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Jesus the Perfect Shepherd

Murray Wade
08/11/24 - Sunday

Jesus the Perfect Shepherd! (August 11, 2024, Oak Ridge, TN) This morning I would like us to consider Jesus as the perfect shepherd. In Psalm 22 we see a prophecy that captures what He went through for all. In Psalm 23 we see Him as the perfect Shepherd. And then I want us to consider what our response to the perfect Shepherd should be?

Read Psalm 22: Psalm 22 is of David and a two-fold Psalm. The reality of what David is feeling and going through at the time is also a prophecy about what our Lord and Savior would go through for all.  

Notice what the Perfect Shepherd did for us!

John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Hebrews 4:15-16: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

Hebrews 5:8 says of Jesus: “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,”

*We have a High Priest who truly understands what we go through and who better to Shepherd us through life?

Read Psalm 23: This is also a very personal psalm of David. Why not make it your personal psalm?

What is our response to the Perfect Shepherd?

John 10:26-28: “But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”  

Hebrews 13:20: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Matthew 7:21-24: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'  “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”

PAUSE: *We can’t earn our salvation by doing lots of good things for the Lord that we like, while neglecting certain commands. It is not a situation where we can pick and choose what commands we like and do not like. We may see folks doing a lot of good things, but for some reason they do not humbly and completely submit themselves to the Perfect Shepherd. The acceptable ones are those who hear and do what He says. They trust him and know it is best to obey Him.

Have you become one of the sheep of His flock?

Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 28:28-20: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

*To become a disciple is the same no matter where you are from. IN, PA, VA, OH, CA, KS, TX, WA, FLA, GA, KY, NY, OR, ARK, TN, Columbia