God’s people are like sheep. Sheep have several unique characteristics, and when we understand sheep better, we will understand more about who God has made us to be.
1. Sheep are Followers
First of all, sheep are good followers. Sheep are not made to blaze their own trail; they are made to follow. They will follow people, other sheep, and even goats. Therefore, because sheep are followers, a sheep is only as good as the shepherd it follows. To the extent that a sheep follows a good shepherd, to that extent will the sheep be a good sheep.
People today often think it is better to NOT be a follower, and they want to have many followers themselves (just look at social media). But being a follower is not a flaw; it is a virtue, because we are made to follow Jesus. Jesus is the good shepherd, and God made us so that we would follow him. To be good sheep, we need to follow Jesus well.
We should not use our “following skills” to follow any other shepherd besides Jesus Christ. However, because Christians are good followers, they are often easily misled. There are a lot of false shepherds in the church today, and many Christians follow them. A lot of this deception has been around for over 1,800 years. Churches have massive buildings, holy robes, bunnies and eggs, special hats or collars, prayer beads, statues, evergreen trees, incense, candles, altars, stages, rock bands, special lights, religious holidays, etc. Christians just do things because other Christians do them, and their leaders tell them to do them. Like sheep, they blindly follow. We need to stop following religious stuff that is not based on God’s word.
Recently, in Turkey, some shepherds were watching over their flock of 1,500 sheep. The shepherds went to have breakfast, and while they were off eating their breakfast, one of the sheep decided to walk off a cliff. Soon, all the other sheep followed and walked off the same cliff. About 500 sheep died on the rocks below. The rest of the sheep survived the fall, bouncing onto the fluffy pile of sheep below.
This illustrates that Christians can be easily misled. If our sheep-like following tendency is applied to anyone other than Jesus Christ, we will fall off a cliff.
Goats can lead sheep. A Judas goat is a trained goat that has been taught to lead sheep to the slaughterhouse. A Judas goat is taught to associate with the sheep and get along well with them. Then, when the sheep are comfortable with him, the Judas goat will lead the sheep to their death.
As Christians, we must be careful not to follow the wrong things. Don’t chase fads, succumb to peer pressure, or follow wrong doctrines, fake ministers, or religious traditions of men that have been handed down over the centuries. All religious activity that is not based on the Bible is demonic. We don’t want demons. Our shepherd Jesus came to set us free, and we must stay free by his grace. Test everything by the Bible and throw out things that don’t line up with God’s word.
Jesus said that we are his sheep and we hear his voice. He said we will run away from strangers (John 10:4-5). When church leaders don’t measure up to Christ and his word, we run away from them. We are only on the earth for a short time, and we don’t have time to waste following false shepherds.
The Bible tells us to follow church leaders insofar as they follow Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). True servants of God who have a real calling from God are a great blessing to God’s sheep and will lead them in the right way. But false ministers lead God’s people astray. We must recognize who is serving God and who is not serving God. We will recognize them by their doctrine. Does what they teach line up with God’s word? True servants of God will not promote religious bunnies, eggs, decorated evergreen trees, or other religious practices that have nothing to do with the Bible. Instead, they will call people away from this vanity into submission to the words of Christ and his apostles.
Furthermore, Jesus said we will know them by their fruits. To really know a minister, we must see him and have experience with him in real life, not just see him on a stage or through a screen. House church is the ideal environment in which to distinguish between a true and false minister.
2. Sheep are Defenseless
Another characteristic of sheep is that they are defenseless. Sheep have no defense against predators. When the wolf comes, sheep don’t bite, growl threateningly, or attack. They don’t have these “skills”. Instead, sheep need someone else to protect them.
We can’t defend ourselves against Satan who is like a roaring lion. Instead, we need Jesus to protect us. We can’t even defeat the smallest demon apart from Christ, so let’s not even try. Instead, let’s draw close to Jesus. The degree of our protection against evil depends on our degree of closeness to Christ. When we are close to him, we can command evil spirits to leave in the name of Jesus, and they must go.
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but leave a place for the wrath. For vengeance is mine, I will repay, says God” (Romans 12:19).
