I AM the Good Shepherd

Every year, the Jews celebrated Passover, which commemorated when God, Israel’s Shepherd, led them out of slavery in Egypt and into a new land. The Jewish priests sacrificed lambs in the temple to atone for the sins of the people. Because Jesus was sacrificed as a lamb without blemish, we no longer need to sacrifice lambs to atone for our sins. Our Shepherd cares so deeply for us, he would consider himself a lamb to be offered as an atonement for the sins of the sheep. No one sacrificed their life for the sheep. No shepherd would do that. But a Good Shepherd would. Our Good Shepherd protects what is important to him, and he will defend his sheep at the expense of his own life.