Words by our Priest-in-Charge:

Disciple of the Good Shepherd

“Therefore My Father loves Me , because I lay down My life that I may take it again . No one takes it from Me , but I lay it down of Myself . I have power to lay it down , and I have power to take it again . This command I have received from My Father .”  John 10:17-18

On 11 November 2012, Britain held their Remembrance Day to remember those who had lost their lives in the 2 World Wars. These men and women laid down their lives to defend the sovereignty of their nation and the freedom of their people. The nation of Britain, led by the Queen, honoured these who sacrificed their lives for an honourable cause on Remembrance Day.

Our Lord Jesus, who came as the Good Shepherd, as prophesied by the prophets, laid down His life for His people and the entire human race. Though sent by the Father, He willingly, out of love and the exercise of His freewill, chose to lay down His life. In so doing, He retained His right to take it up again. Death could not hold down a sinless man who had willingly chosen to lay down His life for the world. Jesus understood the principle well – to remain in freedom, choose freely to obey the Father.

Today we live in a world which under the sway of the devil. A world which seeks to place on us shackles of bondages, by forcing, enticing us into yielding unwillingly to the pressure of life. Many come under the control of the enemy by simply drifting with the flow of prevailing trend and popular culture. How can we be free from all these? Learn from Jesus. Choose to lay down our lives – willingly in obedience of God’s voice. As disciple of Jesus, we are commanded to observe everything that Jesus has commanded us. Do so willingly, and we will experience true freedom.

A missionary, who was faced with the threat of death in the mission field once said, “The day we responded to the call of Jesus and replied, ‘Here am I, Lord’, that is the day we lay down our lives.” We may not be faced with death in our circumstance, but the attitude required of us is the same as disciples of Jesus. We are to lay down our lives at the feet of Jesus. We are to surrender the rights in our lives to Jesus willingly. Then, we shall rise up as victors in life, free from all powers and bondages of the enemy.

When we surrender our lives to our Lord Jesus, He will defend and protect us from the enemy. He is the Good Shepherd.