How The Sheep Follow

Posted on March 24, 2024

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Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Philippians 2:5-11

Mark 11:1-11

One of the most powerful things in nature is the nature of the swarm. Shortly after the pandemic National Geographic put out a series called Welcome to Earth and it was hosted by Will Smith. One of the episodes was all about swarms, of insects and even land mammals. One of the most interesting things that they touched on was about an African herd of Wildebeests. These animals group together in a herd for protection. It is keen for their survival. It gets to a point in which they must cross a river to get to the other side where there is more food as they have already exhausted the food resources in their current location. These animals do not act individually. Once a few starts making their way across crocodile infested water the whole swarm or heard follow. It is like all this pressure builds up and they just all follow each other across. However, their purpose in for this in why they all must breach the same spot all together at the same time does not make much sense. When a few starts though everyone follows without a single thought of why they are doing what they are doing. They just know and understand to follow the herd and this is good enough reason as any to just go and take the risk without a thought about what you are doing.

People can be just like this heard of wildebeest too. People are often described as sheep in the Bible and then Jesus is described as a shepherd. Sheep are also herding type of animals that stick together and where a few go the rest will follow without a though about what is going on. They just know that this is what they are supposed to do. I find it interesting in light of our scriptures today and in light of the fact that we are celebrating Palm Sunday, how the people who praised him coming into the city were exactly like sheep. They were even more so like a swarm. It amazes me that the same people who were praising Jesus as he entered into the city, laying their coats and branches on the ground for his young steed to walk on, who were worshiping him. These same people shortly after called out for his death. It is amazing how easily these people can be swayed from one direction to another. It’s not just a few people either. It is an entire city of people that the Pharisees feared because of how much they seemed to support Jesus. But quickly with the right motivation they are all swayed back to follow the narrative that the Pharisees wanted to create. The wolves quickly turn the sheep against one of their own to bring him to the slaughter.

The amazing thing about all of this is that Jesus was first acting as the people’s shepherd, leading them to green pastures. No matter how much the Pharisees want to get rid of him they couldn’t because he had too many numbers following him. He avoided death so many times and could have kept on doing so. Yet in the end he allowed death to come to him. He allowed it even though every being of his body screamed to not let this suffering happen. He was obedient to the point of being our sacrificial lamb, pure and without blemish. Isaiah 50 describes all of what Jesus did in great detail. He was not rebellious and did not turn away even though he may have wanted to and we know this because of how much he was in anguish in gethsemane. He offered his back to be beaten and his cheeks to be slapped and have his beard pulled out. The face is very sensitive and so having one’s beard pulled would be most painful. He does all of this because the sovereign Lord helps him. Philippians takes it further in explaining that Jesus did not use his equality with God to be used to his own advantage but instead submitted himself fully.

It is bothersome to me that people still even today can be lead astray. We are all like sheep at times. When a group of us get together we can all be led one direction or another. It is for reasons as this that we have this political dividedness in which people will follow one political party blindly because that is their group and will not look at the big picture of what these parties actually represent. Truth become irrelevant because the herd is all that matters. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people followed and shouted in praise because it was the truth and the herd followed the pressure of the truth at the time. However, shortly after they were pressured towards the lies and followed suit with the lie as well. The same happens today in some large Churches as well. There are some pastors who gain popularity and have the power to lead large groups of people astray from the truth until the truth about them is found out and then the pressure once again comes against them. The same will happed during the end times.

We read about in Revelation 13 how there are two beasts that speak blasphemous things yet the people listen and are led astray and brought to focus on worshipping the first beast because of miraculous deeds that distract us from the truth. Yet there will be a few whose name are written in the book of life who will not be fooled by the beast and they will resist the herd. My fear for the church is that this herd mentality could be used against it in the last days. The church could be and in all reality is being led astray even today as many churches and denominations are splitting apart over cultural issues of today. For some churches, rather than being cultural change agents, they give in to follow and accept new cultural norms even though scripture directly speaks against some of these norms. The truth becomes relative in the church and based upon feelings rather than actual truth. In this these churches lead their sheep astray in order to keep popularity and keep people in seats on Sunday. These are the churches who lost their first love and if it continues, they will follow the beast and will not have their names written in the book of life. They become the people who at one point shout praises and hosannas and then a few days later call for Jesus’ death. And the sheep continue to follow because following is all that they now. Following comforts them, and makes them feel safe. Yet they never know or understand that they are not following the shepherd who gives his life for them.

My hope and prayer for those who hear this message will not allow themselves to be sheep that just follow willy nilly. My prayer is that you will be smarter sheep than that and that you will have ears only to hear the good shepherd who gave his life for you. The shepherd of the world will sacrifice the sheep before giving his life to protect them. However, the shepherd of heaven and creation loves his sheep and sacrifices for them. I pray that you will be the sheep that follow Jesus and will forever praise him with shouts of hosanna, welcoming him into the temple of your hearts. What kind of sheep are you?