so we're here to looking at this sort of
theme I suppose sayings of Jesus
most of the sayings of Jesus we
wholeheartedly endorse and welcome what
at all we endorse of all girly but some
were difficult for people to to grasp
and to understand they were challenging
if you go to John chapter 6 you see an
example there of how challenging some of
these sayings were and how they were
received by my son
so John chapter 6 and coming into verse
16 we read many therefore of disciples
when they have heard this said this is a
hard saying who can hear it so that's
verse 60 of chapter 6 this is a hard
saying who can hear it they were
perturbed by the things that they heard
and they found it difficult to accept
and if you go on to verse 66 I agree
there from that time many of his
disciples went back and walked no more
with him so that was a response they had
many of these are not all disciples
there were those who could accept his
words think they could think about and
they they could understand where he was
coming from but there was some who who
couldn't accept these things and and
walked no more with him and and it's
true that there are some of the same
thing G of Jesus which which are hard
and perhaps difficult for us to grasp if
we go back to the chapter we just read
Matthew chapter 10 hmm we have the verse
that we're considering tonight we also
have if you look at verse 34 there what
we might call a surprising statement by
Jesus something that we wouldn't have
except expected him to say he said in
verse 34 think not that I am come to
send peace on earth
I came not to send peace
but a sword and again that's that seems
odd doesn't it with our understanding of
the law of Jesus we we know he's come to
coming to set up a wonderful Kingdom is
to be peace on earth that's that's what
we what was proclaimed at his birth and
what we fully expect so again it seems
an a surprising statement that Jesus
says there but of course what he was
really saying let's look at the context
of these verses don't we what he was
actually saying really I think is that
it's not that he was coming to bring a
sword as it were but that man would use
his words for their own game in their
own way and that would cause friction it
would cause difficulty there were those
who could accept as we saw with his
disciples and those that couldn't accept
and there were those who would use God's
ways for their own advantage and bring
friction and difficulty and ever since
the Lord Jesus spoke these words
Christianity was introduced into world
and as a force for good but also it's
been a force for conflict doesn't it and
Jesus knew that and that's why I think
he makes that statement man and so we
come to the verse that were to consider
in verse 16 behold I send you forth as
sheep in the midst of wolves be
therefore wise as serpents and harmless
as doves now when I was quite young I
suppose in the truth somebody quoted
this to me said you know we have to be
wise as serpents and I said I was quite
surprised when they when they quoted
that to me and they said no that was
equated Jesus and I I couldn't actually
believe it was a quote of Jesus tonight
so I opened up the Bible looked and
found that verse why would Jesus wants
to be like serpents the serpent to me
was a representative of sin
representative the curse of death it was
the enemy of Christ the one to be
trodden underfoot the one that would
bruise our Lord and would need to be
destroyed so I found
difficult to accept that and to believe
it until I saw it was written then I was
quite puzzled by it I suppose that's
partly why when this subject was
presented as a subject for consideration
I sort of put my name by it because did
fascinate me but like all Scripture we
have to look at the context don't we and
as we've done with the the previous
example we have to look at the context
to to inform us of its meaning and the
context of course is what we've just
read through brother Robert and so we
have the Twelve Apostles and they are
being sent out and sent out to to preach
the gospel to the lost sheep of Israel
and the Gospel message isn't a bad
message is it if you look at verse 7
it's a good message as you go preach
saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand
heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise
the dead cast out devils freely received
freely give
so what possible offense could that
cause well the lost sheep of Israel they
looked it they listened to the words of
Jesus they accepted and when we find
that time and time again that we in the
Gospels it's in the message that the is
those poor of spirit that accept Jesus
message but there are others who don't
accept that message and he instructs the
disciples as he goes through there as to
to what that wasn't the ones that don't
accept the message of the ones they've
led these poor sheep this poor flock
astray the ones who've abused them and
taken advantage of them as Jesus points
out time and time again it's the scribes
and the Pharisees hypocrites he says
doesn't me because they they've led
these poor people astray they've made
their lives misery they've put great
burdens on them and they've completely
lost sight of the kingdom of God of the
gospel and
good news it's all about show and
beating themselves up really these
religious elite but the lost sheep are
the ones that he says to go to and he
knew that they would would accept him so
there would be those who would accept
their words those who wouldn't accept
their words and so if we come to our to
our verse verse 16 what we find we find
four different types of animal presented
to us we have sheep we have wolves have
serpents and we have doves so there's
all different sorts of animals but then
there's a fifth animal introduced in
verse in the next verse verse 17 we read
but beware of men so we've got men
introduced as well and of course these
these four animals are all
representative of different sorts of men
or different different attributes of men
as it were they're sort of metaphors
really aren't they for for different
sorts of men
now the adios sheep and wolves is
referred to back in chapter 7 father
Lord Jesus if you go there for a moment
so chapter 7 and verse 15 we've just
read beware of men hungry verse 15
starts beware of false prophets so we
have this being beware there's something
to be read to be aware of and he says
that they come to you in sheep's
clothing but inwardly they are ravening
wolves so we have this idea of sheep and
wolves there and in this context it's
wolves who are actually coming into into
the flock themselves and so it's be wave
be warned so we've got to look at these
these they look like sheep but what's
the difference how do we know they're
not really sheep how do you know that
wolves well he says verse 16 ye shall
know them by their fruits
do men gather grapes of thorns or figs
of thistles
even's
so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit so do these people who come
in and preach do they practice what they
preach she says their that's how you
know that's how you observe these things
