1 October | Youth
«I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.» John 10:11
There is a story about a construction worker who helped build a small church in the countryside. The work took place in a rural region where many sheep were raised, which from time to time grazed near the construction. One day, while plastering the facade of the church, the worker lost his balance and ended up falling from a height of more than four meters. The fall would certainly lead to death or serious injuries. But, luckily for him, a sheep passed under the scaffolding right at that time and ended up cushioning his fall.
After recovering his senses, the construction worker got up and saw that there was a lot of blood on the floor and on the sheep's wool. When he touched the animal, he realized that it was already dead. With the fall, the innocent little sheep was crushed by the man’s weight. The sheep literally died in his place.
Upon completing the work, the worker made a point of placing a plaque on the church's facade with the biblical verse: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isa 53:5). That man understood, through his own experience, Jesus' unparalleled sacrifice on the cross. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In Scripture, Jesus is both Lamb and Shepherd. He understands His sheep because He felt human needs, suffering and anguish firsthand. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Like the good Shepherd, “Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very house in which we live […]. Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died” (The Desire of Ages, p. 480).
On this day, remember that Jesus cares, protects, guides and saves you. And when we are there in Heaven, John's beautiful words will be fulfilled: “For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters” (Rev 7:17).