235 - Jesus is My Good Shepherd#
235 - Jesus is My Good Shepherd
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Life of Eagles)
John 10:10-16
10 The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You, You are our good shepherd. The good shepherd cares for the flock, You laid down Your life for us, willing for us to benefit. As a new week begins, we look to You for strength to live a new life. Help every brother and sister who seeks You, renew our minds and thoughts, let us know more about this great shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ. Thank You and praise You. In Jesus Christ's name we pray, Amen! Hallelujah!
The topic of sharing is: Jesus is My Good Shepherd
In the Jewish region, there are two types of people engaged in shepherding: the first type is the shepherd who tends his own flock, known as the shepherd, whose profession is shepherding, which we also have in China. The other type is the hired hand, who tends someone else's flock for pay. Both are shepherds, and it seems their work is the same, but essentially there is a difference. For the shepherd, the sheep are his own, and he considers everything for the sheep. If danger or difficulty arises, he is willing to lay down his life for the sheep. If one sheep goes missing, he will go out to find it because it is his flock. A good shepherd may even name each of his sheep. If one goes missing, he will search high and low for it. Those who have seen shepherding or have raised sheep will understand this! If someone has a pet that accidentally gets sick and dies, they will be sad for many days! Sheep are more docile than other animals and can help us understand what obedience and compassion are.
As mentioned earlier, if it is his own sheep, the shepherd will consider everything for the sheep. But for the hired hand, the sheep are not his own, and he does not care for them. Once danger arises, he will do something completely different from the shepherd. If a wolf comes, the hired hand will not fight the wolf for the sheep; he will first protect himself because the sheep are not his own. When danger arises, the first thing he does is abandon the sheep to save himself.
When Jesus spoke these words, the Jews present could understand, and they knew this was a very common situation. They also knew the difference between a shepherd and a hired hand, but they did not necessarily understand what Jesus meant by the shepherd and the hired hand: the shepherd Jesus spoke of refers to Himself, while the hired hand refers to the Pharisees and scribes of that time.
God entrusted the flock to the scribes and Pharisees, who occupied the synagogues and had the complete law, statutes, and ordinances. They should manage this flock and think well of them. However, when Jesus came, the temple was not a temple, the shepherds were not shepherds, and the sheep were everywhere. Jesus had compassion on them, preached to them, and healed them. These things should have been done by the scribes and Pharisees who were supposed to shepherd or serve in the temple. They were well-versed in the law and various rituals but did not understand what God's heart was. Jesus meant that He is the good shepherd who truly lays down His life for the sheep.
Why does the shepherd lay down his life for the sheep? In other words, why did Jesus lay down His life for us? To give us life and to have it abundantly. This is the answer from the Bible. Why did Jesus lay down His life for us? Because we do not have life. If life could be obtained without laying down His life, Jesus would not have had to die. It is precisely because there is no other way for us to obtain life that He had to die. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, but only Jesus, this sinless body, died for us, the guilty, so that we could receive His life. Jesus not only gives you life but also gives you abundant life. Hallelujah!
We belong to Jesus Christ. He not only allows you to live like a person but also enables you to live like a successful person. In the eyes of the world, you are a successful person; in our eyes, you are a person with abundant life. Hallelujah! Jesus not only wants to save you into the kingdom of heaven but also wants you to be victorious in everything in life. He will think of you as our great shepherd of souls. This good shepherd laid down His life for us and considers everything for us. This is the Jesus you believe in. He is your Lord, your helper, your comforter, and your protector.
Why does the shepherd carry a rod and a staff? The rod has a hook at the end; if a sheep accidentally gets stuck in a crevice, and he cannot reach it, he needs to use the rod to pull the sheep out. Why does he also carry a staff? What is the staff for? Some say it is used to hit disobedient sheep hard. Those who say this must not understand what shepherding is. How many true shepherds would carry a whip and hit the sheep every day? That would definitely be a hired hand, easily distinguishable. A true shepherd only swings the whip in the air and absolutely does not want to hit the sheep. Even if he does hit the sheep, he does so gently, guiding it back to the right path, rather than beating it to death and then eating it. A true shepherd does not do such things, so Jesus is your helper, comforter, and protector.