so this warning of being where there
isn't that so we're to be we're to
observe and to watch some of these or
the potential for people to be like that
they more interested in power what's
their motive these walls is that is that
the is that the case we read in the
beginning of chapter 10 of the Twelve
Apostles they were sent out and they're
all named and these these are sent out
to proclaim good news to all the to
these lost sheep and the last name
obviously there is Judas Iscariot Judas
Iscariot was one of those twelve that
was sent out he was one of the sheep as
it were that was sent out and yet we
know that he really became motivated
didn't he by by power and by greed so he
was really an example of that wasn't he
he was like sheep there but he
underneath or what he was supposed to be
a sheep when he's really a wolf in
sheep's clothing wasn't me so having
having so set the context for this verse
they spent a little bit of time looking
at these different animals I've got the
four animals the sheep the wolves that
does the service let's look at them as
metaphors for different sorts of people
they're believers in the case of the
Sheep or their persecutors in the shape
of the wolves now Jesus was the good
shepherd he told us that didn't they
John chapter 10 he says I am The Good
Shepherd and know my sheep and am known
of mine so he know
the flock well and yet here in verse 16
he says I send you out I send you forth
as sheep in the midst of wolves we might
say well isn't that a strange thing for
a good shepherd to do to send her to the
Sheep out into the midst of wolves if
you're a shepherd you don't do that to
you you protect your sheep from wolves
so why is he saying that I'm sending you
out as sheep amongst wolves well I think
the answer to that question is that
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he and he
does care for his flock and he cares for
his believers and what he's actually
saying there is I'm sending you out and
I can't always be there I'm not gonna be
there like you are now you're here with
me saying to the twelve I'm sending you
out now but what are you sending them
out with his a warning he he feels full
and he feels their vulnerability because
he cares about them he is the good
shepherd he cares for those sheep but
they do have to go out and it's the same
with us now isn't it we have to go out
into the world and do our daily tasks
each day but it's nice that we can come
back together isn't it each week and
have been together and then feel the
safety of that we need that don't we so
much should particularly on a Sunday
morning and that's how the Lord Jesus
felt he felt responsible for them since
I'm sending you out he said and there's
wolves out there of course they're not
really sheep are they these brothers and
sisters or they or the 12 apostles in
this case there they are they're men but
you say you're you're like sheep in a
way so let's think a little bit about
sheep in reality sheep as we say would
have had no chance amongst wolves would
they they need protection and that's the
job of the of the shepherd when I put
the rods quite experts on sheep animals
so he'll be enjoying this was a sheep
are they they have a positive
lots of positive press as he wearing the
Scriptures they also have a bit of
negative press because they can go
astray can't they they can get lost and
sometimes they need to be found but
sometimes they won't be found they
choose not to don't like and then they
are vulnerable sheep follow each other
as well and that's not always a good
thing when they need to be following the
Shepherd rather than than each other
don't they so there's those negative
conversations but there's also lots of
positive connotations in the scriptures
aren't they sheep under the law were
clean animals they're sure-footed so
they can if ever you've been up a
mountain and you've been on the on the
proper foot path and then you wander off
on a sheep track you can easily get lost
that you can certainly find how
incredible sheep are now sure-footed or
they can go along the side of a mountain
onto very tiny ledges and somehow
scramble their way down which we can't
do
somebody did once to tell me that sheep
have fur their right legs are shorter
their left legs but they are sure-footed
and are nuts
and that's you know the spiritual aspect
isn't it that we are that we ought to be
sure footed that we have our feet on a
firm foundation they're also they would
chew the curd wouldn't night and there's
a again there's a spiritual aspect of
other that we are to ruminate on on the
Word of God are we and to think
carefully about things and the sheep
trust the shepherd they know his voice
and again there's a spiritual
conversation that we should know our
Shepherd and we should trust our
Shepherd and and to know his voice
mm-hmm
wolves on the other hand the ones
especially for the Rob and the wolf a
ravenous creature and in the scripture I
can't think of how can any think of one
actual actual time that they've talked
about the positive
way normally that they talked about as
being ravenous the I think Habakkuk
chapter one tells us they more fierce
talks it describes somebody's being more
fierce than the evening wolf and yeah
you know talking about the fact that
it's at night that the wolf can see he
knows of the Sheep of vulnerable he'll
come out to attack and they will pick
off the weak they'll try and split the
the flock up when they when the sheep
gather enough flock there they've got
some safety but when he when they split
up the wolf can get them and John
chapter 10 verse 12 says the wolf
scattereth the sheep and that's what
they will try to do so they are credit
predatory are they there they're always
in the front of their head they're
predators sheep on the other hand their
eyes are in the side of the head so
they're looking around for danger and
that's that's the big difference is now
so they won't pick off the weak and so
we have to beware that's why we have to
beware of wolves it they're looking to
to split us and death and to pick us off
as it were as we say for leavers are not
literally sheep has a sheep of the
ability to spot danger and take action
so the Lord Jesus I think is trying to
war his disciples to be able to look out
for the dangers but they won't find them
around that they won't find around them
as they go about their their preaching
work so it shows the danger to look out
for but as well as warning the disciples
Jesus also encourages and an office than
protection and encourage them with the
reward that they are to gain so they're
going out into a day into dangerous
territory to do this preaching work but
there is great reward for them verse 19
we read there but when they deliver you
up to take no thought how or what usual
speak we shall be given you that same
hour what ye shall speak but it's not
you that speak but the Spirit of your
father which speaketh in you so there is
help he says there the
there is the spirit gift particularly
for the apostles at that time and we
