As we enter Easter week so many are focused on the crisis we are going through. That was true in Jesus day as well. He was focused on the events of His week. He came to earth to be our sacrificial lamb. We have His promise of forgiveness and a life-long relationship with our heavenly Father; we must keep our focus on that.
“We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:2-3 ERV
I saw a post on a friend’s FB page “Easter isn’t about the bunny; it’s about the Lamb”! Jesus is called the Lamb of God. He came to be the sinless sacrifice; the atonement for our sins.
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God. He takes away the sins of the world!” John 1:29 ERV
The Lamb of God is also our Good Shepherd. As the Son of God, He recognized that we are vulnerable as lambs and can easily be led astray. He promised to be our Good Shepherd, our protector and provider.
“A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good. 11 “I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 ERV
Jesus used this analogy to make his ministry and purpose easy to understand. Raising sheep was a common profession in that day, Jesus used something they were familiar with to teach his lesson. At night the sheep were kept in a gated pen for their protection and early each morning the shepherd would come and lead the sheep out to pasture. The sheep had become accustom to the shepherd’s voice and so when he called, they would follow. They wouldn’t follow someone who would sneak in and try lead them astray.
Jesus was telling them, and us, if they spent time with Him, listening to His word and getting to know Him, they would follow Him and keep His commandments. He would lead them “in green pastures” (Psalm 23).
As I mentioned in a previous blog, Jesus’ mission statement, His purpose, is to give us life and life more abundantly. He warns us that there is a thief who wants to kill, steal and destroy – that’s the devil. Everything that falls in one of those categories – stealing, killing and destroying – doesn’t come from God.
Those things that bring life, abundance and fullness to life comes from God. “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.” James 1:17 ERV
Our Good Shepherd gave His life for us. Let’s keep our focus on Him, following Him and living the life He has provided for us.