Text- John 10:4, 27 – "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice”… “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”
In the course of this series, we have been able to establish three things that mark a true sheep of Christ: 1. He is a believer 2. He has the knowledge of God, and seeks more of it 3. He is teachable
Moving on today, we will talk about another mark of a true sheep… A true sheep is a follower. He follows the leading of God; he walks in the paths of Christ.
Remember, what we saw in Isaiah 2:3 yesterday – “Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
When Jesus called His twelve disciples, one common thing He said to them all was “Follow me”. In fact, seventy times in the gospels, Jesus gave the command, “Follow me!”
A true sheep understands that he is called to follow Jesus in his footsteps; that he is called to follow Jesus Christ as he goes before us in the straight and narrow way of his lordship. See what Isaiah foresaw about this way in Isaiah 35:8-9
“And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it… But only the redeemed will walk there”
A follower of Christ is someone who is fully yielded to Christ in his intellect, will, and affection. He hears what God says (through the Bible, by Revelation of the Holy Spirit, and from God-ordained leadership), and follows faithfully, instantly, and joyfully. That is what a true sheep does.
Jesus made a remarkable comment about following him in Luke 14: 27, 33
Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple. Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
The Lord says here that true sheep would carry their cross and follow Him, even when they have to jettison their plans, or kiss people good-bye. Jesus wants those who follow him to be like Paul, who said, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21)
The bottom-line is this: Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved, and the saved will follow Jesus as his sheep, walking the path of righteousness – that highway called the Way of Holiness.
Beloved, are you following Jesus? Are you a true sheep?
PRAYERS
1. Lord lead the way, I will follow.
2. Lord, I choose to follow you faithfully, instantly and joyfully every day of my life.
3. Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to follow you as a true sheep; walking the path of righteousness – that highway called the Way of Holiness.