Hello, dear readers. Today I want to share with you some insights from the Word of God about the importance of the context in which we live and serve the Lord. I hope this will inspire you to examine your own heart and motives, and to seek God’s will above all else.
The Sheepfold
In John 10, Jesus describes Himself as the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He also says that He has other sheep that are not of this fold, and that He must bring them in as well, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16[^1^][1]).
What is the sheepfold that Jesus is talking about? A sheepfold is a walled enclosure where the sheep are kept at night for protection from robbers and wild beasts. The shepherd would guard the entrance and watch over the sheep (John 10:1-2[^1^][1]).
But the sheepfold is not just a physical place. It is also a spiritual reality. The sheepfold represents the people of God, the church, the body of Christ. The shepherd is Jesus, who loves us, guides us, feeds us, and protects us. The sheep are those who belong to Him, who hear His voice, and who follow Him (John 10:3-5[^1^][1]).
But the sheepfold is not a perfect place. It is not a place of peace and harmony. It is a place of conflict and danger. It is a place where there are different personalities and roles. It is a place where there are enemies and traitors.
The Bible tells us that in the sheepfold, there are not only sheep, but also shepherd dogs, wolves, goats, and snakes. Let me explain what each of these means.
– The shepherd dogs are those who assist the shepherd in guarding and guiding the sheep. They are loyal, faithful, and obedient. They are the leaders, the elders, the teachers, the ministers, the servants of the church. They are the ones who have a genuine love for God and His people, and who are willing to lay down their lives for them. They are the ones who have the anointing and the authority of the Holy Spirit to do God’s work.
– The wolves are those who pretend to be sheep, but are actually agents of the devil. They are the false prophets, the false teachers, the false apostles, the false brethren, the false christians. They are the ones who come to steal, kill, and destroy. They are the ones who deceive, seduce, corrupt, and devour the sheep. They are the ones who have a hidden agenda, a selfish motive, a wicked heart.
– The goats are those who mingle with the sheep, but are not really sheep. They are the nominal christians, the lukewarm believers, the carnal followers, the worldly friends. They are the ones who have a form of godliness, but deny its power. They are the ones who have a superficial faith, but lack a genuine relationship with God. They are the ones who have a divided loyalty, a compromised lifestyle, a rebellious attitude.
– The snakes are those who lurk in the sheepfold, but are not part of it. They are the enemies of God, the agents of Satan, the instruments of evil. They are the ones who oppose, resist, attack, and persecute the sheep. They are the ones who slander, accuse, mock, and curse the sheep. They are the ones who have a venomous tongue, a poisonous bite, a deadly sting.
Do you see the complexity and the diversity of the sheepfold? Do you see the challenges and the dangers of living and serving in the sheepfold? Do you see the need and the urgency of being alert and discerning in the sheepfold?
The Alabaster Box
In Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 7, we read the story of a woman who came to Jesus with an alabaster box of very expensive perfume, and poured it on His head or feet, as an act of love and worship. This woman was a sinner, a prostitute, a social outcast. But she had encountered Jesus, and He had forgiven her, healed her, and transformed her. She had experienced His grace, His mercy, and His love. She had become His follower, His disciple, His friend.
But not everyone appreciated her gesture. Not everyone understood her motive. Not everyone shared her devotion. In fact, some of the people in the sheepfold criticized her, condemned her, and rejected her.
One of them was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus. He said that the perfume was wasted, and that it should have been sold and given to the poor. He pretended to care for the poor, but he actually cared for himself. He was a thief, a liar, a traitor. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Another one was Simon the Pharisee, the host who invited Jesus to his house. He said that the woman was a sinner, and that Jesus should not have allowed her to touch Him. He pretended to be righteous, but he actually was self-righteous. He was a hypocrite, a legalist, a judge. He was a goat among the sheep.
Do you see the contrast and the conflict between the woman and the others? Do you see the difference and the distance between the woman and the others? Do you see the beauty and the power of the woman’s act of worship?
The woman with the alabaster box teaches us a valuable lesson. She teaches us that the context matters. She teaches us that the context does not determine our response to Jesus. She teaches us that the context does not diminish our love for Jesus. She teaches us that the context does not stop our worship of Jesus.
She teaches us that in the midst of the sheepfold, with all its personalities and roles, with all its enemies and traitors, we can still come to Jesus, with all our heart and soul, with all our gratitude and adoration, with all our sacrifice and surrender.
She teaches us that in the midst of the sheepfold, we can still break our alabaster box, and pour out our perfume, and fill the room with our fragrance, and bless the Lord with our praise.
The Application
What does this mean for us today? How can we apply this to our lives?
First, we need to recognize and understand the context in which we live and serve the Lord. We need to be aware and alert of the reality and the complexity of the sheepfold. We need to be wise and discerning of the personalities and the roles of the people in the sheepfold. We need to be vigilant and watchful of the enemies and the traitors in the sheepfold.
Second, we need to resist and overcome the temptation and the pressure to conform to the context. We need to avoid and reject the deception and the corruption of the wolves. We need to separate and distinguish ourselves from the goats. We need to oppose and resist the snakes.
Third, we need to follow and imitate the example and the attitude of the woman with the alabaster box. We need to love and worship the Lord with all our being. We need to give and serve the Lord with all our resources. We need to honor and glorify the Lord with all our actions.
Fourth, we need to remember and trust the promise and the reward of the Lord. He said that wherever the gospel is preached, the woman’s story will be told as a memorial to her (Matthew 26:13[^2^][5]; Mark 14:9[^3^][6]). He said that those who are faithful in little things will be entrusted with much more (Luke 16:10[^4^][7]). He said that those who lose their lives for His sake will find them (Matthew 10:39[^5^][8]).
Fifth, we need to pray and ask the Lord to help us and empower us to live and serve in the context of the sheepfold. We need to seek and receive the guidance and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We need to depend and rely on the grace and the strength of the Lord. We need to abide and remain in the love and the presence of the Lord.
Conclusion
Dear friends, the context matters. But it does not have to limit us or define us. It does not have to discourage us or defeat us. It does not have to hinder us or stop us.
We can still live and serve the Lord in the context of the sheepfold. We can still love and worship the Lord in the context of the sheepfold. We can still break our alabaster box and pour out our perfume in the context of the sheepfold.
And when we do, we will please the Lord, we will bless the sheep, we will confound the wolves, we will shame the goats, we will overcome the snakes.
And we will hear the Lord say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21[^6^][9])
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
The Message Bearer, Cornelius Bella
corneliusbella 