Sheep

Our Good Shepherd

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11 ESV

I am pretty sure than when Jesus called us sheep, it was not a compliment. No matter how many sweet coloring book pictures we fill in of pure white sheep strolling through pastures, it doesn’t make it so. Sheep are helpless, and that is their best attribute. Next, they are dirty and last of all, not particularly bright. He didn’t intend for us to respond by saying, “Wow! God made us sheep! Now life will be perfect!” No! Instead, Jesus wanted us to know that as sheep, we were in need of a shepherd. And as He points out in John chapter ten, not all shepherds are equal. Some just show up for the pay. They do the minimum, by making sure we don’t starve to death or die of thirst. But when a real problem – like a WOLF! – shows up, they are as gone as a snowball in… well you know where!

But the Good Shepherd…that would be Jesus. He didn’t see the wolf and run. Instead, he stayed between us and the fangs and killed the wolf but died in the battle for our soul. Now that’s a Good Shepherd worth following, and if He said that He is the good shepherd and I am His sheep it means that I belong to Him! I do hope you will take time to read the entire story of the Good Shepherd in the book of John and that you will be blessed with this short message given at Life Care Center this past week.

Will We Follow?

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

We each have a role in Psalm twenty-three
Ours is to follow, Our Father’s to lead
He owns the green pastures where He offers us rest
And He leads by still waters on the path that is best
Will we choose to lie down
Will we worry instead?
Will we follow HIs footsteps
Through the valley ahead?

Will we sit at the table, He’s prepared with His treasure
While the enemy watches He fills cups beyond measure
Will we rest and receive?
Will we stay? Will we leave?
For a home waits ahead
For all those who believe!

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
He leadeth me beside the still waters
Psalm 23:1-2 KJV

Will we Follow?
by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2025 all rights reserved

The Road to Our Shepherd’s Home

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures... And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:1;6b ESV

Hidden within Psalm twenty-three is the story of an invitation for us to follow God on a journey that starts with green pastures and ends at HIs home. But today, living in between those two bookends, usually includes ups and downs, confusing moments, and even some personal failures. But through everything we go through, God is teaching us to trust Him. First, we need to trust Him enough to follow the straight and narrow path that leads towards a dangerous looking valley. Along the way, we will hear howling wolves prowling around on the hilltops on either side of our pathway, and sometimes we may wonder if we should just turn around and run away but we need to remind ourselves that we are not alone. Our Good Shepherd is still with us and if we look to the Shepherd, we will see that He isn’t worried, and then He smiles at us and points to the heavy rod tucked in His belt, and He reminds us that He knows exactly how to deal with wolves. Then, He takes HIs staff and tapping our side gently, turning us sometimes to the left other times to the right. Then, if we keep following, the narrow path widens out into a meadow, where we will see a beautiful table that our Shepherd has prepared filled with delicious food, set up here in this most unexpected place. After eating, our Shepherd pours a bit of oil on His hands and then massages it into the wool on our head and around our ears. This rest has been delightful, but soon, it is time to head out again. Our Shepherd leads us back on the road, but this time He smiles, pointing behind, where we see His goodness and mercy following us, almost like sheepdogs, every step of the way. Finally, just up ahead, the road comes to an end, in front of a strangely familiar house. Though we have never seen this place before, as we look closely, we suddenly realize that this is the place that God has been telling us about from the beginning. Then as we eagerly get ready to step through the door, our Shepherd stops one final time and reminds us that our long journey has only been possible, because before we began, He laid down His life for us!

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