Day 35: Jesus Our Good Shepherd
John 10:11
Have you ever noticed how John invites us to “lean in” when He recorded the “I am” statements of Jesus? It’s like he took an ancient highlighter to Scripture to say, “Pay attention to what follows.”
One of those statements is our focus today—Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
In the same breath as that statement, Jesus uttered, “I lay down my life for my sheep.” A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Great—if I want to shepherd well, I should lay down my life.
But that’s not the weight of this statement, is it? The weight is that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, willingly lays down His life for our sakes.
Jesus has laid down His life for you. He guards the pen, watches the horizon for danger, and gently guides and shepherds you as a cherished sheep of His flock. It was handed down by the Father to Him to shepherd well, and He is bringing more sheep and more pens together, for He cares for them too.
Do you trust Jesus with the responsibility of your life? Do you believe He guards the pen you reside in and watches the horizon for danger? Do you believe He knows best for your care and shepherds your life for its good? Do you believe He knows best the times to go out and the times to come in?
Reflection Prayer
Father, too often I try to emulate the example of Jesus before I understand the reality of Jesus—that I am under His loving care, shepherded well by One who has authority and power and wisdom. Help me enter into the rest of my loving Shepherd, help me to discern His voice, and help me surrender to His love today. Thank You for my Good Shepherd. And thank You for guiding me into His care. Amen.
Week 5: Christ and His Mission
Matthew 28:19-20
As we focus on the life of Christ, this week’s theme is Christ and His Mission. The primary mission of Jesus was to save humankind from sin and eternal condemnation by offering Himself as the atoning sacrifice. As part of His mission, He extended His sacrifice to include reconciliation, drawing people back to the Father, transforming them into the likeness of His Son and revealing the hope of glory. A significant aspect of His mission is that He invites His disciples and believers to partner with Him in carrying out His work in the world, providing opportunities for unreached individuals to hear the good news. Jesus, our King and Leader of His mission, sends people to mobilize, proclaim, and live out the gospel worldwide. We are grateful that God has given The Christian and Missionary Alliance the desire and passion to send workers across the globe to spread the gospel to many unreached people groups.
Reflection Questions
Do you actively share the gospel? How often do you feel the urge to share?
What is your biggest challenge in sharing the gospel?
How will you overcome the barriers to sharing the gospel?