The scribes and Pharisees at that time could not stand to see Jesus giving so much to the people without seeking anything in return. This was their responsibility, which they did not fulfill, yet they could not tolerate others doing it and even attacked Him. Such things also happen in today's world. Many brothers and sisters are sick, facing problems and pressures, coming to the church. We heal them in the name of the Lord Jesus, and they say: "You are heretics; healing has long passed." Some brothers and sisters have been set free, and they say: "Your freedom is fake; it is the work of the devil." This is just like what the Pharisees did at that time. Jesus freed these people, and the Pharisees and scribes said Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons.
In John 9, Jesus healed a man who was born blind. The man born blind was helpless, and others could do nothing. If this blind man were your brother or sister and came before the scribes and Pharisees saying: "Heal me, please help me," what would the scribes and Pharisees do? They would say: "Healing has long ceased; there is no healing." Or they might tell you: "Your sins are too many; God cannot heal you! First, cleanse your sins." Wouldn't there be these two outcomes?
Brothers and sisters, how did Jesus solve this problem at that time? If you look closely at John 9, this indeed happened. They surrounded the man born blind, not healing him in the name of the Lord Jesus, but discussing what caused this man to be blind. Was it his sin or his parents' sin? They were not doing the right thing. If discussion were useful, they would have already helped others. After Jesus came, He stopped the disciples' discussion and said: "It is neither his sin nor his parents' sin, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." Jesus healed him, and the man born blind was healed.
Originally, this was something to make everyone happy; there was a healing, and the church would be joyful. But on the contrary, after this man was healed, Jesus left, and they surrounded the healed man asking: "Tell us how you were healed? Who healed you?" They did not genuinely want to know who healed him; they were saying: "Who is so bold as to heal you!" When you read chapter 9, do you realize that the Pharisees did not care for the man born blind but went to great lengths to make things difficult for him, forming a very clear contrast with Jesus? You can see who is the hired hand and who is the shepherd. They kept asking the man: "You tell us, who healed you?"
John 9:30, the man answered: "He opened my eyes, and you do not know where he comes from; this is amazing!"
Did this man have theological knowledge? No. Could he recite the law? This man was born blind and probably did not have their level of theological or religious knowledge. Because he was blind, he could not learn many things, but he knew one thing: "He opened my eyes, and you do not know where he comes from. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:30-33)
What this man without theological knowledge said was very correct! But the Pharisees and scribes answered: "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out. Does this sound a bit like today's world? When a person is healed, they will ask you: "Tell me, who healed you?"
"I heard a certain pastor preach, and I was healed."
"He is a heretic, and you are a heretic! Get out!"
They cast out the man born blind, saying: "You are entirely born in sin; do you think you have the right to teach us? Are we wrong?"
They do not look at the outcome; they only care whether you listen to them. In the eyes of the Pharisees, this man born blind had no right to speak to them, so they attacked and drove away the healer. Why did this happen? Because they were hired hands, concerned about their own interests and reputation. Once these were threatened, their true colors showed, full of condemnation and complaints. When a man born blind spoke such spiritual words, could they bear it? So there is a wisdom here: if you are in a church where your shepherd is such a person, do not confront him; just obey.
The true shepherd, Jesus, has a unique perspective and must possess the following three characteristics.
First: To give sheep life and to have it abundantly.
This is what a true shepherd should do. The shepherd constantly thinks of the sheep, so he needs enough patience to seek them, guide them, and feed them, ensuring their lives grow healthily. In other words, if you have a hundred sheep and one goes missing, it requires patience to search for it. If it were a hired hand, he would say: "If it is so disobedient, let it die!" Who told it to be disobedient? The hired hand would not want to go. It is difficult to search at night, needing patience and genuine love; otherwise, he would not want to do this. "It is just one sheep; what does it matter? I can just raise two more!" But look at how Jesus does it.
In Luke 15, if there are a hundred sheep and one goes missing, Jesus leaves the ninety-nine in the fold and goes to seek the lost one. The Bible says He searches until He finds it! It requires patience! Sheep can go astray; this is normal because sheep are near-sighted and cannot see well, so we need to seek them. If someone in your family or a friend has not yet believed in Jesus, their vision is even more limited, only seeing immediate benefits. How do sheep go astray? It is because of the immediate benefits; they see a patch of grass and wonder why no one else sees it. "My shepherd has not seen it; I will eat it first and then look back." When they look back, they find no one is there. Did the shepherd really not see? The shepherd already knows where to lead the sheep.
What does Psalm 23 say? "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
This means that in the shepherd's eyes and heart, there is already something better than what you see. Jesus guides you in this way. You may think this is already good, but Jesus wants to take you to the best place. So do not give up following Jesus because of immediate benefits. The true shepherd wants the sheep to have life and to have it abundantly. You may think this patch of grass is great, but there is no water here. What if you eat too much and choke? He wants to take you to a place with water and green pastures, where you can lie down safely and without danger.
