Rev Gideon Lee
John 10:22-30
The Unbelief of the Jews
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Solomon's Colonnade is a covered pathway in the garden and here is when the Jews asked Jesus a sincere question.
When you ask sincerely, Jesus is more than willing to answer. But Jesus said He has already told them many times but they did not believed.
And Jesus said something very important, that my sheep hear me and follow me. And He said here that God is greater than all. And He finally said He and the Father is one and if you read further, the people became angry and wanted to stone Him.
This morning we are going to talk about shepherds and sheep.
I want to start with a story. A retired man wanted to be a rancher. And they had some sheep and when it came to the sheep giving birth, it was an important event and they have to be on high alert. It's called lambing.
One day he met a friend at the market and his friend asked how is his flock and he said it's a good year with many giving birth. So he asked whether he named his lambs. Normally they don't name so that to sell or slaughter they are not attached to them. But this man named his lambs goodness and mercy. From the scripture "and goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life".
Because lambs normally follow their master and this is the characteristics of sheep. They follow.
Some people say sheep are not very smart since they only follow. That's why there is the term "like sheep going to the slaughter."
But I want to say it takes a lot for a sheep to follow the shepherd. The bible describe us as sheep.
If you look at King David and you read Psalm 23, he described his relationship with God as "The Lord is my Shepherd." He did not say the Lord my Lion or Eagle even though it's a common reference.
Even Isaiah said we were like sheep gone astray. This theme of the shepherd and sheep is throughout the bible including the NT where Jesus is the good shepherd and the lamb being slain.
Sheep are very important in the bible with more than 500 times being mentioned, more than any other animals.
It takes a lot for the sheep to follow the shepherd. He has protection, so I don't think the sheep is stupid. They have safety in a flock.
If you watch National Geographic or Discovery, you'll see the wildebeests or zebras that congregate as a group. And when a predator wants to attack it will target, the weak, the young and the old. But as long as they stay within the safety of the flock, they are okay.
So I want to say you all are clever. You do not stray or you will be exposed. Our predator is the devil. That is what the predator does. He separates the target from the flock and that's when they are vulnerable.
What are the qualities that make a good sheep.
John 10:25,26
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
This tells me that Jesus knows His sheep individually.
The bible says even before you are formed in your mother's womb He already named you.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He called him by name. That tells me that God cares for me. We are not just a number to God. The bible says many times how He even knows the number of hair on our head.
My children like to play games with me when traveling in the car especially long distances. They'll put their hands on my shoulder and ask who is this? Fortunately they don't put their hands over my eyes or sure accident wan (laughs). But they pakat, like Elena will touch me but Josiah may ask etc. Sometimes I will touch their hands but they sometimes feel the same and I may not recognize whose hand is it. But God is different. He knows you intimately. God knows.
The bible says my sheep listen to my voice.
There was once a case in Australia where a man was accused of stealing sheep. When the defendant was asked why you steal sheep he said no it was my lost sheep which I found. So the judge said "how to know who is right?" So they brought the sheep into the court and they asked the defendant to go outside and call the sheep. And lo and behold, the sheep responded to the call and the judge said case closed. The sheep recognize the shepherd's voice.
The question is do we hear God's voice. Sometimes we talk more than we listen. We have a list of wants for God but have we just listened to what God is saying to us. In order to be a good sheep we need to listen to the voice of our shepherd.
Each shepherd have their own way of calling their sheep. When the sheep from different flocks enter the pen, the shepherds normally sleep across the gate and protect the sheep from predators. The next morning, each shepherd separates the sheep by calling them.
And the bible says the sheep follows the shepherd.
How well we know if it's a good sheep is how well they follow the shepherd. Do we follow Jesus?
If you watch the western movies you'll see the cowboys use dogs to control a herd from behind. But in the Middle East, the shepherd walks in front and calls to his sheep and they follow him. Jesus said no one can snatch His sheep from Him. No one. Not only God loves us but He has the ability to keep us. Our salvation is firm as long as we choose to remain in the flock. Follow God. Nothing can steal you from Him but you can still choose to walk away. Let's be like good sheep to follow Him.
There was one evangelistic or revival speaker that went from town to town. And there was this man who asked the preacher to come to his home to pray for his dying son. So he came and talked to the son. He ask the son, Timothy, so you know how to pray? And the boy said Psalm 24, The Lord is my shepherd. But the preacher said wrong. Read again and with each word count with your finger. The Lord is MY shepherd. When you reach MY, notice it's your ring finger and told him the Lord is YOUR shepherd. Hold on to that. The next trip, he passed by and was sad to see a grave with a cross behind the house. The mother said he passed away just after the preacher left but what's strange was when they found the boy, he was holding his ring finger. The Lord is his shepherd.
When the Lord calls we listen. Stay in the flock. We all want Jesus as our savior but many of us are not willing to let Him be the master. I am also talking about myself. Are we listening to our God. When was the last time you heard God? Let's be good sheep and follow our shepherd.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He called him by name. That tells me that God cares for me. We are not just a number to God. The bible says many times how He even knows the number of hair on our head.
My children like to play games with me when traveling in the car especially long distances. They'll put their hands on my shoulder and ask who is this? Fortunately they don't put their hands over my eyes or sure accident wan (laughs). But they pakat, like Elena will touch me but Josiah may ask etc. Sometimes I will touch their hands but they sometimes feel the same and I may not recognize whose hand is it. But God is different. He knows you intimately. God knows.
The bible says my sheep listen to my voice.
There was once a case in Australia where a man was accused of stealing sheep. When the defendant was asked why you steal sheep he said no it was my lost sheep which I found. So the judge said "how to know who is right?" So they brought the sheep into the court and they asked the defendant to go outside and call the sheep. And lo and behold, the sheep responded to the call and the judge said case closed. The sheep recognize the shepherd's voice.
The question is do we hear God's voice. Sometimes we talk more than we listen. We have a list of wants for God but have we just listened to what God is saying to us. In order to be a good sheep we need to listen to the voice of our shepherd.
Each shepherd have their own way of calling their sheep. When the sheep from different flocks enter the pen, the shepherds normally sleep across the gate and protect the sheep from predators. The next morning, each shepherd separates the sheep by calling them.
And the bible says the sheep follows the shepherd.
How well we know if it's a good sheep is how well they follow the shepherd. Do we follow Jesus?
If you watch the western movies you'll see the cowboys use dogs to control a herd from behind. But in the Middle East, the shepherd walks in front and calls to his sheep and they follow him. Jesus said no one can snatch His sheep from Him. No one. Not only God loves us but He has the ability to keep us. Our salvation is firm as long as we choose to remain in the flock. Follow God. Nothing can steal you from Him but you can still choose to walk away. Let's be like good sheep to follow Him.
There was one evangelistic or revival speaker that went from town to town. And there was this man who asked the preacher to come to his home to pray for his dying son. So he came and talked to the son. He ask the son, Timothy, so you know how to pray? And the boy said Psalm 24, The Lord is my shepherd. But the preacher said wrong. Read again and with each word count with your finger. The Lord is MY shepherd. When you reach MY, notice it's your ring finger and told him the Lord is YOUR shepherd. Hold on to that. The next trip, he passed by and was sad to see a grave with a cross behind the house. The mother said he passed away just after the preacher left but what's strange was when they found the boy, he was holding his ring finger. The Lord is his shepherd.
When the Lord calls we listen. Stay in the flock. We all want Jesus as our savior but many of us are not willing to let Him be the master. I am also talking about myself. Are we listening to our God. When was the last time you heard God? Let's be good sheep and follow our shepherd.
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