Who Is Your Shepherd?
John 10: 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
When it comes down to it we have to admit that Jesus is our shepherd and no one else. I have heard some pastors talk about their sheep and how they are to shepherd those sheep. I disagree with that thinking. The above scripture tells us exactly who the shepherd is and He is Jesus! The problem in many churches today is we put our trust in one man and not in the Lord Himself and we are a "bubble off plumb." In builder's terms that means that the house is not level and it will crack before long. We have been cracking for a while as the church and the end result of not being level is falling away from the mission of the church, not studying the Word of God, and following people instead of Jesus.
When we preach Jesus in our pulpits those who are born again will respond to the message that is preached because as the above scripture states and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. The Shepherd Jesus is calling and we need to listen to His voice and come to Him. When I say Him I mean the Word of God because Jesus IS the Word of God. Here is John 1 to emphasize this great truth. John 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. Jesus is the Word of God. We can reason that God calls us through the Word of God, so it must be our lifeline in following God's plan and the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all born-again believers takes that Word and makes it come alive in our lives.
God is calling. Did you hear me say God is calling? If you are one of His sheep, truly one of His sheep, you will hear that call. Then you will have to decide "Will I heed the call?" I hope you say yes to that call. You may think "What is He calling me to do?" Scripture says it this way. God spoke through the prophet Micah these words in Micah 6:8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. That is a good start, but there is so much more God is calling all born-again believers to do. Jesus came upon a group of fishermen and "called" them and the world will never be the same. Jesus met Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus and "called" him and the world will never be the same. Jesus has saved you and "called "you and you are a new person and your world will never be the same. This is the way of our Lord and it is good! Listen to His call and respond. If our churches would heed the call of God communities would be impacted in an incredible way.
When I read the stories of the spiritual awakening at Asbury College I can see the effect of God calling and His sheep responding and it is awesome!! God is still calling, but how is our hearing? Maybe we have drifted too far from God's purposes for our life and our hearing is not too good. Our pulpits can serve as "hearing aids" so the message can still be heard because Jesus truly is always calling. Not just every once in a while at a site like Asbury College, or where the Jesus Awakening took place. God is calling here and now and He wants us to listen and then respond and the world will never be the same.
Who is Your Shepherd? I Hope He is Jesus because He is calling and as sheep, we must respond. Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 5: 15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Take more care in your daily walk and get into a deeper study of God's Word and your hearing will improve amazingly. IF Jesus is your shepherd.
The Pilgrimage Continues
David Warren