I Am a "Sheep, I Will Listen To His Voice And Depend On the Good Shepherd All My Life

From: May 13 – 19, 2008

PASTOR: EDITH CRUZ

Study: # 542

Topic : “I Am a "Sheep, I Will Listen To His Voice And Depend On the Good Shepherd All My Life" John 10:25-30 We are sheep. We should have the Father’s knowledge in order to not be confused. In church there can never be a mixture of sheep and wolf because they do not look alike. When we think that we are self-sufficient we believe we don’t need anyone to guide us. But we can see that a sheep never feels self-sufficient because she knows that the Good Shepherd can guide her. The day that we believe to be sufficient we are in great danger because a sheep can only be in a flock. We sometimes make decisions without measuring the consequences because we are not capable of seeing things. We will never be able to do things on our own as sheep because we have a pastor. Fear towards God is something that many times slips away from human beings. We have to be careful not to find ourselves competent and believe that it is not necessary for anyone to guide us. Because then, life will go wrong. Everything disappears overnight. Only the Good Shepherd will never cease to be. That is why we can never rely on our own strength but in what God is doing. We are people who depend on the Good Shepherd always; how we move depends completely on the Good Shepherd. The church belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the only one capable of guiding our lives. Nothing is ours, only the Good Shepherd is the one who can work in us. Sometimes we don’t like Jesus to lead our lives and we start doing things our own way, but a sheep should always seek direction. To know the Word gives us much well being; not seeking our own benefit but what He wants to tell us through His Word. The deeds done by Jesus gave testimony that He was the Good Shepherd. Those who believe they are sufficient are already programmed. The world insists in being sufficient. People are not interested in having their lives guided by Jesus. The other problem that human beings have is that they talk too much. The Pharisees could not see the great power of Jesus but rather they believed that they were self-sufficient. Sometimes we cannot see the greatness in Jesus but rather we live obstinate; this blinds us, we block ourselves and we start stumbling and then it becomes difficult to recover. Let us be careful. Jesus came to the world with miracles and power; He established the Father's Kingdom which is joy, peace and justice. He did not have a sword to kill His enemies, but He did have the power of salvation. The Pharisees could see that He was frequently healing and had everything under control. There had never been a person that demonstrated so many miracles like Jesus. He performed miracles by the authority of His Father and for the glory of His Father. Then, how can we not see that there is a Good Shepherd who wants to guide our lives? Those who are sheep are sheep in good times, in bad times and in times of trial. Jesus did all that demonstrating that He was truly the Good Shepherd. When we don't have the Good Shepherd this is not good for our body, our children, our lives, our offspring, or our properties because we do not have God’s blessings. For those who have the Good Shepherd receive blessings for everything. Those with a bad disposition to receive the Messiah demonstrated that they were not His sheep. Not everyone will be His sheep; it is our duty to spread the nets of the gospel. When there is a disposition it is because one has been really chosen. Sometimes those who call themselves believers demand from the Lord to reveal himself to them, but we should be grateful that He reveals himself to us through His Word, which is clear and precise. The commandment is to preach the gospel. Those men

were obstinate in their incredulity. The Good Shepherd for the sheep is in the Scriptures and the more we feed ourselves of it the more we will grow and have knowledge. Our faith will increase and we will rest in the one we trust. To not be a sheep of Christ makes us a sheep of Satan. One of the qualities of the sheep is to be tender. Besides, she has to be guided because she cannot make decisions by herself. The lamb is a name which means tenderness. If we are sheep, lambs we should be tender. If there is tenderness in us when Jesus speaks to us through the Word, we remain calm. A sheep doesn't think obstinately, does not answer back or walk away from the Lord in the day of her illness or trial. A sheep never becomes angry with the others because she understands who the Good Shepherd is and never feels superior. Those who are not sheep do not want to hear the Shepherd's voice to not follow their teachings. We need the Lord to guide us day after day. We should walk together with the shepherd who carries His cane. We will not know the path unless the Good Shepherd guides our lives, not for what we want, because even when the cane touches us it is to take us forward. No one drives away the real sheep off the road. They will never perish in their trials or in the worse situation. Since we knew the Lord, we heard His voice, because we are already His sheep and He knows everything about our lives. When we hear His voice we obey His Word. Then, He knows us by our name. No sheep escapes from His attention. We would never be lost because of His negligence. He is not negligent and will never neglect us. A sheep follows Him, first exercising the delivering faith in Him and then walking in obedience. The Good Shepherd is the one who guides our lives. Sometimes we forget that we are sheep and we turn into what we believe and think. The sheep rejoices in the shepherd's voice. When Jesus calls us He says: "Follow me", because we do not have self will and He will guide us. The reason for which one perishes is because one doesn't listen. By listening to His voice and following Him will keep us from perishing. Whoever wants to follow the Good Shepherd has to know that this world no longer belongs to them. We should desire to live a sacred life, not out of fear of losing a salvation but because we are grateful to the one who gave us salvation, the one who died for us. We are sheep of Christ because the Father gave us to Him as a wedding gift. We have so much value before the eyes of the Divine Trinity because to buy that gift Christ's blood was shed. We live a sacred life in gratitude. No one can keep us away from Jesus, not even the devil. Christ knew well the strength of the Father which sustained and fortified Him. It was the Father who placed us in Jesus’ hands. Jesus and the Father are the same and there is no difference between them. Jesus is similar to the Father; there is nothing in any way that can separate them. They are one in power, strength, majesty and sanctity. It was a plan from the trinity for us. In order to walk as Jesus desires we have to listen to His voice, love His Word, and be His sheep. Amen.