JESUS
KNOWS HIS SHEEP AND THEY HEAR HIM
December 12, 2010
Mike
Blume
Matthew 7:21-25 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. John 10:1-18 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (6) This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (7) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (8) All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. God has been opening up more and more truth about the people whom Jesus knows.
Just before Jesus speaks of folks calling Him Lord, yet not entering the Kingdom and not built on the Rock, He spoke of a NARROW WAY that leads to LIFE, and false prophets. And He brings up a term while mentioning false prophets. Matthew 7:13-15 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Suddenly SHEEP are contrasted from false prophets, by saying these false preachers are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. And notice He said MANY go in the broad way that leads to destruction?
With all of that in mind, knowing Jesus just contrasted SHEEP from WOLVES, John 10 says: John 10: (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP.
Not only DOES HE KNOW HIS SHEEP, and Jesus shows us that MANY call Him LORD and ARE NOT SHEEP since HE DOES NOT KNOW THEM, but we have ANOTHER INDICATOR OF WHO THE SHEEP ARE: Matt 7: (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,… John 10: (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. After He speaks of not knowing MANY WHO CALL HIM LORD, He tells us that we have to HEAR HIS WORDS AND DO THEM.
What was it in Matt 16 that was associated with FOLLOWING HIM?
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And what was it that John 10 also has Jesus saying that ties in with THE CROSS? John 10 (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Does that not sound like… Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. We realize that Jesus speaks of HIS SHEEP KNOWING HIS VOICE in John 10, and we read over and over what THAT VOICE IS SAYING TO US: John 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. CROSS CROSS CROSS The cross causes us to become invincible.
When you take your cross, the devil can only appeal to the selfishness and iniquity we engage in in order to affect us.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. The devil HAD NOTHING IN HIM. A life of self denial removes the things the devil feeds upon.
MAKE SURE YOU ARE ONE OF HIS SHEEP, BY TAKING UP YOUR CROSS AND DENYING YOURSELF. Take Jesus’ lifestyle to yourself: John 10 (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. What that means is LIVING AS HE LIVED: JOHN 10 (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. No one is going to take it up for you.
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