The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

John 10:1-42

 

Jesus, talking to the Pharisees says, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate is a thief.

 

The Pharisees represent false religion. Like today there were lots of different denominations. The Pharisees were one of the bigger ones. Today the bigger denominations would include Catholic and Anglican.

 

From today and throughout history there has never been a correct denomination. Jesus’ disciples tried but were persecuted (they were either killed or sent into exile) by the established denominations and that status quo triumphant in the end. If this was not the case and one denomination was correct, then all the others would not exist because the correct denomination would be so blest that all the others would also want that blessing.

 

Each denomination have a different Jesus and the difference gets bigger as you travel to the ends of the spectrum.

 

Jesus is the gate and he says (John 10:8) all who come before him are thieves and robbers.

 

The first coming resulted in Jesus paying the ransom that would allow sinful man to have a relationship with God.

 

The second coming unites all the denominations into one big denomination.

 

If this was not the case then there would be no need for the second coming. We would already be in heaven.

 

Jesus says (John 10:16-18) I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down. Jesus laid down his life only to take it up again. 

 

The second coming starts a process that unites all the different pens (denominations) of sheep. It forms them into one flock with one shepherd. Jesus laid down his life knowing that he would need to take it up again to complete the process of bringing heaven to earth.

 

The rest of the chapter (10:19-42) details the established churches plots to kill Jesus, while at the same time the ordinary people loved him.

The established churches wanted to kill Jesus despite the miracles he performed. Jesus said that the miracles were signs from his Father that he was the chosen one but still the churches wanted him gone.

Today the established churches can not kill physically but they can kill spiritually. They do this by ridicule, ignoring and banning from their buildings all Jesus’ disciples. They set traps, by asking Jesus’ disciples questions which are designed to catch them out. They create a toxic environment for Jesus’ disciples.