Monday 15 February 2016

'I am the Good Shepherd'


One of my fondest memories of sheep was last summer.
That must be the strangest way I've started a blog, but let me explain...

Every August I have the privilege of helping at Causeway Primary Camp, a Scripture Union camp based in Ballycastle for p5-p7s. On the Thursday, we always take the kids to Watertop Farm for a day of outdoor pursuits. Last year while we were there, one of the farmers was shearing the sheep in the barn, and we were all able to watch. As if that wasn't cool enough, one of the sheep didn't fancy being bald and did a runner into the crowd, which was us. When we tried to stop the sheep from escaping the barn, he jumped into the air and head butted the leader of our camp. It's a great memory.

Sheep. Shepherds. It's common imagery used throughout the Scriptures, and last night at YF in Helen's Bay Youth we were looking at Jesus' latest 'I am' statement. You guessed it, it's about sheep...

I am the good shepherd. 
The good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep.
- John 10 v 11

So Jesus is the shepherd, and we are the sheep. Sounds simple enough, right? But so what? How is Jesus like a shepherd, and how are we like sheep? I think one of the best passages to understand the Father-heart of God as our shepherd is found in the Gospel of Luke. It's found in the form of a parable, told by none other than the Good Shepherd Himself. Check it:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
- Luke 15 v 4 - 6

Amazing. God doesn't just care about the collective group of sheep, He cares about each individual sheep. As Serena quite poignantly put it at YF, Jesus knows each of us not by our number but by our name. He's a personal shepherd. Jesus guides, protects, and provides for not just the flock of sheep, but for every single sheep. He isn't just a shepherd, he's my shepherd. Your shepherd.

I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
- John 10 v 14

The Good Shepherd certainly knows you on a deep, intimate and personal level. But the question that we must ask ourselves is, do we know him in the same deep, intimate and personal way?

If you're a sheep in Jesus' flock, 
don't you think it's time to get to know the Shepherd? 

Tuesday 9 February 2016

"I am the gate"

An Arab spy had been captured and sentenced to death by a general of the Persian army. The general had fallen upon a strange and weird custom. He permitted the condemned person to make a choice. He could either face the firing squad or pass through the Black Door.

As the moment of execution drew near, the general ordered the spy to be brought before him for a short, final interview, the primary purpose of which was to receive the answer of the doomed man to the query: "Which shall it be -- the firing squad or the Black Door?"

This was not an easy question, and the prisoner hesitated, but soon made it known that he much preferred the firing squad. Not long thereafter a volley of shots in the courtyard announced that the grim sentence had been fulfilled.

The general, staring at his boots, turned to his aide and said, "You see how it is with men, they will always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. And yet I gave him his choice."

"What lies beyond the Black Door?" asked the aide.
"Freedom," replied the general, "and I've known only a few men brave enough to take it."


Just like in this story, we all have a choice in our lives. Choose the door that leads to freedom or choose certain death. Jesus explained this decision when he said...

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.
They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
- John 10 v 9 - 10

Entering through the door, or gate, does not just bring freedom. It brings safety and protection. In Biblical times, the shepherd used to sleep at the gate of the sheep enclosure to protect the flock from wolves and thieves. In this same way, as Christians, we are protected and watched over by our shepherd Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are promised to find green pastures and have life to the full. But you only start to receive fullness in areas of your life when you make use of the pastures! Reading God's Word, spending time with God in prayer, having fellowship with other believers. That's how to make the most of the green pastures. That's when Jesus starts to work in your life. And that's when you start to feel fulfilled.

Sounds like grass is pretty green... So my question to you is...
why wouldn't you go through the gate?

Monday 1 February 2016

'I am the light of the world'

This blog post is going to be a little different. You'll be glad to know that I won't be writing much. In fact, I want to let the young people from Helen's Bay Youth share instead.

Last night at YF, we were continuing our 'I Am' series looking at the 'I am' sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John. The topic for last night was 'I am the light of the world' found in John 8.

We spent a bit of time in silence, praying and reflecting on how Jesus is the light of the world. Three of the young people shared their thoughts at the end, and I was blown away. Hopefully you will be as encouraged and challenged reading them, as I was hearing them last night...

'People are in darkness and are afraid. Jesus is the light that guides them to a better place. He is the beacon of light at the end of the tunnel, and therefore he is their hope. People without Jesus are in the dark, but people with Jesus have seen the light and their eyes are opened by the light that is truth.'
- Amy

Are you living in spiritual darkness? Struggling in life with nowhere to turn, and nobody to turn to? Well don't worry, because just like Amy said, there's hope. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. That light is Jesus. He came to take away all our pain and suffering, and give us a better life with Him. Check it out...

'The sun turns night into day just like Jesus can change our lives around for the better, and bring us out of our sin. Jesus is the light of the world, because light takes away darkness just like Jesus took away our sin on the cross.'
- Anna

If you're reading this, and you haven't yet made that choice to accept Jesus into your heart as the light of the world, then don't wait. Just as Anna says, Jesus can change your life around for the better. He's already taken your sin away, and now he wants to be your best friend. But maybe you're reading this as a Christian already, well guess what, the next ones for you...

'Light is necessary for life and growth. For example, a plant needs light to grow tall, and it has to be able to grow its roots deep in the ground. We are like plants but our light is Jesus, and we need him to grow and develop our faith. Without him we would not be able to have a strong faith with which we are able to overcome bad times. With these "deep roots" of faith that we have, we do not get led astray by sin or any distractions that come our way.'
- Rachel

Couldn't have put it better myself. As Rachel said, we won't grow in our faith if we don't spend time with Jesus. You can be a Christian by believing in Jesus, but if you neglect your relationship with him then you're going to be like a plant that doesn't get any sunlight - withered and unhealthy. And unhealthy plants don't bear good fruit. Pick up your Bible, talk to God in prayer, get your daily dose of sunlight! Grow and be healthy in your faith!

Unbelievable! Jesus is the light of the world. You can take it so many different ways, but no matter how you take it, it will always apply to you. Have a think yourself, how else is Jesus like light? And is he shining in your life?