Athletes, cult leaders, and stars of stage and screen, all have had their brief moment of glory but were eventually reduced to dust and ashes.

No-one made greater claims for himself than Jesus Christ. Though constantly challenged over the past two thousand years, millions have found the claims to be true, where it matters - in their personal life and daily experience.

4:I am the Good Shepherd, (John 10:1-21)

I quickly realised that the way of life hadnít changed much over 2000 years, when by 4.00pm most afternoons I was hot, tired and glad to sit in the shade overlooking the city wall and the wilderness beyond. After a day or two I became aware of a shepherd, returning home after a day spent with his flock in the desert.

Having grown up in the Kentish countryside I was used to sheep grazing in orchards around the village. But now I had to remember that I was in an eastern country, and that things were done differently here. First, I noticed that the shepherd led the sheep - he didnít drive them to where he wanted them to go. Then I noticed that he counted them in, making sure that not one was missing and left out in the wilderness. And there was something else. The shepherd evidently knew each sheep individually and even called each by its name, greeting it with an affectionate touch - just as I do to my greyhound, Jess, when returning home.

In this everyday event, Bible ways and truths were being displayed, and will help us appreciate the significance of this monthís amazing claim by Jesus Christ.

As on other occasions, Jesus made his claim to be the 'Good Shepherd' following an incident involving someone in need. Jesus had met a man blind from birth. The disciples presumed someone was to blame. Was it God's judgement? Had the man sinned? Or his parents? Jesus explained, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'

Jesus then did an amazing thing: he spat on the ground, mixed it with earth, and smeared the mud on the blind man's eyes! 'Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam'

Jesus told him. The man made his way down the steep hillside to the pool below and washed the mud from his eyes - and discovered that he could see!

Those who had known him from birth, and had seen him begging daily couldnít believe he was the same man, but he explained, 'The man called Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.'

People were so amazed that the man was taken to the religious leaders who asked how the miracle had been performed. The healed man told his story once more. When the man's parents were called, and confirmed their son had been born blind, the religious leaders resorted to dirty tricks rather than acknowledge that a miracle had taken place, proving that Jesus was God in human form. They branded Jesus a 'sinner' - because he healed the man on the Sabbath day! Not only this, they insulted the healed man, then threw him out of the synagogue - and threatened to do the same to anyone else who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ.

Against this background of blindness, bigotry and bias, Jesus announced that he was the 'Good Shepherd'. The religious leaders also claimed to be true shepherds, when they were really thieves and robbers who stole and killed. Some were only in the job for profit, and abandoned the sheep when wolves threatened to attack, caring nothing for the sheep in their care.

In contrast, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who calls his sheep by name, and safely leads them to the best pasture. He doesn't abandon them when danger threatens, rather he willingly gives his life that his sheep may live. The sheep know their Shepherdís voice, and follow him. They will not follow strangers.

There are many false 'shepherds' today who urge us to join their group. Often, for them Jesus is not than the great 'I AM' - the Lord God of the Bible. Only the Good Shepherd can say, 'I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.' This he offers to those who recognise his voice and follow him.

Michael Toogood