|
Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 7 - Good Shepherd
John 10:13-16
13 [de] The hireling [misthotos] fleeth [pheugo] , because [hoti] he is [esti] an hireling [misthotos] , and [kai] careth [melo] not [ou] for [peri] the sheep [probaton] .
14 I [ego] am [eimi] the good [kalos] shepherd [poimen] , and [kai] know [ginosko] my [emos] sheep, and [kai] am known [ginosko] of [hupo] mine [emos] .
15 As [kathos] the Father [pater] knoweth [ginosko] me [me] , even so [kago] know [ginosko] I [kago] the Father [pater] : and [kai] I lay down [tithemi] my [mou] life [psuche] for [huper] the sheep [probaton] .
16 And [kai] other [allos] sheep [probaton] I have [echo] , which [hos] are [esti] not [ou] of [ek] this [taute] fold [aule] : them also [kakeinos] I [me] must [dei] bring [ago] , and [kai] they shall hear [akouo] my [mou] voice [phone] ; and [kai] there shall be [ginomai] one [mia] fold [poimne] , and one [heis] shepherd [poimen] . KJV-Interlinear
13 'He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 'I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 'And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd. NASB
The hired hand no matter what his/her intentions, is still the hired hand. His wages? His ego. His good intentions. His desire to help others. But this is done without the aid of God, and apart from Gods counsel.
What is Gods counsel? Bible doctrine. The hired hand is anyone who wants to help, but they do so without using Gods guidance. They rely on their own sense of what is good. These then are the do-gooders of the world, the self righteous. And though many are decent people, their underlying pay is their own arrogance.
Arrogance is doing, believing, assuming anything while ignoring Gods wisdom. To believe that one can do something that God cannot do is arrogance. Sometimes it is extreme arrogance. Sometimes it is very subtle, perhaps not even perceptible by others.
Though their actions speak of helping others, when God is excluded, then that help can prove to be more detrimental than the treatment that is given by robbers. At least one knows the intentions of the robber. And when a do-gooder helps he in reality misleads the ones who need truth in their life.
The long and short of it all is that the hired hands (those doing Gods work from the energy of their own flesh - excluding God) are in it for themselves, their own ego, fixing their own guilt, or for whatever reason, their motives are self centered. They are not really concerned for the sheep.
Jesus again reminds us that it is He who is the real, the true Shepherd. He is not with us in the flesh today, but He is with us by means of the Word of God. Thus our Shepherd is Bible Doctrine. That is our guide. That is our source of hope.
There is a unique relationship between the sheep and the Shepherd, between believers and Christ, just as their is a unique relationship between the Son and the Father. There is only one relationship which counts in this life, in this world.
You cannot find real answers for your life through any academic education. You cannot find any real answers for your life through your social interactions, through your entertainment activities, through your hobbies, through your career, your inheritance, your wealth, your prosperity or lack of it, through some philosophy. Nowhere in life is their going to be the ultimate wisdom.
Only through the written word, the written Shepherd, is the truth of life going to be made perspicuous to you.. Only through the one and only true relationship that the Son of God has with the Father, is there a means of a relationship with God. No guru, no philosophy, no invented ideals, no government, no country, no culture, no 'feeling,' no vitamins, no diet, no line of clothing, nothing will ever solve the ultimate problem which mankind has and that of course is sin and death.
There are many folds of sheep. They exist throughout the world, they exist across many cultures, they exist in many times of history. Many are still future, still unborn, still yet to hear the gospel of Christ. But they will because the only Shepherd is also He who controls history.
God set out the divine decrees, and looking down through time, He saw everyone who will believe in Christ. For them and for them alone is history allowed to continue to its completion. This is so they too will be allowed to enter into the one and only true flock of God. The flock which belongs to God and to no one else.
End of Lesson |
|
 |
Table of Contents
|
 |
Previous Page |
|
Next Page |
text-indent: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;">
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
If You Wish To Support This Bible Study,
Please Make Your Donation Here
Go To Home Page
|
|
