Exposure is coming to those who take on a Pharisaical spirit proclaiming to be right shepherds of the people. Many in the church today are wearing the label of leadership that stands to support the people, but God is ripping off those false labels that only offer nominal intention holding no true spiritual weight. Many leaders today have allowed themselves to be put on a pedestal of self-righteousness not realizing that God can push them from it….and great will that fall be! God’s Kingdom is the only one that will prevail and no other kingdom will withstand! God is exposing the hired hands and impostors within spiritual and political positions in order to get rid of the corruption that is deceiving the people. We must have heaven’s blueprint so that we can truly know God and those that He’s put in place to take care of us.
Jesus, The Only Good Shepherd
In John 10, Jesus addresses the issues with shepherding in response to what He saw in the previous chapter concerning the Pharisees. Spiritual and political leaders are also shepherds of God’s people.The Festival of Dedication was an opportunity for Jesus to set forth a deeper understanding of leading His people. In today’s society, God is bringing back to remembrance that He is the only Good and True Shepherd.
Jesus, The Door of the Sheep
John 10:1-5 says 10 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 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.” (NLT)
Jesus gave the story of the sheepfold and how it was built with one gate. The low walls of the sheepfold had thorny branches put on top to keep the sheep in at night and protect them from danger. Any trouble that entered in was a threat to the entire flock. In this example, Jesus was saying that a bad shepherd was like a thief and a robber. Bad shepherds used the sheep for their own gain by taking the sheep’s wool and milk for themselves and also slaughtering the sheep without protecting them.
A Good Shepherd Knows his Sheep and
Will Never lead them Astray
Verses 3-4 of John 10 explain how a good shepherd personally knows his sheep. Either by tunes of an instrument, verbal commands, or songs, a good shepherd always leads his sheep and never forces them. The sheep know his voice, follow him, and trust his leadership.
John 10:6-10: “6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (NLT)
Jesus had to bring understanding because they were strangers to His voice. Let me say it again in all caps. THE PHARISEES AND OTHER LEADERS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE STRANGERS TO THE VOICE OF JESUS. THEY WERE NOT FOLLOWERS OF HIM.
Hired Hands Exposed and
True Followers of Jesus Revealed
There are many church leaders, politicians, and prominent company leaders that are leading the people under them into danger. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, protects His sheep by shielding them from danger and fights on their behalf. Jesus says in John 10:11-18, 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (NLT)
Jesus will never leave His sheep in the midst of danger. Never ever will He leave you! It’s about true relationship and not just the task at hand. In a world now with so many voices of corruption, exposure of the lack of true guidance or leadership is being shown. There are company leaders that may have their people in a natural building, but allow chaos to erupt by not doing what they are called to do as leaders. Jesus is needed. The people belong to God and not man. There are church buildings or establishments where they claim to be a pastor, but listen to the voice of greed where money is their goal. The people are not being taken care of and are being abused by such leaders. When danger or trouble happens, they run and fend for themselves leaving their “flock” to destruction. Jesus is needed! God has had enough of the Pharisaical stance that has erupted in the world and especially in His church. Jesus sacrificed His life for all people even the ones that are not yet in the sheepfold. The leaders that choose to take on a hardened-heart towards God’s instruction will soon discover that nothing belongs to them, and that He is a defender of His people.
It’s the love of Jesus that rules in the heart of true leadership. As humans, we will make many mistakes, but there is no misunderstanding of the sacrifice that Jesus gave for us to be free. He loves us so much that when we mess up, He forgives us and gets us back on track. As sheep, we know His voice and trust to follow Him as a leader. Listen and follow His voice.
If you are questioning the quality of leaders put before you today, surrender your heart to Jesus and view truth through the lens of the Good Shepherd. His voice will NEVER lead you astray. Remember, it’s bigger than us. The enemy is after not just one but the ENTIRE FLOCK…the GENERATIONS! Be wise and quick to listen to instruction from the Lord. Jesus is the only True Shepherd. May God expose every impostor and hired hand claiming to know the Father or His ways. May your ear be inclined to the Lord strongly in this season. May the fragrant oil of the Good Shepherd keep you from all harm. Victory is your portion! Trust Him. From this day forth, may the powerful love of God overtake you and bring you into the magnificent relationship of the Father’s loving presence!
