Sheepherding has changed...
Illustration
Object:
Sheepherding has changed. When I visited the Holy Land a few years ago, I saw a flock of sheep heading down a hill. Then I saw the shepherd coming behind them, urging them along with his rod. The Bible's example is the shepherd leading his sheep! What a difference! The shepherd in front is watching out for any danger to the sheep and warding it off. He "leads" his sheep where he wants them to go. Jesus is that kind of shepherd!
A missionary is an under shepherd looking for stray sheep in many nations. Even Old Testament prophets knew that God had many sheep who were not Jewish. They were the hated Gentiles.
Jesus had one bride -- his church. We are all one. There is not a black bride and an Asian bride, a Russian bride, a French bride, a Nepali bride. Neither is there a Methodist bride, a Baptist bride, a Roman Catholic bride, a Lutheran bride, and so forth. We are all one bride -- one flock in Christ. It is something we must recognize and not something we have to appoint a committee to create.
Sheep can recognize their shepherd and trust him to lead them to their own land. They have to be aware of a false shepherd who only wants to fleece them.
It is important to distinguish who is our true shepherd. Only God's Spirit can do that for us. Be careful of someone coming to your door claiming to know the true and only way to the Lord's kingdom. We should recognize the true shepherd by searching scripture and by being in a church where we find other sheep who have been saved.
I am getting phone calls every week from either a person or a recorded voice that wants to sell me something that will help me live a long, healthy life, something I can't live without. The voice is strong and friendly -- like they are only concerned for me even though they don't know me. There are many voices trained to sound like our true shepherd. Only the true shepherd will lead us into green pastures and protect us from the wolves that are trying to devour us. We must constantly be in prayer that God will save us from false shepherds. Be sure to remain in the Lord's flock so that you can follow the rest of his sheep -- so that he will not have to go looking for you.
Notice that Jesus is both the shepherd and also a lamb. He has become one of us before going up to lead us. He knows what we go through in our life on earth. We can trust him. We are his sheep.
A missionary is an under shepherd looking for stray sheep in many nations. Even Old Testament prophets knew that God had many sheep who were not Jewish. They were the hated Gentiles.
Jesus had one bride -- his church. We are all one. There is not a black bride and an Asian bride, a Russian bride, a French bride, a Nepali bride. Neither is there a Methodist bride, a Baptist bride, a Roman Catholic bride, a Lutheran bride, and so forth. We are all one bride -- one flock in Christ. It is something we must recognize and not something we have to appoint a committee to create.
Sheep can recognize their shepherd and trust him to lead them to their own land. They have to be aware of a false shepherd who only wants to fleece them.
It is important to distinguish who is our true shepherd. Only God's Spirit can do that for us. Be careful of someone coming to your door claiming to know the true and only way to the Lord's kingdom. We should recognize the true shepherd by searching scripture and by being in a church where we find other sheep who have been saved.
I am getting phone calls every week from either a person or a recorded voice that wants to sell me something that will help me live a long, healthy life, something I can't live without. The voice is strong and friendly -- like they are only concerned for me even though they don't know me. There are many voices trained to sound like our true shepherd. Only the true shepherd will lead us into green pastures and protect us from the wolves that are trying to devour us. We must constantly be in prayer that God will save us from false shepherds. Be sure to remain in the Lord's flock so that you can follow the rest of his sheep -- so that he will not have to go looking for you.
Notice that Jesus is both the shepherd and also a lamb. He has become one of us before going up to lead us. He knows what we go through in our life on earth. We can trust him. We are his sheep.
