The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 

                                                            Psalm 23:1 

In addition to guiding the flock, a shepherd is also present on the hillside to act as a protector of the sheep. David was no stranger to the dangers of shepherding. When faced with the opportunity to face Goliath, David drew on his past experience of God delivering him from wild animals. He told King Saul, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). Fighting off wild animals preying on the vulnerable sheep was part of David’s responsibility as shepherd. If necessary, David was prepared to give up his own life to protect the herd. Jesus is the good shepherd and He alone has done what was necessary for sinners to be made whole and enter into a relationship with God. Jesus was willing to lay down His own life in order to accomplish this incredible task. Listen to His words:

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

                                                                                                           John 10:11, 17-18 

Jesus knew no sin yet took the punishment for our sins so that we, whose very nature is sinful, could live as if we have not. This action was motivated by God’s intense love for us. Consider the following:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

                                                                                                                     John 3:16-17 

God loves the world. He did not send Jesus into this world for the purposes of condemnation rather that the world might be saved through Him. This salvation comes on the basis of faith in the One who has already accomplished this great salvation. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish rather will have eternal life. Jesus goes on to explain it this way:

“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”                                   

                                                                                                                   John 6:40 

To “behold the Son” is to see and acknowledge Jesus. It means that we consider what He has done for us and freely receive His forgiveness by faith. To “behold the Son” also means that we enjoy the presence of Christ in our daily lives. To “believe” is to place our trust in Him. By faith we understand that our salvation is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross and not on our own merit. And for everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, eternal life is the result and Jesus Himself will raise us up on the last day!

For those of us who belong to Jesus by faith, we have received the Holy Spirit who lives within us. We cannot overstate the importance of this reality for it is the Spirit of God that equips us to overcome sin, shame, guilt, and the attacks of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). Spiritual freedom, forgiveness, and a life of love, joy, and peace should be the norm for those claiming to belong to Christ (Galatians 5:1, Matthew 6:14-15, Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus spoke of this wonderful reality as He spoke the following words:

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 

                                                                                                                     John 7:37-38 

The “rivers of living water” that flow from within our lives are a direct result of the Spirit of God in us. Sometimes, we might fall into the trap of thinking that the Christian life is all about what we do for God rather than understanding it is what God is doing in and through us. Even at the very end of scripture, we still see this invitation to come and drink of the living water that is Jesus Christ:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. 

                                                                                                            Revelation 22:17 

David knew the importance of protecting the sheep. These animals are in no way able to fight back or defend themselves. They are solely dependent on the presence and strength of the shepherd. Without the shepherd’s intervention on an attack, the sheep would be ripped to shreds.

We are wholly incapable of saving ourselves. If left to our own devices, we will not only destroy our own lives but the lives of those around us as well. We need a Savior. We need someone to step in and protect us from the effects of sin and living in a fallen world. We need a Shepherd who is willing to give up His own life for the sole purpose of saving us. The good news is this…we have One who has done just that! Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He acts as Deliver and Protector of our souls. For all who will believe in Him, He stands ready to completely save!

Do you know the Good Shepherd?