580-The Parable of the Sheepfold#
(JP Text Group - shalom organized)
Peace be with you, dear family, and welcome to your arrival. Today is Sunday, and we will look at God's word together.
The topic of the sharing is: The Parable of the Sheepfold
John 10:1-5:
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
Let us pray together first
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for starting our new week of life. Thank you for giving us such words, allowing us to hold on to your words and walk in truth. We are willing to continually experience the power of our Lord Jesus in our lives, so that we only hear the Lord's voice at all times, and the Holy Spirit helps us to receive supply and measure in the word. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
The sheepfold in the Middle East is an open area surrounded by stone walls, railings, or fences, with only one door for people and sheep to enter. The purpose of the sheepfold is to provide a resting place for the flock at night, preventing them from scattering and protecting them from wild beasts. Usually, several flocks rest in one sheepfold. Different shepherds drive their flocks into the fold and entrust them to the gatekeeper for safekeeping, then return home to rest for the night. The next day, the shepherd returns to the sheepfold, and the gatekeeper opens the door for him. At this time, the sheep in the sheepfold are mixed, but because the shepherd knows his own sheep, he calls them out by name; and the sheep also recognize the voice of their master, so they follow him out of the sheepfold.
Jesus uses this story to explain the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep, and also tells us that we should recognize the voice of the Lord Jesus just as the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd and follow Him. If we encounter a stranger, we must not follow him. The sheepfold is used to describe the law of the Old Testament. Before the embodiment of salvation in Christ was completed through God's cross salvation, the sheep needed the sheepfold for protection.
Galatians 3:23-25:
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
This passage illustrates the difference between the law and grace. The principle of salvation by faith comes through Jesus. Before Jesus went to the cross to complete the work of redemption, the Israelites were held captive under the law, that is, under the law of Moses. Until when were they held captive? Until the true way was revealed. This true way is the true way of Jesus Christ; after the salvation of Jesus was revealed, those under the law were saved.
For this reason, verse 24 tells us: the law was our guardian, leading us to Christ.
The two functions of the law: the first is to make people aware of sin; the second is to be a guardian, leading us to Christ. If Christ had not come, people needed to be temporarily protected under the guardian. Therefore, we need to understand one thing: the law is not bad; the law is holy, righteous, and good. It is good in itself. But the law has its own weakness, which is that it cannot provide life to people.
Just like the sheepfold. The sheepfold can temporarily provide a resting place for the flock at night, but this is only a transitional, temporary measure; its essence is to guard, and it cannot allow the flock to stay in the sheepfold for a long time because the sheepfold cannot provide them with grass and streams, the things they need are difficult to provide for a long time in the sheepfold. Therefore, the sheepfold has its weaknesses; it can only serve as a guardian, providing simple protection. Thus, the law is good.
If the sheep do not have a sheepfold, it is very dangerous, especially at night when the sheep cannot see clearly. At this time, when wild beasts come, they cannot protect themselves. So, being in the sheepfold is certainly good for them, but the supply provided is relatively limited.
God gave the law to the Israelites to temporarily keep them under the law's guardianship. Until when? Until the true salvation is revealed. In other words, it is like the sheep being kept in the sheepfold at night.
Therefore, the sheepfold is merely a temporary place to guard the flock, while the true permanent dwelling place of the flock is the pasture, which is Jesus Christ. Before the true shepherd Christ came, the sheepfold was used to temporarily guard God's people, waiting for Christ to come and lead them out of the sheepfold, walking towards green pastures and beside still waters. Today, Jesus Christ has come, and we have already known the principle of justification by faith, and when we accept Jesus, we already know that He accomplished salvation on the cross, allowing all who believe in Jesus Christ to be called children of God.
Now that the principle of salvation by faith has come, we are no longer under the guardian. What does this mean? It means that at night, the shepherd brings his flock into the sheepfold and entrusts them to the gatekeeper. The next day, the shepherd comes again and leads his sheep out of the sheepfold. From then on, they are no longer under the guardian's hand; they are to walk with the shepherd.
Jesus Christ has come and redeemed us from under the law, so we must follow Jesus Christ, not adhere to the law of Moses. We want to emphasize again that the law of Moses is good, but it cannot provide life and strength to people. Unless you follow the shepherd, He can lead you to the green pastures and still waters, Amen.
Verse 1: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.”
