Conclusion Of The Sheepfolds And The Shepherd

Further explaining his role, Jesus says: "I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasturage. . . I have come that they might have life and might have it in abundance. . . .I am the fine shepherd, and I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep."

Recently, Jesus had comforted his followers, saying: "Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom." This little flock, which eventually numbers 144,000, comes into this new, or second, sheepfold. But Jesus goes on to observe: "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd."

Since the "other sheep" are "not of this fold," they must be of another fold, a third one. These last two folds, or pens of sheep, have different destinies. The "little flock"in one fold will rule with Christ in heaven, and the "other sheep" in the other fold will live on the Paradise earth. Yet, despite being in two folds, the sheep have no jealously, no do they feel segregated, for as Jesus says, they "become one flock" under the shepherd."

The Fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ, willingly give his life for both fold of sheep. "I surrender it of my own initiative," he says. "I have authority to surrender it, and I have authority to receive it again. The commandment on this I received from my Father." When Jesus says this, a division result among the Jews.

Many of the crowd say: "He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to him?" But others respond: "These are not the sayings of a demonized man." then, evidently referring back a couple of months to his curing of the man born blind, they add: "A demon cannot open blind people's eyes, can it?" John 10:1-22; 9:1-7; Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1, 3; 21:3, 4; Psalms 37:29.

Next time: Further Attempts To Kill Jesus

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991