TOPIC: THE SHEEP KNOW AND FOLLOW THEIR SHEPHERD
Text: Luke 10:1-9
10:1 After these things the Lord appointed [a]seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go
10:2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
10:3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing.
10:4 And he said: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying,
10:5 Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.’
10:6 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a [a]temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
10:7 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.
10:8 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’
10:9 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have [b]filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel
10:10 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
STUDY:
Today is St Luke the Evangelist’s day. Luke was one of the Disciples of Jesus Christ. He was a medical doctor by profession and attended to Paul in his missionary journeys. He was also the author of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. In this passage, Luke reminds us that the sheep know their shepherd very well. They listen to and recognise his voice and that is why they follow only their shepherd. It is difficult, if not impossible for them to follow a stranger. So as sheep, we must listen to the voice of the shepherd and follow him where he leads.
The illustration is fit for the present day Christian leaders who are likened to the shepherd.
Christian leaders are here advised to go through the gate—the due process of raising church leaders—before they can lead others. There is also the process of officially assigning one to his/her place of assignment. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “no one takes the honour upon himself…” (Heb. 5:4). The shepherd should have a sincere relationship and intimacy with the sheep. He should always provide the needed leadership with the needed courage at all times. And finally, he is expected to help the sheep find good pastures.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, make me a good Christian leader who will be like you and who will be ready to lay down my life for the sheep I lead. Amen.
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