"I am the good Shepherd" (John 10:11, Nov 27 MORNING)

BELOVED, are you in the fold of Jesus? Are you numbered with His sheep? Are you feeding and resting among them? Jesus presents Himself to us this morning in a very lovely character. He says, "I am the good Shepherd." There is no other shepherd so good or so great as He. He has the tenderest affection for His sheep. He affords them His powerful protection. He finds them abundant and wholesome provision. He gave His life to redeem them. He sends his Spirit to sanctify them. He is preparing a place in heaven to receive them. He will eternally dwell among them and bless them. O how great is His goodness! He is indeed abundant in goodness and truth. He says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one" (John 10:27-30). What glorious security! What honour is conferred on the flock of Jesus! Good Shepherd, keep us near Thyself. Never let us wander, no, not for a moment; but may we be always close to Thy side and delighted with Thy love.

The least, the feeblest of the sheep,
To Him the Father gave;
Kind is His heart the charge to keep,
And strong His arm to save.

2. "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15, Sep 12 MORNING)

“I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.” The good shepherd gave His life for the sheep. Jesus’ sheep are peculiarly His own; His Father chose them and gave them to Him; He became their shepherd; they were doomed to die, but He died for them. O what an infinite love was the love of Jesus! He forsook His Father's house, left behind the company of angels, the throne of glory, and became a man to be a substitute for many. He offered Himself for them, shed His blood to give them life. Amazing transaction, He redeemed them to God at great cost, to gather a new people out of every nation, country, kindred and tongue. They are doubly His, and doubly precious, being gifted by His Father and then redeemed with His blood. Herein is love, not that we loved Jesus, but that He loved us, and gave Himself to be the propitiation for our sins. Are we among His sheep? Are we like them? Do we love them, cleave to them, and walk with them? His sheep are gentle, harmless, peaceful, humble, dependent upon Him, and devoted to Him. They hear His voice, love His ways, and follow Him wherever He goes.

When the Shepherd's life was needful
To redeem the sheep from death,
Of their safety ever heedful,
Jesus yielded up His breath;
Faithful Shepherd,
Love like Thine was yet unheard!

3. "He laid down His life for us" (1 John 3:16, March 14 EVENING)

“CHRIST DIED FOR US ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.” This is a stupendous fact, an amazing mystery, that God should take our nature, in order to labour, suffer, and die in our stead. Jesus was that God. He became man. He was God and man in one person. As such He laid down His life for us. He laid it down willingly; no one took it from Him, He laid it down of himself. He laid it down with a perfect knowledge of what we should be, and do, and deserve. He was not moved to do so by anything in us; it was His own pure, infinite, and sovereign love alone which led Him to do so. "Herein is love." And there is no such love anywhere else. Nor has His love been so gloriously displayed in anything else. Beloved, let us dwell on the love of Jesus. We can never think of Him enough. We can never praise Him for it enough. Let us think of our state before God, our sins against God, and our desert at the hands of God; and then let us dwell upon this great fact, that instead of dealing with us according to our sins, or rewarding us according to our iniquities, "He laid down his life for us" (1 John 3:16) - laid it down as the price of our ransom.

How hath He loved us - how?
Can man or angel tell?
Before His cross we bow,
The power of love to feel;
To see Him hang, and bleed and die,
That we may live and reign on high.

4. "The Lord is my Shepherd" (Ps 23:1, April 1 MORNING)

David was one of HIs sheep. All His sheep know Him, love Him, and follow Him. They possess His disposition; He was meek and lowly in heart. Are you a sheep of Christ? Are you looking to your Shepherd, following and rejoicing in Him? If so, it is His delight to lead you, feed you, protect you, and heal you. Your person, life, health, comforts, and safety, are committed to His care. He is the good Shepherd, He laid down His life for His sheep; He searches and seeks out His sheep wherever they have been scattered; He feeds His flock; He gathers the lambs with His arm and carries them in His bosom. He loves His sheep more than His own life; He cares for His sheep more than for all the world beside. He feeds them in the best green pasture, and leads them in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. O view Jesus as your Shepherd! Expect Him to lead you, feed you, fold you, and one day, soon, to present you to His Father with exceeding joy. Cleave to Him; let nothing tempt you to leave His feet, His flock, or His fold. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, just because you are His.

Jehovah is my Shepherd's name!
With Him no foe can make me fear;
The Shepherd’s voice each day I hear,
My filial love He has a claim;
In every danger He is nigh,
He does my every want supply.

God bless you dear readers.