Jesus knows that many people commit sins; Jesus understands that we are like sheep that walk away from the group and get ourselves into trouble and in danger; Jesus also knows that we are like sheep because we get afraid, worried and we panic because we think that something really bad is going to happen. Jesus is the good shepherd and the good shepherd takes care of His sheep.
This is what the Bible says about Jesus as the good shepherd:
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:1-16
“Runtii, runtii, waxaan idinku leeyahay, Kii aan xerada idaha illinka ka soo gelin ee meel kale ka soo fuulaa, kaasi waa tuug iyo waxdhace. Laakiin kii illinka ka soo galaa waa adhijirka idaha. Illinjoogaha ayaa isaga illinka ka fura, iduhuna codkiisay maqlaan, idihiisana magacyadooda ayuu ugu yeedhaa, oo dibadduu u kaxeeyaa. Markuu kuwiisa wada saaro, wuu hor kacaa, iduhuna way raacaan, waayo, codkiisay garanayaan. Nin qalaadna raaci maayaan, laakiin way ka cararayaan, waayo, codka kuwa qalaad garan maayaan. Masaalkaas Ciise ayaa kula hadlay iyaga, laakiin ma ay garan waxyaaluhuu kala hadlayay xaggooda.
Haddaba Ciise ayaa mar kale ku yidhi, Runtii, runtii, waxaan idinku leeyahay, Waxaan ahay illinka iduhu ka soo galaan. Kuwii hortay yimid oo dhammu waa tuugag iyo waxdhacayaal, iduhuse ma maqlin. Waxaan ahay illinka, haddii qof uun xaggayga ka soo galo, wuu badbaadi doonaa, wuuna soo geli doonaa oo bixi doonaa, daaq buuna heli doonaa. Tuuggu wax kale uma yimaado inuu wax xado oo dilo oo halleeyo mooyaane, aniguse waxaan u imid inay nolosha haystaan oo ay badnaan u haystaan.
Waxaan ahay adhijirka wanaagsan. Adhijirka wanaagsanu wuxuu naftiisa u bixiyaa idaha daraaddood. Kan ciidanka ah oo aan adhijirka ahayn, iduhuna aanay kuwiisa ahayn, kolkuu arko yeeyda oo soo socota, wuu ka tagaa idaha oo ka cararaa. Markaasay yeeydu qabsataa oo kala firdhisaa iyaga. Wuu cararaa, waayo, isagu waa ciidan uun, oo idaha waxba kama gelin. Waxaan ahay adhijirka wanaagsan; waan garanayaa kuwayga, kuwayguna waa i garanayaan, sida Aabbuhu ii garanayo, anna aan Aabbaha u garanayo; oo naftaydana waan u bixiyaa idaha daraaddood. Ido kale ayaan leeyahay oo aan kuwa xeradan ahayn, kuwaasna waa inaan keenaa, waxayna maqli doonaan codkayga, oo waxaa jiri doona adhi keliya iyo adhijir keliya.” – Yooxanaa 10:1-16
Jesus only wants the best things for you and your life. Jesus cares about all your fears; He cares about everything that you are afraid of. Jesus wants you to be filled with peace and joy. He knows how to heal a broken heart. Jesus knows how to bandage up a broken heart and heal a crushed spirit. He knows how to touch people’s hearts so that they are no longer afraid; Jesus knows how to fill a person’s mind and life with good things; Jesus knows how to care of the sick and the oppressed. Jesus is the good shepherd.
A long time ago in the year 1517 there was a man named Martin Luther. This man loved the Lord Jesus Christ and his fellow human beings. Jesus said
“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
“Kolkaasuu ku yidhi isaga, Waa inaad Rabbiga Ilaahaaga ah ka jeclaataa qalbigaaga oo dhan iyo naftaada oo dhan iyo caqligaaga oo dhan. Kanu waa qaynuunka ugu weyn oo ugu horreeya. Ku labaad oo u ekina waa kan. Waa inaad deriskaaga u jeclaataa sida naftaada. Sharcigii oo dhan iyo nebiyadiiba waxay sudhan yihiin labadan qaynuun.”