have the word that we and we have the
angels to to be with us as well we trust
in the the rod and the staff of the law
don't we verse 22 and you shall be hated
of all men for my name's sake yea you've
gone into it into a bad place people
aren't they so you gonna like me but he
didn't dureth to the end shall be saved
so again great words of encouragement
for these disciples and then verse 28
and fear not them which kill the body
but are not able to kill the soul but
rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell are not two
sparrows sold for a farthing and one of
them shall not fall to the ground
without your father but the very hairs
of your head are all numbered fear ye
not therefore ye are more value than
many sparrows so he says there we we and
if the Apostles don't need to fear long
term doing we will get the reward and
God does care for us so we don't need to
fear these dangerous situations but we
do need to be aware of the dangers out
and that's what he's trying to warn
these these apostles as they go around
and this is why he tells his flock to be
as wise as serpents it's in order to
beware of the dangers around them and to
act accordingly so we thought about some
of the aspects of wolves and sheep let's
think now a little bit about the
serpents so the serpent I say either
gets lots of lots and lots and lots of
negative press really and quite quite
justifiably really if I did have a
visual aid it would be a serpent and
probably draw a little arrows coming out
left and right of it but the the serpent
we find in Genesis chapter 3 don't we
first introduced in fact
just quickly turn up Genesis chapter 3
and verse 1 so we read there now the
serpent was more subtle than any beast
of the field the Lord had made him and
we know how each of observes and lures
really the Adam and Eve to to sin he has
false reasoning doesn't be there really
there's a subtlety and so he comes to
represent sin in verse 15 on Mazdas name
no put enmity between thee and the woman
and he's he has to go on his belly does
kneel and dust shalt thou eat all the
days of thy life so he represents simple
he's presented in the Bible is cunning
he's presented in the Bible as deadly as
well Psalm 104 verse 3 says they have
sharpened their tongue like a serpent so
that's the when we think of the serpent
we think of something dangerous and we
know the fiery serpents that were there
in Exodus as well don't we you know
there's anybody got any idea how many
species of snake there are in the world
how many getting there fit more exactly
yeah 3,000 about there's around about
3,000 species of snake in the world
there's only about 375 species that
apparently are poisonous and and only a
small amount of those Rocchi deadly to
humans but i say they are represented in
the scriptures are deadly because they
are known are they for that deadly bite
and we know the Lord Jesus suffered at
the hand of the serpent in a way but he
overcame didn't he and it was only a
bruise that he's he's suffering in
but not a fatal blow as it were but so
we have these like negative connotations
but Jesus didn't asking his disciples to
take on these he's rather asking them to
take on the the wisdom and awareness of
a serpent he says we noticed him we that
he said that the serpent was more subtle
in verse 1 than any beast of the of the
field the Hebrew word for subtle does
have the meaning cunning but it also has
the meaning prudent and I think Jesus is
telling his disciples to be prudent the
Greek word that Jesus used in chapter 10
when he said be wise as serpents that
word wise in the Strong's means cautious
of the cautious character say JC Jason
maybe you should knows when sagacious to
be saved like okay as we thoughtful it's
against us yes to be saved like so to be
thoughtful that's what that word wise
means that Jesus uses and the word
serpent that Jesus uses in the Greek is
the word ofus and that has the idea of
sharpness of vision being artful now if
we just go to proverbs chapter 1 and
obviously you know what probably chapter
1 is all about
proverbs chapter 1 is all about wisdom
and verse 2 it says there to know wisdom
and instruction to perceive the words of
understanding to receive the instruction
of wisdom and justice and judgments and
equity to give subtlety to the simple
answer the young man knowledge and
discretion so we have this word subtlety
there don't we
so it's in a positive way isn't it so
it's the idea I mean I mean perception -
what - the simple so it means the simple
well we think of the Dove these are
quite simple creatures now but Jesus an
innocent creature represents innocence
and Jesus is saying you know we are
simple in a way but we're being given
guy of as it were that's probably the
wrong word isn't it
but deception is written word we get V
given perception - to the dangerous
around us so there is that positive
connotation to that word subtlety so
this serpent like wisdom is is about
having perception now again if we draw a
picture of a snake this is my visual aid
because I didn't get around to doing any
overhead split there's my snake again we
might draw some little arrows coming out
now as well as there being you know only
certain amount that are really deadly
some of deadly to small battles and
smooth some well actually kind of still
there someone can kill like about 300
humans with one bit of their venom so if
there's enough power in it to kill lots
and lots of people so they can be deadly
but on the whole there they they they
avoid people snakes we're bigger than
them and they're usually quite
frightened of us there are some
obviously that will you know take us on
but generally speaking their best
defense is avoidance so they will try
and avoid people
and a snake has some quite incredible
power city where there's lots of
different types of snake some can climb
trees by sort of making their scale some
bristly so they can grip better as
there's all sorts of different different
types but on the whole like they they
are very adept at perception of knowing
what's around them they can use their
tongues they don't have ears as you know
on the on the outside of their heads but
they have an inner ear and that's
triggered by things like the taste on
their tongue so they they when they flip
their tongue out part of that he's
actually sensing what's around them
there are some that can pick up
temperature so if there's a little mouse
on a cold each night and these me and
their Mouse's body heat is slightly
above the ambient temperature around
them they can sense exactly how far it
is away from them and that's at night in
the dark
and it's a well-known fact and I'm sure
you have come across this that snakes
can pick up things like earth tremors
earthquakes well before human beings can
they pick up a lot through their through
their body they get these vibrations is
what they pick up and there's accounts
of places where an earthquake is about
to strike maybe a couple of days ahead
the snakes leave they leave the city or
whatever in droves so they're able to to
pick up these things so so as snake or a
