Sheep, and wolves
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L
John 10:25-27
(25) Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
(26) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
(27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
That is true but, it does not say that there are other shepherds
F
No doubt. In the past I've worked with a lot of young and new believers and as much as I love their passion / zeal and feel that we should do everything in our power to help that passion grow into a deep love for God and others, in some cases I have witnessed (early in my christian walk) their zeal turn into a haughtiness and full blown rebellion. It's a shame when it happens however, I don't blame theme but rather poor discipleship.
A
A young convert doesnt come into the church looking and acting like a sheep. I think the analogy can be overused or even misunderstood, when mixed
with judgement. Especially with judgement based on our feelings or acceptance. In fact its done all the time. Peter tried to cut a man in half with his
passion, good thing he wasnt very good in his aim or Jesus would have had to put two halves togather, not just an ear. It takes time for people to mature
some more than others. He said it will be done tho. Sanctified, and glorified, conformed into the image of His Son. Thats His work. Not ours.
So while you have a young believer still acting like a wolf, with a minister of light propped up with perfectly loving sheepy looks with all the kindhearted,
humble looking pure sounding words. Well I wouldnt be so quick to judge. Its not that I dont see or respect what the Lord said or intended. Im saying,
appearance alone mixed with feelings will make what was intended for good evil.
with judgement. Especially with judgement based on our feelings or acceptance. In fact its done all the time. Peter tried to cut a man in half with his
passion, good thing he wasnt very good in his aim or Jesus would have had to put two halves togather, not just an ear. It takes time for people to mature
some more than others. He said it will be done tho. Sanctified, and glorified, conformed into the image of His Son. Thats His work. Not ours.
So while you have a young believer still acting like a wolf, with a minister of light propped up with perfectly loving sheepy looks with all the kindhearted,
humble looking pure sounding words. Well I wouldnt be so quick to judge. Its not that I dont see or respect what the Lord said or intended. Im saying,
appearance alone mixed with feelings will make what was intended for good evil.
And yet, one of the saddest things I have ever seen is when a person's passion for Jesus turns into religion.
Passion through the flesh is sin. Passion from the Spirit and the heart that is in love with Jesus is not evil.
Also, I know that our growth into maturity in Jesus Christ is from the Spirit, and that makes me passionate that this truth be known more than it is now.
Passion through the flesh is sin. Passion from the Spirit and the heart that is in love with Jesus is not evil.
Also, I know that our growth into maturity in Jesus Christ is from the Spirit, and that makes me passionate that this truth be known more than it is now.
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L
John 10:1-5
(1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
(2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
(3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
(4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
(5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
No I think you should read it, it does not say that there are other shepherds. God's people are sheep not shepherds.
Matthew 23:8
(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
(1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
(2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
(3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
(4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
(5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
No I think you should read it, it does not say that there are other shepherds. God's people are sheep not shepherds.
Matthew 23:8
(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
And yet, we see in verse 7 that Jesus says that He is the door.
Jesus is not saying that there are not other shepherds. Indeed, when He sees Peter after the resurrection and just before His ascension, He tells him to feed His sheep. Peter was a shepherd. And the response of Jesus to Peter's affirmative answer that he loves Him is to feed His sheep.
But I believe that the only way to be a good shepherd of Jesus Christ is to have Jesus speak through us, and to have Jesus love the sheep through us, and to feed the sheep through us.
The true sheep will not follow a stranger, because they will not hear the Master's voice in them.
Jesus is not saying that there are not other shepherds. Indeed, when He sees Peter after the resurrection and just before His ascension, He tells him to feed His sheep. Peter was a shepherd. And the response of Jesus to Peter's affirmative answer that he loves Him is to feed His sheep.
But I believe that the only way to be a good shepherd of Jesus Christ is to have Jesus speak through us, and to have Jesus love the sheep through us, and to feed the sheep through us.
The true sheep will not follow a stranger, because they will not hear the Master's voice in them.
A
John 21:16-18
New King James Version (NKJV)
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[a] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
New King James Version (NKJV)
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[a] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
G
That is what the Bible says, but throughout the New testament are warnings, like "lest the devil take advantage of us or not to put someone young in the faith in too high a position or they could get into pride and follow the devil. If it was as simple as "my sheep hear my voice" we wouldn't have this wolf breeding program in the church. It should be more precisely: "My sheep hear my voice, but sometimes they don't listen too well."
The one obvious wolf that I encountered in my life did unbelievable damage to hundreds of lives and you wouldn't think it was humanly possible (which it likely wasn't of human origin) it was the most mysterious thing I ever saw. but even so as long as the person hasn't gone beyond the point of no return, I think even someone acting like a wolf can be corrected and hear God's voice again.
The one obvious wolf that I encountered in my life did unbelievable damage to hundreds of lives and you wouldn't think it was humanly possible (which it likely wasn't of human origin) it was the most mysterious thing I ever saw. but even so as long as the person hasn't gone beyond the point of no return, I think even someone acting like a wolf can be corrected and hear God's voice again.
I believe that if the sheep are taught to hear His voice, rather that they should and that this is something they can ask for and receive, that the wolves will have much less harmful effect in the flock.
But who teaches this? Instead we are told to be careful of all voices because it might be the devil.
We can know the Master's voice. How? Because we are His sheep. Did you know that in fact the sheep, those that shepherds raise for wool and meat, ba ba sheep, know the shepherds voice? They can hear him but not another. This is why Jesus calls us sheep, plus how sheep are always needing to be led and loved and cared for, and are one of the least offensive animals on the planet.
Sheep who do not know their Master's voice are not in the pasture of the Master. They are in grave danger.
But who teaches this? Instead we are told to be careful of all voices because it might be the devil.
We can know the Master's voice. How? Because we are His sheep. Did you know that in fact the sheep, those that shepherds raise for wool and meat, ba ba sheep, know the shepherds voice? They can hear him but not another. This is why Jesus calls us sheep, plus how sheep are always needing to be led and loved and cared for, and are one of the least offensive animals on the planet.
Sheep who do not know their Master's voice are not in the pasture of the Master. They are in grave danger.
Jesus is the True Shepherd. That does not mean that He does not appoint shepherds to tend His flock. The way you are saying it, every shepherd other than Jesus is a hireling. That just is not true. By the same token, there are shepherds who are hirelings. They do it for the money, and they do not feed the sheep as they should. It has become so bad now that these hirelings actually don't care if the people they are ministering to ever hear the truth, just so long as they keep coming back and giving into the coffers. They have made the flock of God to be merchandise. Their end is just.