Jesús va fer el que hauria de fer un bon pastor. Jesús va alimentar les ovelles i les va enfortir. Va lligar el trencat, curava els malalts, buscava el perdut, i va portar a casa els perduts. Jesus commanded His disciples to follow His example. He commanded the believers to preach the gospel in all the world. Perquè? To seek the lost and bring the lost home and reconcile them with God and be part of His flock. But do Christians still bring the lost home?
The shepherds of the house of Israel caused the sheep to go astray and scattered them
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers (Jeremiah 50:6-7)
Although the leaders of the house of Israel had a lot of knowledge by tradition, they didn’t know God and His ways. Because they didn’t know God and His ways, they walked in ways that were not God’s ways and preached things that didn’t lead to righteousness and life, but to sin and death.
Through the deceiving words and the behavior and lives of the leaders, who deviated from God, God’s people deviated from God. (Llegiu també: L’esperit d’Eli).
The sheep were scattered and went their own way, just like their leaders went their own way. They got involved with the pagan nations and adopted their idols, pagan practices, Rituals, i hàbits.
Through their ignorance and lack of knowledge of the truth, they thought they walked on the right path and pleased God. (Llegiu també: Tota cultura desapareix en Crist).
The shepherds had forsaken their task. They were too busy with themselves and didn’t care about the sheep and their well-being. Therefore they left the sheep to their own fate.
The shepherds didn’t care when a sheep erred and drowned in water. They didn’t care when a sheep fell into the abyss or was wounded or killed by a wolf. And so the flock became smaller and smaller. (Llegiu també: Molts pastors estan conduint les ovelles a l'abisme).
The shepherds of the house of Israel didn’t listen to God and His prophets
God saw everything and tried to reach the shepherds through His prophets. But the prideful and stubborn shepherds didn’t want to listen to the prophets. They didn’t want to be corrected by God’s words and they certainly didn’t want to humble themselves before the Lord. Per això, they brought the prophets to silence by killing them, so that they wouldn’t hear the admonishing words of God (a.o. Ezequiel 34, Mateu 23:31, Luke 11;47).
Once in a while, someone arose, who listened to the words of the prophets and cause the people of God to return to God and walk on His ways. But then after some time, others arose, who became unfaithful to the words and the law of God and left God and took the people with them.
John the Baptist did bring the lost back home
En aquells dies va arribar Joan Baptista, predicant al desert de Judea, I dient, Penedeix-te: perquè el regne dels cels és a prop. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, dient, La veu d'un que plora al desert, Prepareu el camí del Senyor, make His paths straight (Mateu 3:1-3)
Before Jesus took on His role as Shepherd and fulfilled His mission, John came to prepare the way of the Lord Jesus.
Al desert, separated from the people of Israel, John was equipped and prepared by God for his task and the message he would preach, és a dir, the coming of Jesus the Christ, la crida al penediment, i el bateig of repentance.
John was the precursor of Jesus and with his message, which he preached with such a formality, gravetat, and authority that the people had to listen to and obey, he called the people to repentance and brought many of the lost of the house of Israel back home (Mateu 3:1-12, Marca 1:1-8, Luke 3:1-20, John 1:19-34).
Except the leaders, who were prideful and stubborn. They refused to repent and be baptized. John saw their wickedness and because of his boldness, he didn’t shy away from telling them the truth.
Despite the criticism and resistance of the leaders, John continued his work, wherefore he was appointed by God and brought the lost home. (Llegiu també: Joan Baptista, L'home que no es va inclinar).
Jesús, the Good Shepherd
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: And there came a voice from heaven, dient, Tu ets el meu Fill estimat, in Whom I am well pleased (Marca 1:9-11)
In contrary to the leaders of the house of Israel, Jesús, qui era circumcidat el vuitè dia, humbled Himself under the mighty hand of God, by giving heed to the call of John and being baptized by John. God saw it, and He was well pleased with His Son and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus (a.o. Mateu 3:13-17, Marca 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22).
Jesus received the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness. Al desert, Jesus was prepared for His task for which He was appointed, and the work, He came for.
Per 40 dies, Jesus was tempted by the devil. Tanmateix, Jesus was not tempted by the devil’s words but resisted the devil by refuting his words with God’s truth. (a.o. Mateu 4:1-11, Marca 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13 (Llegiu també: Et donaré les riqueses del món)),
Després 40 dies, Jesus began His mission in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus preached the Kingdom and called the people to repentance. By His words and works, Jesus fed the sheep, nurtured the sheep, bound up the broken, healed the sheep. Jesus sought the lost sheep, and brought the lost sheep home. I al final, Jesus gave His life for the sheep. (Llegiu també: El patiment i la burla de Jesucrist).
Jesus did bring the lost home
I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, diu el Senyor Déu. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment (Ezequiel 34:15-16)
His words and works proved that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that He and His words are reliable. Jesus was moved with compassion and cared for the sheep and didn’t leave them to their fate. (Llegiu també: Jesús un home de compassió).
Sóc el bon pastor: el bon pastor dóna la vida per les ovelles (John 10:11)
Jesus fed and nurtured the sheep with His truthful, correcting, and admonishing words, que venia del Pare.
The people listened to Jesus and were astonished at His doctrine. Because Jesus taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes (Mateu 7:28-29).
And so Jesus restored the flock and brought the lost home.
Jesus commanded His disciples to follow His example.
Before Jesus returned to His Father, Jesus gave this responsibility to His disciples. Jesus commanded them, entre d'altres, to preach the gospel in all the world and bring the lost home and feed them with the truth of God; the uncompromised words of God and to make them disciples of Jesus Christ, who walk in His way (a.o. Mateu 10:27-28, Marca 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21-23).
The disciples did bring the lost home
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Mateu 10:27-28)
Vés per tant, i ensenyar a totes les nacions, batejant-los en el nom del Pare, i del fill, i de l’Esperit Sant: Ensenyant -los a observar totes les coses que us he manat: i, lo, Estic amb tu sempre, Fins i tot fins al final del món. Amen (Mateu 28:19-20)
The believers and disciples of Jesus took on this responsibility. They obeyed the words of Jesus and did what Jesus commanded them to do. (Llegiu també: Els oients versus els que fan).
After they received the Holy Spirit, they went into the world. They preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and the way of salvation (gospel of salvation) i va portar a casa els perduts.
And this message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the way of salvation has not changed. The words and the commission of Jesus Christ have not changed either. They still apply to all believers, who are born again in Christ by faith and have become a new creation; Un fill de Déu (Això s'aplica tant a homes com a dones), and belong to God and live as obedient sons of God and do His will.
Do Christians still bring the lost home?
Cada cristià, who supposed to be a believer, ought to preach the gospel and the unfeigned words of God, so that lost souls be saved. Because without the preaching of the gospel, many souls be lost. (Llegiu també: Si els cristians romanen en silenci, qui alliberarà els captius de les tenebres?)
If souls are not saved, they shall be lost and go to hell. And on the Day of Judgment, when all the people are judged according to their works, they will be cast into the lake of fire. Perquè tothom, who is not written in the Book of Life, will be cast into the lake of fire, que és la segona mort (Revelació 20:11-15).
And of their blood, some shall be held accountable. Because they didn’t do what Jesus commanded them to do.
‘Sigues la sal de la terra’
