Jesus presents Himself as the True vine (in contrast to faithless Israel) and genuine Christians as branches who bear fruit because they abide in Christ and His love, drawing life from the vine. Those who have no fruit are exposed as fake Christians who will experience the judgment of God. The Father will prune true believers so that they bear much fruit and bring glory to the Father. Jesus promises joy and answered prayer to those who, shaped by His Word, obey His commandments and love others.

Jesus quieted His disciples’ hearts just before His crucifixion by assuring them that He was preparing a place for them in Heaven, revealing Himself as the way, and the truth and the life, the sole way to the Father and the visible embodiment of the invisible God.

Jesus has come to give life to his people.

In order to deliver them from eternal death, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for the sheep (both Jews and Gentiles) and took it up again by the Father’s authority, gathering all His sheep into one flock with one shepherd, who know and are known by Him.

True faith continues to walk in the wisdom of God, Jesus Christ, who alone is sufficient for life and godliness.

Living by faith means trusting Christ’s final justice, confident that his deliverance on the cross prevails for you already despite the distress you face right now.

Without a good and faithful shepherd all are lost, victims of thieves and robbers who will steal and kill and destroy the sheep. In Christ we have a shepherd who is faithful and true, and he is calling the names of his sheep; if you hear his voice then come and find shelter and pasture through him now and forever.

Jesus made the bold claim to be the light of the world, then defended that claim against the challenge of the Pharisees, claiming a unique origin and destiny and citing the corroborating testimony of God the Father (who is known only by those who know the Son).

Jesus Christ boldly proclaimed Himself to be the bread of life, who, by the offering of His life, will certainly give eternal life to and raise up at the last day those who believe in Him because they have been granted to Him and drawn to Him by the Father.

In his brief word of exhortation, the writer of Hebrews has set the bar of Christian living incredibly high, but he also assures us that the God of peace, who instituted the eternal covenant through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (our Great Shepherd), will equip us to do all that He commands, resulting in glory to Jesus Christ forever.