Jesus, the Way to the Farther

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matt 7:21

Jesus is our loving shepherd and he speaks to us in the Holy Bible, in this Bible we will find the character of our God Jesus Christ. As we can read and see, Jesus loves every one, because He knows our inmost feelings and thoughts and still loves us. Jesus loves those who were despised by societies like the unfaithful woman, who anointed Jesus’ feet with her tears (Luke 7:44-50). Jesus loves children and especially disabled ones, sick people and foreigners like His Heavenly Farther does (John 9). Do you love those our Jesus Christ loves? You can find Jesus in Holy Bible, in christening and Holy Communion as well as  in local parish (e.g. https://www.espoonseurakunnat.fi/osallistu/lutheran ). A good starting point is the Gospel of John (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NIV) (https://raamattu.fi/raamattu/KR92/JHN.1/Johannes-1).

Photo Vesa Saarinen

Shepherd

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness...15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:11-12,15.

Jesus is our loving shepherd and he speaks to us in the Holy Bible. We can see what kind of God we have, when we are looking at Jesus Christ and read the Bible with Jesus Christ’s eyes. Psalms comforts us and provides God’s promises which we can apply, such as this psalm 147:3 “3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (New International Version NIV, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+147&version=NIV ), and the whole psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd. Jesus tells us that he is our Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John 10: “10....I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Furthermore, the psalm 147: “3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. All these words comfort us in everyday and our heart and words can comfort our neighbors, who need us near and far away: “25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor 12). Jeesus came for all people and “5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil 2). Do you want to go with this kind of Sheppard?

Photo: Vesa Saarinen