So a true shepherd needs enough patience. As you enter into service in the future, you will also need this kind of patience. Patience is a character trait. A change in life takes time. A person coming to know Jesus needs time to change, and there must be enough love and patience to accommodate them. You cannot say that if a sheep runs away, when it comes back, you will beat it to death and hang it up to dry to see if it will run away again! The shepherd does not do this; the shepherd will guide it.
Ezekiel 34:15-16:
15 "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice."
Ezekiel is a prophetic book, and the content of prophetic books discusses one message: the people of Israel have gone astray, and as a result, God will personally save them and bring them back. This is a major theme! In this passage, the Lord God says, "I will be the shepherd of my sheep," which proves that the current shepherds are unqualified, and the kings are unqualified, leading the people into slavery and to other gods. God says: "I will be the shepherd of my sheep." When God wants to be the shepherd of the sheep personally, what kind of care will result?
"I must seek the lost," which proves that no one is looking for the lost. The current shepherd is merely a hired hand who does not seek the lost; "I will bring back the strayed." Why was the blind man cast out? Because he was too spiritual, and they had to drive him away; "I will bind up the injured." Why did he get injured? It may be the sheep's problem or his own problem. In any case, he is injured; what should we do? Bind him up and heal him; "I will heal the sick." Isn't this all about the sheep?
Later, "I will destroy the fat and the strong." God loves the weak, the lost, and the strayed; does He not want the sheep to live healthily? What does this mean? Many people misunderstand the meaning of the Bible, saying the more pitiful you are, the more God has compassion; the more sick you are, the more God feels sorry for you. If you are healthy, you will have trouble; if you are wealthy, you will have trouble. Does God not want to see us well? What is this really talking about?
"I will destroy the fat and the strong." The fat and strong are those who have eaten the fat of other sheep. If you read Ezekiel carefully, you will understand that they do not care for the flock but instead eat the healthy ones, making themselves fat. The lost, the weak, and the strayed are the ones He wants; the Lord will personally seek them! We are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we must seek the lost, the strayed, the injured, and the sick.
I once visited a church where a brother and sister had the gift of praise. I asked him: "How did you come to this church from thousands of miles away?" The brother said: "I used to sing in underground bars. Although I earned a lot, tens of thousands a week, even fifty or sixty thousand, I was looked down upon! Because I was an underground singer, the people who went there were all mixed up; others thought those people were not decent, not clean. But this brother was just trying to make a living.
He went to church and told the pastor he wanted to serve in the church. After understanding his situation, the pastor said: "You are not worthy to serve in the holy temple; you are unclean." He felt he might have gone to the wrong place and went to a big church, only to get the same result. Until one day, he came to a grace church, and the pastor said: "They do not want you, but I do, because God delights in you; you have a heart to serve." Many times, we may inadvertently reject people, so do not be like those scribes and Pharisees. The strayed, we welcome! Do not care about what you are doing now or what you have done in the past; you are welcome to come back at any time!
The doors of our church are always open to you. I do not care about your past or what your work is like; it does not matter. What matters is that you are willing to come and seek Jesus. The shepherd here says: "I will be the shepherd of my sheep," referring to Jesus Christ. As church shepherds, servants, and evangelists, we should also lead the body to receive life and abundant life. This is the first characteristic of the shepherd: to give sheep life and to have it abundantly.
Second: To lay down His life for the sheep.
Jesus laid down His life for the sheep, referring to His being nailed to the cross for the sins of sinners. Many preachers say: "We lay down our lives for the sheep; can we stop shouting slogans?" To be honest, laying down your life for others requires great faith and courage. Moreover, how many opportunities do you have in your life to lay down your life for others? There are really not many. To be practical, it is enough for you to have a selfless heart for the flock. Because the Bible says Jesus told us: "To love others, the greatest is to lay down one's life for friends; this is the greatest love." There is no greater love between people than this; it is the greatest. There is no need to bring out the greatest; just do the small things first!
As shepherds and servants, we must have a selfless heart. For whom do we lay down our lives? For the brothers and sisters, for the benefit of others, willingly sacrificing personal interests, especially when the body or the church faces persecution and danger. Can you stand up and defend them? This is laying down your life for the sheep. To clarify, it means in life, do not only look out for yourself; always think of others. This is enough, Amen!
