Download Are You A Sheep Or A Goat

Are You A Sheep Or A Goat?
Feast of Tabernacles
Greg Gaetzman
October 11, 2014
All of us look forward to the soon-coming reality of the feast when all people, all lands
and all languages will worship God in one religion. We look forward to that prophetic
fulfillment and what it will mean to humanity, those who live through the day of the Lord.
I think there is a scripture that says about 1/30 of the population of the world, maybe
250 or 300 million will live through it out of a total of over seven billion. What it will
mean to those people and what it will mean to the physical earth and all the creatures
on the earth and certainly what it will mean to the firstfruits, the Bride of Christ who will
already have been crowned a kingdom of priests, and have been married to Jesus
Christ in a ceremony probably conducted by God, the Father. If you look in Leviticus
23, there is a pretty good indication of that. They have taken part in a marriage supper,
and there seems to be an indication in the gospel of Luke that Jesus Christ and God the
Father will actually serve the meal. At that point we will have witnessed a Genesis type
of regeneration of the earth.
The effects of the seven trumpet plagues and the seven bowl plagues will have left the
earth unable to sustain life if Jesus Christ did not intervene very quickly to clean up the
air, the water, the atmosphere, the polluted ground and the polluted seas. The earth will
literally be a burned out cinder filled with death and rotting corpses. As the Bride of
Christ, we will watch Jesus Christ do a Genesis type of regeneration on the earth,
similar to what He did in the first week that we see in Genesis. If He didn’t, all flesh
would die, and we know if it weren’t for the elect’s sake, all flesh would be destroyed.
So He is saving this earth for us for a very powerful reason.
At the beginning of the Millennium and throughout and beyond into the Great White
Throne Judgment period of time, Christ starts and continues a process of separation.
Please turn to Matthew 25. There are powerful parables in Matthew 25 and there is one
that follows on the heels of the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents.
There is a process of evaluation and separation in judging humanity by Jesus Christ
in verses 31 to 33.
Matthew 25:31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them
one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:
33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (KJV)
A long process of time will be allowed for this to happen. Obviously the millennium is a
thousand years. We have speculated on the length of the Great White Throne
Judgment period of time, but we really don’t know.
So why are peoples and nations classified as sheep or as goats? We know that
scripture uses parables, analogies, similes and metaphors to paint a picture for a
spiritual lesson so we can understand it. So what kind of behaviors do these two
animals exhibit that would cause Christ to use such an analogy in reference to people?
How are these two animals different?
Today I want to address that question because the process of evaluation, separation
and of judging is taking place in the church today. The title is:
Are You A Sheep or A Goat?
Turn to 1 Peter 4 if you would and we will read verses 17 to 19.
1 Peter 4:17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of
God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God?
18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the
sinner appear?
19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the
keeping of their souls [lives] to him [God, the Father] in well doing, as unto a
faithful Creator. (KJV)
So it’s more than just faith. Obedience is a big aspect of eternal life, not that we earn it,
but if God sees that we’re just giving Him lip service, He wants more than that. It has to
be more than that.
1 Corinthians 11:18. For first of all, when you come together in the church, I
hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
Rick read this in the first sermon. I don’t pull scriptures because someone else gave it.
None of us coordinated as to what was going to be spoken, so maybe there is a reason
why scriptures are duplicated at the feast.
19) For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved
may be made manifest among you. (KJV)
The word “heresies” is the Greek word 139 and it means a choice. It implies that
choices have to be made. There must be divisions or disunion among you.
When everything started blowing up, I was discouraged and wondered what in the world
was happening, but this is all of God. He is testing us to see what is really in our heart,
as He tested Abraham and Moses. Everyone that will have eternal life will have been
tested because God wants to see what is inside of us. What is inside has to be more
than just lip service. He has to see what is in our heart, because He is about to give us
power that we cannot fathom. We have to show Him that we are in unison with the way
He thinks.
The word “approved,” the Greek word 1384 “dokimos” means properly acceptable,
approved, tried. We are being tried.
“Being made manifest” is the Greek word 5318 and it’s “phaneros.” It means something
that is shining, something that is apparent, literally or figuratively. It is something that is
publicly known. Our actions should not only show God, it should show the world that we
are a different people truly following Christ. That is the purpose for the divisions.
