I'm a Sheep Too.

Sheep,Goats and Wolves

So I have been looking at the things that Jesus said after his victorious resurrection to prepare his disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. In the last post we talked about Jesus being clear that he died for ALL mankind. That he forgave ALL mankind. That every man has a contract signed with the blood of Jesus that now awaits the agreeing signature. We discussed how Jesus told his disciples to do the same...FORGIVE!{John 20:21-23} That especially now given the power of the Holy Spirit we have the ability to both bind and loose. We should be binding no man that has already been forgiven. What we should be doing is feeding and tending. Feeding and tending who?

"He said to him, "Feed My lambs."...He said to him, "Tend My sheep."...Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep." John 21:15,16,17

This is a famous set of verses spoken to Peter by Jesus after the resurrection. John 21 tells us that one day the some of the disciples were all back doing what they had done before they met Jesus. They were fishing, but not catching any fish. So a man{Jesus} yells from shore to cast on the other side. They caught a huge net full of fish and the net didn't even break. {Remember when they first met Jesus did the same thing but the net broke}. Anyways the men come to shore with their catch and there is Jesus with a fire going, bread and fish already cooking. See Jesus didn't need their fish to eat, but he needed them to catch for themselves. He told them to bring the fish that they had caught to the table as well. Then the famous conversation between Jesus and Peter. Three times he asks Peter if he loved him. Just as the three times that Peter had denied. So Jesus said if you love me then this is what you are to do...feed and tend my lambs and sheep.

Now I think it is hilarious that there are Christians out there who think that these verses only pertain to the church. That anytime it talks about sheep that means Christians. First of all when they were spoken to Peter there was no church and there were no Christians. For all intents and purposes all mankind was on an even playing field. All mankind had just been bought by the blood of Jesus. So now the job for the disciples was to tend and feed all mankind to bring them into relationship with the Shepherd and teach them to follow his voice. To act as shepherds on behalf of the Shepherd.

"As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." John 10:15-16

"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd." Matt. 9:36