November 9, 2025 - Jesus In All | Jesus Is the Chief Shepherd

The imprint of Peter upon the early church was stronger than that of any of the other original Twelve Apostles. He was the most prominent disciple during Jesus’ lifetime, and the first twelve chapters of Acts are devoted to his ministry and to that of the church in the East, where he was still the dominant figure. Peter, once a fisherman, writes these letters in the midst of localized fiery persecution under Nero (ca A.D. 64–68). The Roman Empire was aflame with cruelty, and believers scattered across Asia Minor needed encouragement to stand firm under trial. There were no empire-wide persecutions of Christians—until the brutal one under Decius (A.D. 249-51), but local ones could be quite severe.

Peter calls Christians to perseverance, holiness, and hope — pointing them to Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, who guards, guides, and will one day glorify His flock. Just as David sang in the Book of Psalms, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, Peter reminds weary believers that Jesus is not just any shepherd—He is the ultimate Overseer of our souls.