So God is evaluating. He is separating and ultimately He will judge us. He is doing it to
the church today and He will do it to the people in the Millennium and the Great White
Throne Judgment period of time.
So let’s finish the parable here. Let’s go back to Matthew 25 and we will finish the third
parable. This is after He separated the sheep from the goats.
Matthew 25:34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, you
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world:
35) For I was hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me
drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in:
36) Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison,
and you came unto me.
37) Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you
hungry, and fed you? or thirsty, and gave you drink?
38) When saw we you a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you?
39) Or when saw we you sick, or in prison, and came unto you?
40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren …
(KJV)
We’re talking about the church.
40b) ... you have done it unto me. (KJV)
Not that we can’t do it to people in the world, the emphasis is to one of my brethren.
41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand [the goats], Depart from
me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42) For I was hungry, and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me
no drink:
43) I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you clothed me not:
sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.
44) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we you hungry, or
athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto
you?
45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you
did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.
46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into
life eternal. (KJV)
Goats = punishment
Sheep = eternal life
Today I want to look at the character traits of sheep and goats. You’ve probably heard
sermons on this before and how these character traits can apply to people.
In Hasting’s Bible Dictionary, volume 2, page 195, it says this about goats and sheep:
The intractable and mischievous nature of the goat is contrasted with the gentle
and innocent disposition of the sheep.
In the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition:
The goat has for all time been regarded as an emblem of everything that is evil,
in contra distinction to the sheep which is the symbol of excellence and purity.
In a book called Sheep and Wool Science; I had to do an intra-city, intra-library transfer
to get it. I got this one out of the Agricultural Library of the University of Wisconsin, by
E. M. Ensminger.
Chapter 1: History and Development of Sheep and Goat Industry, and this is known as
the bible of the sheep and wool science:
Goats are more intelligent, independent and possess greater ability to fight and
fend for themselves than do sheep.
As sheep, we are supposed to be dependent upon God, not independent. There is a
strong admonition that Jesus Christ gives to this independent nature in Revelation 3.
We know it. This is one of the pages that’s almost worn out in our Bibles.
Revelation 3:14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;
These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God; (KJV)
In verse 17, notice the independent nature.
17) Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked: (KJV)
They say the right things, but their actions say something different, just the opposite.
Again from Sheep and Wool Science:
Goats, unlike sheep, will actually challenge and fight each other. They will
challenge other animals and even humans. Goats are very bold and daring and
not easily driven from behind. They like to lead and they like to be in front. They
are hard to keep together.
There should be faces and people that you know that are popping into your memory.
There are in my mind.
Sometimes goats are loners. There is no unity among a flock of goats. Goats
have a zest for exploration. They are very curious and inquisitive, never
satisfied.
Turn to 2 Timothy 3:5 and 7. He starts out talking about character traits of people at the
end of the age, perilous times.
2 Timothy 3:5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. From
such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:7. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth.
This mentality filters down into all of us if we are not careful, just through the process of
osmosis. If you slept overnight in a dumpster, you would smell like a dumpster. Just by
the society we live in, this stuff filters into our lives and it’s a difficult battle.
There are religious hobbyists, always out on a limb, never grounded in the trunk of the
tree doctrines, wandering from subject to subject, never satisfied like the goat. I tell
people to take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side put
salvational issues and on the other put non-salvational issues. You can fill in your own,
but I’ll give you a few.
Salvational issues:
The Ten Commandments
Holy days
The doctrines of Hebrews 6. I call it the seven implied doctrines of Hebrews 6.
There are six of them, but the implied doctrines that you go on to perfection.
How God views our character, are you a goat or a sheep? That is a salvational
issue.
Overcoming character flaws. That’s a salvational issue.
Another salvational issue is the pursuit of righteous behavior.
I think a lot of people get into Bible study and they use it as a club rather than a mirror. I
think part of the reason is that they’re tired of overcoming. They search out nonsalvational issues because they think they’re pleasing God. They’re studying all this
stuff that has nothing to do with salvation. They think they’re pleasing God, but they are
not overcoming. They’re not doing anything with developing the fruit of the spirit in their
life. That’s my opinion, but I think it’s accurate.
Matthew 6:33. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you. (KJV)
Non-salvational issues:
The place of safety: where is it and when is it?
