"The Good Shepherd's Prediction"

“The Good Shepherd’s Prediction”

 

“The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life---only to take it up again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.  This command I received from My Father.”       John 10:17-18

 

In Jesus’ discourse of the Good Shepherd, He predicts His coming death four times.  In verses eleven, fourteen, seventeen and eighteen.  In His analogical parable, He references a SHEPHERD and his SHEEP, but the SHEPHERD is no ordinary shepherd, he is the GOOD SHEPHERD, the one that is willing to LAY DOWN or DIE for his SHEEP.   

 

The Good Shepherd is Jesus and His Sheep are the people, the ones He came to SEEK and to SAVE.  When He calls their names they COME to Him and FOLLOW Him. He cares for them and protects them.  He is WILLING to VOLUNTARILY DIE for them.   

 

Father God, has a SPECIAL LOVE for Jesus, because of the SACRIFICIAL ACT of OBEDIENCE that Jesus had in VOLUNTARILY SACRIFICING His own life for mankind.  The GOOD SHEPHERD, took on the role of becoming the SPOTLESS, SACRIFICIAL LAMB, which takes AWAY the SINS of ALL mankind.  All because of the LOVE of the GOOD SHEPHERD for His SHEEP.

 

But the SACRIFICAL LAMB, didn’t stay dead.  He was RESURRECTED from the grave, because of His POWER over DEATH and the GRAVE, He had AUTHORITY over His DESTINY.  He was NOT the VICTIM of a MOB, but is the SACRIFICIAL LAMB that takes AWAY the sins of the world. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are a LOST sheep that is DESPERATELY in NEED of the GOOD SHEPHERD.  He came and WILLINGLY VOLUNTEERED to DIE in your place, to SAVE you from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  If you are reading this NOW, He may be using this as a means of CALLING your NAME, in order for you to come to Him for the SALVATION of your soul.  In order to do this, you MUST be WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and let Him be your SACRIFICIAL LAMB and your GOOD SHEPHERD.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!