Although the flock in the sheepfold cannot be attacked by wild beasts, sometimes thieves take advantage of the night when the gatekeeper is asleep at the door, climbing over the wall to steal the sheep. At this time, because the sheep do not recognize their voices, the flock will panic.
This verse tells us how to identify the shepherd and the thief. The characteristic of the thief is that he climbs over the wall to enter the sheepfold, indicating that these people attempt to act outside the law. Who are these people mentioned in the Bible? They are the hypocritical scribes, Pharisees, false prophets, false teachers, etc. They are all thieves who want to bypass God's law and bring disaster to the flock.
Isaiah 28:11-13:
11 For by stammering lips and a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people, 12 to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary,” and “This is repose”; yet they would not hear. 13 And the word of the Lord will be to them, precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken.
The prophetic books show that the Israelites went astray often because their leaders first went astray, violating God's words. They also attempted to break God's law. The people following them lived very poorly. The words mentioned here actually illustrate that the prophets of that time, who led the Israelites, violated God's words. They refused to listen to God's words, adding their own commands to God's commands, and their own laws to God's laws, making God's laws and statutes very complicated. This caused the people to stumble and be ensnared, making it increasingly difficult for the Israelites to live by the law.
In fact, many of these things were not God's intention at all; these leaders added many things to God's law. Originally, they were merely guardians of God's flock, but they set up many obstacles in the sheepfold, preventing the flock from resting as they should.
When we see this, we know that especially during the time when Jesus came to preach, what did we see? In the temple, the people could not find rest. Even with God's law, it had been turned into Judaism by those who managed the law at that time, becoming a religion that distorted God's intentions.
Everyone should know that even the law of Moses still centers on love; however, when these legalists executed God's law, they turned God's law into a tool to control the people. The laws and statutes in the Old Testament are actually shadows of the future; the substance is Jesus Christ. Therefore, if one wants to truly understand the law, one must grasp Christ as the key to understand the essence of the law.
Unfortunately, the Pharisees and Jewish leaders only knew to make the people obey the law, holding onto the letter while adding many traditions of the ancients, binding God's people tightly. They did not enter through the door of Christ but climbed in from elsewhere, adding some ancient traditions and rules. It is equivalent to not entering through the door but rather climbing over the wall. Therefore, they are actually thieves and robbers harming God's people.
Verses 2-3: 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
Jesus Christ did not come to abolish the law; if that were the case, He would not enter the sheepfold but would dismantle it. So what did Jesus come to do? He came to fulfill the law and redeem those under the law.
Galatians 4:1-5:
1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way, we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Let’s look at this passage. I say that the heir is the one who inherits the inheritance. Who is the heir? That is, of course, God's people. Although he is the owner of everything, as a child, he is no different from a slave.
What this means is that God has reserved many inheritances for us; we are the owners of these inheritances. But what is the problem now? The person inheriting the inheritance is too young, still a child. As a child, he does not understand many things and cannot manage many things himself, so at this time, he is no different from a slave. He has no strength to manage these inheritances and no strength to protect himself, so he needs to be kept under guardianship.
Verse 2 says: but he is under guardians and managers.
What does the guardian do? He teaches him how to manage these things; the manager also manages him, teaching him how to inherit these inheritances in the future. When we do not know the grace of Jesus Christ, we need to be taught. Although we have the qualification to inherit Christ's inheritance, if our lives are too immature, we cannot inherit these things. So what should we do? We need to continually learn through the guardian's teaching to understand what the Lord Jesus has given us.
Verse 3 says: In the same way, we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
Here it explains that when our lives are very immature, we are enslaved to the elementary principles of the world, referring to the secular. Therefore, during our time on earth, we indeed need to learn some secular things because our lives are too immature, but this does not mean that we will be under the guardianship of the secular for our entire lives.
We who believe in Jesus are not free from the secular; when we do not know Jesus, we are like children, needing to be under the guardianship of the secular. Many people have to submit to the secular because they need to eat, drink, and deal with human affairs, etc. At that time, you still do not recognize your true identity and do not know how to live a victorious life in this world.
When the fullness of time had come. If a person does not have the words of Jesus Christ, he will be under the guardianship of the secular for his entire life. But what is good? God has His beautiful will; when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.