3. Sheep Can’t Get Up Without Help
If a sheep falls over on its back, it can’t get up on its own. It will flail its legs up in the air, kicking pointlessly. No matter how hard it tries, it can’t get up again. The shepherd must pick up the sheep and put it on its feet again. When we fall down as Christians, we can’t get up without God. If we fall into sin, we can’t get out of this pit but by God’s forgiveness and grace. If we fall into trouble, we can’t get out but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Praise God that he is an ever-present help in times of trouble.
“Though the righteous falls seven times, he will get up again” (Proverbs 24:16). How do the righteous keep getting up? By God’s power.
4. Sheep Can’t Heal From Wounds on Their Own
Other animals can heal their own wounds, but not sheep. If a dog has a wound, he will lick his wound until it is healed. Cats can do the same. But sheep cannot heal their own wounds. They need the shepherd to heal their wounds. The shepherd may anoint the wound or even bandage it up. He will keep treating the sheep’s wound until it is completely healed.
When we have a wound from our past, or when sin damages us, we can be healed by our shepherd, Jesus. The Bible says that God heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).
5. Sheep are Not Load-Bearing Animals
Sheep are not meant to carry burdens. They aren’t like horses, donkeys, oxen, or camels. Those animals can carry heavy loads, but not sheep. If a load is put on a sheep, it will not be able to do anything. It may just collapse. God is teaching us that he does not intend for us to carry loads or burdens. Jesus is the one who can carry our burdens. He is the mighty Son of God, and there is nothing too hard for him. He took all our burdens on the cross, therefore we don’t have to carry them anymore.
“Cast your burdens on the Lord, and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).
6. Sheep are Social
Sheep need the flock. Apart from the flock, sheep will become distressed, fearful, and anxious. They may become lost or prey for a wolf. Christians need fellowship in a Biblical church. When we are integral parts of the body of Christ, inside God’s house, we can fulfill our purpose and accomplish something greater than ourselves. But we must know that God’s house is defined by his word, and we must gather together in a manner that is according to God.
Sheep can build friendships with other sheep in a way many other animals cannot. This shows the importance of close relationships in the body of Christ. Good fellowship with strong Christians is a vital part of our spiritual health.
“If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Let’s live in the light so we can have fellowship. We don’t need to live in the darkness and hide our sins. We can forsake them and live in the light with God’s people.
7. Sheep are Valuable
In ancient days, people’s wealth was often in sheep. Sheep produce milk, meat, and wool. They also give birth to more sheep. All of these things show the value of sheep. This shows that we are valuable to God. We are so valuable to him that he gave his Son to die for us.
God says that “whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). The apple is literally referring to the pupil. The pupil of the eye is a very sensitive and valuable part of the body. God says if someone is harming us, it’s like they are poking God in the eyeball. We are valuable to God. He will take care of us. He doesn’t like being poked in the eye.
Goats are not like sheep.
Goats are very different than sheep. When we see how goats are, we learn how we are not supposed to behave.
1. Goats are stubborn. They resist guidance. They don’t want to listen to a shepherd. In a similar way, some people don’t want to listen to God’s word. They don’t want to follow Jesus.
2. Goats are independent. Goats don’t form flocks; they go their own way. A herder can’t lead goats; he has to follow them. Sadly, many church leaders today are like goat herders, following the herd wherever it goes.
3. Goats are contrary. They can be unpredictable. They often do the opposite of what they’re told.
4. Goats don’t like pens. They want to climb over fences and try to escape. Jesus wants to confine us to a place of safety through his word, but goats are not interested in this. Therefore, they are easily devoured by the wolf.
5. Goats are not satisfied. They want to go to a new place, find something better, and not stay in good pasture. We should be satisfied and content with God’s provision, for he knows what we need better than we do.
6. Goats are destructive. They will eat everything— low branches, weeds. Land will be completely barren when goats are done with it.
7. Goats are dangerous. A person can get a kick from a goat. A goat will butt with its head or thrust with its horns.
We are not goats. We are sheep.
Sheep have many unique characteristics which teach us about who we are as Christians. Let’s embrace our identity as sheep. This identity will drive us to depend completely on the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
by Peter
