Good Shepherd

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By the way, this fulfills the prophecy of the messiah from Psalm 34:20 (which is quoted in John 19:36): “He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Also, Jesus freely gave Himself to be sacrificed in an act of obedience. In Matthew 26:39, we read, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

This metaphor of Jesus being the Lamb of God is powerful because it helps us understand that Jesus’ death on the cross was not just a tragic, random event, but rather a sacrifice planned by God that atones for our sins.

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd is a metaphor used by Jesus in John 10 to describe His willingness to lay down His life for the good of His flock, as well as the intimacy and trust that exists between Jesus and those that follow Him.

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

2. John 10:14: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

3. John 10:27: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

The analogy of a shepherd and his sheep is also deeply rooted in the Old Testament, as God is often described as a shepherd who cares for His people. For example:

1. In Psalm 23, David writes, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”

2. In Psalm 80:1, we see, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.”

3. In Isaiah 40:11, we read, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

This imagery of God as a shepherd who provides for His people is similar to the way Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. It illustrates His willingness to sacrifice Himself for the sake of humanity as well as His deep personal relationship with each person. It also emphasizes the importance of us who are following Jesus to trust in His guidance.

Bottom line, the analogies of the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd are two of the most powerful and meaningful metaphors in the New Testament. They help us understand the nature of Jesus and His mission on Earth. They also show us that Jesus is not just a historical figure, but someone who loved us enough to die for us and redeem us, as well as someone to guide us on our path through life.

At question – have you received by faith the blood of His sacrifice, and have you made Him your shepherd? n

Daniel Bobinski, Th.D., is an award-winning and best-selling author and a popular speaker at conferences and retreats. Reach him at danielbobinski@protonmail.com or (208) 375-7606.

Many people have built up large amounts of assets in th eir IRAs. After your lifetime, how will these assets impact the people who inherit them?

✔`Allow you the continued use of your IRA today

✔ Provide for continued tax-free growth of assets

✔ Allow your heirs to slo wly “SIP ” the asset payments over their lifetime

✔ Protect the principal of their inheritance to be used over their lifetime

✔ Provide tax savings to your family because they are not forced to take large distributions over a shor t period increasing their income .

Why was a SIP Trust created?

Prior to 2019, an IRA owner, upon their death, had a choice of transferring assets to their heirs either in a lump sum or over the bene ciary’s lifetime. e bene t to making payments over the bene ciary’s lifetime were: a) e IRA principal continued to grow tax-free over the bene ciary’s lifetime, b) e bene ciary didn’t have taxes on a lump sum distribution value, and c) By making payments over the bene ciary’s life, the IRA principal was not lost by lump sum purchases by the bene ciary. e Sec ure Act of 2019 removed these bene ts for most heirs with some exceptions (i.e. spouse, etc.). e SIP Trust restores these bene ts to families.

Leaving large sums to others can be bene cial or sometimes cause problems. What happens to the money if they receive a lump sum. Will they be able to manage the money well? Will there be unforeseen circumstances such as debt, divorce, or market uctuations that could deplete all the funds. In the past, the “ lifetime” stretch feature protected those inheriting IRA assets. ey were able to stretch out payments over their entire life, thereby protecting the IRA’s principal value and not forcing large distributions over a short period, which would increase their income and thus increase their tax burden.

Now using the SIP Trust, you can recover the stretch feature for your bene ciaries.

Durant, ChFC® FC EP Director of Gift Planning