12 LIFE-CHANGING THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT CHRIST

 

Everything for you, in this life and the next, is determined by what you think about Jesus Christ and how you respond to Him. If you believe He is a liar and a charlatan, a mere hoax, you will never trust Him. But if you believe rightly and have come to embrace Him as your Savior and Lord, everything will change for you forever. And everything about Him can be defined in two words that describe Him perfectly.

GOOD SHEPHERD

In one of the most revealing passages in the New Testament, Jesus shows who He is and what His relationship is with all those who follow Him in John 10. He uses the analogy, common in His day, of a shepherd and his sheep. There was no picture so simple, clear, and endearing in Hebrew life.

As we listen with joy to His words, we are stunned by His care for all those who are in relationship with Him. He mentions twelve things we must understand if we are to enjoy the fullness of the life we have with Him.

1.    The sheep hear his voice (Vs. 3)

2.    He calls his own sheep by name (Vs. 3)

3.    He leads them out … and they go in and out and find pasture (Vs. 3, 9)

4.    He goes ahead of them (Vs. 4)

5.    They follow him because they know his voice (Vs. 4)

6.    He is the gate for the sheep (Vs. 7)

7.    As the sheep enter by him (the gate), they will be saved (Vs. 9)

8.    He has come so they will have abundant life (Vs. 10)

9.    He is the good shepherd (Vs. 11)

10.                  He lays down His life willingly for the sheep, and the Father loves Him for this sacrifice (Vs. 11, 17)

11.                  He knows His own and His own know Him (Vs. 14)

12.                  He has other sheep, and He must bring them in also so there will be one flock with one shepherd (Vs. 16)

Read through that list again … and again. Perhaps five or ten times. Let the kindness of the description wash over your soul.

AND YOUR RESPONSE?

If you are not yet a believer, run to Him in humility. Confess your need of Him and trust Him as your own personal Savior. Why would you hesitate another day? Why would you risk your life to the wolves everywhere surrounding you when you could be led by the perfect Shepherd?

But, if you already have the supreme joy of being under His care, take a deep breath in of gratitude and exhale in utter peace. Rest and walk calmly through your day, looking to Him for guidance and nourishment. Listen for His voice today, for He is calling you by name. Talk to Him for He delights to hear your voice. Feel His arms about you for He is always with you and will never leave. He never sleeps or slumbers, and He gives to His children even as they sleep. Realize He is leading you purposefully today (and every day) in all the right paths for His name’s sake.

Why should you worry about anything? You are in the arms of the Good Shepherd, and there is no better place to be.