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©Lightwritingmatters 2015 |
Theme scripture
“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen
to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When
he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow
him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a
stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a
stranger’s voice.” [John 10:2-5] NIV
Component Breakdown
Gate
Access to the sheep
Shepherd -- Jesus
The keeper of the sheep
Gatekeeper
The one who opens the gate for the
Shepherd
Sheep – Followers of Jesus
[Christians]
The flock
Follow
Flock obeys the Shepherd’s voice.
Voice
Flock familiar with own Shepherd’s
voice.
Stranger
Flock response to a strange voice: They
flee. ‘Stranger Danger’.
Query
Have you ever called to a dog or cat that is
running free? Or a wild animal that may be grazing, hunting, or resting? Or a
bird that lands in your yard? Do they see you as Dr. Doolittle and run to you
obediently? Or do they maybe peer at you or more likely, flee from you? How
about if the dog, cat or bird was familiar with your voice, perhaps its name?
Is it more likely to at least listen to you and maybe come to your voice,
trusting your mutual relationship?
We
can see in nature that animals have a weariness, a resistance to indulge their
curious nature when an unfamiliar human appears or approaches them. Yet, if
those same animals were nurtured, fed and cared for by a familiar human a
different response to their voice and appearance transpires. Thus, it is not
difficult to follow the illustration Jesus made in the theme scripture above.
Identifying
the Good Shepherd
Jesus used commonalities to establish HIS gospel so the
people would easily grasp HIS very different message from the cultural and
religious norms of HIS day. HE literally appealed to their common sense.
In these few verses Jesus sets up a scenario that clearly
flies in the face of the religious leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ day. They had
been the responsible shepherds to the flock of the Jewish people but they had
abused their shepherd status and as such when the kindly, pragmatic and caring
Shepherd, Jesus, began to teach --- the sheep naturally migrated to HIS voice
BECAUSE the message was very familiar to them. It was pure common sense. They
recognized the pleasing and hopeful, loving message this Shepherd was sharing.
HE tended their maladies no matter the source or malady. HE raised the dead. HE
cured from a distance, from up close and personal and all while calling upon
and/or recognizing the individual faith of the recipient of the healing.
Jesus called a few though large crowds followed HIM. He fed
them when they were fatigued from hunger. HE walked about in the familiar
territories of the Jews in HIS day. The sheep in the various areas responded in
different numbers in the different communities but there was a definite
response.
The Sheepfold
“I have other
sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too
will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” [John
10:16] NIV
And, today, in the 21 century since the first Sheep were called
by Jesus to follow HIS voice, OTHER sheep have been added to the sheepfold.
From Cornelius, the first non-Jewish convert to the new religion just ignited
--- Christianity, to now with each new believer, the sound of the Shepherd’s
voice [HIS message] is building his sheepfold. The miraculous thing about this
growth is the idea it is done absolutely in absentia of HIS physical presence!
The Shepherd’s voice is heard in the familiar message, the common sense, hope
filled message of the Gospel.
Journeyman Shepherds
From Jesus’ ascension to heaven there have been ‘journeyman’
shepherds. They were the apostles of Christ. They apprenticed under the ‘Good
Shepherd’. They were appointed in leadership roles [Peter is the Rock-Foundation/John
the Revelator/Paul, Apostle to the nations during an encounter and conversion
on his way to Damascus, etc.] They in turn apprenticed converts to become
shepherds. For instance, Paul groomed ‘young Timothy’ to shepherd. And this
process has been replicated down through history to this day.
But have they all been ‘good shepherds’? Or have some fallen
into the category Jesus warned his first class of apprentices to beware of “…“Look
out that nobody misleads you, 5 for
many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will
mislead many.” [Matt
24:4-5: See also Matt 24:23-28] NWT
History records the effects of a fractured Christianity as
it made its path forward to the future in anticipation of the ‘coming of Christ’.
Acts have been committed in the name of Christ that oppose the teachings of
Christ. Most of those have been instigated by questionable if not outright bad ‘shepherds’
of any era. Church ‘fathers’ have debated teachings, some have given birth to
teachings and some have redefined existing teachings to hijack members of the
flock for themselves. The gospel message was easy, clear and mostly understood by
early Christians. However, things were added, fragments of the Way were
divorced out and redefined as independent doctrine rather than the whole of the
Way. For example, the importance of baptism, how it is to be performed, whether
or not it is vital to eternal life; or ‘hell’ --- whether it is a literal
place, a place where Sulphur and fire burn eternal, where souls live on cursed
by their sinful and unbelieving nature/behavior or simply a place where a
lifeless body is kept.
There are many such tenets of so many different ‘denominations’
some of which seem so complicated it requires a specially appointed ‘man of GOD’
to explain it and then tutor the believer into living it. These would set apart
the shepherd from the sheep who sees the role as a service to the flock unlike
Jesus whose service included being among the flock, leader of the flock
indisputably, but very much intermingled. He washed their feet, fed them,
taught them, corrected cultural beliefs that slipped in confusing the
allegiance to the Law with allegiance to the cultural dictates. HE called out
the leadership of HIS day; HE turned over commercial activities on the steps of
the Temple; HE debated with the leaders of HIS day teaching HIS apprentices how
to deal with accusation, false statements, misinterpretation of scripture,
misapplication of scripture, bigotry, persecution and right worship of GOD.