Why did God send His Son to the earth? It was to bring us out from under the elementary principles of the world. If Jesus did not bring us out, we would have no way. Just like sheep being confined in the sheepfold, you can only move within the sheepfold, which is the fate of many people today. It is actually a circle; no matter how you run, you cannot escape this circle. Unless someone comes in and leads you out. Thank the Lord.
God knows that we are in such a state, knowing that there is no life in the sheepfold. So what should we do? He sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law. This means that Jesus knows our true needs and knows that we have no life in the sheepfold. He wants us to receive life and supply, which certainly cannot be within the sheepfold.
So, dear family, if you see this world as a sheepfold, that is not wrong. If we spend our lives turning in this world, you cannot escape this world; ultimately, you will fall in this world because this world cannot supply you with life, Amen. All people, no matter how smart or hardworking, will ultimately face death, dying in this world. Jesus Christ came; He descended from heaven. Although He also lived in this world, He overcame death, overcame sickness, and rose from the dead, showing us a new way.
And when Jesus came, He not only showed us that this is a path of life but also let us follow Him on this path of life. Therefore, Jesus Christ came under the law to redeem those under the law. Jesus entered this world to redeem us from this world, Hallelujah, and after redeeming us, let us receive the status of sons of God. So we are truly a blessed group of people.
If we had not known Jesus, we would be busy all our lives, ultimately forgotten by no one. What is the benefit now? Jesus knows us; He comes to find us and even knows our names. He comes to supply us with life because He knows where life is. This is equivalent to the flock staying in the sheepfold for one night; the next day, when the shepherd arrives, the shepherd enters through the door.
So, dear family, Jesus Christ did not destroy the law or trample on the law; He obeyed the law. He entered this world without breaking the laws of this world; He simply overcame the laws of this world. Just as the next day, the sheep see their shepherd entering through the door, the sheep are actually very happy in their hearts. The gatekeeper will also open the door because the sheep inside do not belong to the gatekeeper but to the shepherd.
The shepherd may pay the gatekeeper a certain fee; otherwise, he cannot watch the door for free. After paying him, the shepherd enters and leads the sheep out. He enters the sheepfold, and because there are many sheep, the shepherd begins to call his own sheep by name. We know that the eyesight of sheep is not particularly good.
The sheep have a wide-angle vision of about 320 to 340 degrees. Although their wide-angle vision is good, they are actually nearsighted, especially when they lower their heads to eat, making it easy to stray from the flock. Fortunately, their hearing is quite sharp, so when the shepherd calls them, they can easily hear his voice. At this time, the sheep just need to respond and run towards the direction of the shepherd.
In fact, this is also our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Many believers say they have never heard the voice of the Lord Jesus and do not know how the Holy Spirit speaks to people. In fact, this is a close relationship; as long as you often connect with the Lord, hearing the Lord's voice does not require much effort.
Some say, "Then why have I never heard it?" I will give you some methods. First, read the Bible because the revelations and guidance God gives us must align with the Bible. In other words, if you want to hear God's voice, you must know how God speaks to you. The content God speaks will not contradict the principles of the Bible, so first, you need to read the Bible.
Secondly, you should pray, preferably in tongues, because during the process of prayer, you actually begin to communicate with God. Listening to the word is about continuously hearing His voice and becoming familiar with His voice; when we pray, we are actually communicating with God, telling Him what we want to say.
After praying, can we not be in a hurry? We can first quiet ourselves for a while, giving God the opportunity to respond to you. Many believers are too anxious; after praying, they immediately leave. At this time, their hearts are chaotic, and even if God tells them, they may not have the patience to listen.
So, dear family, if you really want to hear the Holy Spirit's guidance, do not be so anxious. Before we come to God, we must first learn to rest and believe that God is not a God who delays things. No matter how urgent, difficult, or big the matter is, when you come before Him and call out to Him, you tell Him, and you must believe that He has heard. At this time, you also need to be quiet before God.
What I mean by quiet is not only that you need a quiet environment but more importantly, your heart needs to calm down. You must know that when God speaks to us, it is not necessarily a very loud voice; in fact, more often, it is a very small voice. And this voice does not enter from outside to inside but comes from within, from the heart, and then you know that this is what God is saying to you.
It may be complicated to describe, but you can be sure that this is what God is saying to us. When your heart is at rest, even if the external environment is chaotic and noisy, when this voice comes from within, you can hear it very clearly.
