“Deaf and Blind Sheep”

        Deaf and blind sheep are easily fleeced and have the wool pulled over their eyes. As we talked about last week, having the wool pulled over your eyes means “to deceive someone in order to prevent them from discovering something: to hide the truth from someone.” When someone is fleeced means “you are being or have been cheated, scammed, or tricked.” Because the church has rebelled against God’s word, deception and delusion, like Israel and Judah, has caused the church to be a scattered flock. False prophets / teachers are everywhere in the church, just as they were in Israel and Judah. This is why Jesus said do not be deceived. We are told 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” The result is scattered sheep who have been and are devoured. Ezekiel 34:2 ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.” Lamentations 2:14 “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you    were false and misleading.” Jeremiah 23:21 “I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.” Jeremiah 50:17 “Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria; the last to crush their bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
        When we talk about someone being spiritually blind and deaf, it doesn’t mean they can’t see or hear anything. Just because someone is not listening, doesn’t mean they are not listening. What it means, in most cases, is that they have chosen to ignore what is true and follow what is false as persuaded by satan. God allows this to happen because they refuse to listen to His word and find the words of the false teachers / prophets more appetizing. As we see in Isaiah, calloused hearts cause blindness and deafness. Isaiah 6:9 “He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” God makes truth clear and satan comes along and distorts the truth and leads those who listen to him astray. Jeremiah 23:36 “But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.” 2 Peter 3:16 “He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” Rebellion against God leads to blindness and deafness to truth. As we see throughout scripture, God’s children prefer to listen the voice of those who do not speak truth. Jeremiah 5:30 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” 
        God gave Adam and Eve the garden, but said Genesis 2:16 “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” satan comes along and said Genesis 3:4 “You will not certainly die.” Eve responded to satan and said exactly what God had said and then promptly she and Adam ignored God and listened to satan. With their eyes and ears, they rebelled against God. Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” In their rebellion they saw the fruit and listened the wrong voice. Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” And as God said, death entered the picture.  Genesis 2:17 “for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Adam and Eve knew the voice of God but chose to ignore Him and listen to satan. Paul would later warn the people 2 Corinthians 11:3 “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” 
        God’s children have long been listening to the wrong voices. Jeremiah 18:11 “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ 12 But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’ 18 They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.” They saw Jeremiah and everything Jeremiah had said took place and they heard the words, but they refused to listen. That would continue until God removed His people from the land of promise and there were only a few survivors. The exiles who survived the Babylonian onslaught said to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 44:16 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!” As we just read, even the survivors would refuse to listen. God said do not go to Egypt, but they did anyways and were destroyed. 
        We also saw this with Ezekiel, Ezekiel 11:24 “Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.” Ezekiel 12:2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” God had already told Ezekiel, Ezekiel 2:3 “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.” Ezekiel 3:4 “He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” 10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” Jeremiah 5:18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy you completely. 19 And when the people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah: 21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: 22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence?” 
        As God has always done, He came to save His people and this time not only His people but the world but just as before, His people refused to listen. John 1:9 “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 10:22 “Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” Can you say that you really believe the works of Jesus that you read in the Gospels if you do not believe they are possible and available today for all who would believe. Scripture make it clear that power and authority was given to the church, yet most do not believe. 

        The Jews, as they have done to this day, rejected the good news that came from their own Messiah, for whom they were waiting. They heard and saw but still turned away. Paul said, Romans 10:15 “As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” 19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” 20 And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” Every day, disobedient and obstinate people are dying without ever hearing the truth. Acts 28:25 “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” John 12:37 “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” The Jews heard the good news and saw the power of God, yet still rejected their own Messiah and then murdered Him.

        Even the disciples saw and heard but still refused to believe. Matthew 26:31 “Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.” They all abandoned Jesus. Then after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to two disciples heading out of town, their face downcast. Luke 24:25 “He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.” But they did not listen. Mark 16:9 “When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”

         Today the church does not believe, just as those who have gone before them did not believe. Everything is written down for us to see and hear but most have believed the bible is a story book about a time long ago and some even believe it to be myth instead of God’s living word. One of the deadliest doctrines of demons is called cessationism. Millions have died in captivity and never have known the power of God. Millions have gone through life without ever knowing the power and authority given to the church at Pentecost. Yes, people will saying salvation is the greatest miracle but never ask what they have been saved into. At Pentecost, the true power and authority enabled the church to continue to do as Jesus did which was preaching the good news, healing the sick and casting out demons. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” The church was to continue this work. 

