Breaking Away From the Herd
First of all, if you are just joining me, go here for part one of this series.
With me? Good, let’s continue…
So, what can we do if we find ourselves so buried in the middle of the pack that we can’t even see which way to go?
Well, in order to learn we need to study former herd devotees to learn how they broke free. As it so happens, our passage in John gives us quite a few examples. We’ll take a look deeper into it as well as a couple more ‘herd escapees.’ First, take a look at the following:
“25Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom(AI) they seek to kill? 26And here he is,(AJ) speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that(AK) the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27But(AL) we know(AM) where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears,(AN) no one will know where he comes from.” 28So Jesus proclaimed,(AO) as he taught in the temple, (AP) “You know me, and you know where I come from? But(AQ) I have not come of my own accord.(AR) He who sent me is true,(AS) and him you do not know. 29(AT) I know him, for I come(AU) from him, and(AV) he sent me.” 30(AW) So they were seeking to arrest him, but(AX) no one laid a hand on him,(AY) because his hour had not yet come. 31Yet(AZ) many of the people believed in him. They said,(BA) “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
I seriously don’t know if there’s anywhere else in scripture where we see the masses wrestling with the herd and trying so desperately to break from “Group Think” as this. It starts out with a few, as we see in verse 25, “25Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom(AI) they seek to kill?
“Some” begin to look around and notice that there are definite holes in the arguments of the religious leaders. They take note of how they never seem to do what they say or say what they do with any kind of consistency. They’re thinking of jumping ship and parting with the herd. Yet, at this stage it is nothing more than a holy discontent.
Keep reading…
In verse 26 (“Can it be that(AK) the authorities really know that this is the Christ?”) the crowd’s questions regarding the religious leaders turns to frustration as they begin to wonder if the leaders of the herd (the Pharisees) have known Jesus is the Messiah all along and suppressed this precious truth from the Sheeple on purpose.
Let me cut to the chase for you so this doesn’t become the world’s longest blog post. Next the people will experience a sense of panic themselves as they fear they may be headed over the cliff with a herd moving away from God rather then towards Him. If they respond to this nudging from the Holy Spirit they can be free of the herd and group think. If they face the truth that they are caught up in one of Satan’s oldest tricks in the book, there might be hope. Here’s what I’m referring to…
- Imagine giving your whole life and eternal destiny, unquestioningly over to a religious group simply because you were born in a certain country?! Imagine never checking for yourself whether or not something was true simply because authorities told you only evil people ever question the party line!
- Imagine walking away from the loving Christian family who raised you because your friends say it’s uncool?
- Imagine dropping out of school, leaving church, abandoning all you love for a temporary high because some “friends” told you drugs or alcohol could give you a feeling unsurpassed?
- Imagine giving away one of the most precious things each of us possess (our bodies) simply because the herd tells you that only a Bible thumping prude remains a virgin until marriage.
- Imagine leaving a great church or causing harm to Jesus and His Bride simply because some Sheeple had sin issues of their own and asked you to take up their banner. You never seek the truth, never seek the Lord, just follow the herd. It happens all the time
Isn’t this crazy?
It’s also fundamental to the success of group think. Nearly every major false religion or political dictatorship has the spoken (or unspoken) rule of silence–keeping everyone in line. Whether by force or by the threat of being excommunicated or ostracized from the herd. See it for what it is and join the smaller group following truth rather than the Sheeple following other Sheeple.
How does this story (from John 7) end? With joy and eternal life for some and a short trip over the cliff for others…
“ So they were seeking to arrest him, but(AX) no one laid a hand on him,(AY) because his hour had not yet come. 31Yet(AZ) many of the people believed in him. They said,(BA) “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?
The “some” has morphed into “many!” And it all started with a few who were willing to stand up and declare that the emperor had no clothes. Very quickly, more followed until the evil religious leaders had a full blown exodus on their hands!
Oh that there would be more Christ followers like this today!
One more example…
In Matthew 16 we find Jesus pushing His disciples to stop following the herd and break free from group think. First He has to expose it. Look at the following:
“13(T) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say(U) John the Baptist, others say(V) Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Truth was, the people had no idea who Jesus was because they were taking their cues from the currupt religious leaders rather than thinking for themselves. Jesus exposes the fact that the disciples were in danger of the same herd mentality unless they risked being excommunicated from the herd and looked truthfully at Jesus.
Eleven fail the test–a smaller herd within the greater herd.
One passes and get’s the honor of being the ROCK upon which the entire Christian church is launched.
Look at Peter’s declaration of herd abandonment:
16Simon Peter replied,(W) “You are(X) the Christ,(Y) the Son of(Z) the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, (AA) “Blessed are you,(AB) Simon Bar-Jonah! For(AC) flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,(AD) but my Father who is in heaven. 18And I tell you,(AE) you are Peter, and(AF) on this rock[b] I will build my church, and(AG) the gates of(AH) hell[c] shall not prevail against it.19I will give you(AI) the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and(AJ) whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[d] in heaven.” 20(AK) Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”
Peter broke form the herd and found abundant life and blessing as a result. He had great favor from God as a reward but don’t miss the most important thing that happend here. Peter did not break free from the herd and their dangerous group think on his own. He needed God’s help:
“Jesus answered him, (AA) “Blessed are you,(AB) Simon Bar-Jonah! For(AC) flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,(AD) but my Father who is in heaven.”
Are you living a weak, defeated and anemic life as a believer? That’s not what God intended and you know it. Maybe your off course. Maybe you’re following the herd because you don’t want to lose friends or be left alone and lonely. But “what good does it do a man if he gain (even) the whole world but lose his own soul?” Want to break free?
Start on your knees. If you have followed the herd, spouted the party-line or joined in group think when your heart cried out that something was wrong–tell the Lord. Repent and break free from the herd. If you can’t find the strength Jesus will lend you His own. He’s still in the business of herd emancipation.