Jesus: the Good Shepherd who saves the lost sheep
Jesus tells us that He is the good shepherd and the gate for the sheepfold; the image of the gate is of a poor First Century Jewish shepherd who lies down at the entrance of a small pen, and protects the sheep from thieves and predators. If a wolf tries to come in to steal one of the lambs, the shepherd protects the lamb; indeed, the good shepherd is ready to die for the lamb.
“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”
Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:1-16
Jesus welcomes sinners – He wants to bring them home like lost lambs.
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable: “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent. Luke 15:1-7 BSB
A prayer from the Psalms:
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for the sake of His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.Psalm 23 BSB
In the heavenly Jerusalem, that great multitude who have been saved by Jesus from the great tribulation (which lasts from the day of Pentecost until the return of Jesus), are all the people, of every race and nationality, who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Jesus’ blood) and made them white, and they will all have Jesus as their shepherd forevermore. Springs of living water: the Holy Spirit, welling up inside.
These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation;
they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason, they are before the throne of God
and serve Him day and night in His temple;
and the One seated on the throne
will spread His tabernacle over them.
Never again will they hunger,
and never will they thirst;
nor will the sun beat down upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb in the center of the throne
will be their shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:14-17