We as sheep in the world keep looking around. On the green pastures where we may graze, if we look closely we can see a sent helper sent by the Chief Shepherd to the fields to ensure that the sheep would all be driven together and brought to the stable.
The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognise his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.
Also for those who were in the dark and have seen the star lighting up, they won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.
They heard the Voice of God, Who gave them this shepherd to follow. That sent one from God said to his disciples
“Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7 Darby)
In the darkness were enough other shepherds, but they are not the good ones.
“All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.” (John 10:8 Darby)
Good to notice the good sheep didn’t listen to the sheep stealers. They saw the lightening star, the Gate to go through.
“I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture.” (John 10:9 Darby)
We want to be cared for, willing to freely go in and out, and find pasture.
After long grazing, we sheep should no longer doubt who that good shepherd can be. It is the sent one from the Chief Shepherd who came so the sheep can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. He is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd who puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep:” (John 10:11 Darby)
Today we are together as sheep who matter to him. All gathered in our ecclesia look up to him who is sent by the Chief Shepherd. This sent one is the Good Shepherd who knows his own sheep and his own sheep know him. It is in the same way that the Father knows him, and that this good shepherd knows the Father.
“15 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: those also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:15-16 Darby)
We know that the good shepherd has other sheep in addition to those in this pen. We look forward to the days that he shall be able to bring them also to the Chief Shepherd’s House. Therefore as helpers to the good shepherd shall his brothers and sisters go out into the world to call the sheep.
Those who shall hear the Good Message shall also recognise the shepherd’s voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. That shepherd even going so far that he freely lay down his life, free to take it up again.
“On this account the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again.” (John 10:17 Darby)
Those who stepped out with the pilgrims now follow the sent shepherd from whom no one can take anything away. In him we trust that he received this authority personally from his Father. By him we can see how much God loved the world.
No one needs to be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.” (John 3:16 Darby)
Kanisa la Christadelphian huko Anderlecht 