March 11, 2019

What We Are – SHEEP (part 4b) by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1543

What We Are – SHEEP (part 4b)

What We Are – SHEEP (part 4b)
In the first part of this lesson on sheep, I began to share how we have been compared to them over and over in the Bible.
Not to insult anyone’s intelligence, but humans like sheep at times aren’t the smartest beings in all creation. Even though we have acquired a tremendous amount of facts, knowledge, and wisdom, part of the definition of intelligence is, applying that knowledge to our life. And many times that’s where we fall short. .
As I began to talk about sheep last week, I also mention the fact that they can become a bit restless at times. Some will just wander off not only from their food source and water, but also from the rest of the flock. Sometimes they will even lead others astray with them. (Does that sound like anyone you know?)
This is dangerous because #1, sheep have no sense of direction and will get lost easy, and #2, because they are totally defenseless they are easy prey to their predators.
In Isaiah 53, it states that, “we like sheep have all gone astray”.
My two favorite discourses concerning us being like sheep are seen in Psalm 23, which is written by David who was a shepherd before he became a king, and Jesus’ discourse in John chapter 10.
These two accounts not only address us as sheep, but more importantly they speak of our relationship with a good Shepherd, our Lord.
Recently I read this story: ‘Two men were called in a large classroom, to recite the 23rd Psalm, one was an orator trained in speech Technique, and drama. He repeated the Psalm in a powerful way. When he finished the audience cheered and asked for an encore that they might hear his wonderful voice again.
The other man repeated the same words, “the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” But when he finished, no sound came from the class. Instead, people sat in a mood of deep devotion and prayer.
Then the first man stood to his feet. “I have a confession to make,” he said, “the difference between what you have just heard from my friend, and what you heard from me, is this: I know the Psalm, but my friend here knows the Shepherd.”
Of all the things that Jesus could have called Himself, ‘the King of kings’, ‘the Almighty God,’ ‘the Lord of Lords,’ He simply calls Himself the Shepherd here – the good Shepherd. And we are his flock, his people, in his pasture.
 Read:  John 10:1–18   (Click on verse to read)                                                                                    
Two caretakers are mentioned here in this text, the hired hand, and good Shepherd. The hired hand has no real connection with the sheep, he is just a hired laborer. It’s just a job for him. And then there’s the good Shepherd. More than likely he is the one that owns the sheep. He has a special a relationship with them. Most owners did not have a lot of sheep. A flock of 100 sheep was considered huge number. Most flocks were no larger than 25 sheep.
Sheep were more like valued pets. Do you remember the when Nathan went to David and told him the story how this man had a lamb and how they treated that lamb like a part of the family, bring it into their home. But then how a rich neighbor who owned many sheep, came and took this lamb, and butchered it to serve a visiting guest. That story infuriated David and he was ready to kill that rich man. You see David knew exactly how important that lamb was to that family. But then David was floored and shocked into repentance when Nathan told him that he was the culprit when he took Bathsheba away from her husband having many wives of his own already.
Most of the time sheep were precious and prized possessions to the owners. They were important and they had a lot invested in them. It is said that of all farm animals sheep require the most care and attention. Jesus, our good Shepherd, paid a big price for us as well on the cross. Therefore we are very precious to Him. So He’s going to continue to watch over and take care of us. Just as the a shepherd knows what his sheep needs to flourish, our Shepherd knows what we need.
So let’s look at a few more facts about sheep:
In the last lesson I mentioned the fact first of all that – they are not very smart. – They can also be a bit stubborn – they get restless and will wander – they get lost easy because they have no sense of direction. – and they are weak and totally defenseless against any predators.
Here’s something else I did not know: When their fur or wool gets thick and heavy, they can get a bit top heavy making them clumsy on their feet. As a matter of fact, if they fall down they might not even be able to get up by themselves. They just lay on the ground with your feet up kicking and squirming around and they need the help of the Shepherd to put them back on all fours. If they don’t get help, they can die like that. Sometimes they will stumble and fall into pits or off cliffs. That is why the Shepherd has a staff with a hook, so he can reach down into a pit and pull them out.
It amazes me how we as Christians can also become overburdened and stumble about. We get so burdened by things in our life, many times we crash and fall and we need a Savior to get us back up on our feet. Thank goodness we have Jesus. You may not even realize how much you need Him until you are there and you feel so lost and hopeless.
Initially, He did not save us with a hooked staff but rather with a wooden cross, and He continues to help us over and over. I believe that is why its important to appoint good shepherds in the local church; they are to be the Lord’s hands in the field.
In Matt 11:28ff Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” God does not want to burden us. We do that to our self.
Sheep also need plenty of water and green grass. I would imagine in arid areas, like the holy lands, and considering how warm that wool coat must be, sheep probably need plenty of water. I also read that they have a very hard time drinking out of fast running water because the water would shoot up their nostrils. That is why a good Shepherd will lead them to still waters.
