Comfort and Joy V // The Good Shepherd
A Message for the Christmas Season by Rev. Dr. Mark Jordan, Pastor
Merry Christmas!
- Christmas is a season, not just a day!
- Twelve Days from Christmas until Epiphany (Jan.6)
Today we relight the Christ Candle
- John 9:5 (NIV) | Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
The Good Shepherd
Micah 5:1-5a (NIV) | Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses.
Take-Aways
- Messiah Born in Bethlehem
- Messiah will be like a Shepherd
- Messiah will bring peace amidst conflict
Jesus: Our Good Shepherd
John 10:11-18 (NIV) | “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus wants to Shepherd You into 2025!