serpent if you like does have this this
perception and I think that's what Jesus
is is referring to is referring to that
perception that subtlety that they have
so they're able to beware of wolves and
to take avoiding action as it were
proverbs 27 and just go over their head
there's a nice burst it kind of sums
this up quite nicely the idea of being
innocent but also having this perception
so 37 and verse 12 he says they are a
prudent man that's like saying words
make prudent man foresee it the evil and
hide it himself but the simple pass on
and are punished so you know there's a
reason why Jesus tells us to to be
proven to take on this know this
perception and to be aware of things
Jesus also used the denieth don't cast
your pearls before swine so sometimes
you know when we are preaching and that
can be talking to people at work or
people in the street whatever whatever
it is we shouldn't use this this that
versus it as an excuse not to make the
effort to preach with our Welsh a lot of
preaching to him is you know but there
is sometimes a point isn't no where we
can be put in the Word of God across and
we know we're just being mocked and
there comes a point where you know you
know it's silly that you'll just you'll
just be entertainment for for a couple
of people or whatever and perhaps that's
a time so that you know having that
perception is made to sort of know
that's the time to withdraw those pearls
as it were but it's not an excuse not to
not to preach um Romans chapter 16
Romans chapter 16 and verse 19 the first
day which he's so 16 verse 19 we read
for your obedience has come abroad to
all men I am therefore I'm glad
therefore on your behalf but yet I would
have you wise unto that which is good
and simple concerning evil and this
simple concerning evil aspect Raley's is
what we think
when we think of the Dove is me the Dove
is a spiritual creature in God's in the
scriptures there is there is an occasion
in Hosea when it referred to as being
senseless and easily deceived so it's
not so spiritual then but just about
innocence and it can be easily deceived
but you think of Noah's dog it went out
and it hovered over the waters looking
for food and shelter
God's Spirit there's an echo of that
with God's Spirit moves upon the face of
the waters and a Jesus baptism there was
Holy Spirit descended like a dove so
there's that dove there isn't that and
if we go to just go forward to Galatians
chapter 5 we have the fruit of the
Spirit and
actually in galatians chapter 5 and
verse 15 there's an echo of the walls
there start with verse 15 so if he binds
and devour one another take heed that ye
be not consumed whenever so he's saying
that don't be like wolves and they don't
follow the flesh that's what wolves like
as mere flesh but the fruit of the
spirit verse 22 is love joy peace
long-suffering gentleness goodness
meekness temperance against such there
is no law so these are good things
there's no law against them if you are
not going to harm anybody if you if you
follow these you are harmless there's no
law he's harmless
there's harmless as a dove so Adobe's a
spiritual creature isn't it and we're
harmless in that way just go forward now
to Philippians chapter 2 verse 15 it
says there that he may be blameless and
harmless the sons of God without rebuke
in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation that wolves out there think
cooking and perverse among whom ye shine
as lights in the world so you have the
idea again I've been harmless like a
dove in the midst of a crooked world and
this word harmless it's it also carries
the meaning if you if you look it up in
the Strong's of being unmixed so it's
about I suppose a bit like a drink isn't
it there's not been mixed it's pure he's
not been tainted and and so being
harmless is about not being tainted as
in by the world and that's something we
have to be wary off isn't it ourselves
that we don't get tainted by the world
that we need to try and maintain our
integrity and our pureness so being wise
as serpents and harmless as does it
means that we are to show forth but
those fruits of the spirit love joy
peace
self-control etc while at the same time
being aware of dangerous people who
would seek to trap us perhaps in our
words or take advantage of us and the
wisdom of the serpent is about being
able to read people's motives by looking
at the fruit that they display and about
avoiding putting ourselves in
compromising situations and it's not an
easy thing to talk it's like walking a
tightrope a little bit isn't it so we
are - so walking the tightrope would be
like the serpent so we have to be
prudent and wise and we are to avoid
getting into difficulty with with people
so it's sort of saying but be a little
bit wary of people but at the same time
we have to be harmless as a dove and and
and trust people so it is as if you know
it's a bit of a scare of a bit of a
balancing act that we're being asked to
to to do they but it's something that we
have to do because of the because of
scenery isn't it that's around us in the
kingdom when we made immortal we won't
have that tightrope to walk anymore
would we Jesus could see couldn't he he
had that perception he could see into
men so he knew their falls before they
he said the midden he had the earth then
God willing we'll have that too but when
we're immortal but now even with we've
been asked to sort of develop start to
develop those sorts of skills and that
perception so it's not an easy thing to
do so we're looking to be as it were
like that the poor old of easily just
saved isn't he - he's innocent and pure
but then we're being crossed with the
serpent all the skills of the serpent so
it's a dog that's not easily disease
yeah in a nutshell I suppose I'd like us
to finish you know Isaiah chapter 11
so yeah the reason I want to finish in
Isaiah chapter that means this is the
one place where we see wolves in a good
light because those wonderful wonderful
verses and and speaking of the kingdom
age speaking the time when Jesus will
bring peace to the earth we know what
peace won't be easy to establish to
start with but but these things will be
doing you know righteousness will go
forth throughout the whole world and
here we have verse six the wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb so there won't
be this danger anymore peace will be
established and the leopard shall lie
down with the kid and the calf and the
young lion and the fatling together a
little child have lead them in the cow
and the bear shall feed their their
young ones and lie down together and the
lion shall eat straw like the Ox and the
suckling child shall play on the hole of
the ASP and the weaned child shall put
his hand on the cockatrice den not
lovely I say we've got all those well
not all of them but most of those
animals there and we have the idea of
peace being established and I think
that's a nice place to finish they shall
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain for the earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea
you