Third: To know my sheep.
Does Jesus know you? Yes, if Jesus does not know me, that would be a problem. Many people say: "I have prayed, but God may not hear me." Do you know what this means? You may think Jesus does not know you. If He knows you, He can hear you and is willing to listen. For example, if I am chatting with David, and he is speaking to me, we know each other, and he believes I can hear him and that I will respond.
If David is walking down the road and speaks to someone next to him, and that person does not respond, he might think: "Maybe he did not hear me!" "I do not know you; why should I listen to you?" The Lord Jesus knows you; you must believe that He hears your prayers and is willing to accomplish the best for you. Sometimes when God does not accomplish something, it does not mean He has abandoned you; that is two different things! He wants to give you something better!
As mentioned earlier, if you are that sheep, the Lord will lead you forward to the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, beside green pastures and still waters. As you walk along, you say: "Lord, I see a place; that grass looks good!" The Lord does not speak and continues to walk forward. You say: "He does not want me anymore; I will eat by myself!" Is this a wrong decision? Many times, because our prayers are not answered, we say the Lord does not want me anymore, does not hear my prayers, so I will rely on myself! As a result, we get lost. But the Lord's command is: "Look at how the sheep in front of you are walking; just follow them." As long as the shepherd does not say to stop, you continue to walk forward. If you see something good, do not be greedy for that; it is not the best. God wants to give you the best, and when you get to the place, you can eat; it will definitely be better than what you have now.
The people of Israel experienced God for forty years and still did not understand this principle; the second generation did not understand it either. For example, in the book of Exodus: they entered Canaan, and when the spies returned, they said how good that place was. Some of them said: "Moses, I want to discuss something with you. I think this side of the Jordan River is good enough; I will not go over." Moses was angry and said: "You heartless people! The Lord has already said we should go and fight, and He will give us that land as an inheritance, and you still do not want to go! Are you going to leave your wives and children behind?"
In the end, those people compromised: "We will leave our wives and children here and go to fight; after the battle, we will come back and live here." Why did these people insist on living here? Because they analyzed through their own eyes that this place was already good! God wanted them to go to a much better place! Brothers and sisters, if you think this is great, just look at how good what the Lord Jesus gives you is. Why was Paul taken up to the third heaven? He said: "Whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, but he knew that place was indescribably good!" He did not want to come back. Do you understand what I mean? Many people who have seen heaven absolutely do not want to come back. That place is the best; why come back? What the Lord Jesus gives you is the best; He does not give you inferior products.
The Lord Jesus knows His sheep. As church shepherds and servants, we must understand the body of the church. I need to understand your situation so that I can distribute food to you in a timely manner. If you have any problems, feel free to send them to me. I will address your issues in my preaching, allowing you to know the Lord Jesus and have wisdom to solve them. This is why many people say: "Today's message is so suitable for my recent situation." That is because I know your situation, and the Holy Spirit knows, and through the word, He gives you the answer. Hallelujah!
If I do not understand you at all, how can I distribute food to you in a timely manner? Because the shepherd knows each of his sheep, we need to know each other more. It is not just about coming here for a meeting and then going back home; we are living a fellowship life here. Gathering is not just about listening to the word; worship is not just about singing. It is about having a connection with the Lord. After the gathering, there should be a connection with people. Our fellowship life is about mutual understanding and mutual help. I know you, and you also need to know each other. Our shepherding ministry will be more effective. If you know a brother or sister has a problem, call me and let me pray for him. I will say: "Sure, he has a problem; he may not want to tell me, but he is willing to tell you, and we can pray together." This is mutual help among the body.
Based on the three characteristics mentioned above, this is an important basis for distinguishing between a shepherd and a hired hand. It is clear that the three characteristics above are not possessed by the Pharisees, so they are undoubtedly hired hands. Jesus articulated these characteristics of hired hands: they are not shepherds, the sheep are not their own, and the hired hands do not have an intimate relationship with the sheep, so they cannot truly love the sheep.
The characteristics of hired hands: First, they are not shepherds because the sheep are not theirs, so there is no intimate relationship.
Many people like big churches, not because big churches are bad, but there is one characteristic: your problems may not be addressed; the pastor may not know. Do you know what I mean? Many years ago, I was extremely weak for three years, did not go to church, did not read the Bible, and was just angry with God. One day, the Holy Spirit directly told me: "You have not been home for a long time; why not go back and listen?" That day, I happened to have free time, and there was a large church below my company. I had never been there before, and they said the Three-Self Church was heretical. That day, I had nowhere else to go, so I went. I arrived around ten and saw nearly three thousand people; that was quite a lot. Many were sitting on the steps outside, and there were many beggars lining up because they knew Christians had compassion and were waiting.
