Jesus, The Good Shepherd

Notes from Meeting on 19 March 2013

Picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd

Luke 15 v 1-7
1 The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him,
2 and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
3 So he told them this parable:
4 'Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it?
5 And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders
6 and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost."
7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.


Zechariah 8
1 The word of Yahweh Sabaoth came as follows:
2 Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I have been burning with jealousy for Zion, with furious jealousy for her sake.
3 Yahweh says this: I am coming back to Zion and shall live in the heart of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called Faithful City and the mountain of Yahweh Sabaoth, the Holy Mountain.
4 Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Aged men and women once again will sit in the squares of Jerusalem, each with a stick to lean on because of their great age.
5 And the squares of the city will be full of boys and girls playing there.
6 Yahweh Sabaoth says this: If this seems a miracle to the remnant of this people (in those days), will it seem one to me? declares Yahweh.
7 Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Look, I shall rescue my people from the countries of the east and from the countries of the west.
8 I shall bring them back to live in the heart of Jerusalem, and they will be my people and I shall be their God, faithful and just.
9 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "Take heart, you who today hear these promises uttered by the prophets since the day when the foundations of the Temple of Yahweh Sabaoth were laid, that the sanctuary would indeed be rebuilt.
10 For up to now, men were not paid their wages and nothing was paid for the animals either; and it has not been safe for anyone to come and go, because of the enemy, since I had set each one against everyone else.
11 But from now on, I shall not treat the remnant of this people as I have treated them in time past -- declares Yahweh Sabaoth.
12 Now they will sow in peace; the vine will give its fruit, the soil will give its produce and heaven will give its dew. I shall bestow all these on the remnant of this people.
13 Just as once you were a curse among the nations, House of Judah and House of Israel, so now I shall save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid. Take heart!"
14 'For Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "Just as I resolved to ill-treat you when your ancestors provoked me to anger and did not relent -- says Yahweh Sabaoth-
15 so now I have changed my mind and intend to treat Jerusalem and the House of Judah well. Do not be afraid!
16 "These are the things that you must do. Speak the truth to one another; at your gates, administer fair judgement conducive to peace;
17 do not secretly plot evil against one another; do not love perjury; since I hate all this -- Yahweh declares." '
18 The word of Yahweh Sabaoth was addressed to me as follows:
19 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth are to become glad, joyful, happy festivals for the House of Judah. So love truth and peace!" '
20 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "In the future, peoples and citizens of many cities will come;
21 and citizens of one city will go to the next and say: We must certainly go to entreat Yahweh's favour and seek out Yahweh Sabaoth; I am going myself.
22 Yes, many peoples and great nations will seek out Yahweh Sabaoth in Jerusalem and entreat Yahweh's favour."
23 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "In those days, ten men from nations of every language will take a Jew by the sleeve and say: We want to go with you, since we have learnt that God is with you." '