A SIGN FOR SHEPHERDS:  JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE,
IN A FEEDING TROUGH IN A TOWN CALLED "HOUSE OF BREAD"


December 19, 2010
Mike Blume




Luke 2:8-12 KJV  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  (9)  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  (10)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  (11)  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  (12)  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.




We have been preaching about SHEEP entering the sheepfold of the KINGDOM lately.
  • Jesus said He does not know the wolves in sheep’s clothing who try to enter the Kingdom by calling Him Lord and performing miraculous things in Jesus’ name, BUT DO NOT CARRY THEIR CROSSES.
  • We told you that when Jesus said those who hear his words and do them are like wise men building houses on the rock, those words of His were about TAKING OUR CROSSES and denying ourselves.

Last Sunday we spoke about John 10 where it says HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP after reading in Matt 7 that he never knew those who called Him Lord and did not carry their crosses.
  • He said in John 10 that He came that they might HAVE LIFE and that more abundantly.

John 10:14 KJV  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

John 10:27 KJV  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

John 10:10 KJV  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.


Jesus came to give us LIFE.


John 6:51 KJV  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Notice He spoke of living forever due to eat the BREAD OF LIFE which is His flesh.
  • He would GIVE HIS FLESH FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD.
  • THAT IS SPEAKING OF GIVING HIS LIFE IN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS.

God GAVE His only begotten son that we might be saved!
  • This spoke of GIVING HIM IN DEATH!
  • The FLESH he gives is His body on the death of the cross and the life the world gets as a result is SALVATION FROM SIN, and ETERNAL LIFE.

When he was speaking these things in John 6, the people were not grasping it.

John 6:52-56 KJV  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  (53)  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  (54)  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  (55)  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  (56)  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Notice he expands from speaking of HIS FLESH AS BREAD OF LIFE to speak about EATING HIS FLESH AND DRINKING HIS BLOOD to get life.

The reference to eating his flesh and drinking his blood, with the thought of THE BREAD OF HIS FLESH is exactly the main focus IN THE LAST SUPPER.

Matthew 26:26-29 KJV  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.  (27)  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;  (28)  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  (29)  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.


Jesus continues to speak of HIS FLESH AND BLOOD in John 6, and the disciples continue to get confused:

John 6:60-64 KJV  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?  (61)  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?  (62)  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?  (63)  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  (64)  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.


Jesus finally explained here that HIS FLESH WAS NOT THE ACTUAL POINT.
  • Literal flesh is not what profits, but when he said flesh it was a parable of HIS WORDS!
  • Eating His flesh and Drinking His blood to get eternal life was only a parable of BELIEVING HIS WORDS IN ORDER TO GET LIFE!
  • AND then he said SOME YOU DO NOT BELIEVE.
  • Some of you are NOT EATING.
  • THEY WERE NOT HEARING HIS SAYINGS AND DOING THEM, like the wolves He never knew who could not enter the KINGDOM.


Recall that Peter received the revelation of who Jesus was in Matt 16, but when Jesus proceeded to speak the additional revelation of taking up the cross and suffering, PETER REJECTED THAT WORD.
  • While Peter did not GET the second revelation from the SON in Matt 16, look what we read in John 6.

John 6:66 KJV  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Notice this reminds us of Matt 7, MANY WILL SAY TO ME LORD LORD and not enter the Kingdom because they will not hear his words and do them.
  • MANY WENT BACK… backslid and walked no more with Him, because THIS WALK WAS A SELF DENYING WALK and THEY WERE NOT SHEEP.
  • A CROSS CARRYING WALK.

John 6:67-69 KJV  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  (68)  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  (69)  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

When Jesus said eating his flesh and drinking his blood gave them eternal life, and explained that was a parable of hearing his words ABOUT THE CROSS and believing THEM gave them life, PETER CAUGHT IT  and UNDERSTOOD THAT.
  • He let Jesus know he caught that by saying, “YOU HAVE THE WORD OF ETERNAL LIFE.”
  • And Peter repeated the revelation he got from the Father that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God.
  • We have been preaching how the SHEEP ENTER THE KINGDOM, and that while Jesus NEVER KNEW the wolves in sheep’s clothing who call Him Lord and even perform miracles in Jesus’ name, JESUS AID HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP!
  • The Wolves hear his words and do not DO THEM.
  • HIS WORDS regard taking their crosses and following Him in self-denial IN ORDER TO ENTER HIS KINGDOM.
  • ENTER THE SHEEPFOLD.
  • And now we read Him saying we will drink the WINE of HIS BLOOD IN HIS KINGDOM!

