Sheep

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Matthew 8:9

Each fellowship has a leader. They have different names; Pastor, Elder, Bishop, etc. Each leader is under some sort of authority themselves. That authority gives them their authority. When you are submitted to authority, you then carry authority. A good example of this is when believers use the term "In Jesus' Name". They are speaking with authority and can do so because they are submitted to that same authority.

So, whose authority, besides that of Jesus Christ, is my leader under? Well, it's not your concern or your business really. Most leaders in higher positions are held accountable to their own peers. But again, their submission to authority is not your concern. You should be concerned with your own submission. If you can past that, you'll go far. Many times believers look at their leaders in a way that becomes too familiar and that is not healthy.

If you are submitted, UNDER authority, you will be proper sheep.

Sheep have responsibilities.

Sheep know the voice of the shepherd. When a sheep is just a lamb, the shepherd carries the lamb frequently on his shoulder. By doing this, the sheep constantly hears the shepherd's voice. It is like when a woman is pregnant and the husband talks to her belly. When that baby is born, not only does the baby recognize the mother's voice, but the father's also. This is important for the lamb, because when trouble may come, he will need to recognize the shepherd's voice.

Sheep follow the shepherd. The shepherd carries a rod/staff. The staff guides the sheep in the way to go. The rod corrects their wrong way and puts them back in the flow of the flock. Sheep should not try going their own way, they may get the rod. Ouch!

Sheep eat what the shepherd feeds them. If you are church-hopping or always tuning in to the latest TV preacher instead of studying the teaching and preaching of your shepherd, you are not a proper sheep. Sheep do not eat TV dinners.

Sheep heed the warnings of the shepherd. If the shepherd says 'don't', then sheep shouldn't. If the shepherd says 'do', then the sheep should. Is your shepherd always having to preach about the same subject? Then someone is not heeding! Just be sure it's not you holding the flock back from moving forward!

Sheep must bear good fruit. Are you bearing fruit after your own kind? It is sheep who beget sheep, not the shepherd. Get out there and start sharing the gospel. Get someone saved. Get them into the fellowship of believers. Disciple them. Bear fruit that remains. Or are you just barren?

Sheep allow the shepherd to shear them. This is two-fold. First, the shepherd ALWAYS profits from his sheep. I am not talking about the tithe - that is for the church. I am talking about giving to your shepherd. It should, at some point, be money. But it can also be in other ways. Cut his grass, wash his car, pay for his dry-cleaning. the list goes on and on. If you can't think of something that's appropriate, just give your shepherd some money. The second way is that when sheep are sheared, they are saved from sickness and death. Sometimes shearing hurts. The shepherd will shear from the pulpit on Sunday, cutting away that wool that has you bound up and unable to move freely. If you pay attention on Sunday, you shouldn't always need a counseling session.

Get sheared! Give it up!

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