Just like when the shepherd enters the sheepfold, there may be many sheep bleating, but when the shepherd speaks and calls out a certain sheep's name, that sheep can hear the shepherd's voice. Moreover, the sheep's ears can turn, and once they turn, they can discern where the shepherd is and run straight towards him.
In fact, we need to have this hearing, and this hearing is not cultivated; it is a close relationship, which is whether your heart is willing to let God lead you in everything. If you have such a willing heart, then through reading the Bible, you will first understand the truth and know how God speaks; secondly, by developing a habit of prayer, God will reveal His will to you in this way.
But one thing everyone must be clear about is that not every time you pray does God have to speak to you. Many times after we pray, we may think of a certain passage from the Bible, and that is also God's voice to you. Many times, God directly tells you what you should do, just like speaking face to face with someone.
Therefore, everyone should have a correct understanding of prayer. Prayer is not speaking to the air; it is communication with the Creator, with your Father in heaven. You can express your confusions, difficulties, and unknown matters to Him. When your heart is quiet, you can hear His response.
In fact, many times when we preach, we give some prophecies that are results that will appear later. That is not because we have the ability to predict the future, but because God has told me in advance what will happen later, and I know this is what God is saying, so I explain these to you in the sermon.
Those who believe will act according to these words, and those who do not believe will see that these things are real when they come to pass. Thank the Lord; this is a revelation from God to us. Many times we want to receive revelations from God, so dear family, I hope brothers and sisters can persist in reading the Bible and praying, and you will hear God's voice. Especially in life, if you develop the habit of praying about everything, calling out in everything, then hearing God's voice will be as easy and simple as communicating with a friend in reality.
If you have never heard the Lord's voice, I suggest you start with reading the Bible, and then sequentially listen to our sermons to gain a systematic understanding of God. In this situation, when you pray, you will be able to discern which voice is from the Lord and which is not. This requires us to have discernment, and this discernment is also very simple because the more you hear the Lord's voice, the more you will naturally be able to discern what is not from the Lord.
Just like reading the Bible, if you regularly read the Bible and have read it dozens of times, if someone tells you something that does not align with the Bible, you will not need to exert much effort to discern that it is wrong. For example, if someone tells you that John the Baptist is the Christ, you will immediately discern that this is wrong because John the Baptist is not the Christ; he is merely the forerunner, bearing witness to Jesus. You can discern this. Indeed, whether the voice comes from within or from outside, it is wrong because you already know what the truth of the Bible is, so you will not be deceived.
Because many times when the thief climbs over the wall, he will also imitate the voice of the shepherd, but the sheep can actually discern it because the true voice of the shepherd is different from the imitator. The devil sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light, but it is still a disguise. As long as we are familiar with the true truth, we can easily discern the disguise. This is equivalent to saying that as long as you are familiar with real money, when counterfeit money enters your hand, you will immediately know it is fake. Because you are too familiar with the real thing, the fake cannot hide.
Our relationship with the Lord Jesus should be like this. For example, if we frequently attend gatherings, read the Bible, and listen to sermons, these will deepen our relationship with the Lord Jesus, making us more familiar with Him. In such times, when there is a voice, you can easily discern whether it is from the Lord, from yourself, or from the thief. You can easily distinguish it.
If there is no truth in your heart, then when the devil imitates, it will be very difficult for you to discern whether it is your own intention or God's intention. How do you discern? It is actually equivalent to the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd. Why are the sheep so familiar with the shepherd's voice? Because they are often together. The shepherd often speaks to the flock, and the flock only hears the shepherd's voice; their focus is on the shepherd, following the shepherd's footsteps and listening to the shepherd's voice, so they are very familiar with each other.
When we know that it is the Lord's voice calling us and guiding us, how should we act? We can just follow. This point is particularly easy to reflect in this article because there are still many sheep in the sheepfold, and there are many other shepherds' sheep. The sheep that belong to the shepherd will come out when he calls them by name; the sheep that do not belong to him will not come out. This is the characteristic of the sheep.
So, dear family, do not casually follow voices you do not recognize; do not be curious about truths you have never heard in this world. This is not a good thing.
John 10:24-29:
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me; 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”
This story makes it very clear. The Jews were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, that is, the Christ, but when they saw Jesus, they felt that Jesus was like the Christ, but also seemed not to be.