A good Shepherd also goes out of his way to lead his sheep to places that had the greenest pastures for his sheep to graze. But sheep cannot stay in the same pasture for an extended period of time to graze. Otherwise they would consume parasites which were left behind in their own stools would cling to the remaining grasses. A good Shepherd will move his sheep and not return to that pasture where they’ve been for at least 60 days so that they will not get sick. But he will return to that pasture because that the manure will make its grass even greener.
The analogy for us may be that we need to go to the green pastures to feed God’s Word is the richest places we can feed ourselves spiritually. But we also have to be careful not to focus and feed on only one doctrine or listen only to one teacher or preacher because that could cause us to fall into spiritual error if they are in error. I think it’s important to examine all of God’s word for our self and not just focus on some parts or hang on to one man’s words..Time and time again we need to go back to the Bible and reread it because certain verses may even be more nutritious for us at a later time.
Green pastures, and green grass is living food and not stale, dry, or dead. And like many other animals, sheep prefer fresh grass. And likewise we need to feed on fresh spiritual food as Christians. If we do we will keep coming back to the pasture for more. That’s why I like to preach new, original lessons, and not the same old ones that are preached over and over in churches. That is why it is also good to read and listen to new spiritual material to enrich your life. Otherwise all this church stuff can get a little stale.
In Psalm 23:2, it states that the good Shepherd will make his sheep lie down in green pastures. Sheep are ruminants – they have four stomachs and they chew their cud. They do not have teeth like we do. They have bottom teeth that tear the grass up and then they grind it against their hard palate.
Initially the food is only lightly chewed and combined with saliva to form a small ball or bolus of food which they swallow and it enters their first stomach. Then later they regurgitate the food (or cud) into their mouth and chew it very thoroughly and then swallowed again. Chewing this cud takes place off and on throughout the day and takes about six hours to accomplish. After that the food passes through the next three stomachs which break it down even more. Because of this process, sheep can digest cellulose that humans cannot. The good Shepherd gives them time to relax digest their food.
The analogy here is that after we feed on spiritual food (God’s Word or a good lesson), it is good if people take time to meditate on what they’ve taken in so that they can properly digest it. Many claim that this is achieved better in a smaller setting, like in home churches rather than in a big congregation where people simply hear lessons and run out the door after church and go to lunch. Taking time to talk or discuss a subject in Bible study or after church is very beneficial and something that good Shepherd’s should provide.
Sheep were not only companions, they were used for sacrifice, and for their meat and milk. Sheep skins and their wool were considered their cash crops. But it did not come without cost. A lot of time, energy, and care go into raising sheep. Sheep skin is full of oil called lanolin. The lanolin comes through the skin and coats the coat of wool to condition the wool so that the animal is protected from the elements, especially cold weather. But this oily wool is also a very effective dirt magnet. Every time they lie down, or brush against something they get covered with grass, burrs, dirt, dust, and everything else including dung. If you even seen sheep out in the pasture they are not fluffy white puff balls, rather their coat looks clumpy and dirty. And they do not have any way to clean themselves like a cat or other animals. A good shepherd will clean his animals and make sure no parasites are no them as well.
And sheep do not shed their own fur, or wool. They have to be sheared to be freed from that heavy burden. This all kind of reminds me of how Jesus, our Shepherd, cleanses us and removes our burden of sin. There is nothing we can do about it on our own, so He does it for us. I don’t care how dirty you are or what you’ve gotten in to, He can clean you up.
Here in John 10, Jesus uses the metaphor of being the Shepherd as he attempts to teach his followers and the Pharisees as to His role in their lives, as well as his future with them.
Verses 1-10 Jesus refers to himself as the gate that separates the sheep from danger. During this time in history there were different kinds of sheep pens some actually had walls. But here Jesus was letting them know that He was the gate and no one was going to get to His sheep unless they came through Him.
He is the good shepherd and he loves his sheep and He goes on to say in verses 11 – 18, that He is different than hired workers because He was willingly to lay his life down for his sheep. He is not like the hired man who would simply run away at the first sign of danger.
When it came close to His time and He knew He was on His way to the cross, Jesus could have turned and ran. He could have headed for the hills. But no, He goes right into Jerusalem and laid down His life for His sheep.
He also tells them here in this text, that He has other sheep that are not of that sheep pen. He said that one day He will bring them into His fold, and it will be one flock with one Shepherd over them all.
I believe he is referring to all of us, from different nations, of different nationalities, over the generations that would hear His voice calling and who respond in faith to Him as their Lord and Savior.
He goes on to say that He would lay His life down for all of us, but would take it up again, I believe, to lead us on to even greener pasture in the Glory land of Heaven.
I believe these discourses on us being sheep are less about our weaknesses as humans, as it is about the fact that we are precious to Him. We are like that coveted baby lamb that He loves and want to care for.
I would like to encourage you to find peace and solace in this fact. He want you clean you up and remove those things that burden you; because if you remember, there in John 10 He said that He came so that you can have life, and life to the full, not onte that stinky and burdened.
We are so blessed to have a a God who care for us so.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com

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