But, history is also filled with wonderful examples of ‘good
shepherds’ who ‘got it’ and spent their entire lives helping people ‘get it’
and live it. They wrote prolifically breaking down the character of the
Christian in ways anyone could grasp the why’s and how to. Some wrote fictional
books embodying strong Christian principles. Others wrote commentaries breaking
down each verse of the Bible for the eager learner. Others were known for their
abundant charitable nature looking after widows and orphans.
The Christian who understands common sense usually possesses
the wisdom and discernment to distinguish between a good or bad shepherd. They understand
the basic principle of sowing and reaping; the difference between a tree
bearing good fruit vs one that is sucker growth providing little to no useful
fruit. They understand the ‘nature’ of the Christian being a joy filled good
natured and principle based person not seeking to divide the flock or to have
some portion of the flock singled out to themselves. The ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus
sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost to be with believers until CHRIST’s return.
If a shepherd does not reflect the fruitage of the Holy Spirit the flock and
teachings will not either.
Today’s shepherds – Stranger Danger
There is no shortage of Christian based churches,
denominations, fellowships, etc. Today’s philosophy is to shop around and find
a church family you can call a home church. Unless you are part of an existing
church through birth or marriage or from conversion you could spend unending
time ‘shopping around’ for the right fit. But the question posed here: Why?
Should not all Christian churches teach the same things as Christ taught? Their
individual local culture aside – which does temper the overall character of any
church memberships, should the message not be the same everywhere? Should
Christians not be in absolute gospel and doctrinal agreement? Should there be
one church that lives the infallibility of GOD’S WORD and one church the parses
out ideology to appeal to the common cultural dictates.
For instance, the Bible
is clear on murder. There is no first degree, second degree, third degree,
there is just murder. Accidental death at the hands of one person is treated
most often as murder but sometimes falls under the ‘City of Refuge’ protection.
If someone caused the death of an unborn child even accidently it was generally
seen as an ‘eye for an eye’ punishment. Thus, those churches today who are
silent on abortion or who do not oppose abortion or members within the church
who do not oppose abortion or who may have sought an abortion stand in direct
opposition to GOD. GOD caused the book of Exodus to be written and abortion is
addressed in chapter 21. You may argue that the church is no longer under the ‘law’.
You would be correct. However, to reiterate, ‘murder’ is not in degrees but is
simple murder. Your intent aside, the taking of another’s life as murder was
never disavowed by Christ. In fact, Jesus was emphatic in Matt 5:21-22 where
takes being angry with no cause as a person in danger of judgement. Not only
did Jesus reaffirm that murder was in danger of judgment but that anger without
cause is as well.
When a Christian living a principled life wants to worship
with likeminded Christians they will find a church that is based on Christian
principles not cultural fads and phases. The shepherd of Christian principles
based church then would be a ‘good shepherd’.
If you happen onto a church that has cherry picked their own
tenets and have removed themselves from the ‘flock’ via manmade doctrine it will
be rife with shepherds that are not ‘good’ shepherds. In most cases, they have
set themselves as intermediary between their members and Christ causing the
member to think themselves unworthy of free approach to GOD on the basis of
Christ’s blood sacrifice.
There are so many sects of Christianity. Yet Christ is
supposed to be the head of the church and we as members are to be different
parts of the body but the parts have to be identifiable as naturally part of
the same body not transplanted parts of many bodies. In other words, the
Christian body would look cohesive and move in harmony with the head’s
direction. There would not be an arm who teaches one doctrine on baptism and a
leg that teaches another. There would not be one eye that sees a trinity and
the other eye that does not. During the early days of Christianity both Paul
and John wrote extensively about changes to the gospel that had erroneously
been taught as the actual gospel; or, principles/character that had been
perverted by cultural pollution. Are we listening to ‘good shepherds’ when we tend
to our worship? Remember, the gospel is a completed doctrine and was taught as
a completed doctrine by Paul, Peter, John. There is nothing new to be added to
the gospel. Jesus came, he died, was resurrected and thus we have the grace of
GOD as believers in Jesus. Until HIS return HE gave us instructions on what we
are to be busy doing in our lives. It is not open to interpretation.
Is a ‘prosperity’ message part of the gospel? Part of what
Christ taught? It would take a bit of twisted rationalization to see the Beatitudes
as a prosperity doctrine. It is true, blessed are the poor in spirit: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven, is a promised solution to the spirit that is
so destitute it sees no way to improve its lot in life. But, the kingdom of the
heavens is not a prosperity message. It is a promise by GOD to those who live a
Christian principled life based on their belief in Jesus, the Christ, period.
The Good Shepherd and HIS Staff
There is only one
perfect GOOD SHEPHERD, Jesus. There are under shepherds that are good. But
Jesus is and always be the only truly perfect GOOD SHEPHERD. At his departure
from earth Jesus explained to HIS apostles they would receive the Holy Spirit
at a future time and they did at Pentecost. Peter explained the Holy Spirit
would be gifted to believers then and to those ‘a far off’ who GOD will call.
The Holy Spirit continues Jesus’ work. Still guides the
sheep. HE is like the ‘shepherd’s staff’ guiding the sheep to optimize their Christian
lives. Make sure you eat of green pastures not dry weeded scrub. Make sure you
stay with the flock, strong, to ward off the predator who seeks to devour the
weak and sickly or those who meander off from curiosity. Remember, we were
called by a voice with a familiar message we need to now stay close to our
PERFECT GOOD SHEPHERD and HIS Staff!
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so
that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I
will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave
it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my
God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my
God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears,
let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” [Rev 3:11-13] NIV
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©Lightwritingmatters 2015 |
©Lightwritingmatters
2015