There’s speculation about the return of Christ. Remember in 1972 and 1975 for
you old timers. You remember that.
Then there was a prophecy in 1961 and 1962 in Worldwide. Remember Rick
gave a sermon on Shebna and the sin of pride. Well in my Bible I have written
that Prince Charles is Shebna. Obviously, I put an “X” through that, but that’s
what we taught as a church.
Another non-salvational issue: Which is the true church of God? How many
times have you heard that?
Who are the two witnesses? There are six of them now and we know two facts
about them. They’re not good at math and they are not very humble. The two
witnesses are clothed in sack cloth, a symbol of humility. So we know that the
six that are out there right now are not one of the two witnesses.
Who is the beast? Remember the booklet we had, Who is The Beast? That is a
non-salvational issue. It doesn’t matter.
I personally know people who are in one form of the Church of God or another
who are currently studying whether the Israelites are truly black. My comment to
them was, “What does it matter?”
Did the angels have sex with women? They’re studying this.
What European nations will form the beast power?
Who is doing the work of God today?
There’s every type of prophecy that you can imagine. Always looking for something
different, over the hill, always dissatisfied if there isn’t something different.
Another behavior of goats is that they are browsers of brush, leaves, twigs, weeds,
acorns and they will chew on almost anything from rags to labels on tin cans, plastic
containers, all types of trash and if you’re not looking, your clothes.
Goats are very disloyal and will turn on you when you least expect it. A female goat will
abort her young at the first sign of a food shortage.
Matthew 24:9. Then shall they deliver you up… (KJV)
Remember, we’re talking about a character trait of goats. They’re very disloyal.
9b) … to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for
my name's sake.
10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall
hate one another.
11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12) And because iniquity [lawlessness] shall abound, the love [agape] of many
shall wax cold.
13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (KJV)
We’re all getting a new definition of the word “endure.” By the time it’s all said and
done, we’re going to have a whole different concept of endure. God will observe this
behavior in this process of evaluation, of separation and judgment. The choices that
Christians will make as we go forward will place them into one category … goats or
sheep.
We know Satan is the chief goat and he turned on God and we know that. We read
about that on the Day of Atonement in Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, and Genesis 3 in the
Garden of Eden. He will attempt to do it again in the future.
Revelation 12: 7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his
angels were cast out with him.
10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day
and night. (KJV)
In the past many brethren came into the church out of fear of the great tribulation. They
didn’t want to go through that, and who does? They came for the place of safety. I’ve
had this statement said to me in the last couple years.
When you visit people of different groups, if there is a funeral for someone you’ve
known for twenty-five or thirty years, I’ve heard them say, “We’re going to the place of
safety and you’re not!” Because they’re in the right group, they’re following the right
man, they’re preaching the gospel. The problem with that, folks, is that you don’t find
that in scripture.
The difference that separates the judgment of the goat and the sheep is overcoming
and developing the fruit of the spirit and enduring to the end. We need to think about
that.
Matthew 6:33. But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness …
(KJV)
That must be number one. However, a lot of people have left. Maybe they weren’t here
for the right reasons. Maybe they got offended. Don’t forget, brethren, it doesn’t matter
what people do. Each and every one of us individually made a covenant before God.
We promised to God that we would stick with Him. So there is no good excuse for
leaving. If other people offend us, that’s not a good thing, but it doesn’t change the fact
that we made a covenant with God. The goal has got to be the Kingdom of God.
I don’t want to go through the great tribulation, but if God says, “That’s what I want you
to do to be in the kingdom” then so be it. Simply because someone goes through the
great tribulation doesn’t mean that they are bad in God’s eyes. The twelve apostles
were martyred with the exception of John. A lot of decent people, power names of the
Bible, were martyred. Was God displeased with them? No. So don’t get caught up into
that category that if you don’t go to the place of safety, God is disappointed with you.
That’s not true.
The place of safety is a physical goal. The Kingdom of God is a spiritual goal. The
difference between the two as to which one you seek could be part of the evaluation
process of separating the sheep and the goats.
Another quote from Sheep and Wool Science:
Unlike sheep, goats easily return to a wild state if given the opportunity.
