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2 SAMUEL 7:1-14

EPHESIANS 2:11-22

MARK 6:30-34

A shepherd is a person who tends and rears sheep. A true shepherd is a person found to be faithfully doing the work of a shepherd. A true Shepherd is one who also directs in a particular direction. In John 10:11 Jesus confirmed to us that that “I am the good shepherd.” The good shepherd is the same as the true Shepherd. We shall therefore look at the qualities of a true shepherd as we consider the following points in relation to the theme and the three Scripture readings;

Firstly, a true shepherd prioritises the safety and security of His sheep. God’s relationship with Israel has been that of the shepherd and his sheep. In the first Scripture reading, God assures David that because of His covenant and relationship with Israel, their safety and security is of utmost importance to Him than the housing of the ark of God. God told Prophet Nathan “Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. (2 Samuel 7:8-12). We are hopeful and greatly encouraged that our lives are in the hands of God who continually like a shepherd seeks our safety and protects us from our enemies and destroyers. David again testified that God is a true shepherd who makes the safety and the security of his people His priority when wrote in Psalms 23:4-6 that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Secondly, because God is the true shepherd to humanity, He sent his son Jesus Christ to save the world, saving not only the believing Jews but anyone who believes in Him, therefore God our true Sheperd does not discriminate. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). It was, for this reason, Paul wrote to the Ephesians that “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ”. (Ephesians 2:11-13). The church is now God’s sheepfold where all and sundry are welcome regardless of age, gender, language, ethnicity, nationality, or class. No one is left out, that is why Jesus said in the parable of the lost sheep that “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:4-7). We must bear the image of the true Shepherd who never discriminates but accepts all.

Thirdly, the true Shepherd does not only keep the sheep in the sheepfold but remains sensitive to their physical and spiritual needs. This is exactly the picture and lesson deduced from Mark 6:30-34. Jesus realised that the people were hungry Spiritually and were like sheep without a shepherd so he fed them. “Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:33-34). Pastors and church leaders must possess the quality of being compassionate and sensitive to the spiritual needs of God’s people. No wonder Paul admonishes Timothy “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). Again in 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul stresses the importance of feeding the sheep when he wrote to Timothy “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Pastors, church leaders, and all Christians have a mandate to ensure that the Gospel and the salvation we have received from Christ the true Shepherd reaches the hungry and lost sheep who are still beyond the wall of salvation. We have no excuse, technology and the advancement in communication and transportation are at our disposal. Let us then do the work of an evangelist, for Jesus says in Matthew 10:8 that ”You received without paying; give without pay”. When we read further to Mark 6:44, Jesus fed the crowd with five loaves and two fish after he had nurtured them Spiritually. Truly, Jesus is the true Shepherd who is sensitive to our needs and serves us with a balanced diet made up of spiritual and physical meals.

In conclusion, God is our true shepherd because our safety and security are His concern, Through His son Jesus Christ, all are invited into His sheepfold because in Christ the true Shepherd, there is no discrimination but salvation for all. Last but not the least, Christ our true shepherd continually remains sensitive to our spiritual and physical needs. May we always find solace in the arms of Christ, our true Shepherd. Amen.

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)