If any of us have been more like a wolf or lion, yet know we should be a sheep, God calls us to repent and reconcile. Christian do not let the wolves and lions see your hurt. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Plus, if a resting sheep is too heavy or wet, the sheep can get stuck on its back. True disciples, true sheep live and enjoy life long before it is eternal. When we defend ourselves, we are saying to Jesus: I do not need You, Your defense is useless to me, Your decisions regarding my problems are not the best, You do not know what is best for me! The Word says that those who are spiritual discern everything well and are not fooled by anyone. They use their natural herding instinct to band together for safety. We both can in our flesh and pride. They try to circle around the prey separating the one from the many. A Little Flock. Psalm 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. The only entrance for True sheep is through the door. Sheep are remarkable also for their mutual affection. It never stops; it doesn’t need someone to tell it to produce wool because it happens naturally. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. The sheep do not belong to the pastors. ... Before we see how much danger a wolf can present though, let’s take a look at the characteristics of a goat. Like sheep, God always has something new and fresh for you, but there is only one source, the Word. Be kind to someone in the church, and see if you do not start a chain reaction that builds the unity of the one flock in. After fleeing, sheep will reform their group and look at the predator. Do you think Jesus can tell the sheep from the goats? Sheep are commonly used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God’s people. Focus on the Great Tribulation (final 3 1/2 years of the Day of the Lord) (Matthew 24:15-35) B. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. Jesus has left pastors and elders to lead each lock flock. You must follow, not only listen, but know and follow. - Most goats are naturally horned, but many sheep breeds are polled or naturally hornless. Jesus is not like the hired help who runs away when things get tough, he has a deep compassionate concern for His sheep. What do we have to fear in standing for the Lord. They take on the characteristics of the wolf pack. No matter how hard the lion roars, he can never kill you. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”, Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. Jesus compared us with sheep. Reputation: Sheep are stupid, defenceless and harmless creatures that mope about on hillsides doing not very much. They are known as the garbage collectors of the wilderness, because they eat everything in front of them. Each flock followed their shepherd, without getting mixed up. Move beyond yourself to serve others. This is done by “hamstringing” their prey. But not sheep. They were all created with a special way to defend themselves. "Sheep.ish - Pt. Remember, Jesus called one of his most loyal and vocal disciples satan. Which you should live for Jesus w/o fear and in faith. Christian you have the same worthwhile and useful qualities, as long as you remain with the church or flock of committed followers. Its production does not stop for any reason, it does not depend on anything, it is always producing, it always gives fruit. The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). Sheep are dumb and directionless. We think a wolf rises to the challenge with its powerful instinct, intuition and high intelligence. Without that there does not exist for you, any benefits of being sheep, because you are not one until you are made one by the Holy Spirit. v.3, 4 and 27 - The context of this verse is something very unfamiliar to Westerners because you think of sheep being herded by a sheep dog and a man driving the sheep. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Answers (Matthew 24:4-39) A. Everything that God has given you is to bring forth more lives, it is to build up the body of Christ. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ... What are the characteristics of sheep? Goats on the other hand are pushy, self-sufficient, and headstrong. Often, they simply kill as much prey as is possible, regardless of hunger and appetite. Since birth, sheep produce wool. This is the most important characteristic of a sheep: Listening to the Voice of the Lord. A real sheep doesn't just know about the Good Shepherd, he knows Him and the Good Shepherd, in return, knows the sheep. John Nelson Darby, an esteemed servant of Christ, having once been asked to see a poor boy who was dying in some wild district in Ireland, narrated the following account of his visit. Literally! We do confess our weakness; yet may we not repine at it, for, as Paul said, so we find, when we are weak then are we strong. The Signs (Matthew 24:4-35) 1. Sheep’s only defense against predators is to flock together. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. Sheep usually have fluffy wool that must be sheared, while goats have flatter hair. If the devil is not resisted a church will end up with a bunch of carcasses and a bunch of starving lions. Jesus is “the door of the sheep,” which means any predator wanting to attack the sheep would have to go through Jesus first. His sheep are not directionless. You have a True and Great Shepherd who loves you so much that He died for you. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? The sheep are moved along by the shepherd’s firm voice and gentle leading. She said, “Well, I am a Baptist.” Some of the others didn’t seem to like her answer. Summary of The Day of the Lord and preliminary events (Matthew 24:4-14) 2. Some of you want to be like a wolf. Sheep and goats have different behavioral characteristics. Just about any other domesticated animal can be returned to the wild and will stand a fighting chance of survival. Jesus says the ones looking to rob the flock of their joy, rob the flock of their power, rob the flock of their faith, rob the flock of their witness, those people are like the wolf, sly and cunning. which suggests fat, contented and flourishing sheep. They come in and kill the church from the inside out. Sheep are naturally fearful and are not comfortable in darkened terrain or with new objects and people. Boy have I learned a lot about sheep this week. Their affection for their young, also, is stronger than their love for one another. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all£; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s … I mean come on it is known as “the King of the Jungle.” We want to be strong and confident like the lion. But: You have a True and Great Shepherd who gives life that cannot be taken, shaken or destroyed. and plenty of Food (Spiritual). Which you should live for Jesus w/o fear and in faith because: Have you ever noticed that Jesus’ promise of giving you abundant life is in His depiction of you as a sheep? Paul knew how people, acting like wolves could be in a church and the damage they could do to the flock (reference to sheep). is one of the greatest promises in the Bible to God’s children. When a sheep is caught by the shearer, at first there is a short struggle, until she finds that she is firmly held and cannot get away. Why are you a sheep? Peter did. They are good for two things: being eaten and producing wool. But, surprisingly a wolf is one of the earth’s most cowardly and fearful animals, which is the reason it is so sly. It is hard for some Christians to not let fear be their guide. 4 - The Sheep Series. We have proved our weakness, and day by day we lament it. Since sheep are so needy, they form a special bond with their shepherd. A goatherd is led by his goat. Take it to Jesus. “Conversation of Death” the wolf seeks to determine if the hunt will be stopped or not, if the prey resists or not. Jesus said. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I want to talk about something very simple, but essential for our life with God. We can’t lose this characteristic. His sheep are not defenseless. We belong to Jesus, the Supreme Pastor, the One who gave His life for us, we cannot cross this line. This is a major point that must always be emphasized. Not offense to our Methodists friends, but it raises a good point. Why do you listen to Him?”, Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Sign up for The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox.This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 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. The easiest way to tell a goat from a sheep is that a goats tail usually sticks up in the air but a sheep's tail hangs down. (This can happen spiritually in a church). Goats. Timothy Krupa. Again we are told to resist the devil and he will flee. | 3,678 views. True disciples, true sheep live and enjoy life long before it is eternal. That is why James tells us to resist the Devil and he will flee. The Word only produces clean water. The Psychology of the Sheep [The L ORD] made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.—Psalm 78:52. - helpless” “He looked on the crowd as sheep w/o a shepherd. Isaiah 53.7. Free subscribers can search and … They do not show pain, because if they do, they will be more vulnerable to predators who look for those who are weak or injured. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." - will watch a car coming for several hundred yards and then run right out in front of it. The lions go undercover, behind a closed door, around a corner or in the parking lot. 5) If we learn some things about sheep, we see why God used these creatures to describe mankind. They are totally dependent upon the shepherd - just like we are. The context of this verse is something very unfamiliar to Westerners because you think of sheep being herded by a sheep dog and a man driving the sheep. It will cause the wolves who only look like sheep to flee. 6) Sheep can be really ignorant; such is also true for mankind. Reminding you that if you do not fit into these characteristics, your situation is not hopeless, because our God created all things, goats and sheep, and He can easily turn goats into sheep. That means you’re not a Methodist. Get off the pew and be busy in making yourself valuable. In, the negative wording reinforces what has already been said about the true sheep of the True shepherd. This leaves them helpless and unable to move. They can’t defend themselves, because they don’t possess any fighting skills. In the absence of the shepherd, sheep will follow one of their own who rises to act as their leader. “Like sheep gone astray. A sheep is continually busy in making herself valuable, and multiplying herself or increasing her own growth for the benefit of others. A Sheep … They are also defenseless . No flies and plenty of Food. Society at the time of our Lord’s first advent was largely agricultural. If you have lost your first love, return to Jesus. If sheep have horns, they are usually curved. That experience with the shepherd does not exist without a conversion experience, which begins with conviction of sin, repentance of sin and commitment to the savior from your sin. Contributed by Steve Ely on Jul 30, 2017. Sheep are the only animals that do not make noise when they die, they do not complain when they need to be sacrificed, they do not complain about the circumstances, they do not get angry and they do not try to escape. Thank you Bp powerful indeed, in faith for action. Like Methodist without the excitement. Suppose your mother and your father, and your grandmother and grandfather had been morons, what would you have been?”, Without batting an eye, she said, “I guess I’d have been a Methodist.”. God himself thought they were worth dying for. A child of God is not confused, he knows and discerns His voice. They use their natural herding instinct to band together for safety. Sheep follow the voice of their shepherd and trust him to lead them to food, water and safety. Nobody Knows when the Day of the Lord begins (Matthew 24:36-39) 2. Near-Eastern shepherds however, stand outside of the sheep fold/pen and call out the specific names of his sheep. They require someonewho will look after their smallest needs and who will lead them to where theyneed to be. Contentment in Christ means: No fear. They take on the characteristics of the wolf pack. He noticed that the shepherds were talking to each other while the sheep drank. The pelage of all wild sheep consists of hair, not wool, and this indeed is true of some domestic sheep as the fat-rumped short-tailed sheep of Abyssinia and Central Asia. Jesus will remove the wolves and lions. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another. Sheep have an amazing tolerence for pain. v.This is a major point that must always be emphasized. They stare down their prey and are stimulated by the prey trying to run away from them. I say when the members have a greater passion for lost souls and the gospel than the personal preferences of the few lions, then you will have a living and vibrant church. 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First thing we should learn is that there are many pastors out there who the.: Listening to the wild and will go in and kill the church or flock of committed followers don... Different types of food the time of our Lord ’ s firm and... Look for different types of food characteristics of sheep sermon fearful benefit of others they use their natural herding instinct follow... Theyneed to be known by a lion, seeking to devour Christians, or weariness and people blessed benefitted! Symbolically refer to God ’ s smartest and most perceptive mammals life and distinguish whether are!, know why they are christian, you ’ re a rather conservative bunch be less flattering... People spent the majority of their shepherd and the sheep so that they follow Me have fear...
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