SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP
Friday – May 17, 2019, Iyar 12, 5779
Greetings dear partners, and friends of Eastern Gate Ministries International and The Three Minute Word publication. Today I will be continuing this powerful and insightful Bible Study of the Book of John moving into chapter ten. If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment and hit the “like” and “share” buttons to expand the reach of this ministry. There is no substitute for the Word of God and insight into the Word of God. The Word of God is the only reliable, unchanging, unshakeable foundation for our lives. As another week comes to a close let us turn our attention to our primary Bible text reading it aloud.
John 10:1-5 (KJV)
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
The whole of the Bible is wonderfully instructive but this area we are entering today and will spend much time with is especially illuminating. As we examine verse one, a person might ask, who is a thief and a robber. Notice, the verse starts with not one “verily” but two drawing our attention to how serious this is to the Father and thus to us. Very plainly put, self-appointed or ordained preachers (spiritual leaders) will have a rather rough go at the Judgment Seat of Christ or the White Throne Judgment. Of course, everyone at the White Throne Judgment is in a world of hurt already. All true Church, body of Christ, leadership is God ordained or appointed and sometimes recognized and testified too by man. God appoints and it is the responsibility of the various leaders to recognize that God given ordination and confirm it among themselves and to the world. So, the thief and the robber is that person who is not appointed of God to the Five-Fold Ministry as an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, or Teacher but assumes it as their self-appointed call or profession. Jesus goes on to say that “he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep”. One might ask, what is being spoken of with regard to the use of the word ‘door’. A door is a proper entry point but more importantly in Scripture the door is a person.
John 10:9 (KJV)
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
We find that the one who opens the door is the porter, so, who is the porter. The porter is the Father. The Master Shepherd is Jesus and then there are many under shepherds which are those appointed by God to the Five-Fold Ministry. All are appointed to ministry and have areas of responsibility and even people they lead under the person ordained to a Five-Fold Ministry position, recognized or unrecognized by the organized Church. We commonly hear of Jesus as the Head of the Church, and we are the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul spoke of the body of Christ which is the body of Anointed ones in the earth as having different but vital functions as in a human body. As we explore verse three of our primary text understand that the primary person, we are talking about is Jesus but it also applies in general to all ministry leaders. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become one of the sheep of His pasture.
Psalm 100:3 (KJV)
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
At salvation we are a new creation like none before, not even Adam, and there will be none like us to follow in the ages to come. We are in Christ Jesus under Grace which Adam did not have the benefit of having. We have a safety net which Adam did not have. Jesus was also functioning as a man in the earth without a safety net.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Romans 8:2 (KJV)
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Oh, what a Savior!!
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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