Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. My text for today's broadcast is just 11 words. 11 words uttered by the master himself. They are my title and they are my subject. And those 11 words are found in John chapter 10. These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. John chapter 10 and verse 26. Listen to these 11 words that Jesus Christ of Nazareth uttered. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. You hear it? But ye believe not because you're not of my sheep.

Jesus of Nazareth, the master himself, the Christ, the Messiah, God manifest in the flesh, can say this, can say this for at least six reasons that we find in this chapter here, John chapter 10. Jesus Christ can say this because the sheep hear his voice, And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Chapter 10, verse three, you hear it? I said Jesus Christ can say this because the sheep hear his voice. And he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out.

John chapter 10, verse three. The second one is this. Because Jesus Christ is the door of the sheep. He's the door of the sheep. Chapter 10, verse seven. You don't go through the door to get to him, he is the door. You don't use the door to get to Jesus Christ. Christ is the door. Christ said, I am the door of the sheep, chapter 10, verse seven. The third thing is this.

Jesus Christ can say this because Christ is the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Do you see that? The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Chapter 10, verse 11. Our Lord Jesus Christ said he could say that. He could say this. Ye believe not because you're not of my sheep. Why?

He gave his life for the sheep. He knows who his sheep are. So the sheep hear his voice, he calls his sheep by name, he leads them out. Christ is the door of the sheep. Christ is the good shepherd, and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Here's the fourth thing. Jesus Christ can say this because the good shepherd knows his sheep. He knows them. He doesn't just know about them, he knows them. He has a relationship with them far before they ever have a relationship with him. He is the good shepherd who knows his sheep.

Chapter 10, verse 14. Here's the fifth thing. He can say this because Christ laid down. Do you see that? He laid down his life for the sheep. Chapter 10, verse 15. That's twice Jesus Christ talks about giving his life, dying for or laying down his life for the sheep. That's who he came to die for, the sheep.

So he can say this, and he can say to some, but ye believe not, because you're not of my sheep. Here's the sixth thing, Christ. has sheep of both Jewish and Gentile background. Chapter 10, verse 16, and that's where he said these words, and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, that says to these Jews which he was speaking to, and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. Look at it, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be not two folds of sheep, but there shall be one fold. Do you see it? One fold and one shepherd.

So again, I say, Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, the master himself, the Messiah, God manifest in the flesh, can say this to some people, but ye believe not, because you're not of my sheep, because he They hear his voice. He calls them by name and he leads them out. He is the door of the sheep. He is the good shepherd that giveth his life for the sheep. He knows his sheep. He laid down his life for the sheep and he has sheep both of Jewish and Gentile background. You see, the sheep of Jesus Christ comprise both lost and saved sheep, you hear me?

Now listen to what I'm saying. You go back and read John chapter 10, read that whole chapter if you would, if you're really concerned about this. If you have any true concern about your soul, if you have any concern about sin and corruption and unrighteousness and ungodliness, if you have any concern at all about these things deep down inside here, then read this chapter. Read what the Lord Jesus Christ himself said.

The sheep of Jesus Christ comprise both lost and saved sheep. They comprise both unregenerate and regenerated sheep. It comprises, that is, this sheepfold comprises ungathered and gathered sheep. It comprises sheep called out and sheep yet to be called out. but all shall be saved.

This is what he said. All shall be regenerated. All shall be gathered and called out. Do you hear what I'm saying? They are called by Christ because Christ said he died for them. He laid down his life for the sheep. He knows them and he calls them unto himself. Hmm. They are called by Christ because Christ said he died for them. Christ owns them by blood redemption.

The Apostle Paul made it clear to the church at Corinth, for you're bought with a price. Therefore, you're not God's. You honor God in your soul and your spirit and your body, which are Christ's. You're bought with a price, and that price is the blood redemption that Christ Jesus wrought when he laid down his life for the sheep. but not all of humanity are sheep.

And our Lord Jesus Christ made that clear. He made that clear. But ye believe not, because you're not of my sheep. Do you hear him? Do you hear what he said? Again, I say, not all humanity are sheep. But ye believe not, because you're not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, my Father which gave them me. Or you could read, as you notice if you're reading along, the them is in italic, so it's not, wasn't in the actual Greek.

We can read it this way, my father which gave me, do you see it? He gave me, what, he gave me to the sheep? He gave the sheep to me. That's what our Lord says in this. My father which gave me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. Do you see it? I and my father are one. So what can I say?

Christ knows his sheep. Christ calls his sheep by name. Christ is the good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. Christ is the good shepherd who knows his sheep. Christ laid down his life for the sheep. And Christ has sheep of both Jewish and Gentile background, but not all of humanity are sheep.

And that is quite clear again in verse 16. Because he said for other sheep, notice it, I have. They're already mine, they're already possessed by him. Even before he died, how were they his by that? The Father gave them to him. As a matter of fact, David the Psalmist said about that great covenant between the Father and the Son before the world was. where the father said to the son, ask of me and I'll give you the heathen for thine inheritance.

