DO YOU KNOW THE SHEPHERD?

The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
Do You Know the Shepherd?

Several decades ago, the late English actor Charles Laughton (1899-1962) had been called upon to recite to an audience the Twenty-third Psalm from memory. Attending that day was an aged minister who had come to listen to the great actor present his recitation.

Mr. Laughton repeated the Psalm in a powerful manner, gaining applause from the audience. The minister, who admired what had just happened, humbly asked if he might quote the Psalm for the audience as well.

Mr. Laughton graciously invited the old man to come to the stage and present his rendition. The minister’s voice had been made raspy and weak over decades of preaching. He quoted the Psalm and then sat down to reverent silence from the audience.

Mr. Laughton quietly arose from his chair onstage and made a declaration, "What you heard from me and this man of God was different in that while I know the Psalm, he knows the Shepherd."

As we study through the 10th chapter of John, we read a great deal about The Good Shepherd. We see that he calls his sheep to his side and that they know him and the sound of his voice. We understand that he is the protector of his sheep and their provider. We are allowed to see that he gives his own life for his sheep so that he can give them eternal and abundant life.

My concern today is that, in reading, studying and discussing the Good Shepherd we do not just learn about this Good Shepherd, but that we come to know him and follow him.

Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? If so, he is your shepherd. If not, he wants you to know him personally.

This Sunday we will continue the series, The Good Shepherd and His Flock Follow the Leader with a message titled The Good Shepherd’s Plan based on John 10:11-18. I hope you will join us in getting to know Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd personally. He loves you and desires a deep relationship with you.

Helping others to know him,
Jon