theme I suppose sayings of Jesus
most of the sayings of Jesus we
wholeheartedly endorse and welcome what
at all we endorse of all girly but some
were difficult for people to to grasp
and to understand they were challenging
if you go to John chapter 6 you see an
example there of how challenging some of
these sayings were and how they were
received by my son
so John chapter 6 and coming into verse
16 we read many therefore of disciples
when they have heard this said this is a
hard saying who can hear it so that's
verse 60 of chapter 6 this is a hard
saying who can hear it they were
perturbed by the things that they heard
and they found it difficult to accept
and if you go on to verse 66 I agree
there from that time many of his
disciples went back and walked no more
with him so that was a response they had
many of these are not all disciples
there were those who could accept his
words think they could think about and
they they could understand where he was
coming from but there was some who who
couldn't accept these things and and
walked no more with him and and it's
true that there are some of the same
thing G of Jesus which which are hard
and perhaps difficult for us to grasp if
we go back to the chapter we just read
Matthew chapter 10 hmm we have the verse
that we're considering tonight we also
have if you look at verse 34 there what
we might call a surprising statement by
Jesus something that we wouldn't have
except expected him to say he said in
verse 34 think not that I am come to
send peace on earth
I came not to send peace
but a sword and again that's that seems
odd doesn't it with our understanding of
the law of Jesus we we know he's come to
coming to set up a wonderful Kingdom is
to be peace on earth that's that's what
we what was proclaimed at his birth and
what we fully expect so again it seems
an a surprising statement that Jesus
says there but of course what he was
really saying let's look at the context
of these verses don't we what he was
actually saying really I think is that
it's not that he was coming to bring a
sword as it were but that man would use
his words for their own game in their
own way and that would cause friction it
would cause difficulty there were those
who could accept as we saw with his
disciples and those that couldn't accept
and there were those who would use God's
ways for their own advantage and bring
friction and difficulty and ever since
the Lord Jesus spoke these words
Christianity was introduced into world
and as a force for good but also it's
been a force for conflict doesn't it and
Jesus knew that and that's why I think
he makes that statement man and so we
come to the verse that were to consider
in verse 16 behold I send you forth as
sheep in the midst of wolves be
therefore wise as serpents and harmless
as doves now when I was quite young I
suppose in the truth somebody quoted
this to me said you know we have to be
wise as serpents and I said I was quite
surprised when they when they quoted
that to me and they said no that was
equated Jesus and I I couldn't actually
believe it was a quote of Jesus tonight
so I opened up the Bible looked and
found that verse why would Jesus wants
to be like serpents the serpent to me
was a representative of sin
representative the curse of death it was
the enemy of Christ the one to be
trodden underfoot the one that would
bruise our Lord and would need to be
destroyed so I found
difficult to accept that and to believe
it until I saw it was written then I was
quite puzzled by it I suppose that's
partly why when this subject was
presented as a subject for consideration
I sort of put my name by it because did
fascinate me but like all Scripture we
have to look at the context don't we and
as we've done with the the previous
example we have to look at the context
to to inform us of its meaning and the
context of course is what we've just
read through brother Robert and so we
have the Twelve Apostles and they are
being sent out and sent out to to preach
the gospel to the lost sheep of Israel
and the Gospel message isn't a bad
message is it if you look at verse 7
it's a good message as you go preach
saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand
heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise
the dead cast out devils freely received
freely give
so what possible offense could that
cause well the lost sheep of Israel they
looked it they listened to the words of
Jesus they accepted and when we find
that time and time again that we in the
Gospels it's in the message that the is
those poor of spirit that accept Jesus
message but there are others who don't
accept that message and he instructs the
disciples as he goes through there as to
to what that wasn't the ones that don't
accept the message of the ones they've
led these poor sheep this poor flock
astray the ones who've abused them and
taken advantage of them as Jesus points
out time and time again it's the scribes
and the Pharisees hypocrites he says
doesn't me because they they've led
these poor people astray they've made
their lives misery they've put great
burdens on them and they've completely
lost sight of the kingdom of God of the
gospel and
good news it's all about show and
beating themselves up really these
religious elite but the lost sheep are
the ones that he says to go to and he
knew that they would would accept him so
there would be those who would accept
their words those who wouldn't accept
their words and so if we come to our to
our verse verse 16 what we find we find
four different types of animal presented
to us we have sheep we have wolves have
serpents and we have doves so there's
all different sorts of animals but then
there's a fifth animal introduced in
verse in the next verse verse 17 we read
but beware of men so we've got men
introduced as well and of course these
these four animals are all
representative of different sorts of men
or different different attributes of men
as it were they're sort of metaphors
really aren't they for for different
sorts of men
now the adios sheep and wolves is
referred to back in chapter 7 father
Lord Jesus if you go there for a moment
so chapter 7 and verse 15 we've just
read beware of men hungry verse 15
starts beware of false prophets so we
have this being beware there's something
to be read to be aware of and he says
that they come to you in sheep's
clothing but inwardly they are ravening
wolves so we have this idea of sheep and
wolves there and in this context it's
wolves who are actually coming into into
the flock themselves and so it's be wave
be warned so we've got to look at these
these they look like sheep but what's
the difference how do we know they're
not really sheep how do you know that
wolves well he says verse 16 ye shall
know them by their fruits
do men gather grapes of thorns or figs
of thistles
even's
so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit so do these people who come
in and preach do they practice what they
preach she says their that's how you
know that's how you observe these things
so this warning of being where there
