Let Jesus Select Your Shepherd for You

#WDRBMedia.com #29Jeremiah

I.               Introduction

1.      Psalm 23:1 says, “1 The Lord is my shepherd.[1] We make this proclamation when we follow the confessions that all Believers make in Romans 10:9-10 9 because the Word tells us, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” [2]  

2.      As we make the “Believers Confession,” we are saying, “I want the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High, the Prince of Peace, the Rose Sharone to be My Shepherd! But in 2024, in this 21st Century, do we really want someone to Guide us?  Mentor us? Counsel us? Protects us? Discipline us? Provide for us? or even Love us!

3.      Far be it for me to speak for you! But I often wonder if we really understand that we are turning our lives over to God, and telling to have His Way with us because Christ Jesus makes it perfectly clear, for us to have a Divine connection with the Father, we must have said same Divine connection with Him first through the Holy Spirit because as John14:6 tells us that Yeshua (Jesus) make it plain that He is the “Divine Connectivity,” as the Word says, “ I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” [3]

4.      It just might be a good idea to actually know and understand the “Duties and Responsibilities” of a Shepherd before deciding whether we need “One,” or not! What are the “Duties and Responsibilities” of a Shepherd! Do you know?

II.   Shepherds in the Bible

1.       The Hebrew word for “Shepherd is Raha, which describes “One” who Tends, Leads, Feed, and Protects his flock of sheep. And we will discover tonight that’s what our Good Shepherd does!

2.       During biblical times, families in the Middle East relied upon sheep to provide food, wool, and sheepskin. Because sheep were so valuable, shepherds would stay with the flock to protect them day and night. Frequently, the youngest boy in the family served as a shepherd until he grew older and could do harder manual labor.

3.       A shepherd during the time of the Old Testament was often, but not always, a child. Whatever his age, the shepherd’s job was to protect his flock and guide them to good pastures.

4.       Summary, Shepherd’s Duties and Responsibilities are to:

a.       Guard and protect their Sheep Day and night.

b.       Guide the flock to good pastures, where there was plenty of food and slow-moving water. Because it was fast moving, the Sheep would be afraid to drink it.

c.       Keep their flock healthy.

d.       Protect their Sheep.

e.       Guide their Sheep.

f.        Never leave their Sheep, even One is separated from the flock.

g.       Lay down their own life for their Sheep.

5.       Noted Shepherds in the Old Testament were: 

a.       Abel Shepherd was the first and favor with God! (In Genesis 4:3-5).

b.       Abraham is described as a “Chief tan with many sheep (in Genesis 4).

c.       Lott was a Nomadic Shepherd with his uncle Abraham (in Genesis 13).

d.       Jacob is a Shepherd under his uncle Laban (in Genesis 30).

e.       Joseph went from being a Shepherd tending his Father’s Jacob’s flock to being the “Second in

command of all of Egypt!  (in Genesis 37). Look at God!

f.        Moses from Prince of Egypt, to Shepherd in the Midian Desert to God’s Prophet! (In Ex. 33:17-14)

g.       Abel from Shepherd to finding favor with God! (In Luke 11:50-51)

h.       David from Shepherd boy to King of Israel. (Ps. 110:1)

i.         Amos from Shepherd to God’s Prophet. (Amos 3:1-8; Amos 3:2; Deut. 7:6)

j.         Zechariah from Shepherd to Priest and a Prophet. (Zech. 1:1; Ezra 5:1-2; Matt. 23:34-36)

III.   Jesus Christ is Our Good Shepherd

1.       Jesus Christ, Yeshua, Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, the Rose of Sharone is now our Lilly of the Valley, and He is now my Good Shepherd, and your Good Shepherd, whom we all need! Am I Right about!

2.       Christ Jesus sacrificed His life and died to be our Good and faithful Shepherd. Good because He was always “righteous and never did anything wrong! Never committed “NOT” one blemish of sin. Faithful because He was faithful to every human God will ever allow to come into this world. While trusting and believing in the assignment which brought Him into this world, “Save” all of humanity!

Can I get an Amen, Somebody?

3.       Every human belongs to Christ Jesus, mandated by God, the Father. His assignment as the “Good Shepherd” illuminated His “Leadership and Lordship” over God’s children as His flock. Following in the Devine traditions of the Old Testament, we have to be His flock because He is the only “Divine” Child of God. Can I get a witness” Somebody! The Word tells us that once we have made the “Believer’s Confessional” in Romans 10:9-10, we have the ability to hear His voice. Look at God’s handiwork!

4.       John 10:27 (KJV) says, “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.[1] Look at God! If you don’t know you had better, ask somebody!

5.       John 10:27 (NLT) says this, “27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”[2] Hello somebody! Do you hear what God just said? Don’t get it twisted! They might “NOT” know you, but thy definitely know me! Now, check this out, Jesus as the Good Shepherd wants all of His disciples that He ordains, assigns, anoints, and appoints in His 21st Century Church, and beyond to recognize that He is “NOT” and 1. abusive not egotistical religious leaders that the First Century to the 20th Century found themselves in conflict with. That why He specifically “Call’s the leader of Today’s church in Ephesians 4:11-12, (NLT) 11 “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” [1] Yet, the Church is still picking and choosing how she is going to be His flock! Do you Want to Have A Good Shepherd in Your Life Church? 2. Now, listen to this, the Good Shepherd brings with Him a “Sheepfold” that represents: 1. A place of security, 2. a Protective family of God (the Church), and 3. a

place where “NO” one gains entrance except through God!

III. Closing Reflections

1. It is my hope and prayer that Yeshua' role as our Good Shepherd is not limited to saving us from eternal destruction but also extends to the everyday moments of our lives. He is “NOT” only the Good Shepherd, But He is also the “Chief Shepherd” for all of His “Under shepherds, from yesterday today! Setting the example from His Father how all of us “Called” into the divine assignment are to operate in guiding, feeding, and leading God’s children into “Still” waters, even in the midst of chaos!

2. We must always stay alert and “Be” reminded that we must continuously surrender to His leader and always be “Steadfast” in trusting Hid Goodness!

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

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