This morning we explored our identity as sheep (based on Psalm 100:3 which tells us ‘Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.’) The theme of sheep and shepherds runs throughout the whole Bible, with Abraham, Jacob and Moses all known as shepherds, along with the prophet Amos and Israel’s greatest king, David. Psalm 23, which declares ‘the Lord is my shepherd’, is probably the most famous psalm of all, and Jesus continued this tradition by telling a story of a lost sheep and speaking of Himself as the good shepherd who knows His sheep. (John 10)
We may not particularly like being called sheep, but this animal teaches us much about how God sees us. Sheep are social animals, belonging to a flock or herd; we too are called to live in community with God’s people (see Heb 10:23). They are easily scared and prone to wander, characteristics we definitely share with them, but God wants us to leave a life of anxiety and worry by trusting Him (see Matt 6:25-34). Sheep can be helpless, especially if they end up upside down, and we too can be easily downcast and discouraged, hence the need for the shepherd to restore our souls (see Ps 23). They are not load-bearing animals like donkeys or horses; we too often are ‘cumbered with a load of care’, as the hymn puts it, and must learn to cast all our cares on God (see Ps 55:22, 1 Pet 5:7)
On the positive side, lambs were known for their purity and innocence, becoming a symbol for sacrifice, and we are grateful to Jesus for being the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Sheep are trusting and although easily led and easily distracted, they trust the Shepherd’s voice (see John 10.) We too need to learn to listen for God’s voice and be led by Him along paths of righteousness.
God wants us to:
1. live in community as part of the church – we’re not meant to be on our own!
2. trust Him over fear and anxiety (‘choose faith over fear’, as Nicky Gumbel puts it)
3. follow Him in paths of righteousness
4. call on Him for help in times of need
5. come to Him when we are weary and burdened and find rest and restoration for our souls
6. be holy as He is holy
7. walk with Him, recognising and following His voice
There is much to be learnt from sheep and we have a good Shepherd to lead and guide us always.