isn't that so we're to be we're to
observe and to watch some of these or
the potential for people to be like that
they more interested in power what's
their motive these walls is that is that
the is that the case we read in the
beginning of chapter 10 of the Twelve
Apostles they were sent out and they're
all named and these these are sent out
to proclaim good news to all the to
these lost sheep and the last name
obviously there is Judas Iscariot Judas
Iscariot was one of those twelve that
was sent out he was one of the sheep as
it were that was sent out and yet we
know that he really became motivated
didn't he by by power and by greed so he
was really an example of that wasn't he
he was like sheep there but he
underneath or what he was supposed to be
a sheep when he's really a wolf in
sheep's clothing wasn't me so having
having so set the context for this verse
they spent a little bit of time looking
at these different animals I've got the
four animals the sheep the wolves that
does the service let's look at them as
metaphors for different sorts of people
they're believers in the case of the
Sheep or their persecutors in the shape
of the wolves now Jesus was the good
shepherd he told us that didn't they
John chapter 10 he says I am The Good
Shepherd and know my sheep and am known
of mine so he know
the flock well and yet here in verse 16
he says I send you out I send you forth
as sheep in the midst of wolves we might
say well isn't that a strange thing for
a good shepherd to do to send her to the
Sheep out into the midst of wolves if
you're a shepherd you don't do that to
you you protect your sheep from wolves
so why is he saying that I'm sending you
out as sheep amongst wolves well I think
the answer to that question is that
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he and he
does care for his flock and he cares for
his believers and what he's actually
saying there is I'm sending you out and
I can't always be there I'm not gonna be
there like you are now you're here with
me saying to the twelve I'm sending you
out now but what are you sending them
out with his a warning he he feels full
and he feels their vulnerability because
he cares about them he is the good
shepherd he cares for those sheep but
they do have to go out and it's the same
with us now isn't it we have to go out
into the world and do our daily tasks
each day but it's nice that we can come
back together isn't it each week and
have been together and then feel the
safety of that we need that don't we so
much should particularly on a Sunday
morning and that's how the Lord Jesus
felt he felt responsible for them since
I'm sending you out he said and there's
wolves out there of course they're not
really sheep are they these brothers and
sisters or they or the 12 apostles in
this case there they are they're men but
you say you're you're like sheep in a
way so let's think a little bit about
sheep in reality sheep as we say would
have had no chance amongst wolves would
they they need protection and that's the
job of the of the shepherd when I put
the rods quite experts on sheep animals
so he'll be enjoying this was a sheep
are they they have a positive
lots of positive press as he wearing the
Scriptures they also have a bit of
negative press because they can go
astray can't they they can get lost and
sometimes they need to be found but
sometimes they won't be found they
choose not to don't like and then they
are vulnerable sheep follow each other
as well and that's not always a good
thing when they need to be following the
Shepherd rather than than each other
don't they so there's those negative
conversations but there's also lots of
positive connotations in the scriptures
aren't they sheep under the law were
clean animals they're sure-footed so
they can if ever you've been up a
mountain and you've been on the on the
proper foot path and then you wander off
on a sheep track you can easily get lost
that you can certainly find how
incredible sheep are now sure-footed or
they can go along the side of a mountain
onto very tiny ledges and somehow
scramble their way down which we can't
do
somebody did once to tell me that sheep
have fur their right legs are shorter
their left legs but they are sure-footed
and are nuts
and that's you know the spiritual aspect
isn't it that we are that we ought to be
sure footed that we have our feet on a
firm foundation they're also they would
chew the curd wouldn't night and there's
a again there's a spiritual aspect of
other that we are to ruminate on on the
Word of God are we and to think
carefully about things and the sheep
trust the shepherd they know his voice
and again there's a spiritual
conversation that we should know our
Shepherd and we should trust our
Shepherd and and to know his voice
mm-hmm
wolves on the other hand the ones
especially for the Rob and the wolf a
ravenous creature and in the scripture I
can't think of how can any think of one
actual actual time that they've talked
about the positive
way normally that they talked about as
being ravenous the I think Habakkuk
chapter one tells us they more fierce
talks it describes somebody's being more
fierce than the evening wolf and yeah
you know talking about the fact that
it's at night that the wolf can see he
knows of the Sheep of vulnerable he'll
come out to attack and they will pick
off the weak they'll try and split the
the flock up when they when the sheep
gather enough flock there they've got
some safety but when he when they split
up the wolf can get them and John
chapter 10 verse 12 says the wolf
scattereth the sheep and that's what
they will try to do so they are credit
predatory are they there they're always
in the front of their head they're
predators sheep on the other hand their
eyes are in the side of the head so
they're looking around for danger and
that's that's the big difference is now
so they won't pick off the weak and so
we have to beware that's why we have to
beware of wolves it they're looking to
to split us and death and to pick us off
as it were as we say for leavers are not
literally sheep has a sheep of the
ability to spot danger and take action
so the Lord Jesus I think is trying to
war his disciples to be able to look out
for the dangers but they won't find them
around that they won't find around them
as they go about their their preaching
work so it shows the danger to look out
for but as well as warning the disciples
Jesus also encourages and an office than
protection and encourage them with the
reward that they are to gain so they're
going out into a day into dangerous
territory to do this preaching work but
there is great reward for them verse 19
we read there but when they deliver you
up to take no thought how or what usual
speak we shall be given you that same
hour what ye shall speak but it's not
you that speak but the Spirit of your
father which speaketh in you so there is
help he says there the
there is the spirit gift particularly
for the apostles at that time and we
have the word that we and we have the
angels to to be with us as well we trust
