I remember as a child, there was a large amount of wooded area around us. I use to run in those woods, climb trees, be so dirty, you could only see the whites my eyes. We kids was known as mountain kids and some hillbilly hollower or something like that. We didn’t do think mischievous, but all curiosities and remember this was a time way long before cell phones, ipads and such. There was computers but way too expensive for the average families. No internet yet we had a telephone party line if you remember those.
One distinctive thing I remember though, no matter where I was, if I was in shouting distance from our home, when I heart my parents call out my name, I knew who it was and what to do. When in a crowded area, if they yelled my name, I would know it. During Bridge Day in southern west virginia, you are talking thousands of people and actually children do get lost on that bridge because it is so crowded. However, all I had to do was ‘listen’ for my parents call out my name and I would find them.
Its amazing how this methodology worked! In todays world, I am not sure the same experience would work the same way as children are at high risk of being indanger I personally think, but the premise of todays message is ‘The Flock Knows its Shepherd.’
In the days of Jesus, sheep was a well known and extensive livestock that had many uses. Since the work of a shepherd seemed to many a degrading job, I think Jesus made a Shepherd in his ministry a great example as we, the human race, are much like the sheep. Rather ignorant at times, needs nearly constant attention and corrective direction and has habits that can be very damaging to the land as well of itself just to name a few. So thinking on it, being a shepherd has its very dauting tasks ahead of him that was extremely demanding, smelly and surely didn’t pay well. For me, and maybe others, I could not comprehend actually being a shepherd.
If you was to rate the job of a shepherd, how high on the pole would it go?
USA Today done a article on the worse jobs in America.
Taxi Driver
Logger
News Paper Reporter
Retail Sales
Military Personnel
And the list goes on!
So the shepherd in todays values isn’t even on that list, but in Jesus day, shepherd was a low class job.
What qualifications would a shepherd have? There are many, but the one I want to focus on today is the ‘Shepherd has our best interests in mind’ meaning we will NOT be led astray especially from God’s will.
Who is to be our shepherd! What ornaments of this world do we hold fast to that actual we focus on to guide us, direct us. How about the GPS system when driving a card, or how about teachers, instructors, social workers, so many examples we can list here cant we. All of these friends are NOT our true shepherds, they are what I call God given articles of Love. They hold a placemark in our lives to help steer us into a direction that hopefully we choose correctly. If any of these articles are NOT of Love, then we can be steered wrong correct? So looking at the ‘True Shepherd’ , hearing the voice of the ‘True Shepherd’ is our only hope.
The Gospel of John Chapter 10 gives great descriptions and words of Jesus on being the True Shepherd. Lets go over that a little bit.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
WOW! Here Jesus is saying how the sheep knows the shepherds voice! Not only that, but they will NOT follow a stranger! Who is a stranger! Who would dare to come in the sheepfold and drive out the sheep? Well maybe deceivers of the world, satan, how about this, our own desires that ultimiately will allow us to follow a stranger!
Yes friends, we can be led astray! Whos voice are you hearing? Who are you adhering to in your life? Who is guiding you with the shepherds hook? Think about that!
So Jesus goes on to say
Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came [a]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Friends, more abundantly! Now the word abundantly thrives from Greek word ‘perisson’ per-is-sos meanings towards more, greater, excessive, abundant, exceedingly. So what this tells us friends, we are to LIVE LIFE, but it can be much more than what it is already, IF we listen and follow the ‘True Shepherd.’
Let me give you something else to chew on, Scripture tells us clearly that the devil and his angels believe in the Lord as well, they know scripture much more than we will ever learn it, so that shows us its not enough just to believe. You can believe in something, but actually live for it is something else. Listening and adhering to the ‘True Shepherds’ voice will save you.
Rest assured my friends, there is no salvation in any other method and no other name under heaven given among men which we must be saved. Our shepherd has our best interest in mind, Trust in him and listen to his voice.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…