Notice SHEPHERDS watching over FLOCKS.
  • A SIGN TO THE SHEPHERDS who led SHEEP was the Saviour would be lying in a manger.
  • WHAT IS A MANGER?
  • A FEEDING TROUGH FOR ANIMALS.
  • AND JESUS WHO IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, who came to GIVE LIFE, is laying in a feeding trough!
  • It’s a sign that HE IS THE FRUIT OF LIFE THAT WE ARE MEANT TO RECEIVE like taking fruit of the Tree of Life and living forever in the KINGDOM Garden of Eden.


Jesus Christ’s sheep hear His voice and another they will not follow.

HIS TEACHINGS ARE THE LIFE THEY FEED UPON.


The beautiful thing about all of this is that the SHEPHERDS who LED SHEEP, would have a SIGN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR SHEPHERDS of THE MESSIAH WHOSE FLESH AND BLOOD WE MUST EAT AND DRINK, REPRESENTING HIS WORDS OF LIFE WE MUST BELIEVE, LYING IN A FEEDING TROUGH.

Here we have the BREAD OF LIFE lying in a FEEDING TROUGH as though showing us WE MUST EAT THAT BREAD, and all of this is in the city of David, BETHLEHEM.
  • BETHLEHEM MEANS HOUSE OF BREAD!!!!!!

BETH-LEKHEM:   LEKHEM means FOOD, ESPECIALLY BREAD.

IN A FERTILE REGION.
  • Bethlehem was the bread basket of Israel.

Bethlehem was a CITY OF SHEPHERDS who kept sheep there due to all the fertile land for feeding.

THIS GREAT SHEPHERD was born in the city of shepherds who fed their sheep there, and HE FEEDS THEM THE BREAD OF LIFE, HIS FLESH…. He feeds them His flesh and His blood.

All of this spiritually speaks of the TRUTHS OF THE CROSS WE MUST FEED UPON.
  • Taking communion is eating bread and drinking wine that indicates HIS FLESH AND BLOOD, the truths of the cross.
  • And He drinks the wine anew with us IN THE KINGDOM because only the sheep who follow this shepherd to still waters!

When we take the sheep following Him to enter the sheepfold in John 10, the FEW who enter the KINGDOM because Jesus KNOWS THEM in Mat 7, because they hear his words AND DO THEM, help us understand this:
  • The SHEEP whom HE FEEDS – they hear his voice, meaning they FEED ON HIS FOOD HE LEADS THEM TO FEED UPON – CAN enter the Kingdom, and CONTINUE feasting on the wine – the truths of the SHED BLOOD.

BETHLEHEM (HOUSE OF BREAD) was called EPHRATH which means FRUITFULNESS!

 AND NOTICE HE BRINGS IN THE CONCEPT OF THE KINGDOM!
  • He says He will drink it new with us IN HIS KINGDOM!

Matt 26: (29)  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.



COMPARE:

John 10:14 KJV  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

John 10:27 KJV  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Matthew 7:23 KJV  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


COMPARE

Matthew 7:15 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 7:21 KJV  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

John 10:1 KJV  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.


Matthew 25:33-34 KJV  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  (34)  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:



Jesus makes it clear upon comparison of John 10 with Matthew 7 that the false prophets are counterfeit sheep who do not enter the kingdom, do not do what Jesus said and are not known by Jesus.

THIS KING KNOWS HIS SUBJECTS.
  • Refusing them entrance into the Kingdom is due to knowing they truly do not serve Christ.
  • These wolves call Him Lord but DO NOT DO THE THINGS HE SAYS.

In the same sermon Matt 7 recorded where Jesus spoke of the house on the rock, Luke records these words:

Luke 6:46 KJV  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

We’ve learned that the THINGS JESUS SAID involved the CROSS.
  • Self denial.
  • Wolves will not take their crosses and deny themselves.
  • You cannot enter the KINGDOM without a cross.

Watch the context leading up to Christ’s note about WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING.

Matthew 7:13-15 KJV  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  (15)  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Matthew (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

A WAY LEADS TO LIFE.
  • We can know the false counterfeiters BY THEIR FRUIT.

This whole concept of the KINGDOM is a return of God’s people to the GARDEN DOMINION OVER EARTH status that Adam had.
  • And in that Garden, GOD SAID THIS.

Genesis 2:8-9 KJV  And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.  (9)  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:16-17 KJV  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  (17)  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

We read of the TREE OF LIFE, and warning against eating the FRUIT of the knowledge of good and evil.
  • This LIFE that God wanted Adam to eat is the LIFE Jesus said HE CAME TO GIVE.
  • And the FRUIT that you will recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing by is FRUIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.






SERMONS