2020-01-19 Wolves and Sheep, Part 3

Ezekiel 3:4–10 (NLT) 4 Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. 5 I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. 6 No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! 7 But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn. 8 But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. 9 I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.” 10 Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. 1 Ezekiel 3:16–21 (NLT) A Watchman for Israel 16 After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. 18 If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 19 If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me. 20 “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 21 But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.” 2 John 1:1–4 (NKJV) The Deity of Christ 1 In the beginning awas the Word, and the bWord was cwith God, and the Word was dGod. 2 eHe was in the beginning with God. The Preincarnate Work of Christ 3 fAll things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 gIn Him was life, and hthe life was the light of men. 3 John 1:14 (NKJV) The Incarnation of Christ 14 sAnd the Word tbecame uflesh and dwelt among us, and vwe beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, wfull of grace and truth.4 John 10:22–27 (NKJV) The Opposition at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem 22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, tin Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in 4doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. uThe works that I do in My Father’s name, they vbear witness of Me. 26 But wyou do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, 5as I said to you. 27 xMy sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 5 Acts 20:17–36 (NKJV) The Ephesian Elders Exhorted 17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, tfrom the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, 19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me uby the plotting of the Jews; 20 how vI kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 wtestifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, xrepentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now yI go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that zthe Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 3But anone of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, bso that I may finish my 4race with joy, cand the ministry dwhich I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am einnocent 5of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not 6shunned to declare to you fthe whole counsel of God. 28 gTherefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit hhas made you overseers, to shepherd the church 7of God iwhich He purchased jwith His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure ksavage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also lfrom among yourselves men will rise up, speaking 8perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that mfor three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. 32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and nto the word of His grace, which is able oto build you up and give you pan inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 9Yes, you yourselves know qthat these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. 35 I have shown you in every way, rby laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 6 John 10:7–14 (NKJV) 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came 1before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 cI am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 d“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a 2hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and eleaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and fI know My sheep, and gam known by My own. 7 Jeremiah 3:15 (NKJV) 15 And I will give you gshepherds according to My heart, who will hfeed you with knowledge and understanding.8 1 John 2:3–6 (NKJV) The Test of Knowing Him 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a dliar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But ewhoever keeps His word, truly the love of God 1is perfected fin him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 gHe who says he abides in Him hought himself also to walk just as He walked.9