“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or insignificant among the chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler (Leader) Who will govern and shepherd My people Israel. Matthew 2:6 AMP
He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young. Isaiah 40:11 AMP
Shepherds in the Middle East had a very busy life. It was their job to watch, protect, care for and provide for their sheep all day, and sometimes all night if they were too far from home to return at sunset. They had lead them out every day to find pasture for them to eat and water to drink; if there was no water readily available, a well would have to be dug; they had to guard them from any and all dangers that might come; they had to chase away or kill any predators; they had to know where they all were and go find and bring back any that wandered off; they had to count them every night when they returned home to make sure they were all there; they had to be tender with the young and the feeble and even lift and carry them when necessary.
All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 AMP
For you were going astray like [so many] sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian (the Bishop) of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25 AMP
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:11-18 NKJV
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who laid down His own life for His sheep. He came to give us life more abundantly (John 10:10). He will never abandon us, but will always protect and provide for us. We can relax, knowing that He is always watching over us. If we wander off, He will never give up loving us and looking for us to bring us home. He is kind and tender with us, but fierce with our enemies. He gently leads us by His Holy Spirit. He said that His sheep would hear His voice and follow Him and not follow the voice of the stranger – the enemy (John 10:4-5).
As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34 AMP
And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:2-7 NKJV
Like a Good Shepherd, Jesus loves His sheep and is moved by compassion to give them what they need. Each and every person is important to Jesus. He won’t ignore the one lost sheep even as He takes care of the ninety-nine. He is willing to go wherever and do whatever it takes to get that one lost sheep back and when He does, all of heaven rejoices!
When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; 33 And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.
Matthew 25:31-33 AMP
When Jesus comes back, He is going to be looking for His sheep and will separate them out from the goats. Keep serving the Lord and following His voice. Don’t be tempted by the world or think that it is better to hang out with the goats – stay faithful to your Good Shepherd – He is going to come back and when He does, He is going to be looking for you!
