"The Good Shepherd and Guardian of Our Souls"

“The Good Shepherd and Guardian of Our Souls.”

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; you have been healed by His wounds.  For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.      1 Peter 2:24-25



In this Scripture, in verse twenty-four, we see Christ’s involvement in God’s PERFECT PLAN of SALVATION for mankind.  First, we see that He BORE or CARRIED OUR sins to the Cross of CALVARY, so that having DIED to SINS, WE might LIVE for RIGHTEOUSNESS; In other words, He who KNEW NO SIN, BECAME SIN, by carrying OUR SINS to His SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH on that OLD RUGGED CROSS.   He SUFFERED for the TRUE BELIEVER to be able to FOLLOW His example, both in our SUFFERING and in our LIVING a RIGHTEOUS life.  He was/is NOT ONLY our SAVIOR of our sins, but He was/is the HEALER of our SIN SICK souls.  The sentence here:  “You have been HEALED by His wounds,” refers to our SPIRITUAL HEALING, and NOT a PHYSICAL HEALING.



Verse twenty-five, says that we are LIKE SHEEP going astray, but we have TURNED ABOUT to the GOOD SHEPHERD and GUARDIAN of our SOULS.  In John 10:11, Jesus, says: “I am the GOOD SHEPHERD. The GOOD SHEPHERD lays down His life for the sheep.”  And that is EXACTLY what Jesus did.  He laid down His LIFE for mankind.  He being the GOOD SHEPHERD, and MANKIND being the SHEEP.  In verses 14-15, of the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John:  Jesus goes on to say: “I am the GOOD SHEPHERD.  I know My own sheep, and they KNOW Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.  I lay down My life for the sheep.”



The Prophet Isaiah, shows us a good picture of the Pre-incarnate Christ, as not only a SHEPHERD, but as a GUARDIAN as well.  In chapter forty, verse eleven, Isaiah says: “He PROTECTS His flock like a SHEPHERD; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the folds of His garment.”  A GUARDIAN is one who GUARDS, PROTECTS or PRESERVES. And that is what JESUS does, until He RETURNS to gather ALL of God’s PRECIOUS FLOCK up to their ETERNAL HOME, HEAVEN.  Is JESUS your GOOD SHEPHERD and GUARDIAN?  Do you have an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN?



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your answer to both of these questions is NO.  In order to have JESUS as your GOOD SHEPHERD and GUARDIAN, and HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME, and to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. And CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let Him be your GOOD SHEPHERD and the GUARDIAN of your SOUL.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!