Inside this tract are the following words:
When Jesus said he was ‘the good shepherd’ what did he mean?
2000 years ago in the area Jesus lived, a shepherd would be with the flock day and night. He would be exposed to the elements, without shelter or protection from extremes of temperature. He would walk in front of the flock, leading them to good pasture and clean water. He would round up wanderers and carry the weak. He would care for the sick and protect the vulnerable. His original audience would have known all that.
They would also have known that the flock would come under threat from wild animals and thieves. If necessary, a good shepherd would be willing to die for his sheep.
Jesus is our good shepherd. When he said those words, he knew he was walking towards his death on our behalf. He knew he was going to willingly lay down his life as a sacrifice to ensure our safety.
We may not like to think of ourselves as sheep: they are not the brightest of animals and they have a tendency to mindlessly wander after each other, getting into sticky situations without careful tending. But if we are brutally honest, we may recognise this behaviour in ourselves.
Life as a sheep goes well under the watchful eye of a good shepherd. Will you let Jesus be that shepherd?
This striking design will be eye catching both inside and outside your church. Remind those who see it that Christ is the ultimate shepherd!