Thieves and Bandits

John 10:1-10 is the lectionary text for next Sunday.

Those who care for the sheep and those who do not are out there.
The ones who enter by the gate, through Jesus and those who legitimately guard the sheep are real shepherds.
It is the voice of the Shepherd that they sheep know, and the shepherd knows them by name.

Verse 5 is troublesome to me.
I am not sure if she sheep do not follow the thief and bandit, in my experience.
I am not sure that they run from them, in my experience.
But perhaps the Gospel writer is saying that those who would follow thieves and bandits are not sheep of the shepherd?
Perhaps they do not run away because it is the thieves and robbers with whom they identify?
Perhaps they know the voice of the thieves and robbers and prefer them?

I have considered that with those I have known who consider charlatans their shepherds, false shepherds who pervert the Gospel of Jesus for their own gain, like thieves and robbers.
I have known a lot of them.  They hear what they like from the voice of the thieves and robbers and do not run away, but run with them.
Those who have not come through the gate, who claim to be shepherds, but who do not identify with Jesus the gate, come to steal and kill their souls and destroy their lives.
It is truly tragic.  The sheep don't see it, or like it too much, this running with thieves and robbers.

Maybe it's no accident that Jesus calls us sheep?
Are some that gullible to believe a message so contradictory to the message of Jesus?
Are some that easily duped to believe that the thieves and robbers are faithful servants of Jesus?
Or are they more comfortable with thieves and robbers, preferring their voices and what they say with them?
Or a little of both?

This is why I always recommend that folk go straight to the real thing - the Good Shepherd.
This is why I urge people to learn what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, as we have witness in the Gospels, to go directly to the source.
This is why I have no use for the charlatans of the age, who tell people what they like to hear - prosperity theology, church growth, personal salvation theology, purity and holiness merit theology, tolerance of intolerance and judgment of others, supremacy of anyone over others and other twisted, perverted teachings that they claim are faithful to Jesus.
This is why I firmly believe that what Jesus said is true - "You will know them by their fruits."  If these "shepherds" do anything inconsistent with what Jesus taught, if they are about themselves and their own wealth, power and status, if they are at all about hatred of anyone and not about compassion for the most vulnerable, they are thieves and bandits.
It is why I firmly believe that what Jesus said is true - "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  If these "shepherds" show their love for themselves only, people like themselves only, or wealth, power and status only they are thieves and robbers and not shepherds who point to, devote to and pledge themselves to the Good Shepherd.

But what of the sheep?
Are they, themselves sheep?  Or are they wolves in sheep's clothing?
Are they helpless, gullible victims of the thieves and robbers, or are they devotees of the same values?
Or both?

I truly believe that when Jesus calls us sheep, it is not a compliment.
It is out of love, certainly, but perhaps not out of awe regarding our reason or wisdom.
So, are there true sheep who follow the Good Shepherd and false sheep who go with the thieves and robbers, or are we all sheep and some are simply easily duped as victims of the thieves and robbers?

What do YOU think?
Do you know the voice of the Shepherd and run from the thieves and robbers?
Or do you follow the strangers who are the thieves and robbers?
What is your "shepherd" preaching and teaching?
Is it what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled, as we have witness in the Gospels, or something else?
It truly may be that simple to figure out, that is if you know what Jesus taught, commanded as we have witness in the Gospels, and you do not find the voice of thieves and bandits appealing.

Pastor Jamie