The parable in Matthew 25 is giving an analogy of animals in reference to their
character traits, but God is using those character traits to look at people, nations, men
and women, Christians. There is a promise of a blessing and a curse depending on
what category the judge, Jesus Christ, determines for each of us. Are we bearing
Christian fruit? That is important. I don’t want to return to a wild state and I hope that’s
true for all of you. All of us had a wild state to one degree or another. However, be
cautious and careful because there is always the urge in us to go back to that wild state.
It’s there if you’re honest.
Turn to Romans 7. In his later years in the church, twenty years after his calling, Paul
came to see himself as he really was, the wild state of his nature. I will read it from the
Jerusalem Bible.
Romans 7:14. The law, of course, as we all know is spiritual, but I am
unspiritual. I have been sold as a slave to sin.
15) I cannot understand my own behavior. I fail to carry out things I want to do,
and I find myself doing the very things that I hate.
16) When I act against my own will, that means that I have a self that
acknowledges that the law is good.
17) So the thing behaving in that way is not myself, but sin living in me.
18) The fact is, I know of nothing good living in me, living that is in my unspiritual
self. For though the will to do good is in me, the performance is not,
19) with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out
sinful things that I do not want.
20) When I act against my will then it is not my true self doing it, but sin that lives
in me.
21) In fact, this seems to be the rule that every single time I want to do good, it is
something evil that comes out of me.
22) In my innermost self, I dearly love God’s law,
23) but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law
which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of the law of sin
which lives inside my body.
24) What a wretched man that I am. Who will rescue me from this body doomed
to death?
25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In short, it is I who with my
reason serve the law of God and no less I who with my unspiritual self, the law of
sin. (Jerusalem Bible)
We all have a wild side to one degree or another. Notice what Peter likened going back
to the wild state is like.
2 Peter 2:20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through
the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome [the wild side], the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning.
21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto
them. (KJV)
Most of us know people that have done that, and if we are honest with ourselves, from
time to time we have tendencies to slip back into that.
22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned
to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the
mire. (KJV)
This is how God views turning back to the wild side. I have two Samoyed Huskies and I
can see Vicki looking already, because she knows what I’m going to talk about. They
do this from time to time. You feed them something and suddenly their back starts to
arch and out it comes onto the kitchen floor or a rug. It is sickening to watch. This is
how God views us going back to the wild side. Then when they’re done licking it back
up again, they come over and want to lick your hand.
This summer I went to the Marathon County Fair. I live in Marathon County in
Wisconsin. I like to see the animals that the 4-H kids bring in. It just so happened that
they were showing and judging the pigs. The 4-H kids had groomed and washed the
sows from the tip of their tails to their snouts. They were glistening. It was probably the
only time they were clean. Sure enough, a few got loose and they started running into
the mud and rolling in other pig’s feces and they were just in hog heaven. It came
natural to them. Their carnal side overcame their spiritual side, squealing in delight.
We are called and told to come out of the wild state, and that’s what our calling is all
about.
Revelation 18:4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of
her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of
her plagues. (KJV)
Also the Apostle Paul said a similar thing to the church in 2 Corinthians, his second
letter to the church at Corinth.
2 Corinthians 6:14. Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for
what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion
hath light with darkness?
15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial [Satan]? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel?
16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for you … (KJV)
Where it says “you” I wrote the name, Greg, because this is personal.
16b) … are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them,
and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18) And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty. (KJV)
He says to come out of the wild state and stay out of it. That’s what He is telling the
people in Corinth.
One final trait of goats is that they are not dependable. They resent authority and they
like to lead. When applied to people, they like to be in charge, they seek a following.
They have a psychological need to lead and they want to be acknowledged as someone
that has superior knowledge. There is pride all the way through.
Now for sheep behavior. Again this is from Sheep and Wool Science by Mr. Ensminger:
Domestic sheep of all breeds are universally timid, defenseless and the least
intelligent and the least teachable of all four-footed animals.
Now God is not saying that this is where we are now. He is saying that is how we were
when we were called.
1 Corinthians 1:26. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which
are mighty;
28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:
29) That no flesh should glory in his presence ... (KJV)
That is the reason for this type of calling. Nobody can glory before God. I don’t care
how much knowledge people may have, I’ll guarantee you nobody knows it all. No one
will stand before Christ and say, “I had it all figured out.” It won’t happen.
