Introduction

Some of us walked in today with a knot in the stomach and a prayer on the lips. Bills on the counter. Headlines on the phone. A diagnosis pending. A family strained. And yet, here we are, in a quiet room with a God who isn’t quiet about His love. He speaks. He calls. He carries. He cares. He’s not a faraway force or an abstract idea. He’s a Shepherd who knows your name and holds your hand.

J. I. Packer put it this way, "What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God." (J. I. Packer, Knowing God) Not to impress crowds, not to outrun fears, but to know Him. That is where life becomes light, where hearts find home, and where the scattered pieces of our days fall into place.

Maybe you feel like a sheep who’s wandered into brambles. Maybe your soul is weary and your questions are loud. Would you hear the whisper of the Shepherd today? He heals fear. He ends division. He gives rest, direction, and care. He produces steady growth in us. He has a voice for your confusion, a table for your hunger, a staff for your trembling, and a promise for your tomorrow. Picture His presence like a hand on your shoulder and a song over your head. Think of His goodness trailing you like a faithful shadow and His mercy covering you like a soft blanket at night. Can you see Him? Steady gaze. Scarred hands. Strong heart.

When the world feels like a wilderness, He leads to still waters. When your steps feel unsure, He guides in paths of righteousness. When enemies gather, He sets a table in full view. When shadows stretch long, He walks close, rod and staff at the ready. And when you wonder, "What is the end of all this?" He promises a forever home and a crown of glory that never fades. Tender, tireless, trustworthy—our Shepherd doesn’t clock out, and He doesn’t call you a burden. You are His.

So come with open hands. Come with the real you. Come, because He came first. Listen for the familiar cadence of His voice. He knows how to quiet your storm and steady your steps. Let’s read His Word and welcome His care.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 23 (KJV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

John 10 (KJV) 1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there.

Hebrews 13:20 (KJV) Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

1 Peter 5:4 (KJV) And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Opening Prayer Good Shepherd, we come as we are—tired, tense, thirsty—and we ask You to speak. Calm our restless thoughts. Heal our hurting hearts. Let the sound of Your voice be clearer than our fears, closer than our worries, kinder than our own self-talk. Lead us beside still waters. Restore our souls. Guide us in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. As we open Your Word, open our ears. As we lift our eyes, lift our faith. Protect us from the thief who steals and scatters. Gather us as one flock under Your gracious hand. Produce in us steady growth and steadfast hope. We trust You, great Shepherd of the sheep. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus heals fear and ends division

We look to Jesus as our Shepherd. We look to His care, His voice, His way with people, and His strong hand.

The Scriptures paint this picture with color and weight. Psalm 23 shows a shepherd who leads, feeds, and keeps close. John 10 shows a shepherd who enters by the door, calls by name, and lays down His life. Hebrews speaks of the God of peace who raised Him. Peter points ahead to the day He appears with a crown that will not fade.

Fear loosens when the Shepherd is near. Think of the valley seasons you have walked. The path is narrow. The light is thin. You count your steps because the ground feels unsure. In that place, the flock learns the shape of the staff and the tone of the voice. The shepherd’s rod guards from what stalks in the dark. The staff draws a drifting lamb back into line. Presence matters there. He does not shout from a hill. He goes before you and stays with you. He knows the holes in the ground and the turn in the trail. He is steady, and His calm settles your breathing. He speaks and your heart slows. He sets the pace so your strength holds. He corrects you, and even that brings comfort, because you know you have not been left to yourself. You are not a problem to Him. You are His. This is how fear loses its grip. Not by closing your eyes to the shadows, but by fixing your eyes on the one who stands beside you in them. The path is still the path, yet your soul finds rest because He is there, guiding with wisdom, guarding with power, and giving you the right next step.

This is why many of us learn to pray short prayers in hard places. "Lord, lead." "Lord, keep me near." "Lord, speak." Simple words. Strong help.

He also brings peace by being the door. John 10 says there is a proper gate into the fold. He stands there as the true way in. In Him there is safety for the night and pasture for the day. Inside His care, sheep lie down. They rest because the door is watched. They rise in the morning and find grass that satisfies. He speaks of life that is full and real, the kind that reaches the deep places that hunger. There are threats, of course. Thieves climb walls. Voices try to confuse. When fear grows, He does not step back. He stays. He stands between danger and the flock. He bears the cost. The cross shows how far He went to give cover and peace. Because of that love, we learn a new way to live. Panic gives way to steady trust. Scarcity gives way to simple confidence that He will provide what the day needs. Your heart learns a rhythm. In through Him. Out with Him. Saved in Him. Fed by Him. Day after day.

So you can sleep. He is at the gate. He keeps watch when your eyes close.

He makes one people. His words in John 10 speak about other sheep who will be brought in. Many folds, many pastures, many stories, then one flock under one shepherd. He knows each sheep by name, and the flock learns to know His voice. That changes the way we see each other. Old walls carry less weight when His call is louder than our labels. He sets a table even when enemies are near, and He pours oil to heal and honor. His goodness fills the cup until it spills over the edge. The God of peace raised Him by the blood of an everlasting covenant, and that peace does its work among us. In a church, this looks like slow, steady softening. We listen more. We speak with grace. We carry burdens side by side. We forgive, again and again. We learn to move toward people we once avoided. We love the saints we find hard to love. We welcome the outsider as He welcomed us. Arguments shrink when the Shepherd’s voice fills the room. We sit at the same table because He made room for us there. We sing together because He gave one song. We walk together because His path is narrow and we need each other to keep to it.

This is not thin peace. It is covenant peace. It holds when feelings rise and fall.

He gives forever safety, and that quiets the soul. He says His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow. He gives life without end. No hand can pry you from His hand. The Father is greater than all, and the Son and the Father are one. The resurrection seals it. Hebrews calls Him the great shepherd brought back from the dead by the God of peace. That victory is not far away from you. It reaches into Mondays and midnights. It lifts your eyes when the world looks unstable. Peter adds a promise for the long run. The chief Shepherd will appear, and there will be a crown of glory that will not fade. That future steadies the present. Courage grows when you know the end of the story. You can meet conflict with patience because the King is coming. You can risk love because your life is held. You can keep working for unity because He has already made you one, and He will finish what He started. When fear speaks, you answer with the truth of His grip. When division knocks, you answer with the hope of His return.

So we keep close to His Word. We let His voice be the loudest voice. We pray for soft hearts and quick ears.

We keep close to His people. We look for the lonely and bring them near.

We keep close to His care. We name our fears. We ask for help.

We keep close to His call. We take the next step He gives, and then the next.

Jesus gives rest direction and care

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