So they began to ask, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered straightforwardly, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me.”
The things Jesus did when He came to this world can be examined in the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled the law, so the things He did can be confirmed through the Old Testament law that Jesus is indeed the Christ. However, if the sheep do not believe the shepherd at this time, they will not follow. If you originally had five sheep, but one sheep refuses to recognize you, what will you do? It will not follow you. If it does not recognize you, it does not believe you, and you cannot take it away.
We see that Jesus has this kind of relationship with these Jews. Although Jesus very much wants to save them, wanting to lead this group of Jews to the land of life, to green pastures, and beside still waters, to give them the kingdom of heaven, they do not believe in Jesus, do not acknowledge Jesus as their Lord, as their shepherd; they are still waiting for their own shepherd.
So Jesus said, “You do not believe because you are not my sheep.” Our relationship with God is a mutual relationship of willingness. Jesus comes to save us, giving us salvation, and we are willing to accept this salvation and believe in Him. Therefore, our relationship with Jesus is a relationship of trust; if we do not believe, we do not acknowledge Him as our Lord, and we cannot become His sheep.
When we acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, acknowledge that Jesus has shed His blood for our sins on the cross and resurrected from the dead three days later, from then on, we recognize Jesus as our Lord, as our shepherd; then you must listen to the voice of Jesus Christ. Some say, “How do I hear the voice of Jesus?” The Bible is the voice that God has left for us; the truths and promises within it are the inheritance God has given us. If you recognize Jesus and acknowledge Him as your Lord, you will also believe the words written in the Bible, and you will be willing to act according to the words written in the Bible. This is following Christ, Amen.
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” First is the inner faith; when you believe in Jesus, you will definitely recognize the voice of Jesus. When you recognize the voice of Jesus, you will follow Jesus. This is our life on earth. You first believe in Jesus, continually believe in Him, and your actions will change accordingly, and you will increasingly have the stature of Christ. When you follow Jesus, do you not already possess eternal life? Indeed, God wants to give us His abundant life.
When we follow Jesus, He will not let us perish; when we follow the shepherd, you can rest assured that it will be safer than staying in the sheepfold. Because although there is a gatekeeper in the sheepfold, when he falls asleep, thieves will come to climb over the wall and steal the sheep; but if you follow the shepherd, the shepherd will take full responsibility for you, and no one can snatch us from the hands of Christ.
We must know this: even if wild beasts come to attack, the shepherd will block them. If the wild beast cannot overcome the shepherd, it cannot harm the flock. Our Lord Jesus has overcome this world, overcome sickness, overcome death, and overcome all the schemes of the devil, so you no longer need to worry that the devil will snatch you from the hands of Jesus. Now, following Jesus is safer than being under the law, Hallelujah. Jesus can not only provide you with protection but also provide you with life and supply in your daily life. When you follow Jesus, you will have green pastures to eat and still waters to drink. Hallelujah.
Verse 29 says: My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
We are all sheep belonging to Jesus Christ; no one can snatch us from the hands of Jesus Christ, Hallelujah. So when Jesus comes to seek us and calls us, can we hear His voice and follow Him? Especially for the sheep that have come out of the sheepfold, they need to constantly follow the shepherd.
You see, in the past, when you were in the sheepfold, no matter how you ran, you could not escape; relatively speaking, it was safer. Now, when you follow the shepherd and come out of the sheepfold, it seems that the previous protection no longer exists, but now all your protection is in the shepherd. So the smartest way for the sheep is to keep following the shepherd's footsteps; otherwise, they will get lost. Why do many people easily get lost under grace? Because they have left the law but are not following the shepherd, which is particularly dangerous.
Looking at verse 4 of this article: 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Every believer who can accept the Savior Jesus Christ is the result of the Holy Spirit working in his heart. The Holy Spirit can open people's hearts and ears, enabling them to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus. In the Middle East, shepherds do not drive the sheep from behind; instead, they walk in front of the flock, and the sheep follow behind the shepherd. So after a while, the shepherd will make a sound to let the flock know where he is.
The path of a believer's life is actually like this. We are no longer under the law, no longer in the sheepfold; we are to follow Jesus Christ, who will continually lead us to one abundant place after another. When the Lord leads you forward, you must believe that His guidance is correct; you can just follow with peace of mind, Hallelujah. Because He leads us, He is shepherding the flock, not controlling the flock; it is different from the sheepfold, and He has set an example for the flock. Thank the Lord. When we know this, as shepherds in the church, how should we act?