I did not want to stay in the courtyard, so I looked for a small room with an empty seat and squeezed into a place. That time, I was extremely weak because I did not know where my career was going, and I had no direction in life. I said: "Lord, You brought me here today; let me understand Your word through the pastor." That day, the pastor read the scripture from John 21:15, where he asked Peter three times: "Peter, do you love me more than these?" After reading that passage, I could not hear what the pastor was saying; I just burst into tears. Fortunately, it was a small room, and a man crying that loudly should be considered abnormal, right? But no one asked me a word. It is not that this church lacks compassion; they may have become accustomed to this life: "I gather my meeting, and you can die!" At that moment, I was touched by the Holy Spirit. I knew God loved me, and I cried not out of sadness but because I had been away from home for so long. I went back home. Later, when I was healed by God, I thought: "Why was there not a single person who asked me anything among thousands of people?"
Brothers and sisters, big is not bad; what matters is the ability to connect with each other. Because no matter how big a church is, it is built up by one family after another! Just as Jesus knows you, you should know your brothers and sisters and understand their needs so that you can pray for them. If you cannot solve a brother or sister's problem, tell me, and I will pray for him. Hired hands do not do this; they are not shepherds, and the sheep are not theirs, so they do not care whether the sheep live or die. Therefore, after the pastor finishes preaching, he "zooms" out. Why is this the case? Because they are merely completing a task.
I am not saying that all such people are not shepherds; they may indeed be very busy. But they need to know the state of each flock. It is impossible that in the end, you cannot find me; that is not normal. It would be better to find another shepherd, but do not look for many shepherds! If one sheep is fed by a group of shepherds, that sheep becomes the shepherd, and the shepherd becomes the sheep. This is the first characteristic of hired hands: they are not shepherds because the sheep are not theirs, so there is no intimate relationship.
Second: Hired hands do not care for the sheep.
Hired hands do not care for the sheep, as seen when they see the wolf coming; they abandon the sheep and flee. The wolf represents danger, difficulty, and pressure. When these come, the hired hand will definitely run away, but the good shepherd will never run away! Just like I am shepherding here, because this is my home, why would I run away? Unless this is a temporary hotel and it is on fire, why not run? Just run; it has nothing to do with me. If your home is on fire, you will not say: "Forget this home; let’s run!" You will do everything you can to call your friends to help put out the fire. But if you are staying in a hotel, you might say: "Let it burn; I can just change to another one!" Because that is not your home. I treat this place as my home; it may have nothing, but we can build it together with our hands. This is the difference between hired hands and shepherds.
Hired hands will run, but the shepherd will never run. He will protect the lives of the sheep. There is a man in the Bible named Paul. Paul was truly a good shepherd. He invested a lot in many churches, especially in the Corinthian church. However, the Corinthian church slandered him, defamed him, mocked him, ridiculed him, and doubted his motives for serving, questioning whether he was really an apostle, saying many things that caused Paul to stumble.
In the end, Paul had no choice but to say: "I am speaking as a fool; I also dare to boast." (2 Corinthians 11:21)
2 Corinthians 11:22-30
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one. I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea. 26 On frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Everything Paul said here was what he had done for the believers, for the salvation of his fellow Jews! Yet in the end, they hated Paul, slandered him, attacked him, and fabricated facts to defame him. Paul said all this to let them know: "I am not what you think I am. The purpose of all I do is for your benefit!" You see, it is all danger and hardship. Why would Paul suffer this?
I have told you before that Paul was a Roman citizen. Romans do not have to work or labor their whole lives; they have food, drink, and play. Why would he suffer so much? Were these sufferings self-inflicted? Everything he did was for the salvation of souls, so Paul was a true shepherd, willing to pay for the flock. He did not care how much he could gain. Therefore, Paul said: "I do not boast of what you boast of; you say you are Jews, you are Hebrews; so what? I do not boast of this; I only boast of my weakness, so that I can rely on Jesus Christ."