30) But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us … (KJV)
Once you’re called from that state, this is what is supposed to happen.
30b) … wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and … (KJV)
As a result of it:
30 continued) … redemption: (KJV)
31) That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.
(KJV)
God’s laws are what changes us from that state.
You may have heard and seen books like Who’s Who in America. All of us, including
myself are in the book, Who’s He or She in America. We’re not part of Who’s Who in
America. I’ve heard in the past those who arrogantly say, “Yes, that’s true for most of
the people in the church, but I’m not one of the “not many.” By the way, they really did
say that. I know of people back in the Wausau Church in Worldwide that made that
statement. They are no longer in the church. They’re not one of the “not many.” In
other words, they’re one of the great ones. That was their attitude.
All we have has been given to us by God, whether genetically through our parents, the
intellect we have, all of it. Yes, we have worked hard for things, but God gave us the
ability to do it.
When I was at college years and years ago, Dr. Hoeh was known as a man that had
one and two sentence statements. You know, a word fitly spoken. There was a young
man that went to him and said, “Dr. Hoeh, I’m having a problem with vanity.” Dr. Hoeh
said, “Young man, what do you have to be vain about?” End of counseling session.
God is accomplishing something great through us that will confound the world and it all
comes from God for His glory. God is using the firstfruits to demonstrate to the world
His greatness, His glory, His eternal possibilities that He is offering to us.
Again, another point about sheep: Sheep are almost impossible to drive from behind. If
you don’t believe me, ask Dale Roecks. He knows this is true. He has had firsthand
experience trying to round up a number of sheep with a four-wheeler. The Canadian
brethren call that a quad. He had very little success. Sheep are timid and easily
spooked, but they will follow a leader very readily. As Christians, we need to be
cautious as to who we follow.
2 Peter 2:1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise
of you … (KJV)
We must be careful who we follow. For decades we were programmed by the church
and groomed to believe that church government is on an equal plane with the Ten
Commandments. That is not true. Church government is not on an equal plane with
the Ten Commandments. The stakes are too high, brethren, to blindly follow someone
simply because they say they are a minister. When you turn your life over to a man or
to a group simply because they pull the trump card of authority, you’re taking a severe
chance.
Turn to Acts 17 and we will read verses 10 and 11. Keep in mind, Paul and Silas have
just left Thessalonica. They escaped because the Jews were after them and they sent
the lewd and baser sort after them, kind of like the local motor cycle gang. But here you
have Paul, a Pharisee of the Pharisees of the Tribe of Benjamin, taught directly by
Jesus Christ. He spoke four or five different languages. He was taught by Gamaliel, a
doctor of the law. He probably had an IQ of around 130. He could quote entire sections
of scripture. Look what it says here in verses 10 and 11.
Acts 17:10. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11) These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those
things were so. (KJV)
The Greek word “searched” is number 350 and it’s “anakrino.” This is what it says: To
scrutinize, investigate, interrogate, determine, ask questions, discern, examine, judge
and to search. God had this placed in the holy scriptures, not as a suggestion, but as a
command. One of the many tools to help keep us from being deceived by false
teachers, false brethren, false leaders, is to search and obey scripture. If a minister
pulls a trump card on you and it’s simply because his pride is hurt, God doesn’t say you
have to obey him. If he is wrong, he is wrong. I take this very seriously. I will make
suggestions to people, but it’s still their decision. I don’t pull trump cards unless there is
obvious sin. If people are fornicating or something, I will just say, “Until you stop, you
can’t come back.” Their life is their life. Their judge is Jesus Christ and when a minister
pulls a trump card on you and he can’t back it up with scripture, the Bible says you need
to search what he is doing and saying. If he doesn’t like it, that’s too bad.
John 16:13. Howbeit when the Spirit of truth, is come, it will guide you into all
truth: for it shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it
speak: and it will show you things to come. (KJV)
God can teach us. Understanding of scripture doesn’t just have to come from the
ministry. There’s a lot of very interesting concepts that have come from the brethren,
and when we sit down in Wausau, we talk. I love to hear what the. That should be true
for us if we are studying scripture. God’s spirit doesn’t drive us or push us. It guides
and leads us.
