Sheep or Shepherds?

Shepherds are appealing as we anticipate Christmas—because God chose to announce Jesus’ birth to a group of lowly shepherds.

Shepherds are also a familiar Biblical metaphor. Shepherds are used to portray God Himself in the Old Testament. Ezekiel said, As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I [God] look after my sheep. . . . (Ez. 34:12a NIV)

In the new Testament, Jesus identified with shepherds when he said, I am good shepherd. (Jn. 10:11a) So it is fitting that shepherds were among the first to receive news of Christ’s arrival.

And yet, when An angel of the Lord appeared to them [the shepherds] . . . and they were terrified. (Lk. 2:9) Their response was understandable, but their reaction did not demonstrate an ability to care for others—or present a picture of God looking after His people.

So perhaps God had dual vision when He selected these particular shepherds. Perhaps He wanted to emphasize the shepherd image—and perhaps He selected specific shepherds who also represented sheep in need of salvation. When we look at the shepherds as sheep, we can identify with them—and identify with their quest for Jesus.

Originally published December 2, 1983.

We Receive to Give

After celebrating Thanksgiving Day, it is a good idea to remember that genuine thankfulness goes beyond simple gratitude. If we are truly thankful, we will take another step. We will move from receiving to giving.

Using an agricultural metaphor, Paul wrote to the Corinthians that if farmers are unwilling to be generous when planting seed, they will not receive an abundant harvest. He who sows (or plants) sparingly will also reap (or receive) sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (II Cor. 9:6 NKJV)

Paul’s subject was not planting and harvesting crops but giving. He goes on to explain that when people give, God provides abundant grace. The more we receive, the more we have to give—and the more we give, the more we receive.

Giving and receiving do not always seem to directly correspond, but giving and blessings do. And God actually gives to His people so they can, in turn, receive His blessing by giving to others.

Originally published November 23, 1989.

A Spiritual House

When the followers of Jesus discovered their identity in Christ, New Testament writers provided several metaphors to help them understand their new status.

Some New Testament comparisons are extensions of Old Testament illustrations. John recorded Jesus when He used the vine as a metaphor: I am the vine, you are the branches. (Jn. 15:5a NIV) The Vineyard planted by God was an Old Testament image and familiar to people who grew up in the synagogues.

Paul compared the Church to a Body: For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body. . . . (I Cor. 12:13a) He looked to Jesus as the head of the body, and he emphasized the need for cooperation and love among believers united under Jesus.

Peter referred to the prophet Isaiah when he compared the Church to a house: As you come to him, the living Stone . . . you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house. . . . (I Pet. 2:4a,5a)

Each comparison presents a unique aspect of the believer’s relationship to Jesus. He is the channel of life and sustenance for His Branch, the Head of His Body, and the Cornerstone or foundation of His House.

Originally published July 1, 1983.