My Sheep Know My Voice – 5

My Sheep Know My Voice – 5

Subject: Determining When God Is at Work 

by Rick Welborne

John 10:1-5 (NIV) 

1  "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 

2  The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 

3  The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

4  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 

5  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

--Review:

1. Let us look at how Job was bigger on the inside than on the outside.

Job 1:1-3, 8 (NKJV) 

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 

2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 

3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 

8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

–Can you imagine how awesome it would be for God to say this about you or me? We probably would not want God bragging on us if it led to this kind of testing.

–He was simply saying...even though Job is so wealthy (wealthiest man in the east), he is more wealthy (bigger) on the inside than on the outside. A man of extreme integrity.

–He was blameless, upright, he feared God, and stayed away from evil...how is this possible for a rich man to love God so much? Difficult not to trust your riches. 

Mark 10:2327 (NKJV) 

23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 

24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 

26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" 

27 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." 

–Evidently he trusted in God more than his riches and with God all things are possible. Some say money is the root of all evil. Not true. The love of money is the root of all evil.

–This is evidenced in Job’s response when all his stuff was taken away and his children died all at once.

Job 1:2022 (NKJV) 

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 

21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 

22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. 

–Because he was bigger on the inside than he was on the outside...he was able to maintain his integrity and still be able to worship God. His wealth was not his source, God was. Designer. 

–We will come back to Job but let’s go and look at the prodigal son and see the four stages of physical development, Christian development, and marital development. 

2. The four stages of physical development, Christian development, and marital development. 

A. Give me.

Luke 15:1112 (NKJV) 

11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. 

12 And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. 

1. Every person starts in the “Give me” stage...Babies...Christians!

2. Christians do not want to go to hell. Give me assurance I am not going there. 

3. Marriage...men married to get his needs met...women...the same. Give me what I need.

4. Child...his maturity level. Mine! Mine! Give me.

B. Use me.

Luke 15:13 (NLT) 

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 

–In essence, this younger son was saying to his new found friends “use me” to party.

–We say in our Christian lives to God “use me” but our motives may not be pure.

1. Selfish reasons...used by God so people will see us...recognized...healing, prophecy, miracles.

2. Simon the magician...wanted recognition...wanted to be seen...use me, Lord!

Acts 8:1821 (NKJV) 

18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 

19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 

20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 

21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 

–Simon was selfish...didn’t care for those whom he laid his hands...about him. Use me for me!

3. Marriage...partner can’t make you happy...when divorce happens.

–Men - I want to take you fishing or hunting so we can have time together.

–Women - I want you to go shopping with me so we can bond.

4. Marriage was created to kill you...living with someone else. It is about dying to self.

5. Have children...die to self. Children and a spouse teach you about living dead to yourself. 

C. Search me.

Luke 15:17 (NKJV) 

17 But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

1. We go from shame to blame...stop blaming others for your situation. Take responsibility for your junk.  Don’t deflect what the real issue is. Transference aggression. Stop kicking the dog.

Psalm 139:2324 (NKJV) 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Lamentations 3:40-41 (NKJV)
⁴⁰  Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD;
⁴¹  Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven. 

 2. Pride and insecurity keep us from growing…these keep us from searching ourselves.

–German Pastor - stood against Hilter...hung at age 39. Other pastors were too afraid to search their hearts and speak out.

Dietrich Bonhoffer - When we stop listening to each other it is just a matter of time before we stop listening to God.

3. Search our own hearts to see if we are bigger on the inside.

D. Make me.

Luke 15:1819 (NKJV) 

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 

19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ' 

1. I know I am a son but “make me” a servant.

2. Make me a servant to my spouse...to my church...to my pastor...to my parents.

John Maxwell: Character is closing the gap between knowing and doing.

3. As we mature, it is no longer what I get but what can I give...make me into a servant.

3. Let’s look at the end result of Job’s trust in God.

--This is what job had at the beginning of us knowing about him. The scriptures never give us the indication that he inherited all this but that, as he was faithful, God blessed him.

--There is a really high probability that not any of us will be considered the wealthiest people in the West. Maybe me! God expects us to be faithful with what we have…to be good stewards.

Job 1:2-3 (NKJV) 

2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 

3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 

Job 1...List of his possessions.

10 children

7000 sheep

3000 camels

500 oxen

500 female donkeys

Job 42:1213 (NKJV) 

12 Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 

13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 

–List his possessions at the end of the story as we read it in Job: He probably accumulated more:

–10 children - doubled

–14000 sheep- doubled

–6000 camels - doubled

–1000 oxen - doubled

–1000 female donkeys - doubled 

--I have heard people ask the question and I have asked the same question…it is so wonderful that God gave him double everything and also replaced his children:

--But he lost his kids…he lost his kids…how difficult would that have to be? Because of his trust in God, because of his sanctifying his kids, and because of his prayer for them I believe he has spent 4000 years in heaven with all of his 20 kids. 

--I believe he is okay now! Praise the Lord!