Martin Luther loved God with all his heart and wanted other people to understand the message of the Lord. So Martin was ready to put his life in danger to share the message of the Lord. Martin Luther lived in Germany and the Roman Catholic church at that time did not want him to tell the people about the truth in the Bible; so the were going to put Martin in prison. But he escaped and was able to write the Bible into the German language so that all the people of Germany could hear and learn about the message of the Lord.
My dear fellow Somalis – this is what I want for your life. I want you to know the truth about what is written in the Bible. The Bible says that Jesus is the good shepherd who takes care of His sheep. Jesus has sheep from many different tribes and clans and He takes care of them all. Jesus does not reject or turn away anyone who wants to follow Him. Jesus accepts all people and fills everyone’s heart with peace; anyone who calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved; anyone who cries out to the Lord will find help and peace and refuge in the Lord: this is the message of the Lord.
Jesus Christ is the Lord.
We Somalis do not understand the truth about the Bible; how can we understand anything about the Bible if we do not read it for ourselves. Other people may tell us what is in the Bible but how do we know what they are telling us is true. We do not know unless we read the Bible for ourselves; or if someone tells us what is in the Bible.
That is why I am telling you today that the Bible says the Jesus Christ is the good shepherd; that is why I am telling you today that Jesus Christ is the light of the world; He is life itself. He is filled with forgiveness and love for you and all the people in your clan and family. He is filled with love and forgiveness for all Somalis.
Jesus Christ wants you to live a life that is filled with peace and joy. He wants you to feel the peace that your sins have been forgiven and that you have eternal life. He wants you to feel that you are not alone; He will give you His Holy Spirit when you put your faith in Him. God is not a monster who wants to kill and destroy you because you have done something wrong, even if you have done something very bad against another human being; or even if you have sinned against God.
God wants you to accept the fact that you did something wrong; God wants you to accept the fact that you are scared and feel like your soul is not going to heaven when you die; God is interested in the truth. He wants you to admit the truth; God wants you to admit that you cannot get into heaven by your own works; He wants you to understand and confess that you cannot receive eternal life by following the law and living by all the rules and regulations that you think will give you eternal life.
Jesus Christ told the religious leaders of His time:
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
“I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” – John 5:39
“Qorniinka ayaad baadhaan, waayo, waxaad u malaynaysaan inaad nolosha weligeed ah ka helaysaan, waana iyaga kuwa ii marag furayaa. Idinkuna dooni maysaan inaad ii timaadaan inaad nolol lahaataan.
Anigu dadka ammaan kama qaato. Laakiin waan idin aqaan inaan jacaylka Ilaah idinku jirin. Waxaan ku imid Aabbahay magiciis, idinkuna waad i aqbali weydeen. Haddiise mid kale magiciisa ku yimaado, kaasaad aqbalaysaan. Sidee baad u rumaysan kartaan, idinkoo dhexdiinna ammaan iska aqbalaya, oo aydnaan doonayn ammaanta ka timaada Ilaaha keligiis ah? Ha u malaynina inaan Aabbaha idinku ashtakaynayo: kan idin ashtakaynayaa waa Muuse, kii aad isku hallayseen. Waayo, haddaad Muuse rumaysateen, anigana waad i rumaysan lahaydeen, waayo, wax buu iga qoray. Laakiin haddaydnan rumaysan wuxuu qoray, sidee baad u rumaysan doontaan ereyadayda?” – Yooxanaa 5:39-47
May your ears be opened to the truth; may you hear and understand that Jesus Christ is the good shepherd who cares about your soul; may you hear, learn, and understand that Jesus Christ is the good shepherd who takes care of His sheep. If you hear His voice today put your trust and your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
Let us pray.