And clearly Christ did because he says, here another sheep I have which are not of this fold, that is that Jewish fold, them also. Who's responsible for them coming out, being called, being saved, being regenerated, given life, huh? Who's responsible? Them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Now either you're a sheep or you're not. It's just that simple.

Those who never believe, They never believe because they are not, Christ said, of my sheep. And don't be like some. I used to hear an old preacher, I think he's done passed away now, but years ago on the radio said, well, what Christ actually meant was you're not sheep because you don't believe. That's not what he said. That is nothing but dishonesty to twist the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself around. He said these words to these people, these individuals that were in that day standing right before him, living and breathing.

But ye believe not, here's the reason you don't believe, because you're not of my sheep. I'll take Christ's word over that old preacher's word. They're not all sheep. Not all men are sheep. Those who never believe, they never believe because they're not of Christ's sheep. But even the sheep, according to the Apostle Paul, start out not believing.

That's what he said. Listen to the way the Apostle Paul put it in Ephesians chapter two. And he doesn't use the word sheep in this letter, that is the epistle to the church at Ephesus. He uses the word elect, predestinated, redeemed. That's the same people, the sheep. Because Christ laid down his life for the sheep.

And this is what Paul said of them. Ephesians chapter two, and you hath equipped, who were dead, dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Even the sheep, by nature, don't love Christ, don't love God. They're dead in trespasses and sins, just like the goats, if I could say it that way, just like the goats are. But they're still sheep, look at what he says. And were by nature the children of wrath, wrathful, full of wrath toward God, even as others, But God, there's what makes the difference.

There's what always made the difference, makes the difference, and will continue to make the difference. But God, who is rich in mercy, do you see it? But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he has loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved, do you see it? and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. What's Paul saying? What's he talking about there?

That when Christ died, he died for the sheep. And in God the Father's sight, it was the sheep dying because Christ was their representative. He was their surety. He was their federal head. He was their redeemer. Do you see it? And when he went into the grave, they went into the grave. When God quickened him, God quickened them.

When God took him up into glory, God took them up into glory. in their federal head, and he says, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

This is talking about the sheep, remember? The sheep. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves, the grace, the faith, the salvation, and that, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, not of your effort, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore, remember, Remember, I told you Jesus Christ has sheep of both Jewish and Gentile background. Wherefore, remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made with hands, that at that time ye were without Christ.

We were without Christ, but he wasn't without us. Not if you're a sheep. Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, and other sheep I have, Christ said. Let's go on.

But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh. Notice what it says. by the blood of Christ, not by your repentance, not by your faith, not by your church membership, not by your baptism, not by your soul winning, not by any effort of your own, but how? But made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, that's this Jews and Gentiles, who are called by the good shepherd. Do you see it? For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of the two, of Twain, one new man, so making and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh. For through him For through him, is it Christ? For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now therefore, you're no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for the habitation of God through the Spirit of God. Isn't that glorious?

It is if you're a sheep. It is if you're a sheep. So again I say, not all of humanity are sheep. Those who never believe, they never believe because they're not of Christ's sheep. but even the sheep start out not believing. And it's because of this, this very fact, that I, I personally, as an individual, as a preacher, as a pastor of a local assembly, I cannot meet an unbeliever, and I cannot say to them, you're not of Christ's sheep, because they don't believe. But Christ can. He knows. He can say that.

You see, all mankind fell in Adam. We all were made sinners by one man's disobedience. But some, when we fell, were sheep. And others, when we fell, were goats. And what does Christ say of the sheep? He says, my sheep, hear my voice. I call them by name and I lead them out. I am the door of the sheep. Christ said, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. The good shepherd knows his sheep. Christ laid down his life for the sheep. Christ has sheep of both Jewish and Gentile background, and he knows exactly who they are. So while I cannot walk up to an individual or meet an individual Me cross an individual's path or an individual cross my path, I cannot say to them, the reason you don't bleed is because you're not a sheep. I can just see, if it were so, that never happened, but I'm just giving you an illustration.

I can just see old Saul of Tarsus. You remember Saul of Tarsus, the one who we later know as Paul the Apostle, in his rebellion against Jesus of Nazareth? Not believing he was the Messiah, not believing that Jesus was the Christ, and here he is trying to stamp out the name of Christ from the face of the earth.

I can see that old proud peacock walking around with, his pharisaical phylacteries and all of his Bible verses and his robes and his colors and all of these things. I can see maybe him meeting up with a man called Simon Peter. Simon Peter says, you old proud peacock, you know what?