However, many people remove the previous part and say: "We must boast of being humble and shameful." That is not the meaning! Paul meant not to take current achievements as capital for boasting. Perhaps past service was indeed very fruitful, but there is no need to show off every day what you have done. The glory should be given to Jesus for the benefit of others. If I give you a testimony saying: "I prayed for someone, and he was healed," the purpose is to give you faith so that you can also receive healing. It should be this kind of heart, right? I cannot say: "I am so capable; I laid my hands, and this person fell!" You cannot do this. This would become a kind of pride. Can you see the difference? The good shepherd indeed does many things for the sheep, but the purpose is for the benefit of the sheep.
I will also share some principles from life with you, aiming for your betterment. You have already been saved and can enter the kingdom of heaven, but I hope you can live like Jesus on earth, often victorious. However, hired hands are different; since you are already saved, it does not matter whether you live well or poorly, as long as someone pays me, that is enough. What do hired hands care about? Money.
Third: Hired hands only care about money, so they cannot consider the safety of the flock.
They will not consider the safety of the flock. John 12:17-19
17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."
It is great to follow Jesus. Here, I want to share a spiritual truth, which is also a real truth: If you leave this church and can wholeheartedly follow Jesus, I will gladly send you off. The greatness of John the Baptist's ministry is why Jesus said: "Among those born of women, none is greater than John." This refers to the fact that among all the prophets born of blood, no one had faith like John, saying: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world; you should follow Him!"
John did this. The two disciples who first came to Jesus were previously following John the Baptist. When John introduced Jesus, those two disciples followed Him. Did John say: "Look, they all ran after Him"? No, because John the Baptist was a true servant of God, so you can distinguish between the shepherd and the hired hand.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said: "We must kill Jesus; this guy can even raise the dead; this is serious!" When the crowd saw Jesus, they all followed Him, welcoming Him. In our view, this is a very good thing. Regardless of whether it is our church, if I hear someone has believed in Jesus, I am also happy; this is a good thing! Now that you know the characteristics of hired hands, you understand why the Pharisees were so indifferent to the blind man and why they condemned, attacked, and drove him away. It is because they are not their own sheep, and you also understand why some people can betray their faith and sell out their brothers. The Pharisees sold Jesus for their own interests, uniting with enemies to attack their brothers! These Pharisees and scribes ultimately united with their former enemies, Pilate and Herod, to kill Jesus.
This is the characteristic of hired hands. When their own interests are threatened, they will unceremoniously sacrifice the flock. The shepherd will not do this. Jesus also faced betrayal; all the disciples ran away, but Jesus did not complain. The true shepherd is willing to lay down His life for the sheep. He prayed for Peter behind the scenes. We need to pray for each other because we are one family. Hired hands do not care for the flock; the wealth of the world is the most beautiful thing to them. Because they are hired hands, they merely hold the position of a shepherd. The Bible also mentions some pastors who make a living for money; they particularly love fame and fortune, and they cannot bear to suffer; they absolutely cannot tolerate being wronged; they complain and blame others.
Hired hands love the wages more than the flock. As mentioned earlier, when the wolf comes, encountering hardship or persecution, the hired hand will definitely run away because they will not do anything else. In the church, preachers are called pastors or shepherds, and the role of a shepherd is to care for the flock, working tirelessly for the flock, even sacrificing their own interests. The greatest shepherd is willing to sacrifice his own life! If a person serves for the sake of salary rather than for the flock, then he is a standard hired hand. The good shepherd has a very beautiful relationship with the sheep.
Let me first talk about Jesus. What kind of relationship does Jesus have with us? He is first a good shepherd, captivating the flock. You may not understand the shepherd's heart at first, but over time, you will definitely know what the shepherd's heart is like. At first, you may say: "Why did You bring us to such a far place?" But one day, when you arrive at the green pastures and beside the still waters, you will begin to admire the shepherd and understand Him, and you will start to praise Him. Jesus is like this.
Now you may feel that I have relatively strict requirements for you, but one day when you return to your heavenly home, you will surely thank me for this. This is all for your good because Jesus treats us this way. He did not scatter the twelve disciples, letting them do whatever they wanted. The good shepherd is first good, good enough to captivate people. But this goodness does not always mean saying nice things. Jesus rebuked Peter; sometimes He was even quite harsh, saying: "Get behind me, Satan!" The meaning is that you have become fleshly! Does He hate Peter and want him to die? Does He want Peter to become Satan? He wants him to learn to know this good shepherd. The good shepherd has a beautiful relationship with the flock! Let me first explain what this relationship is like.
