Bounty And To Spare

Jesus said, Have the people sit down. There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. John 6: 10.

There’s bounty all around. When we hear the word bounty, especially in this setting, we cannot but connect to the word, bountiful. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who makes boast that He has other sheep who are not yet in His fold, shows the bounty we all have in Him. I am compelled to bring these bold, big, exposing words of Jesus, as He speaks fearlessly to Pharisees, people who utterly dislike Him. Most interestingly, Pharisees are themselves very proud shepherds of God’s people and see Shepherd Jesus as an imposter. I offer you only a piece of what Jesus tells these Pharisees.

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: 14 – 16.

This really excites me I tell you, and gives me spirit-filled understanding and unrelenting hope in our Good Shepherd. May you also, who are not there as yet, be captured by the Holy Spirit and brought to His bountiful blessings. Think about it. Those thousands of people who were tracking Jesus, and would not let Him go, even to remote places, without finding Him, were not really His disciples. John 6: 2b tells us that these people followed Jesus, because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 

What I am being shown, is how Jesus embraces every single one as His sheep, to provide them with His bounty. Does not this scene activate these words of Jesus? Do they not live within you, in spirit and in truth? 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.  Don’t you see this crowd that is coming to Jesus, as other sheep? Can’t you see how Jesus is bringing them in with His bountiful Love and Compassion? O yes! O yes, doubly! Believe, for yourself and others, who are not yet in the fold, that Jesus will bring you in. Come to Him, even if it is only for His healing powers. Come, you are guaranteed that He will do the rest. His Love conquers many a stony, wayward heart. Yes, this is green pastures for you. 

We continue with the bounty before us. Having seen the Beauty of Jesus as His chosen Place, in our Green Pastures and having been made aware of the Brevity of Jesus, in His chosen Proceedings or actions in our Green Pastures, we turn to His Bounty. There is the Bounty of Jesus in His chosen Produce, in our Green Pastures. Let me highlight three areas of bounty. I will bring you one now and conclude tomorrow with the other two.  

There is bounty in Room provided – We have already noted, with positive sighting that the place where Jesus chose to take His disciples had plenty of grass there. Jesus chose a faraway place, but a bountiful place, in that it was spacious, enough to hold all who would be coming to Him. There was room for all, so that none would be left out, who would be coming to Him. Room for all!

Do you know that there is room in the heart of Jesus for you? Our Shepherd, who is our Green Pastures, has room for you and to spare.