JOHN 10:1-10

• AT THE TIME OF JESUS…SHEEP DID INDEED KNOW THE VOICE

OF THEIR SHEPHERDS,

• THEN AND EVEN TODAY THEY FLEE FROM DANGER

• LISTENS TO THE ONE THAT CARES FOR THEM, KNOWS THEM

AND WOULD LAY DOWN THEIR LIFE FOR THEM

• SHEEP IN THE MID-EAST WERE NOT RAISED FOR

SLAUGHTER…RATHER THEY WERE RAISED FOR THEIR WOOL

• IN THE FLOCK ALL THEIR LIVES

• A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR SHEPHERD…MANY YEARS

• COME TO TRUST…PSALM 23…LEAD THEM TO STILL WATERS

AND GREEN PASTURES

• THE SHEPHERD’S CROOK AND HIS ROD WOULD PROTECT THEM

FROM NATURAL HAZARDS…PROTECT THEM AS OUR GOSPEL

SAYS FROM THE THEIVES AND ROBBERS WHO STEAL AND

DESTROY

JESUS HIMSELF SAYS…”THE SHEEP KNOW THE VOICES OF THEIR

SHEPHERD…AND THEY FOLLOW HIM, BUTTHEY WILL NEVER

FOLLOWA STRANGER…IN FACT THEY WILL RUN AWAY BECAUSE

THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE A STRANGER’S VOICE.”

• PROBLEM TODAY…COMING TO RECOGNIZE THE VOICE OF

CHRIST OUR SHEPHERD IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE VOICES THAT

SPEAK AROUND US…MOVIE RAY…CHOOSE TO HEAR

• AND THIS IS IMPORTANT…CRUCIAL WHEN IN OUR MIDST OUR

BROTHERS AND SISTERS….OUR LEADERS…OUR

GOVERNMENT…OUR CHURCHES…ARE SPEAKING ABOUT

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES

• MAKING SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO

THINK AND HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE

• AND REACT TO THOSE ISSUES…

• SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE PLACE OUT TRUST IN THOSE

PEOPLE..WE ACCEPT ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO TELL US…

• AS BEING THE VOICE OF CHRIST SPEAKING TO US…

• OR BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF TRUST IN THE MESSENGER…WE

DECIDE NOT TO HEAR THE MESSAGE…AND THEY BECOME THE

ENEMY

• WE ARE LIKE SHEEP AND WHEN WE HEAR WHAT WE DO NOT

LIKE WE FLEE

• IT IS A PROBLEM…NOT A NEW ONE!!

• FOUND IN EVERY DENOMINATION…EVERY CHURCH

• THE PROBLEM…THE OPPORTUNITY IS THIS…HOW DO WE

DECIDE WHAT THE LORD IS TELLING US?

• HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD….WHAT IS RIGHT OR

WRONG?

• NOT ENOUGH TO SAY WELL BILLY SAYS…OR CONNIE SAYS…OR

THE PREACHER SAYS…

• OR TO SAY WELL OUR SHEPHERD WILL NEVER SAY HOW WE DO

POLOTICS OR HOW WE RUN OUR BUSINESS AFFAIRS…THAT

JESUS ONLY CARES ABOUT OUR SOULS

• IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT IS UNTRUE

• JESUS SAYS MUCH ABOUT OUR ATTITUDES ANDACTIONS

REGARDING MONEY AND ALTHOUGH WHAT HE DID MOST OF

WAS HEALING AND CASTING OUT DEMONS AND TELLING

OTHERS TO LOVE AND FORGIVE…THAT WAS REGARDED AS

POLITICALENOUGH TO GET HIM INTO DEEP TROUBLE…WHICH

ULTIMATELY LED HIM TO THE CROSS

• ONE PERSON’S POLITICS IS ANOTHERS PERSON’S

RELIGION…AND ONE PERSON’S RELIGION OFTEN TURNS OUT TO

BE SOMEONE ELSE’S POLITICS.

• HOW ELSE …EXPLANTION OF CHRISTIANS BEING KILLED

BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIF IN CHRIST?

• HOW…EXPANATION IN REVELATION…WE…LIKE CHRIST

PERSECUTED

• NOT ENOUGH…CANNOT

UNCRITICALLY…UNREFLECTIVELY…WHAT SOME SAY IN THE

NAME OF THE LORD IS WRONG OR RIGHT!!

• WHAT WE CAN DO IS…LISTEN

• PRAYERFUL REFLECTION;

• DELIGENT STUDY;

• CAREFUL CONVERSATION WITH THOSE THAT WE BELIVE AND

WISDOM TO BE CHRIST LIKE

• ASK OURSELVES…WWJD!!

• NO FACE VALUE!!

• WWJD…

• MID EAST?

• WAR IN IRAQ?

• ABORTIONS?

• SAME SEX MARRAIGES?

• HUNGER AND HIV IN AFRICA?

• ABOUT OUR CHURCH?

• ONLY ANSWERED BY US AND FOR US IF WE HAVE A

REALTIONSHIP WITH THE LORD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER

• LIKE THE SHEEP AND THE

SHEPHERD…EATING;RESTING;PLAYING;SUPPORTING;

• LISTENING…

• IMPORTANT THING…NOT THE ANSWER..