Jesus as Your Shepherd

Being a shepherd is a lonely job. You are out in the wilderness with nothing but sheep for long stretches of time. In Biblical times, the shepherd would often have to roam the country side taking his sheep to where there was enough food for them to eat. At night they would sit up protecting the sheep against attacks from wolves and bears. God fashions Himself as your shepherd. He has created you and cares for you.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭100:3

“Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”

There are so many references to Israel as sheep. For good reason. Sheep were their main source of protein and from which they made all of their clothes. Sheep also were the featured animal in the passover and in temple sacrifices. Every Israelite knew the tendencies of sheep and could easily apply the lessons to themselves. Here, the Psalmist refers to the country as a flock of sheep and God as their shepherd. He wanted his readers to know that they were in God’s possession.

Seems Like All Hope is Lost

In the movie “The Hobbit, the Battle of Five Armies,” the dwarfs and elves are ready to go to war over the gold in the mountain. Greed is ruling the day when all of a sudden the Orcs come out of the mountain, and the two armies have to unite to defeat them and save the woefully prepared human army. When it seems all the armies are going to lose the Orcs, the dwarfs guarding the gold in the mountain come out and turn the tide. One day Jesus will arrive on the scene and take His church when it seems like all hope is lost.

‭‭1 THESSALONIANS‬ ‭4:16

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

The people of Thessalonica thought they had missed the rapture. Paul assures them they haven’t by telling them what will happen when the rapture comes. There will be a shout from the millions of angels in heaven declaring that Jesus is coming. Think of how you’ve seen armies shout before they charge into battle. Then, Jesus will descend on a cloud and gather His bride, the church. Paul further clarifies how you will know it is happening. The dead in Christ will rise first. Those who have died and gone to heaven will have their bodies rise out of the grave. (This includes those who have been cremated) Then those who are still living will ascend to meet Christ in the clouds. It will be a glorious moment.

Remain in Christ

I’ve written several times that I live in wine country. All around the area in which I live are vineyards. I have several friends who are vintners or winemakers. They make award-winning wines that people from all over California come to taste. If you ask them some of the most important aspects of winemaking, they will tell you vine management. Making sure those vines get enough sun is essential to a goo

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭15:4‬

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”

Jesus uses a word picture that everyone one of His listeners can understand. Jews were familiar with vineyards because they dotted the landscape of Israel. Wine was a typical drink, and many had participated in the harvest and grape crushing. They knew that no grapes would grow unless the branch was attached to the vine. The vineyard manager took special care of the vines to ensure optimum growth. Jesus tells the crowd that He is the vine and that they need to be attached to Him to see spiritual fruit grow in their lives. Unless they remained attached, they would wither up and die.

A Place Waiting for You

When you go on vacation or holiday, part of the preparation is arranging a place to stay. For some they go to visit family, others go camping, while others reserve a hotel. Wherever you go, you expect the place you will be staying to be prepared for you. No one wants to walk into a dirty hotel room with an unmade bed or a campsite littered with garbage from the previous camper. If you have a reservation for heaven, a place is waiting for you. Jesus went to prepare it for you.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭14:2

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”

Jesus used a mansion as an illustration of what heaven would look like. There are many dwelling places, or as some translations use the word rooms. It makes you picture a glorious place waiting for you when you enter through the pearly gates. Heaven is going to be better than anything you can imagine. You will be in the presence of the Almighty God, there will be no more weeping, and you will be inhabiting your new physical body. Not too shabby.

Power and Conviction

It is difficult to figure out which ministry is legit nowadays. Technology has made it easy for ministers to increase their reach while at the same time creating a facade of an alternate reality. How does a disciple discern who is legit and who is fake? Paul gives us some guidance in today’s passage. Look…

Time to Take a Knee

There has been a controversy in the United States over people taking a knee during sports events. It upset a lot of people, especially those who had served in our military. A former president got behind the protest, blowing up the controversy from there. Whatever side you are on in the debate, you need to understand that one day every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. As a disciple of Jesus, you need to submit yourself to His authority. It’s time to take a knee and worship.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭95:6-7‬

“Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice,”

Taking a knee is a symbol of submission to someone over you. You’ve seen people do it for kings and popes for centuries. The Psalmist in Psalms 95 beckons his readers to make kneeling a part of their worship. He reasons that God is over every king and Pope and thus deserves our worship and surrender. It isn’t an act of humiliation but one of utmost respect. It also heightens your worship as your heart is given entirely to the Lord.

Don’t Lose Your Life

Most people didn’t give one thought to growing wheat until the war in the Ukraine. This hit home when the store shelves weren’t as full as they once were. Now people know that most of the wheat that people use in the world is grown there. Without wheat there is no flour and without flour there are no baked goods. This affects the supply chain not only at the grocery stores but at restaurants and beyond. If you can’t sow any seeds you are not going to have anything to reap. Jesus uses this analogy to say, “Don’t lose your life.”

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭12:25

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Develop a Habit of Prayer

Every Christian knows that prayer is essential to the life of a disciple, yet most struggle with making time. Jesus often prayed in a remote place after spending the day doing ministry. This shows us that it is a challenge, even for the best. Paul encourages the Colossians to develop a habit of prayer. He knew as a young church, that would serve them best. We could grow a lot from heeding Paul’s advice.

‭‭COLOSSIANS‬ ‭4:2

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

Paul tells the Colossians about two crucial aspects of prayer when going through difficult times. The first tip he gives them is to devote themselves to prayer. Devotion means to be committed and consistent. When you are devoted to prayer, you remain alert to what the enemy is doing. The Holy Spirit gives you discernment and makes you aware of what is coming. The second tip Paul gives is to keep an attitude of thanksgiving. The danger with prayer when you are in the midst of a crisis is to focus on the needs and strength to get through and forget to give thanks for what God has done for you in the midst. I always try to start my prayer with thanksgiving.

Choose the Life You Want

People would pay big money if someone could show them the path to happiness. Many have promised, but all have failed except one, Jesus Christ. He promises abundant life for those who follow Him and warns against a thief who wants to steal that happiness. It’s up to you to choose the life you want.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭10:10

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

A disciple of Jesus Christ needs to be alert and on their guard because they have a target on their back. There is an enemy which Jesus refers to as a thief. He wants to steal the joy you have, kill any life you have in Christ, and destroy your hope. The Apostle Paul tells you in Ephesians 6 to Stand Firm in your faith. Don’t give up any ground to this enemy. Any foothold of doubt or discouragement can trip you up.

Work Heartily For the Lord

Studies have been done in the workplace and found that over 60% of workers would leave their job if they had a better opportunity. The number one reason they would leave is their supervisor. This is even more interesting because the same survey found over 60% of bosses are happy with their job and don’t want to leave. What do Christians do when they are in a situation that isn’t ideal? Paul tells the Colossians to work heartily for the Lord.

‭‭COLOSSIANS‬ ‭3:23-24

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

Paul gives his readers some practical advice when it comes to working. He tells the Colossians to work heartily for the Lord. That means your motivation to get up and go to work should be from a desire to please Him. You may try to impress your boss or customer, but you understand that the eternal rewards come from the Lord. You serve Jesus first and foremost. He is the one you will have to give an account.