Lay down one's life

[caseylok]

Jesus not only taught His disciples that He would lay down His life so that they might live; but also He lived out this unselfish act of sacrifice when He went to be nailed to the Cross so that our sins were atoned once and for all. I was reminded through my recent meditation on Matthew chapter 27. The guards jeered at Him to come down from the Cross if He was really the Son of God. Indeed, Jesus could call upon God to send forth legion of angels to battle against the Roman soldiers who had spat, slapped, ridiculed and crucified Him. Yet in His meekness, He submitted to His Father’s will by laying down His life; He was led away like a lamb to be slaughtered and did not open His mouth.

Laniak uses this example of Jesus as well as Peter in the final paragraph of this chapter in emphasizing to all shepherd leaders the meaning of laying down our own lives. Just as Peter was also called to suffer death on the cross as modeled by His shepherd, we are to die to those areas of our lives which hinder us from being a shepherd after God’s own heart. We will have difficulty laying down our lives when we try to keep our lives and protect ourselves. This will be like a bad shepherd who looks not only to his own interests; but also he is unwilling to sacrifice his time or resources when it is called for.

This important principle for shepherd to lay down his life is also reflected in the section of the book under Moses’ leadership. His impatience with the people’s whining led him to his rash and irreverent act towards God. As a result, he was denied entry into the promised land. Though it was a punishment upon him; it could be perceived as a sacrifice made since Moses is being interpreted as a type of Christ. Therefore, a shepherd leader needs to prepare to forego his own agenda or personal interest for the sake of the people.