in the the rod and the staff of the law
don't we verse 22 and you shall be hated
of all men for my name's sake yea you've
gone into it into a bad place people
aren't they so you gonna like me but he
didn't dureth to the end shall be saved
so again great words of encouragement
for these disciples and then verse 28
and fear not them which kill the body
but are not able to kill the soul but
rather fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell are not two
sparrows sold for a farthing and one of
them shall not fall to the ground
without your father but the very hairs
of your head are all numbered fear ye
not therefore ye are more value than
many sparrows so he says there we we and
if the Apostles don't need to fear long
term doing we will get the reward and
God does care for us so we don't need to
fear these dangerous situations but we
do need to be aware of the dangers out
and that's what he's trying to warn
these these apostles as they go around
and this is why he tells his flock to be
as wise as serpents it's in order to
beware of the dangers around them and to
act accordingly so we thought about some
of the aspects of wolves and sheep let's
think now a little bit about the
serpents so the serpent I say either
gets lots of lots and lots and lots of
negative press really and quite quite
justifiably really if I did have a
visual aid it would be a serpent and
probably draw a little arrows coming out
left and right of it but the the serpent
we find in Genesis chapter 3 don't we
first introduced in fact
just quickly turn up Genesis chapter 3
and verse 1 so we read there now the
serpent was more subtle than any beast
of the field the Lord had made him and
we know how each of observes and lures
really the Adam and Eve to to sin he has
false reasoning doesn't be there really
there's a subtlety and so he comes to
represent sin in verse 15 on Mazdas name
no put enmity between thee and the woman
and he's he has to go on his belly does
kneel and dust shalt thou eat all the
days of thy life so he represents simple
he's presented in the Bible is cunning
he's presented in the Bible as deadly as
well Psalm 104 verse 3 says they have
sharpened their tongue like a serpent so
that's the when we think of the serpent
we think of something dangerous and we
know the fiery serpents that were there
in Exodus as well don't we you know
there's anybody got any idea how many
species of snake there are in the world
how many getting there fit more exactly
yeah 3,000 about there's around about
3,000 species of snake in the world
there's only about 375 species that
apparently are poisonous and and only a
small amount of those Rocchi deadly to
humans but i say they are represented in
the scriptures are deadly because they
are known are they for that deadly bite
and we know the Lord Jesus suffered at
the hand of the serpent in a way but he
overcame didn't he and it was only a
bruise that he's he's suffering in
but not a fatal blow as it were but so
we have these like negative connotations
but Jesus didn't asking his disciples to
take on these he's rather asking them to
take on the the wisdom and awareness of
a serpent he says we noticed him we that
he said that the serpent was more subtle
in verse 1 than any beast of the of the
field the Hebrew word for subtle does
have the meaning cunning but it also has
the meaning prudent and I think Jesus is
telling his disciples to be prudent the
Greek word that Jesus used in chapter 10
when he said be wise as serpents that
word wise in the Strong's means cautious
of the cautious character say JC Jason
maybe you should knows when sagacious to
be saved like okay as we thoughtful it's
against us yes to be saved like so to be
thoughtful that's what that word wise
means that Jesus uses and the word
serpent that Jesus uses in the Greek is
the word ofus and that has the idea of
sharpness of vision being artful now if
we just go to proverbs chapter 1 and
obviously you know what probably chapter
1 is all about
proverbs chapter 1 is all about wisdom
and verse 2 it says there to know wisdom
and instruction to perceive the words of
understanding to receive the instruction
of wisdom and justice and judgments and
equity to give subtlety to the simple
answer the young man knowledge and
discretion so we have this word subtlety
there don't we
so it's in a positive way isn't it so
it's the idea I mean I mean perception -
what - the simple so it means the simple
well we think of the Dove these are
quite simple creatures now but Jesus an
innocent creature represents innocence
and Jesus is saying you know we are
simple in a way but we're being given
guy of as it were that's probably the
wrong word isn't it
but deception is written word we get V
given perception - to the dangerous
around us so there is that positive
connotation to that word subtlety so
this serpent like wisdom is is about
having perception now again if we draw a
picture of a snake this is my visual aid
because I didn't get around to doing any
overhead split there's my snake again we
might draw some little arrows coming out
now as well as there being you know only
certain amount that are really deadly
some of deadly to small battles and
smooth some well actually kind of still
there someone can kill like about 300
humans with one bit of their venom so if
there's enough power in it to kill lots
and lots of people so they can be deadly
but on the whole there they they they
avoid people snakes we're bigger than
them and they're usually quite
frightened of us there are some
obviously that will you know take us on
but generally speaking their best
defense is avoidance so they will try
and avoid people
and a snake has some quite incredible
power city where there's lots of
different types of snake some can climb
trees by sort of making their scale some
bristly so they can grip better as
there's all sorts of different different
types but on the whole like they they
are very adept at perception of knowing
what's around them they can use their
tongues they don't have ears as you know
on the on the outside of their heads but
they have an inner ear and that's
triggered by things like the taste on
their tongue so they they when they flip
their tongue out part of that he's
actually sensing what's around them
there are some that can pick up
temperature so if there's a little mouse
on a cold each night and these me and
their Mouse's body heat is slightly
above the ambient temperature around
them they can sense exactly how far it
is away from them and that's at night in
the dark
and it's a well-known fact and I'm sure
you have come across this that snakes
can pick up things like earth tremors
earthquakes well before human beings can
they pick up a lot through their through
their body they get these vibrations is
what they pick up and there's accounts
of places where an earthquake is about
to strike maybe a couple of days ahead
the snakes leave they leave the city or
whatever in droves so they're able to to
pick up these things so so as snake or a
serpent if you like does have this this
