The sun and the Son, the shepherds and the Shepherd

“A red sky at night is the shepherd’s delight. A red sky in the morning is the shepherd’s warning.” – Let’s think about the sun and the Son, the shepherds and the Shepherd.

“There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). “Is there anything new?” Yes! There is. Beyond the sun, there is the Son – Jesus Christ the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Jesus comes to us from above. He is “the Man from heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:47). He has come to earth for us: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16). His love is brighter than the brightness of the sun.

“The sun rises and the sun sets” (Ecclesiastes 1:5). The Son rises – “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (2 Timothy 2:8). He never sets – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Our world will come to an end. That will not be the end of our Saviour: “the end will come, when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father” (1 Corinthians 15:24). It will not be the end for us: “everyone who believes in the Son has everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Beyond the human shepherds, there is the divine Shepherd: “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). The Lord takes delight in His Son, Jesus Christ: “This is My beloved Son. With Him, I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). He calls on us to listen to Jesus: “This is My beloved Son … Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). He speaks to us of His love – and He also gives us “the Shepherd’s warning”: “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

Let us give thanks to God – for Jesus, our beloved Saviour.