As it was Polling Day, we decamped to Kath’s house for our meeting.  Quite a few members were missing this week due to appointments and illness but we had a super time and it is always a joy to welcome Phil Cook to speak to us.

Phil brought a message entitled, Jesus the Shepherd. His reading was from John 10 v 1-15 which Maria read inadvertently from the AMPC version (The Amplified Bible Classic Edition).  This proved to be inspired as it certainly amplified the meaning and made us all sit up and take note of a different turn of phrase.

The three points to remember are:

Jesus is the Good, Beautiful Shepherd. (John 10 v 11)

Jesus identifies himself as the shepherd of the Old Testament in Psalm 23. He is the only one who is good, winsome, lovely, kind on every level with no blemish or flaw.  He came with authority to give himself freely as a voluntary sacrifice, fulfilling God’s perfect plan of salvation to take the punishment that should have been ours. Death was not His fate – it was His deed! He is the good, beautiful Shepherd.

Jesus is the Great Shepherd. (Hebrews 13 v 20)

The Old Testament Scriptures point to Jesus and were fulfilled in Jesus. Everything in Christ is better – it is always better! God made peace through His precious Son when He raised Him to life.  He is living and able to save and what’s more, He is always praying for us (Hebrews 7 v 25).

Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. (1 Peter 5 v 4)

Hard as it may seem, our faith needs to be tried and tested but be faithful and you will receive a crown of glory.  We shall be like Him and we shall see Him as He is! He will lead us as the Chief Shepherd to living fountains of water.  He is truly the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Just like sheep follow the shepherd and he cares for them, so follow Jesus and let Him care for you and lead you in His paths of righteousness.