithful, and true to Him. To trust Him. I love how that last verse states to long for the pure milk of the word. There are times when we struggle to read it, to understand it, and to want to spend time in the Word. If this is the case, ask the Lord to work on your heart, to help you move past the struggle and the lack of desire to spend time in His Word. Ask Him to strengthen you and bring joy to your heart. Ask for help in the process. Give Him the burdens that you may be carrying at the time, and ask for the time needed to engage in prayer and in reading your bible. He will provide. 

The greatest difficulty on our part is letting go. 

We must remain vigilant to know Him so that we do not fall prey to the wolf in sheep’s clothing:

Matthew 7:15

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“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

We must remain vigilant to know Him so that we do not fall prey to false shepherds:

John 10:10

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Parable of the Good Shepherd

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up from some other place [on the stone wall], that one is a thief and a robber.

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and he wants to destroy your relationship with Jesus; he wants to destroy your faith, belief, and hope in Him. 

It is important to listen to the Holy Spirit when listening to others, reading, or learning new things, as well as asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in that area. Does this person or these people preach the true Word of God? Does everything point you back to God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit? Or does it point you to the human teacher? Does it bring fear, not the healthy kind of fear, a fear that brings dread and can paralyze you, a fear that brings distance from God instead of drawing you nearer to God? Does it bring doubt about Who Jesus is and what He has done? Does it bring disbelief? Everything should point us back to God, bringing glory to God and praise for Who He is. Everything should be used to bring us closer to God, to unite us and restore us to our Heavenly Father, not bring a wider chasm. 

Jesus is known as The Way, He states this: He is the way to God the Father. We must know, accept, and believe in Him first!

When we are walking in line with God, when we are staying close and letting Jesus guide us and lead us as a Shepherd leads His flock, we produce fruit. It is a fruit that is not of our own doing; we can only do so much. It is a fruit that is produced by being attached to the vine.

John 15:5-8

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I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.

Release everything, seek and allow Jesus to be your Good Shepherd. He has given His life for you! In the process, continue to abide in Him, to obey and keep His commandments, to walk in love, to love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength, to serve one another in love, to serve God in love. Give Jesus your heart and your mind! Remember the hope that we have in Him, the freedom that He has given to us.

Before we end today, I want to refer back to the very first verse that I shared…

Isaiah 40:11

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He will protect His flock like a shepherd,

He will gather the lambs in His arm,

He will carry them in His bosom;

He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.

What a wonderful, peace-bringing, protective picture that shows of our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. I especially like the idea that He will carry me in His bosom. That sounds like a safe, nurturing, protective, loving place to me. Are you allowing Jesus to carry you in His bosom, to guide you, to lead you, to protect you? Are you allowing Him to get close to you? Are you yearning and wanting to get close to Him? Have past experiences hurt this aspect of Jesus in your eyes, the provider, protector, guide, mediator, and more? Is there a wall that is hindering your relationship with Jesus? We tend to put walls up often. We do it to feel safe, since in the past we let others in and got hurt, and the wall keeps us from getting hurt again. So we think… in some areas, it is ok and encouraging to be cautious about certain things and people. Not with Jesus. We must go all in, so to speak, to give Him every single part of us. To allow Him to hold us and carry us close to Him, to carry us in His bosom. We must allow ourselves to submit fully to Him.  If that wall is there, if you want to draw close to Him, but there seems to be some difficulty, pray, cry out, and share your heart with God! After crying out to God, if you would like us to pray with you, please message or email us. We would love to come into agreement in prayer for God’s light, the light of Jesus, to be shed on you. 

And as a reminder, there is so much more to the scriptures I shared today, so much more to Jesus as our Good Shepherd.