First: A blood relationship. How do we have a relationship with the Lord Jesus? You believe that He did for you on the cross, and His blood reconciles you with the Father. So, as we read earlier, it says: "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
1 Peter 2:24-25
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Faith is a relationship. It is absolutely not a superstition. Since it is a relationship, it is about our relationship with God and with people. Our relationship with God relies on the blood of Jesus Christ, which shows the depth of our relationship with God. This blood's effect lasts forever; your relationship with God lasts forever. The Son of God, Jesus, is our good shepherd. He laid down His life for us, and His blood changed our relationship with God. In the past, our relationship with God was that of enemies; now, through this blood, we are reconciled with God. Every time you receive communion, remember that through this cup, you are reconciled with the Father. He is your good shepherd, and what He gives you is certainly the best. He will surely hear your prayers.
The relationship between the sheep and the shepherd establishes an eternal relationship: a blood covenant, a covenant established by blood. So our relationship with the Lord Jesus is like this: He redeemed us at a great price, allowing us to forever belong to Him and never be separated. This blood expresses the Lord Jesus' intention towards us: selfless redemption, selfless protection. He paid a heavy price for us, which is His life, redeeming life for life. He died for our sins, releasing His life within us. We are all sheep, lambs; do not be goats. Lambs have no aggression. When danger comes and wolves appear, what should they do? They can only hide because they have no strength to fight back.
Imagine this: Jesus died, allowing His strength to enter into each sheep. You may look like a sheep, but you possess the strength of the shepherd. When the wolves come, will you still be afraid? Now do you understand, brothers and sisters? The death of Jesus is to let His life enter into each of us. When you look in the mirror, you still see yourself as a sheep, but the life inside you has undergone a tremendous change. In your own flesh, we are weak and powerless, but if you use the authority of Jesus Christ, you possess the strength of Jesus. This is the power that Jesus' blood has won for you. By His death, He releases His life within you. At that time, you completely belong to the Lord; He is within you. This is the first blood relationship.
Second: A relationship of love. Our relationship with the Lord Jesus is a relationship of love. Since it is love, it means He cares for us, and we love Him. Hallelujah!
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Why say to cast all your anxieties on God and not on people? Because people may not care for you. When you cast them on Jesus, it is because He cares for you. A good shepherd has the Lord in his heart and the sheep in his heart. First, you have God in your heart; secondly, you have brothers and sisters in your heart. If it is a bad shepherd, he thinks about how to slaughter the sheep. But a good shepherd has the Lord in his heart, and he knows the Lord dwells within him. He has the sheep in his heart and hopes that this flock will become better and better.
I have also corrected some people with relatively harsh words because they were really not listening. There was no choice but to use harsh words. Now looking back, I am also very happy. I know my efforts were not in vain. The purpose of my doing so is not to show that I have such authority but to tell them: "Because Jesus loves me so much, I am willing to love you in this way." A good shepherd has the Lord in his heart and the sheep in his heart. He cares for the Lord's sheep; this is true love; this is true care.
Third: A mutually belonging relationship. In the Old Testament, there is a book called the Song of Songs, a beautiful book of love. It mentions: "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." Our relationship with the Lord Jesus is also like this. First, we belong to Him; secondly, He belongs to us. When a good shepherd serves, he not only dedicates his life to the Lord but also commits to shepherding the flock entrusted to him by God. You can come to this church; I know God has sent you here, so I have a responsibility: to shepherd you. At the same time, we also have a mutually belonging relationship. I belong to you, and you belong to me, just as we belong to the Lord, and the Lord belongs to us. Thank and praise the Lord!
Servants and preachers do not have a quitting time. In the world, there is a quitting time, a day off, but the Lord's servants do not have a time to rest; they are on call 24 hours a day, working around the clock. Everything about the shepherd is about the sheep, and everything about the sheep looks to the shepherd. They are inseparable. For example, if the shepherd is asleep and one sheep gives birth in the middle of the night, will the shepherd say: "Could you not wait a while? Let’s wait until dawn; I just fell asleep"? He will get up and help the sheep give birth, no matter the time. Many times, when some people send me messages late at night, I can reply to them in time. If I do not see it, I will reply to them promptly the next day. We are different from Jesus, but you have a soul overseer. The overseer means to discover problems and solve problems.
Church servants must possess these two characteristics:
First, discover the problems in the church and solve them with the Lord's love. It is not about discovering problems and complaining about them; this is a characteristic of hired hands. Hired hands discover problems and constantly complain, blaming others. But the overseer of souls discovers your problems and provides you with solutions.
