Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Church: One Body in Christ

Bible Reading: : St. John 10:11-18

Key verse:  

'I am the good Shepherd, I know my Sheep and my Sheep know me'. (St. John 10:14)

DEVOTION

“I am (ego eimi) the good shepherd” (v. 11a). Ego eimi is an important phrase in this Gospel; 
Ego eimi can be understood as coded language that refers back to Moses.‘I AM (Ego eimi)has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:14).In other words, ego eimi can be construed as God’s name.When Jesus applies ego eimi to himself, he is subtly identifying himself with God—as God.These ego eimi statements tell us that Jesus is the one who can meet our deepest needs and longings. As God the father, Christ the Son and the Abiding presence of the Holy Spirit is united together in Trinity. We should abide woth dedication with complete submission to our ' I am - Ego eimi) who can meet our needs and dreams.The Old Testament uses shepherd(Greek: Kalos) as a metaphor for God.Kalos “means that a thing or a person” goes beyond good to lovely.In the picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd there is loveliness as well as strength and power.It is as how we refer to a good doctor, the doctor will be  good at his/her kindness and compassion beyond his/her medical skills.But Jesus goes beyond that. A good shepherd will risk his life to protect the sheep, but that is different from laying down one’s life. The shepherd who risks his life for the sheep does not expect to die, but expects to live.A shepherd who dies leaves the sheep defenseless, so the only good shepherd is a live shepherd.Jesus came into the world to die on the cross, and it is the death of the Lamb of God that saves us from death—or perhaps we should say that it is the Lamb’s resurrection—his victory over death—that insures our victory over death. 
If there is such a thing as a good shepherd, there must also be such a thing as a bad shepherd. Jesus contrasts the good shepherd, not with a thief, but with a hired hand.In a sense, having a hired hand as a shepherd is worse than having no shepherd at all. The hired hand gives the illusion of protection without protecting.His indifference is likely to result in the death of the sheep in his care. His attitude is important, because lives are at stake.
The good shepherd seeks ways to lead faithfully, and stands for what is right—even in the face of opposition or danger. Bad shepherds care only about their own welfare. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who inspire us to unite us together in different life situations and life threatening situations. We are bounded each other in Jesu's unconditional love at Cross and His everlasting Grace. As Church let us ensure that we are only united and connected as One Body in Christ forever. By affirming who is our I Am and who is our Good Shepherd. Among all differences and discriminations among us, let us stay grounded and united in Christ.

PRAYER

 Our Gracious father, we thank you for your grace. Always help us to identify with your stands as Good Shepherd and to affirm as Church by being one in Christ that you are our everlasting Shepherd forever in our life. Amen

Thought for the DAY

 "Even the weak become strong when they are united".- 
Friedrich von Schiller.
German poet and philosopher 


RevJibin Mathew Joy
Narissapuram mission ,Andhra Pradesh

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