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Peter said, “The elders which are among you I exhort, feed the flock of God which is among you” (1 Peter 5:1-2). And again, “Feed the church of God” (Acts 20:28). Paul admonishes pastors to “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). Pastors, we are to feed our people the word. As shepherds we are to give our lives in service to our flock. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

They give their lives for their sheep.

If you desire to be a good shepherd, mimic Jesus, the “good shepherd.” Characteristics of good shepherds: All pastors of his Church are under-shepherds of His flock. Peter referred to Jesus as the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4). Jesus is our door of safety and security. A door keeps out unwanted forces from without. You cannot get into God’s kingdom apart from him. All who attempt to enter by any other means are thieves and robbers (John 10:8). No one can get into the kingdom of God without going through Jesus. Jesus is the door into the sheepfold of God’s kingdom and family. Also see “The Deity of Jesus Christ.” I Am the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9) For other proof texts of Jesus’ divinity read: John 1:1 5:18, 10:30-33 Colossians 2:9 Hebrews 1:8 and Revelation 1:8. The Jews knew he was claiming to be very God which is why they wanted to stone him. The penalty for blasphemy was death by stoning. Proof of this was that they “took up stones to throw at him” (John 5:59). And He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus was claiming to be the very “I AM” God who spoke to Moses through the burning bush, the self existent one. The more time we spend in his presence the more of his glory, truth and holiness will be revealed to this world. We will radiate more of his glory like Moses after spending forty days in God’s presence, the more his truth will be revealed to and through us and the brightness of his holiness will be manifest in our lives.

The more time we spend in Jesus’ presence the brighter our light will become. As the moon has no light of it’s own but reflects the light of the sun, we too merely reflect Jesus’ light. It’s important to realize we have no light without Jesus. Light physically represents glory, philosophically truth and morally holiness. Paul said, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Jesus went on to say, “He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Jesus also said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Let’s taste of the “bread of life” daily. Job cried, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). Jeremiah said, “Your words were found and I ate them” (Jeremiah 15:16). Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). As seen in the context, this applies to a steady diet of God’s Word. Peter said, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3). The Psalmist said, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalms 34:8). As Israel ate manna daily for their sustenance, so we must partake of Jesus daily. We could as easily live without bread than without Jesus. We cannot survive spiritually without Jesus. Jesus sustains us spiritually in all wilderness experiences in life. Manna sustained their physical life while in the wilderness.

He said this in the context of speaking about the manna God gave Israel in the wilderness. I Am the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48, 51)