Dr. Joseph Hazan is a Pastor at New Creation In Christ Church in Chesterfield, Missouri, USA. Click the Affiliated Church Directory link below to visit their web site.
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. " (John 10.1-3).
Many people who intrude into our lives are mainly interested in benefiting themselves. Some have harmful agendas. The world is full of individuals with less than pure motives, false ideologies, concepts, values and philosophies. There are many who plot against individuals and society. They insinuate and impose their plans on us to advance their interests. Some seek to invade and destroy what is not theirs. Our biggest enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. So we need to be self- controlled and alert. (I. Pet.5.8). But our Lord Jesus Christ knows us intimately and always has our eternal best interest in mind. He enters freely, openly, with full authority. He knew us before the world began. He created us. He paid for us when he died on the cross for us. He was resurrected to give us eternal life. He guides, protects, sustains and supports us. He is our rightful owner. He is our Lord and Savior. He knows us best and he knows what is best for us. He is the only one who truly cares, watches out for our best interest. He is fully capable to do what needs to be done in every instant. He is always present with us and he will always be with us. Since he is for us and with us we have nothing to fear. Jesus holds our future in his pierced hands, his hands that were pierced for us, to save and redeem us. The suffering he endured was for our sakes:
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa.53.3-6).
We see Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the Good and Great Shepherd in the next verse as a sheep. Not only he became one of us, but he also gave his life for us, to pay for our sin-debt in full, on the cross at Calvary's hill:
" He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he did not open his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut out of the land of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people he was stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth."(Isa. 53.7-9).
THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP
When John the Baptist told his followers about Jesus he said:
" Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1.29).
The next day he said again:
" Look, the Lamb of God!"
He is the perfect atonement for sin, the ultimate offering. He offered himself as the sacrifice once and for all, to take away the reproach of sin, so we can be united with the Father. Here is what we see in Rev. 5:
" Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, and circled by the four living creatures and elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty- four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and elders. In a loud voice they sang: 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and glory and praise!' Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them, singing: 'Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever!"
Praise, power, glory honor, blessings, exaltation, adoration belong to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, our Savior our Redeemer, the Great Shepherd of our souls.
He leads, us guides, directs, protects and provides for us. We glorify, exalt, magnify and adore his excellent name. The apostle Peter, in his first letter summarizes:
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as gold or silver that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable things, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (I. Pet. 1. 18-23).
Again in the same letter we read:
" He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he trusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. " (I. Pet.2.22-25).
Also, admonishing the elders in the church, he adds:
"To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (I. Pet.5. 1-4).
The grace and blessings of our Lord and Savior, the Great Shepherd, be with you and yours always. AMEN! Please come and join us for praise and worship on Sundays at 10 AM at our new location
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