The answer to this question is simple, its them whom Jesus says, His Sheep or Gods Elect.
God's sheep/elect is ALWAYS referring to Israel.
[JESUS]“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”[/JESUS] Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, [JESUS]“Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.“ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.“ Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”[/JESUS] Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, [JESUS]“I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”[/JESUS] Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, [JESUS]“Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”[/JESUS] The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” Jesus answered them, [JESUS]“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”[/JESUS] Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” And many believed in Him there. - John 10:1-42
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John10:1-42&version=NKJV
Are lost sheep part of the flock? NO! They're lost. Do they still belong to the Shepherd? YES! They are His.
But He answered and said, [JESUS]“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”[/JESUS] - Matthew 15:24
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew15:24&version=NKJV
The sheep Jesus has which are "not of this fold," that Jesus must bring back into the fold, are the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." He's not speaking of the Gentiles at all.
Jn 10:16
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Jn 10:3
To him the porter openeth; and he sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Jn 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Now the hearing here is a spiritual one, and the voice here is the Gospel
The hearing here is accompanied with believing/faith because Faith cometh by hearing Rom 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
In Jn 10:16 thats a reference to Christs Sheep from amongst the Gentiles.
Because you say so?
No.
As above: Jesus came to seek and to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel (per Matthew 15:24), to get them to believe, so that He could then afterwards send them all to the Gentiles.
Paul refers to them also here Acts 28:28
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
They will hear the Gospel of their Salvation of God and believe Eph 1:13
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Paul is speaking of Gentiles. Jesus is speaking of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Two separate peoples.
They heard and believed because they were Christ's Sheep Jn 10:26
No, they believed because they heard the gospel.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
So the reverse is true, ye believe because ye are of my Sheep or Elect !
Jesus resisted ministering to the Gentiles during His earthly ministry. The only reason He did so when He did was due to their faith in Him.