The principles in 1 Corinthians 13 are, not rude, not pushy. That’s God’s character. He
doesn’t push His way into our life. He doesn’t force His way into our life. That’s why
when I ask a prayer, every time I ask God and Christ to please be part of the fellowship.
They don’t push their way into our fellowship. If we want them there, ask them and then
they will come in. If we’re close to God and filled with the holy spirit, like the five wise
virgins, we will be able to discern when something is not right. It doesn’t mean you
have to get into a big argument. Notice what it says in Romans 16 which backs this up.
The first sixteen verses, all he is doing is greeting this person. Say hello to Pricilla and
Aquila, the house of Epaenetus and he’s saying hello to all these people. Notice what
he says in verse 17. He doesn’t say the ministry has to do this. He said:
Romans 16:17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions
and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.
18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. (KJV)
We must be careful. We have a responsibility to guard our life, guard this precious gift
God has given us. Don’t wait for the minister to tell you what’s right and wrong. You
have to know scripture just like I have to know it. You have to be able to sift and sort
through what you see people doing and discern if this complies with scripture. Is this
person good to hang with?
When sheep are fed properly and treated gently, when they’re led and not pushed or
threatened, there is peace in the flock. Sheep prefer to eat lush green grass, not
weeds.
Hebrews 6:4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and
have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy spirit,
5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
(KJV)
If a sheep feeds on trash, it will get sick, unlike a goat that would eat almost anything.
God does not want us feeding on things that are not healthy for us. Garbage in …
garbage out. It’s a principle. God does not want us to be ala carte Christians. You
know what ala carte is. When we had the dinner the other night and had all different
foods we could choose from. That was ala carte. You could pick and choose what you
want.
I know of people that take things out of context. It’s called proof texting. They have a
certain belief and then they find and quote a certain scripture taken out of context to
justify their behavior. “Wives are supposed to obey in all things!” Really? Where does
it say that? In the Lord, yes, but if your husband asks you to murder someone, is that
“all things?” It’s all things in the Lord. Husbands are supposed to love their wives as
Christ loved the church. Oftentimes with marriage problems, that scripture doesn’t
seem to come up too much. But the one that says, “She is supposed to obey
everything I say.” We hear that a lot, rather than trying to discern God’s will and
changing their behavior to comply with the will of God.
Romans 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
2) And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God. (KJV)
People come into the church and they bring in their old beliefs from the religions they
came out of. Then they try to weave that into Christianity and they say, “This is
Christian behavior.” It may be, but most of the time it is not. God has called us to tear
us down and rebuild us into a true way of worship and life.
Sheep are loyal to a shepherd and respond only to his voice. Don’t think that I’m going
to say you have to believe all the ministers. If they’re saying what Christ says, that’s
fine. When two flocks intermingle and shepherds call the sheep, they will begin to
separate and go to their shepherd whose voice they recognize. Rick talked about this in
his message on the first day of the Feast.
John 10:1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the
sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2) But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3) To him the porter [door keeper] opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he
calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4) And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes 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. (KJV)
It amazes me to see how people will look at something that Christ says, “Do this and
don’t do that.” People say, “Well, that’s just your opinion. I see it differently.” Brethren,
this book is the mind of God in print, and we need to take these things as commands,
not just as mere suggestions. Even if we don’t fully understand it, if the Bible says to do
something, try it and maybe you’ll begin to understand what God is saying. Verses 14
and 27:
14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (KJV)
How can we hear the voice of the shepherd if we’re not studying? How can we hear
Christ’s voice if we’re not studying?
Question: What is the reward of following the voice of the shepherd? Verses 28 and
29:
28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand.
29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand. (KJV)
This is very important. When Christ says something, those should be our marching
orders, not, “Well, I see it differently.”
From Sheep and Wool Science again:
Domestic sheep have become completely dependent upon man. Unlike other
farm animals, they are unable to return to a wild life and survive.
There is no returning to our former way of life that we had before our calling and
survive. We will not survive.
Luke 9:62. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (KJV)
We cannot look back like Lot’s wife did. When the ancient Romans landed in an area
where they were going to battle the legions, the commanders had them burn the boats.
There is no turning back. You fight to the death. We are in a battle to fight to the death.
There is no retreat; there is no turning back. Our attitude and our calling must be that
there is no going back to the wild side. The only direction is going forward.
