We belong to God
Know ye the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3)
Thou art worth, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)
God sees us as lost sheep
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. …For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, …I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 34:6,11,12,15)
We have strayed from the Good Shepherd
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
I have gone astray like a lost sheep. (Psalm 119:176)
Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)
The Good Shepherd comes to find us
Jesus…saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:34)
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)
When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because then fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:7-10)
The Good Shepherd died for us
I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth My Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:11-18)
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6,8)
The Good Shepherd rejoices when He finds His sheep
And He spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (Luke 15:3-6)
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1Peter 2:25)
The sheep love the Good Shepherd
We love Him, because He first loved us. (1John 4:19)
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the Sheep of His hand. (Psalm 95:6,7)
Day by day with the Good Shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (Psalm 23:1-6)
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)
We may serve the Good shepherd
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, …Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20, 21)
So we Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever; we will shew forth Thy praise. (Psalm 79:13)
Acknowledgment: © Christian Book Room (Tract Series)
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Photos by Amanda Chu