He wants pastors to be an example for believers like us. Jesus wants his pastors to serve willingly and eagerly as he did, out of love for people rather than money or power. Like the Good Shepherd, God provides pastors to care for our souls like a shepherd does for his sheep. He heals our hurts and guides us on the path to heaven. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus willingly and eagerly rescued us from the dangers of sin and death. It all starts with what Jesus did for pastors and their flocks. Is that what Jesus calls pastors to do? Yes, but in a different way. He puts a lot of work into taking care of those sheep, even putting their needs before his own. He takes care of them when they get hurt. He protects them from dangerous animals and bad weather, even if he has to risk his own safety. A shepherd makes sure that his sheep get green grass to eat and clean water to drink.

God’s Word tells us that a pastor’s job is to watch over and care for the souls of God’s flock, like shepherds watching over sheep. After all, every pastor is a human just like everyone else, so why would a little Andy call his pastor “Jesus”? It’s because he sees Jesus in his pastor. Why would a little child call their pastor “Jesus”? No pastor is actually Jesus. So he ran up to the pastor, shook his hand, and with a big grin blurted out, “Good morning, Jesus!” After the service was over, Andy really wanted to greet the pastor. He sang his version of the songs and even said part of the Lord’s Prayer that his parents had been teaching him. His parents didn’t need to take him out during the service. It was a pretty good Sunday for little Andy. Lo-res images are posted here under Fair Use criteria for educational purposes and to give publicity at no charge to artists.In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.(Hebrews 13:20-21)Ĭopyright for all images is retained by the artists or their representatives. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. Now may the God of peace–who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood– may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. Liauw Yang Lai, Indonesia (’The Lord is My Shepherd’) Though the symbolism here is not immediately clear, the artist may have had in mind the words of Psalm, 23, and the valley of the shadow through which the Lord safely leads us.” Behind the main figure are large and small bands of white against a dark background. Surrounding the shepherd figure, we see flowers, likely representing the passion flower, symbolic of our Lord’s saving death. And in New Testament, the fruit of the vine gains eucharistic significance through our Lord’s cup at the Last Supper. The promised land toward which God led Israel was filled with vineyards bearing abundant fruit. Stephen Holmgren writes, “The artist depicts a large vine laden with grapes, which represent at least two ideas.

Note: this Thai artist modeled his scene after the one first portrayed by Alfred D. Vinayak Masoji, India (’The Lord is My Shepherd’) Learn about this sculpture in this short audio file: This door can be related to the eye of the Sun….” įor thoughts on the form and meditative function of a mandala by Indian Christians, see my previous blog post atĬhrist Child as the Bom Pastor (Good Shepherd)Ĭarved Ivory, Goa culture, India circa 1700 The Shepherd is himself the door of the sheepfold. Jyoti writes about this mandala, “The shepherd goes in search of the one lost sheep, which he brings back to the round fold of his ninety-nine sheep. Jyoti Sahi, India: Mandala of the Good Shepherd Images sources are given under the artist’s name. Here’s a collection of “Jesus as the Good Shepherd” images from mostly contemporary artists of Asia. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 14-15). “I am the good shepherd the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep….

Jesus the shepherd images