Our Good Shepherd

In this well-known verse, we come to understand two facts, both of which change the trajectory of our lives: first is that Jesus, as our good Shepherd, laid down His life for us; the second is that we needed His death in order to gain eternal life from Him. Without His death, we remain in our sins and separated from God. So we learn that He died for our sins, and also that we needed that from Him to be saved.

The outcome of these is that believers—followers of Christ—should be the most humble people anywhere because we couldn’t do this on our own and would have remained separated from God.

Also, believers, followers of Christ should be the most thankful people anywhere, because Jesus did what we could never do: through His death and resurrection, He has brought to the Father (1 Peter 3:18)!

In this culture we live in, it is very easy to look around us at all the darkness and feel that we are above it. We can quickly assume a position of superiority over all others. Yet if we grasp the gospel shared above, we are immediately humbled by our helplessness and thankful for His gracious, undeserved death for us, so that He might be the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man could come to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).

Why not adjust today? Look at these foundational truths. Allow the Truth to humble you because of your former low state and helplessness. Then rejoice in thankfulness for all our good Shepherd has done. Be known in your family and church and neighborhood as a humble person who is extraordinarily thankful to Jesus, your good Shepherd!