A scrip or purse is a begging bag and Jesus told His
labourer's not to carry one around. God takes care of those who
work for Him. Yet we see so many who in large part have centered
their ministries around begging for money. Beware of the hireling.
Let's allow Jesus to interpret this parable for us.
7) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you
, I am the door of the sheep.
8) All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16) 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.
17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
19) There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
Verses 7-9 are witnessed to again in the book of John. The
Bible tells us that truth is established in the mouth of two
witnesses (Matthew 18:16) and this holds true for sound doctrine
as well.
John (14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way , the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
I think it's important the we understand in prophecy that there
are two shepherds. The true shepherd which is Christ and the
wicked shepherd which is antichrist. The antichrist will attempt
to mislead the sheep through deception in the end times and as the
Bible tells us he will mislead many Rev. (12:9). It says there he
will deceive the whole world. Christ's sheep will know His voice
and are known of Him but those who are not of His fold will be
deceived. Much of that deception is occurring right now through
teachings like the rapture
which is not Biblical and just one of the tools satan is using to
prepare the way for his rule here on earth. The antichrist comes
first and many Christians are not aware of this fact, though it is
made clear in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2. Many will receive the
antichrist with open arms believing him to be Jesus and much of
this is due to what is being taught right now in the majority of
our denominations.
One more excellent point can be made about what Jesus taught
here. It is often taught that Christ was scared or had a moment of
weakness before His death. How anyone can believe this is a
mystery to me. He makes it clear in verse 18 that His life was in
His own hands. He didn't even need to ask the Father to spare His
life because by commandment God gave Him the power to lay it down
or take it back up again. So what are we to believe about His
words on the cross?
Matthew (27:46) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Our Father didn't forsake our Lord and Savior even for one
moment. Christ is teaching us here even as the life is leaving His
body. He was so good to us and never left us without a Shepherd or
without the truth that sustains us in this ever wicked world. This
is scripture from a Psalm of David and was quoted here so that we
would know this whole event was recorded in the Bible more than a
thousand years before it happened. Just another example that the
Bible is the Word of God and a documented truth that we count on.
Psalm 22
1) To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2) O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4) Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5) They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7) All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8) He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9) But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10) I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11) Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12) Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13) They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15) My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16) For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17) I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18) They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19) But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20) Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21) Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22) I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23) Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24) For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25) My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26) The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27) All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28) For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29) All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30) A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31) They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
