There is a class of believers that Jesus calls, ‘The Sheep.’ The bible reveals that in the church we have sheep, goats and wolves. In this presentation I will delve deeper into the ‘Sheep’ class of believers. We shall look at:

1. The characteristic and benefits of the Sheep.
2. How to become a sheep.
3. Sheep from goats.

The characteristics and benefits of the sheep

1. The Sheep hear the voice of Christ alone.

1 John 10 WEB
24  The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25  Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me.26  But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. 27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

I want you notice something here. Only the sheep are able to hear the voice of the Lord. When the Lord says, they hear his voice, it means they obey his word.

They are not made sheep because of their obedience, but their obedience comes because they are sheep. The Jews could not believe in Christ though he told them who he was because They were not sheep.

 2. The Sheep will never be deceived

John 10 WEB
4 Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers

People do not become sheep because they have fled from deception, but people will flee from deception because they are sheep. This is an interesting characteristic. The Sheep will never obey the word of a stranger. They only hear and follow Christ. When the enemy tries to speak to them, they will flee because they are the sheep of Christ.

 3. The Sheep have eternal life.

Joh 10:28-29 (WEB)
28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

These are very bold statements coming from the Lord Jesus. Those people who are called his sheep, are safe and secure in God’s hands. They are given to Jesus by God himself. No being can snatch them out of God’s hands because God is greater than all. This means, there is nothing that Satan can do to take these people away from Christ. The only way Satan can take them, is if he becomes greater than the Father.

Jesus also assures the sheep that they have eternal life and they will never ever ever perish. If any of the sheep is lost, then Jesus will be a liar and a failure.

4. Jesus knows and calls each sheep by name.

Joh 10:3 (WEB)
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

It is very important that Jesus knows each sheep by name. When Jesus shall reject those who call him Lord but do not follow his will, the reason shall be that he never knew them. So the fact that he knows each sheep by name is important in relation to their salvation.

 5. It is Jesus Christ responsibility to make sure the sheep never get lost.

Luke 15:4 (ESV)
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

Jesus is the great shepherd who will not lose a single sheep. If one of his people who are sheep goes astray, Jesus himself will go after that one, and bring him back.

As you can see from these 5 points, Once a sheep always a sheep. The doctrine of eternal security only applies to The Sheep.

The sheep always follow Christ, they flee from strangers, they can not be deceived, they have eternal life, they never perish and if they go a stray Jesus will go bring them back.

HOW TO BECOME A SHEEP

1. Enter by the door

Joh 10:9 (WEB)
I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

You can only enter Salvation through Christ. He is the door way to Salvation.

Let’s hear him.

2. Deny Yourself

Luk 9:23 (WEB)
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

Jesus says, the sheep hear his voice and follow him. Here he says, if anyone desires to follow him, he must first deny himself.

What is to deny yourself?

Jesus is addressing the state of the heart that one must have when they want to follow him. To deny yourself is to be willing to let go of certain benefits for the sake of another. A person can only truly follow Christ if they have reached a place where they are willing to deny themselves things of this world for the sake of the gospel. Such a person, will easily overcome many temptations of Satan.

 3. Bear your own cross

Luk 14:27 (WEB)
Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.

This is interesting. Jesus says, if you can not carry your own cross you CAN’T be his disciple. Again, this is addressing attitude of the heart. A willingness to crucify the desires or the flesh. Thats what is meant by carrying your cross.

Gal 5:24 (WEB)
Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

 4. Love Christ above all

Mat 10:37 (WEB)
He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

You can never love your son more than Christ loves him. This is why you must love Christ above all others. If Christ is not number 1 in your heart, you can’t be the sheep.

Luk 14:26 (WEB)
“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.

It is impossible to become a sheep if you still regard another person, even yourself above Christ. Christ can not change you, if you love who and what you already are. Now from these we can see that our criteria for a disciple of Christ and God’s criteria is different. A person who is willing to deny themselves can not be tempted by the goods of this world.

A person who loves Christ more than their own life and more than any other person, can not be threatened by death or sickness. Such a person will always lean to Christ, and Christ will never let them down.

Such a person will never get lost. And if he goes astray, he will easily be returned because he has given himself over totally to Jesus.

5. Remain in the word.

Joh 8:31 (WEB)
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.

The true disciples of Christ will remain in the word of Christ. All the characteristics come as a result of you having complete faith in Jesus as your Lord (Master) and Christ (Saviour).

The amplified bible describes faith in this way.

Colossians 1:4
For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [ the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones),

A person who has that faith, will become a sheep.

They have placed their entire human personality in Christ’s hands, trusting His wisdom, his power and his goodness. Such a person can not be snatched out of God’s hands, they can not be deceived, they will never perish.

THE WOLVES AND THE GOATS

When we look at the flock which is the Church. Not everyone is a sheep. Some are wolves, others are goats.

Wolves

Wolves are people who are not saved but are part of the church. They are like Judas. They are placed there by Satan to destroy the church.

Mat 7:15 (WEB)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Act 20:29-30 (WEB)
29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Goats

Goats are those believers who never completely gave their hearts to Christ. They never had the faith where they completely gave their entire human personality on Christ to fully trust and have confidence in his power, his wisdom and goodness.

As a result they never become sheep. When Christ comes, he shall separate the goats from the sheep.

Mat 25:33 (WEB)
He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.