I was stoplight preaching earlier this week and a guy pulled his car up behind me and motioned me over to him. So I walked over and he wanted to know how effective street preaching is. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. So it isn’t about “effectiveness” it’s about obedience. It turns out the man didn’t really want to talk about street preaching at all. His real agenda was to enlighten me and show me how the Bible says that Jesus witnessed to Native American Indians.
He wanted to know if I would stop and listen to him. I told him there was no need to do so, because I’ve read through the Bible many times and it doesn’t say anything about Jesus witnessing to Native American Indians. He argued that they were the other sheep spoken about in the Bible. I told him that I was going back to street preaching. He yelled that I would have to remember our conversation on Judgment Day. I told him that I was alright with that.
The Bible tells us that we are not supposed to add or take away from Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:19). This man that wanted to enlighten me was a Mormon and they hold to Joseph Smith’s writing – The Book of Mormon even higher than the Holy Bible. The ironic part is that Joseph Smith plagiarized part of the Book of Mormon straight from the Bible, except he changed the parts that he didn’t like. Instead of following a deceived, unrepentant man, we should follow Jesus and there is absolutely no mention of Jesus witnessing to Native American Indians in the Holy Bible.
The good book does talk about sheep. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice. He was sent for the lost sheep of Israel. The Bible also mentions other sheep and Jesus came for them too. Obviously, the other sheep are not Native America Indians. So who are the sheep and who are the other sheep? The sheep are the Jewish people.
Listen to Matthew 15:22-28: And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Please notice that Jesus said that He was sent for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The sheep are the Jews. This is also backed up in John Chapter 10: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. Jesus is the Messiah, the One that many Jewish people have rejected over the years, but He is the only Savior. His sheep are the ones who believe in Him.
If the Jews are the sheep, then who are the other sheep? Are they really Native American Indians? No, the Bible doesn’t say that. The Bible says: And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (John 10:16-18).
Saying these other sheep are Native American Indians makes no sense at all. The Bible specifically talks about Jews and the Greeks (and Greek is another way of saying Gentile). In Romans 3:29 the Apostle Paul says: Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Romans 1:16 states: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Salvation is available to the Jews and to the Gentiles. Please notice that it is available to ALL WHO BELIEVE. Not just Jewish people and not just Native American Indians. The glorious Gospel is available to all who believe. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Matthew 1:21 says: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. The question tonight is: are you one of His people? Are you one of His sheep? Do you hear His voice? Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, do you hear His voice? Are you His sheep or one of His other sheep?
Make no mistake, you need to be saved? Why? Because we are all sinners. We have all rebelled against Almighty God. We have all offended our Holy, righteous and just Creator. We deserve God’s wrath. We deserve His condemnation. We really do deserve everlasting damnation. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:9-12).
There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:18-23).
Even though we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to suffer and die on our behalf – that is on behalf of those who repent and believe the Gospel. Jesus paid the sin debt that we owe, if we are His sheep. This is the Good News tonight. You can be saved. Your sins can be forgiven. You can receive the righteousness of Jesus if you turn away from your sins and turn to Him. Surrender your life to Him.
Romans 3:24-26 says: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
You can be justified through the shed blood of Jesus. You can be redeemed. Your sins can be forgiven. Jesus was the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation means the wrath of God was satisfied when God poured His anger over our sins upon His only begotten Son as Jesus hung on that cruel cross. Please notice that it says through faith in his blood. You are saved through repentance and faith – both are gifts from God when He reveals to you His Holiness and your sinfulness.
Is God convicting you tonight over your sins? Oh, if so, please don’t reject such a great of salvation. You can be saved tonight. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Be cleansed tonight. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel and receive everlasting life. John 10:27-30 states: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.
Jesus is calling tonight. He is calling His sheep. Are you one of them? Do you hear the Savior calling? Do you hear the Savior calling take your cross and follow Me? His sheep hear His voice? Are you one of His sheep? In Matthew 25:31-34 Jesus says: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand (the sheep), Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
But then Jesus says in Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand (to the goats), Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels and in Matthew 25:46 Jesus continues: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Don’t reject salvation. Don’t reject eternal life.
Hell is real and it is a really horrible place and it lasts forever. It is everlasting punishment. The fire is never quenched. People in Hell burn forever and ever. If you are not one of Jesus’ sheep, then you are a goat and you have the flames of Hell waiting for you the second that you die. If God is convicting you tonight, come to Jesus. He is the good shepherd. Come to Him. Repent and put your trust in Jesus. Completely surrender your life to Him and listen to His voice from this day forward.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on August 7, 2015)