Mary had a little lamb.

Mary had a little lamb…

His fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,

Her lamb was sure to go.

Jesus used
pictures and parables to get His point across, often very simple ones.
This is because we, as human beings, cannot process much more of His
magnificence than that. We need it simplified. And we barely understand THAT.
Simplicity in story also allows us to yearn for MORE and more; the mysteries of
the kingdom are what keep our faith and hope alive.

WE, as Christians
are referred to as sheep: Dirty, stinky, dumb sheep. In this parable, Jesus is
the good shepherd, who cares about every individual in His flock. He will even
go looking for them if they run astray. His gate provides green pastures. His
gate saves. He knows His sheep, just as we know Him. He brings sheep from other
flocks and creates ONE. He lays down His life for His sheep. Then He takes it
back up again.

It’s interesting…
Jesus, himself, was also referred to as a “lamb”. We sing, “Worthy is the lamb
that was slain, holy, holy is He” (Rev 5:12). Jesus, the Lamb, was slaughtered
as a symbol of redemption. No longer do actual sheep need to be slaughtered as
Passover, but He gets the job done for eternity.