Advent - The Good Shepherd
“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd." - Jesus of Nazareth
John 10:14-16
This church is called The Church of the Lost Sheep for this very passage of Scripture.
According to Christians, the Promised Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the Jews is Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem -- He whose birthday is the one we commemorate this Advent Season.
He is the Good Shepherd who was prophesied by several prophets for over a thousand years to save His people (Israel) -- those sheep in the original pen.
But as Jesus Himself stated that there are other sheep in addition to the original sheep. And those would be us, those who live far and wide, then and now, and in the days still to come. And Jesus needs to gather and bring them in, too.
We will recognize His voice -- the still small voice that we hear when we read through passages of the bible and the gentle whispers and the leadings of the Spirit of God.
And when we are gathered, then there will be one flock with One Shepherd -- the One who laid down His life to save not just the Jews but all of humanity, all of the lost sheep.
But as Jesus Himself stated that there are other sheep in addition to the original sheep. And those would be us, those who live far and wide, then and now, and in the days still to come. And Jesus needs to gather and bring them in, too.
We will recognize His voice -- the still small voice that we hear when we read through passages of the bible and the gentle whispers and the leadings of the Spirit of God.
And when we are gathered, then there will be one flock with One Shepherd -- the One who laid down His life to save not just the Jews but all of humanity, all of the lost sheep.
He is the reason for the season. Hallelujah! All of heaven and God's people rejoices when a single lost sheep is found. And that is every single one of us wherever we may be in this vast planet we inhabit.
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