This past week we thought about shepherds…Specifically, the idea that Jesus says “I am the Good Shepherd.”  If you weren’t able to join us on Sunday, you can hear a recording of Sunday’s message here.  Just a couple thoughts about Sunday that didn’t make the cut…

1.  One of the major things that a shepherd did was seeking out lost sheep.  Sheep, with their lack of brilliance, would often get lost and it would be up to the shepherd to go find them.  One of Jesus’ most famous parables was about a shepherd that went looking for a lost sheep. I love the idea that Jesus seeks lost sheep…that Jesus doesn’t leave us in the wilderness to fend for ourselves after we wander away. I love the idea that it doesn’t matter how far we’ve gone, but that Jesus is seeking us. As you go throughout the day, remember that Jesus is seeking you…that Jesus is pursuing you.  That’s a beautiful aspect of the Good Shepherd.

2.  Shepherds named their sheep in the same way that I’ve named my dog, Linus. Shepherds called their sheep by name. A name is such a powerful thing…if someone screws up your name or refuses to learn your name you know that they’re a person you probably don’t want to be around. John 10 tells us that Jesus knows our names…he knows who we are, he knows about our lives and he calls our names, inviting us to be part of his flock. See, the reason that shepherds named the sheep and called them was because that’s how they gathered their flock.  Jesus calls us by name and invites us to be part of his flock…to be part of a community that is active and on the move…the flock that the Good Shepherd leads isn’t a static group, but it’s a group on the move.  When Jesus calls our name, he’s inviting us to be a part of a movement.

If you haven’t checked out our “flock” yet, join us this coming Sunday!  We’d love to have you join our movement!