Jesus once told his disciples, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves”, then warned them:
“Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Mt 10:1-22)
Can you imagine the disciples’ faces? Peter looking at John, Thomas staring blankly at Jesus in disbelief. What?? While they were still digesting that unwelcome new assignment, Jesus added calmly, “Don’t be afraid.” (v.26)
Right. Floggings, arrests, betrayal, hatred and death? I can see Peter blurting out, “But Lord…!”
Jesus, who never downplayed the risks of following him, told them to move fearlessly among the wolves who might kill them, healing and announcing that the kingdom of heaven had drawn near. Rather than fearing the wolves, they were to bless them and demonstrate such a radiant love for their Shepherd that the wolves would start longing to BE sheep, in order to have such a Shepherd.
And this is the exceedingly good news of the gospel: Wolves, even those with bloody sheep wool still stuck in their teeth, can be reborn into the Sheepfold, their very natures and species changed for all eternity.
Saul of Tarsus was such a wolf. After he met Jesus he repented, believed, was filled with the Spirit and baptized in water. (Acts 9) In so doing he “put on Christ” (Gal 3:27) and became part of God’s flock, eventually becoming known as the apostle Paul.
There were others, though, who tried to join the flock without giving up their wolf identity. Instead of putting on Christ they put on sheep’s clothing, but “inwardly they were ferocious wolves”. They didn’t want a Shepherd. In time, their autonomous and predatory natures became evident. The fact is, they were never part of God’s flock.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Mt 7:15-23)
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:19)
© 2017 Deborah Morris
Eternity in My Heart 