CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE FLOCK: A Living Relationship

A dead shepherd can offer no real hope for eternal life as heroic as His death might be.  Jesus, however, speaks of His power to seize His life again.  He not only died to save us, but lives to secure us!  I can assert today, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” and it is true!

He knows us (John 10:14). That meant intimacy to the Hebrew mind, as “Adam knew his wife.”  Warren Wiersbe points out in his “Bible Exposition Commentary,” that Jesus knows our names, nature, and needs. Let me expand on that.

He Knows Our Names (v.3).  Jesus knew Simon, and summoned him by name.  He even gave the fisherman a new name—Peter, the Rock.  Jesus walked by a tax collector’s office and called him by name, “Levi,” who took a new name, “Matthew,” which means, “the gift of God.”  This is what Jesus did for the man in calling him to salvation—a gift of forgiveness for him, and what the man became in his call to service—a gift of God to the church.  He looked up in a tree and called, “Zaccheus,” to salvation.  He called Lazarus from the dead.  After His resurrection, Mary came to the empty tomb and did not recognize Jesus, blinded by her grief.  That is until Jesus spoke her name, “Mary.”  Our impersonal, computerized society has reduced us to a number.  We wait in line for service by taking a number. But Jesus calls us by name!

He Knows Our Nature.  If I looked at a bunch of sheep today, I would have a hard time distinguishing among them.  A shepherd, however, knows each one—they are all different.  God doesn’t expect me to be a clone of someone else.  He isn’t surprised by my individual wants and weaknesses.

Also He Knows Our Needs.  Recall what David said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Want what?  Nothing!  Fill in the blank!  I read the story of John Morgan, pastor of Sagemont Baptist Church in Texas. He and his son were out and their old Chevy Blazer wouldn’t start.  He told his son not to leave the car. During that time, the river flooded and Morgan got back to rescue his son, just in time. The boy said, “Daddy, I knew I could count on you!” You can count on your Good Shepherd!