perception and I think that's what Jesus
is is referring to is referring to that
perception that subtlety that they have
so they're able to beware of wolves and
to take avoiding action as it were
proverbs 27 and just go over their head
there's a nice burst it kind of sums
this up quite nicely the idea of being
innocent but also having this perception
so 37 and verse 12 he says they are a
prudent man that's like saying words
make prudent man foresee it the evil and
hide it himself but the simple pass on
and are punished so you know there's a
reason why Jesus tells us to to be
proven to take on this know this
perception and to be aware of things
Jesus also used the denieth don't cast
your pearls before swine so sometimes
you know when we are preaching and that
can be talking to people at work or
people in the street whatever whatever
it is we shouldn't use this this that
versus it as an excuse not to make the
effort to preach with our Welsh a lot of
preaching to him is you know but there
is sometimes a point isn't no where we
can be put in the Word of God across and
we know we're just being mocked and
there comes a point where you know you
know it's silly that you'll just you'll
just be entertainment for for a couple
of people or whatever and perhaps that's
a time so that you know having that
perception is made to sort of know
that's the time to withdraw those pearls
as it were but it's not an excuse not to
not to preach um Romans chapter 16
Romans chapter 16 and verse 19 the first
day which he's so 16 verse 19 we read
for your obedience has come abroad to
all men I am therefore I'm glad
therefore on your behalf but yet I would
have you wise unto that which is good
and simple concerning evil and this
simple concerning evil aspect Raley's is
what we think
when we think of the Dove is me the Dove
is a spiritual creature in God's in the
scriptures there is there is an occasion
in Hosea when it referred to as being
senseless and easily deceived so it's
not so spiritual then but just about
innocence and it can be easily deceived
but you think of Noah's dog it went out
and it hovered over the waters looking
for food and shelter
God's Spirit there's an echo of that
with God's Spirit moves upon the face of
the waters and a Jesus baptism there was
Holy Spirit descended like a dove so
there's that dove there isn't that and
if we go to just go forward to Galatians
chapter 5 we have the fruit of the
Spirit and
actually in galatians chapter 5 and
verse 15 there's an echo of the walls
there start with verse 15 so if he binds
and devour one another take heed that ye
be not consumed whenever so he's saying
that don't be like wolves and they don't
follow the flesh that's what wolves like
as mere flesh but the fruit of the
spirit verse 22 is love joy peace
long-suffering gentleness goodness
meekness temperance against such there
is no law so these are good things
there's no law against them if you are
not going to harm anybody if you if you
follow these you are harmless there's no
law he's harmless
there's harmless as a dove so Adobe's a
spiritual creature isn't it and we're
harmless in that way just go forward now
to Philippians chapter 2 verse 15 it
says there that he may be blameless and
harmless the sons of God without rebuke
in the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation that wolves out there think
cooking and perverse among whom ye shine
as lights in the world so you have the
idea again I've been harmless like a
dove in the midst of a crooked world and
this word harmless it's it also carries
the meaning if you if you look it up in
the Strong's of being unmixed so it's
about I suppose a bit like a drink isn't
it there's not been mixed it's pure he's
not been tainted and and so being
harmless is about not being tainted as
in by the world and that's something we
have to be wary off isn't it ourselves
that we don't get tainted by the world
that we need to try and maintain our
integrity and our pureness so being wise
as serpents and harmless as does it
means that we are to show forth but
those fruits of the spirit love joy
peace
self-control etc while at the same time
being aware of dangerous people who
would seek to trap us perhaps in our
words or take advantage of us and the
wisdom of the serpent is about being
able to read people's motives by looking
at the fruit that they display and about
avoiding putting ourselves in
compromising situations and it's not an
easy thing to talk it's like walking a
tightrope a little bit isn't it so we
are - so walking the tightrope would be
like the serpent so we have to be
prudent and wise and we are to avoid
getting into difficulty with with people
so it's sort of saying but be a little
bit wary of people but at the same time
we have to be harmless as a dove and and
and trust people so it is as if you know
it's a bit of a scare of a bit of a
balancing act that we're being asked to
to to do they but it's something that we
have to do because of the because of
scenery isn't it that's around us in the
kingdom when we made immortal we won't
have that tightrope to walk anymore
would we Jesus could see couldn't he he
had that perception he could see into
men so he knew their falls before they
he said the midden he had the earth then
God willing we'll have that too but when
we're immortal but now even with we've
been asked to sort of develop start to
develop those sorts of skills and that
perception so it's not an easy thing to
do so we're looking to be as it were
like that the poor old of easily just
saved isn't he - he's innocent and pure
but then we're being crossed with the
serpent all the skills of the serpent so
it's a dog that's not easily disease
yeah in a nutshell I suppose I'd like us
to finish you know Isaiah chapter 11
so yeah the reason I want to finish in
Isaiah chapter that means this is the
one place where we see wolves in a good
light because those wonderful wonderful
verses and and speaking of the kingdom
age speaking the time when Jesus will
bring peace to the earth we know what
peace won't be easy to establish to
start with but but these things will be
doing you know righteousness will go
forth throughout the whole world and
here we have verse six the wolf also
shall dwell with the lamb so there won't
be this danger anymore peace will be
established and the leopard shall lie
down with the kid and the calf and the
young lion and the fatling together a
little child have lead them in the cow
and the bear shall feed their their
young ones and lie down together and the
lion shall eat straw like the Ox and the
suckling child shall play on the hole of
the ASP and the weaned child shall put
his hand on the cockatrice den not
lovely I say we've got all those well
not all of them but most of those
animals there and we have the idea of
peace being established and I think
that's a nice place to finish they shall
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain for the earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea
you
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