One day you'll name the name of Jesus Christ. One day you will believe on Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ of God. One day you will be one of his greatest preachers ever. And I can see fire welling up in Saul of Tarsus' eyes and saying, never, never I'll wipe that name off the face of the earth. But you know what happened on the road to Damascus? God struck that proud peacock down. Why? He was a sheep. because Christ knows him, because Christ gave his life for him, because Christ calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Here's the question then, isn't it? Am I a sheep? Did you think about that? Am I a sheep? Are you a sheep? Are you? Do you desire sheephood? Do you desire sheephood? I realize that may not be a normal English word, but I'm gonna coin one if isn't. Sheephood. Do you desire sheephood? There is nothing you can do to become one. You either are one or you're not. You either are one or you're not.

Remember, there are lost sheep and saved sheep. There are unregenerate sheep and regenerated sheep. They're ungathered sheep and gathered sheep. There are sheep called out and sheep yet to call out, but they'll all be called. They'll all be saved. They'll all be regenerated. They'll all be gathered. They'll all be called out because Jesus Christ died for the sheep and he said, them also I must bring. And there shall be, do you see it? There shall be one fold and one shepherd.

So the question is, do you desire that? You can't become one, you can do nothing to become one. The more we try, to do what's right before God is classified by my brother Isaiah the prophet that even our righteousnesses, do you see, hear it? Even my righteousnesses are as filthy rags or menses cloths in God's sight. They may look fine and dandy, they may look well to one another, may look good to me. That's not what it's about. It's in God's sight. Am I a sheep? Are you a sheep? Do we desire sheephood? Is it kind of like, Lord, I don't know if I am one or not, but I sure would love to be. I sure would love to be.

But listen to these four things. Listen to these four things. Do you hear his voice? What do I mean by that? He said, my sheep hear my voice. That's what he said. You can go back and read it, John chapter 10. Do you hear his voice? Do you hear his voice in the scripture? Do you hear God the Son speaking during the preaching of his gospel? When you read this book, do you read this book and Jesus Christ the Lord pops out of the page at you? Do you desire sheephood? Do you want to be a sheep?

The question is, do you hear his voice? Here's another. Has he called you? He said, oh, my sheep hear my voice. I call them by name. I call them by name. But how's he call them? He calls them by the preaching of his gospel. Listen to how Paul put it. Second Thessalonians, Paul put it this way. 2 Thessalonians chapter two. And he said it to some people who were sheep, who were sheep. 2 Thessalonians two, verse 13.

But we are bound to give thanks all way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. That's a sheep. That's what it means to be a sheep. Chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Do you see it? And sanctification being set apart of the spirit of God must come and always comes and always will come first. Do you see it? from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief in the truth. Here it is. Where unto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you desire sheephood? Am I a sheep? Are you a sheep?

Do you hear his voice? Do you hear it in the scripture? Do you recognize this as his word? Has he called you by his gospel? Here's another one, here's a third thing. Told you I'd give you four. Do you hear the error preached by thieves and robbers? That's what our Lord said here. Do you hear the error preached by thieves and robbers and you recognize them as thieves and robbers? Listen to chapter 10, couple verses. Verse one and two.

Truly, truly, or verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. Do you see it? Listen to verse nine and 10. I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they, that is the sheep, might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. How is it that these thieves steal and kill and destroy? They steal because they talk about their righteousness rather than God's.

They kill because all they do is talk about law, keeping the law, doing the golden rule, and they destroy because they preach a false gospel, which Jesus Christ said, which Paul said, of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's really not another, but it's a perversion of the gospel of Christ. Do you hear his voice in the scripture? Has it called you by his gospel? Do you hear the error preached by the thieves and robbers, and you recognize them as thieves and robbers? And you know they're not telling you the truth about Jesus Christ. You know they're not really preaching this book. Oh, they preach from it, but they're not preaching this. But they'll do like that one preacher I told you about.

They'll read this verse, but you believe not because you're not of my sheep. And they'll turn right around and say, the reason you're not a sheep is because you don't believe. That's not what that says. That says the reason these people did not believe is because they were not his sheep. Christ can say that because he knows his sheep.

Here's the fourth thing. Can you follow him as he said he is? I gave you those six things. Can you follow him as he is? The one who the sheep hear. The one that he calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out. Can you follow him as that? Do you see him as the door of the sheep? Do you see him as the good shepherd, the one who gave his life for the sheep? Do you see him as the good shepherd who knows his sheep?

And that's what comes first. Paul told the churches of Galatia that after that you knew God or rather are known of God. Do you realize that Christ laid his life down for the sheep? Do you realize that Christ has both sheep of Jewish and Gentile background? And I can put it this way today.

It doesn't matter whether you have a religious background or you have a unreligious background. Christ has sheep of all kind, of all kind. Can you follow him as he said he is? Can you follow him for who he says he is? Well, that in fact is sheephood. That's what it means to be a sheep, is to hear him in his word, is to hear him when the gospel is preached. When the truth of the personal work of Christ is preached and you recognize lies from error now, and you see him and you follow him and you trust him, that's what it means to be a sheep. But oh, oh listen, but ye believe not, he said to some, because you're not of my sheep.