        Most who call themselves Christians have settled for the powerless church, both charismatic and non-charismatic. Both sides have been deceived by false teachers / prophets. We have talked a lot about cessationism and John MacArthur, who was one of the strongest proponents of this doctrine of demons, thus a false prophet. Although he has died, his false teaching continues to deceive those who listen to his words. Sadly, for him it is too late to speak truth to all those he has deceived. Although I had never even heard the term cessationist till later in my ministry, it was always present. No, cessationism was not taught in our church but neither was the available power of God. Basically, the view was that Jesus was God therefore He healed but as for the church doing the same, with the same power and authority, that was a different story. Much of that thinking was in response to the charismatic movement. But even in the charismatic movement, which I was briefly a part of, you did not see what you read about in the Gospels. Yes, people spoke in tongues assuming they were filled with the Spirit of God but never tested the spirits and most were deceived / deluded. When everyone was speaking in tongues, theoretically the Holy Spirit would be present and therefore you would see a church doing as Jesus did. But instead, there was deception by false prophets and teachers and manifestations not of God like being slain and falling on your back. That was not God. Both the non-charismatic and charismatic were not seeing the power of God even though there were revivals like the Toronto Blessing and Brownsville. Those revivals were not revivals but massive deception and delusion that turned many from God, even though they thought God was present. This deception continues in churches like Bethel Redding, California. 
        The church I was part of growing up was part of the holiness movement, but there was nothing holy or moving about it. It was basically dead. When you pushed for answers (I was the why generation who asked why a lot but to no avail), the common answer was that was Jesus, thus God which is why there was so much power but today is different. Or you cannot expect that same power in the church. Or have you ever seen or heard of this happening? The answer is the bible says it is possible, so I believe it to be true. Many threw out scripture because of the nonsense they saw in charismatic circles. I didn’t know it at the time, but that subtle lie was one of the most powerful deceptions in the church and because of this acceptance of powerlessness, there was no repentance which meant the church continued to be in captivity and powerless against our enemies. As we talked about last week, signs did not follow, nor was there healing or demons cast out, thus a different jesus and other gospels were followed.

         If the true gospel was being preached, we are told that signs would follow. Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Jesus also said, John 7:37 “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” That means everything we read here would be happening but they are not. 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (That is true tongues as seen in Acts 2.) Don’t be deceived by charismatics who say they do have power. You cannot have God’s power and authority when you teach a different jesus and other gospels. False teachers have taught those who listen to them to accept the powerless church as normal. Also do not be deceived by those who say the power gifts listed above are no longer in operation.

        If the true Gospel was being preached, we would hear the word of God and see the power of God manifested in our lives. Since Jesus is the Messiah and He lives, then this still applies. Matthew 11:2 “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Leprosy could be any sickness today. God is still calling, but most like the Jews are not listening. Instead, they have adopted what they see in church and hear men and women say to be truth but never test the spirits. They will die deceived and deluded without ever knowing the truth because they were not told to repent and believed they had nothing to repent for because they went to church or were baptized. People need to start searching for this people once again but most importantly turn from their wicked ways. We have been given this promise and God will keep His word as He does not lie. Zechariah 1:2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.” Don’t be like those people and don’t wait to hear His voice until it is too late. Hebrews 3:7 “So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” John5:28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” Matthew 25:21 “‘Well done, good and faithful servant! 41 ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Jesus said to the Laodiceans which could be most of the church today. Revelation 3:14 “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

        Jesus said John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” This only applies to those who are not following a different jesus or other gospels. Just before Jesus said this he told the Jews that were there, John 10:25 “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” Many who have been following other gospels and a different jesus have been told no one can snatch them from the hand of Jesus and that is a lie. Peter said, 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” Make sure that you test the spirits and work out your salvation as your eternal destination depends on it.

    View All “These Signs”

    “Fleeced”

    They will secretly introduce destructive heresies. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute

    Rock Report by Pastor Paul

    Rock Report by Pastor Paul

    This is a blog that comes from my personal devotions each day. The Blog has replaced the Sermon section. There will also be the occassional food for thought.