Sheep or Lion?

I've been listening to a pod cast from Focus on the Family. Their guest speaker being comedian Ken Davis. His message was on "super sheep." It was funny, but at the same time really got the point across. I haven't finished the message yet, but have gotten the jest of it.

Ken started out talking about how he can't stand sheep. They run funny, they're stupid, they just follow each other, they are dumb. The way he puts it is hilarious to hear him talk of it. If you get the chance go here and look for the pod cast with Ken Davis. You won't regret it.

Basically what I've gotten so far is it is talking about how he hated sheep. He went through the Bible looking for something better than being a stupid sheep following each other. He came across the word lion and looked it up in the Bible. He was excited, a lion, something that is strong, un-afraid. Hmmm, but was it a wise choice?

Know what the Bible says about a lion? 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Yikes, okay, maybe being a strong lion isn't so great.
Other Scriptures that mention the lion:
Genesis 49:9; Isaiah 11:7; Daniel 6:7; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelations 5:5

So what does the Bible have to say about sheep. I could say go check out the concordance in the back of your Bible, but I'll save you the task and share what I've found.

1 Kings 22:17
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a Shepherd, and the Lord said, "They have no master; let everyone return home in peace."
Psalm 100:3
Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are His--His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Isaiah 53:6
We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.
Zechariah 13:7
Sword, away against My shepherd, against the man who is my associate--the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will also turn My hand against the little ones.
Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a Shepherd.
Matthew 25:32
All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
John 10:3-5
The door keeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of a strangers.
John 10:15
This is given in part of the last one.
John 10:27
"My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me."
John 21:17
He asked him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, "Do you love Me?" He said, "Lord, You know everything! You know that I love you. "Feed My sheep," Jesus said.
Acts 8:32
Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb is silent before it's shearer, so He does not open His mouth.

Now this one wasn't listed, but feel this is a very important part.
John 10:7-18
The Good Shepherd
7"So Jesus said again, "I assure you; I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.
11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13This happens; because his is a hired man and doesn't care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me. 15as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. 16But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father."

I have not yet finished that podcast, and I'm sure the message is strong. But from I've listened to so far, it still has an important message. So which do you want to be, the Sheep that hears his Shepherds voice, or the lion, on the prowl un-afraid of anything, waiting to devour?

Father, You are so glorious, so mighty, so loving. We thank You for all that You bestow upon us and for sacrificing Your Son for our sins. We gratefully accept Your trials you bring us to, as we understand You are using those situations to teach, to lead, and to guide us closer to You! Jesus bring the rain. Draw me closer to You.
Father fill us with the Holy Spirit to guide us and to us the Lords words. Help us to become the sheep that hears His voice, that knows only the voice of our Shepherd. So that we may not be led astray and scattered by the wolves howling at our gates. May we only enter through the gate of our great Shepherd.
Thank you Father God. God of God's, King of Kings. The one and only Almighty. We ask this in Jesus Name, Amen!