Second, mutual understanding, a two-way mutual recognition. The Lord Jesus said: "I know my sheep, and my sheep know me," which is mutual recognition. The Lord Jesus knows His sheep; He understands us very well and knows what we need in our hearts. We also need to know our Lord. Therefore, between the flock, there should be a tacit understanding, a mutual understanding, and a two-way recognition.
1 Peter 5:1-3
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
This is for the elders and also for those who witness for the Lord Jesus. Some people begin to misunderstand this passage. Being witnesses of Christ's sufferings, some say: "We elders, as witnesses, must have suffering; if you do not have suffering, how can you have a testimony?" So they generally share testimonies of suffering: "In the past, I did not listen to God's words, and God punished me, causing me to break a leg. Now look, I am serving with one leg!"
This is not the witness of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ at all. The scripture says we are witnesses of the sufferings of Christ, referring to Christ's sufferings, not your sufferings! It speaks of Christ's sufferings, and the purpose of Christ's sufferings is for you to receive blessings: "By His wounds, we are healed; by His chastisement, we have peace." It is Christ who suffered; He was hung on a tree, and we received His blessings. Are we witnesses of Christ's sufferings? So everyone must not misunderstand this; do not make it a testimony of your suffering!
We are witnesses of suffering for Christ. We will tell others: "This suffering is nothing because the Lord Jesus has already suffered for you; He wants to save you from suffering." In this way, according to God's will, we care for the flock. To care means to look after; to manage means to govern. A church needs management and care. It should not be out of compulsion but willingly. Therefore, brothers and sisters, a person who acts willingly, regardless of whether he receives a reward, is happy to give. It should not be for shameful gain but willingly. If money keeps you serving, you will not be able to serve for long.
This barrier, many years ago, God helped me overcome. In the past, I had many wealthy friends, and seeing their outcomes, now no amount of money tempts me much; it does not have much allure because I know that no matter how much money there is, it cannot compare to what they have ended up with. God showed me this result and also made me realize that if I truly give for the flock, we are indeed rich and abundant. I am willing to serve in this way. In our church, we serve each other with love, and as servants, we must be examples for the flock. If I live every day sighing and looking disheveled, you will not be much better off. Now do you understand? The Pharisees lived like that, and the group of Pharisees below them was similar. The role of church shepherds is very important.
John 10:16: "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them..."
This refers to the Gentiles. Jesus first cares for this group of sheep in the fold, but this group of sheep has a strong opinion: "No, do not lead me to your place; I do not feel secure there. I will just eat some dry grass here; I do not want your green grass." Did the Jews and Pharisees really abandon Jesus? It is not that Jesus did not want them or did not care for them; it is that they did not allow Jesus to care for them! Then Jesus said, "I have other sheep," referring to the Gentiles, not of this fold. So Jesus said, "I must bring them." He will lead them to the land of Canaan, to the land of abundance, and the purpose of bringing them is so that they will no longer wander. After bringing them in, they will also listen to my voice and become one flock under one shepherd. We have one shepherd, Jesus Christ. We are in the flock; believing in Jesus means we are one family, so we listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus and love one another. Hallelujah!
On this road, we are not walking alone. In the past, you may have been a goat or a lost sheep, running around everywhere, eating whatever grass you found without knowing. Now you belong to Jesus and must listen to the Lord's voice. Now you are in this church; learn to share with your brothers and sisters. In the process of sharing, everyone knows your problems and prays for you. You become strong and stand up, knowing the problems of others and praying for them. This faith journey is one we walk together.
Now it is the last days. You must hear the trumpet of revival; the trumpet of victory has already sounded across the land. May we brothers and sisters walk hand in hand on this faith journey. Do not rely on yourself anymore. In the future, if you encounter any problems, share them with each other.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for leading us during this time, letting everyone know that Jesus is our good shepherd. I belong to You; I have a blood relationship with You, redeemed by Your blood, protecting me and supplying me. As a new week begins, I am willing to listen to Your voice. Brothers and sisters are my family; I am willing to share with them and know them more. I am willing to receive strength from You, gladly giving, because You love me this way. I am willing to experience Your power in my life. Hallelujah! In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
On this road, we walk together, praying to God through this song...
On this road, we walk together
On this road, we hold hands
On this road, we share hardships
On this road, we must never turn back
On this road, we walk together
On this road, we hold hands
On this road, we share hardships
On this road, we must never turn back
We walk together towards Zion's highway
We carry China's silk
The trumpet of revival (victory) has sounded throughout the land
We will welcome the great harvest.