2 Peter 2:20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through
the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
(KJV)
We talked about how the dog returns to its vomit and the sow to wallowing in the mire.
That’s how God would view our turning back and not repenting of it. That’s not a good
thing.
We’re not goats any longer. We are sheep. We can’t go back and survive spiritually.
Sheep depend upon the shepherd to provide good food and water.
John 7:37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38) He that believes on me, as the scriptures have said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. (KJV)
We know this is a reference to God’s holy spirit, not necessarily physical matter. We
know in Matthew 4:4, Jesus Christ said He lived by every word of God. That’s what
guided Him through life.
We know in Matthew 25:8 that the five foolish virgins don’t seem to heed this. They go
to different places to try to fill their temple with the holy spirit. The word “foolish” is the
Greek word “morose” from which we get the word “moron.” I know we’re not supposed
to call people idiots, but it says we can call them morons. It means dull or stupid or
heedless or a blockhead. For whatever reason, they have drifted in their relationship
with God. Their lamps have gone out, and without light they are blind, which is one of
the character traits of the Laodicean.
I’m going to read some quick notes from Sheep and Wool Science about what a
shepherd should be like.
A shepherd must be kind to every member of his flock. He must use good
judgment in managing the flock. He must feed liberally and not hold to the idea
that sheep can live on little or nothing. He must practice cleanliness which
means to keep the feeding troughs clean and sweet and not let them become
filthy with manure, thereby causing the sheep to get sick. He must be able to
rescue the sheep from ditches and danger and accidents.
Matthew 18:12. How think you? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of
them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goes into the
mountains, and seeks that which is gone astray? (KJV)
He must be able to protect the sheep from poisonous plants and weeds … gossip, false
doctrines, false brethren, false teachers, accusers of the brethren, those who sew
discord, like we read in Romans 16:18, to avoid them. The minister can give you
suggestions, but it says you, brethren, avoid them. This is your calling. This is your
pearl of great price. These are some of the different character traits of goats and sheep
and maybe we can begin to understand why the metaphor is used.
Jesus Christ came as a lamb. He will come as a lawyer, but He came as a lamb. If you
notice in Matthew 25, the goats are takers and the sheep are givers. That’s what it
says. God has been waiting a long time to give us the kingdom.
Luke 12:32. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you
the kingdom. (KJV)
So this is a salvational issue. The givers are going to be given the Kingdom of God.
The takers are going to have taken from them that which they have. Christ is the Lamb
of God.
Turn to Revelation 19 and we’ll get one final concept here. When I was reading this, it
dawned on me that there is something very special about this.
Revelation 19:7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready.
14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (KJV)
Notice at that point He comes back as a warrior. Now go to Revelation 21, which is a
new heaven and new earth. All that was physical is gone. It’s now spiritual. He goes
from being a warrior and King of kings and Lord of lords and now from chapter 21 all the
way through He is no longer referred to as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Every
scripture you read here it says, He is a Lamb.
Revelation 21:14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them
the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
22) And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
the temple of it.
23) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for
the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Verse 27:
27) And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles, neither
whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the
Lamb's book of life. (KJV)
No longer King of kings and Lord of lords; He is now the lamb.
So we must get as far away from goat tendencies as we possibly can, from the
character traits of the goat, from the mentality of the goat. We have to become a sheep
in our thinking, because Jesus Christ is going to marry someone that thinks like Him, in
the mentality of a sheep, peaceful, loving, and tender.
Revelation 22:1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as
crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
3) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (KJV)
He talks about all the bad things that people are and the bad things they do.
15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. (KJV)
Jesus Christ, through all of this, is saying that the way of the goat will be put away. The
way of the Lamb is going to last.
We want to make sure that our judgment finds us on the right side with the sheep and
not on the left with the goats.
We’re going to sing this song later, but I want to read the 23rd Psalm.
Psalm 23. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still
waters.
3) He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's
sake.
4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for you are with me … (KJV)
He is saying, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.”
4b) … your rod and your staff they comfort me.
5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies … (KJV)
We’re keeping the Feast of Tabernacles here in the presence of Satan. He is the god of
this world.
He prepares a table for us in the presence of our foes.
5b) … you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will
dwell in the house [with the Lamb] of the LORD forever. (KJV)