Chapter 10

1“Let me tell you about sheep. Anybody who climbs over the fence instead of coming through the gate is a thief. Illegal entry. We need a gate. A big, beautiful gate. And a wall.

2The real shepherd uses the gate. The right way. Legally.

3The guy at the gate lets him in, and the sheep know his voice. He knows every one of them by name. Every name. Great memory. The best memory.

4He walks out in front, and they follow him, because they know the voice. Very distinctive voice. Everybody does the impression. Nobody does it right.

5Some stranger shows up, they're gone. They run. They won't follow some other guy. Loyal sheep. The most loyal.”

6That was the story. The Pharisees had no clue what he was talking about. It was about sheep. Too complicated for them.

7So Trump said, “Okay, simpler. I'm the gate. The whole entry system. Me.

8Everybody before me was a crook. Every previous administration. Crooks. And the sheep didn't listen to them.

9You come in through me, you're safe. In and out, great pasture, all you want. Like a golf course. Beautiful grass.

10The thief only shows up to steal and kill and wreck the place. I came so you could have the good life. The full life. Maximum.

11I'm the shepherd. The great shepherd. They wrote good. I'd have said great. And the great shepherd puts his life on the line for the sheep.

12The hired guy doesn't own the sheep. Wolf shows up, he's gone. Takes off. The wolf eats the sheep. Contractors. Never own it. Never care.

13He runs because he's just a hired guy. Doesn't care. Bad employee. Fire him.

14I'm the shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me. I know my base. My base knows me. Best relationship in politics.

15Like my Father knows me and I know him. And I'll put my life on the line for them.

16I've got other sheep too, from other pens. I'm bringing them in. They'll hear me and they'll come. One flock. One shepherd. Big tent. Expanding the base.

17My Father loves me because I'll give up my life and then take it right back. Comeback. I always come back.

18Nobody takes anything from me. Nobody. I decide. I put it down when I want and I pick it back up when I want. My Father signed off on it.”

19And the leaders split again. Every time.

20A lot of them said, “He's got a demon. He's unhinged. Why are we even listening?” Unhinged, they said. The media always says unhinged.

21Others said, “Unhinged guys don't talk like this. And can a demon fix a blind man's eyes? I don't think so.” Good point. Demons don't do eye surgery.

22Then came the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem. Winter. Cold. Very cold. Global warming, they said. Then it was cold.

23Trump was walking around the temple in Solomon's Colonnade. Nice columns. Very classy.

24The leaders circled him. “Enough with the suspense. Are you the Messiah or not? Yes or no.” Suspense. Great for ratings. Keep them in suspense.

25Trump said, “I told you. You didn't believe it. Look at what I've done. The record speaks for itself.

26You don't believe because you're not my sheep. Not my voters. Never will be.

27My sheep know my voice. I know them. They follow me. Everywhere. Every rally.

28I give them life that never ends, and nobody's taking them from me. Not the media. Not the swamp. Nobody.

29My Father gave them to me, and he's bigger than everybody. Nobody gets them out of his hand either. Very strong grip.

30Me and my Father? Same team. Same brand. One.”

31And they picked up rocks again. They always bring rocks.

32Trump said, “I've done so many great things for you people. Tremendous things. Which one are you throwing rocks for? Pick one. Name it.”

33“It's not the good stuff,” they said. “It's the God stuff. You're a regular guy, and you keep acting like you're God.” Regular guy. Nobody's ever called me regular.

34Trump said, “Have you read your own book? It literally calls people gods.

35Regular people. It calls them gods. And you can't throw out the book.

36So the guy my Father hand-picked and sent here says 'I'm God's Son,' and that's the problem? Read your own book. Used their own book against them.

37If I'm not doing my Father's work, fine, don't believe me.

38But if I am, and I am, then at least believe the results. Then you'll get it. Me and my Father, one operation.”

39They tried to grab him again. He got away. Slippery. They've been trying for years.

40Then Trump went back across the Jordan, to the spot where Johnny used to baptize in the early days, and stayed there. Back to the beginning. Where it all started. Great memories.

41People came out in droves. “Johnny never did a single miracle. But everything Johnny said about this guy? Dead on.” Great endorsement, even posthumously.

42A lot of people signed on out there. Big numbers. Even out there.