1 Peter 5:1-4:
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. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Today, the Lord Jesus has returned; who is the shepherd? The servants in the church are all shepherds. The pastors, teachers, and preachers in the church are shepherds; they are always leading the flock forward because all the shepherds are listening to the voice of the chief shepherd. This point is very important; it must be remembered.
If you follow a pastor who does not know the voice of the chief shepherd, where will that lead you? In fact, this is a very interesting thing; now all the servants listen to the voice of the great shepherd Jesus, and then the flock follows this shepherd forward. Thank the Lord; this is very blessed. So how do we shepherd God's flock? That is to take care of them according to God's will.
Therefore, all servants must remember one thing: we manage believers in a church, and these believers are God's flock; they do not belong to any one person. Dear family, do not focus your attention on the pastor; he is merely managing you on behalf of the shepherd. If he does not listen to God's will, you should not follow him. Amen.
Here we see that some shepherds compel the flock, not willingly, because they cannot survive in this world, so they seek a job in the church. You should not follow such shepherds. There are also some who seek profit from the flock. You should not follow such shepherds either. So what kind of people should you follow? Those who are willing to pay the price for the flock. Therefore, true servants should help believers follow Jesus Christ.
They should not domineer over those entrusted to you. Some so-called pastors use various means to dominate the flock, not listening to the truth but to him; this is wrong. This is like driving the flock from behind to a certain place. This is not right. If you have watched Animal Planet, you know that when wolves or lions and other large animals want to hunt the flock, they drive the flock from behind to run to a certain place, ultimately leading them into an encirclement or trap. Therefore, if a shepherd drives the flock from behind and dominates them, you need to be careful.
What is a true shepherd of God? It is to be an example to the flock. He will give choices to the flock, telling them how to do it. Of course, if the flock is unwilling to follow, he will not scare them or condemn them but will continue to serve them. This is the true shepherd, Hallelujah.
When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Therefore, a true shepherd of God listens to the voice of the chief shepherd and takes care of the flock according to the will of Jesus Christ; ultimately, they will receive the unfading crown of glory, Hallelujah. This is the hope we should have as servants. True service is not to dominate the flock, not to persecute the flock, but to clarify the truth. The flock will be willing to follow.
Verse 5: “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
What was mentioned earlier is how the shepherd should act; now how should the sheep act? The sheep should have discernment. If what you are currently following does not align with the Bible, and if someone tells you, “You do not need to read the Bible; just read what I say. You do not need to listen to others; just listen to what I say,”
You need to be careful of such people because they are not leading you to Christ; this is not the voice of the Lord. The voice of a stranger is different from the voice of the shepherd. The true shepherd of God speaks in accordance with the Bible and the will of Jesus Christ, Amen. If you encounter such unfamiliar voices, do not follow. This is the wise sheep, the discerning sheep; instead, what should you do? You should flee, Hallelujah. We should do the same; no matter whose sharing you listen to, believe what aligns with the truth, and flee from teachings that do not align with the truth. Amen.
2 John 1:8-11:
8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Finally, here is a reminder for all family members: do not casually follow those who do not align with biblical teachings. Because in the last days, many strange and bizarre teachings will emerge. As long as someone goes beyond the teachings of Christ, do not follow. This is the discernment that sheep should have. As long as what is spoken does not align with Christ's words, do not listen; you must flee, Amen. Stay away from such people and do not partake in their wicked works, lest you suffer loss in the end. Well, I hope today's sharing brings you some help.
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for giving us such words. We are all sheep belonging to Jesus Christ, whom Jesus has redeemed from the law with His life, allowing us to follow our shepherd Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will lead us to green pastures and beside still waters, where we can receive abundant life from Him.
Today, you also give us discernment, allowing us to know that we do not listen to or follow anyone who goes beyond the teachings of Christ. We are willing to act according to God's words, even in a church, we must hold on to God's truth, and we must flee from truths that do not align with the Bible. This is the wisdom you give us, allowing us to continually experience God's guidance in our lives.
May you give us more revelations, allowing us to experience them in our lives, so that we can continually follow God's guidance and experience your abundant blessings in the new week. All glory be to our Father in heaven. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.