April 20/John 10

In chapter 9 Jesus talked about light and dark and now he switches to shepherd and sheep. In the Jewish mind a ‘shepherd’ was a leader and they looked to kings and prophets as shepherds. In this chapter Jesus will say that he is God and that his Father God sent him to gather all the sheep(people who believed in Jesus) to himself so that they could have true eternal life. Life that would continue on after the body had died. Of course the people that were not his sheep would resist him!

Verses 1-10 > A sheepfold was an enclosure with walls of rock or briers. Many different flocks could be kept there in safety over night while the shepherds ate and rested. The gate keeper usually slept across the opening to guard it from someone trying to steal sheep. The sheep would mingle together but when the shepherds  came to get them the sheep would only follow the voice of their shepherd. Pretty cool huh!

Jesus likens his followers to sheep who know his voice and he is the shepherd. We get familiar with the voice of Jesus as we hang out(read and study) with our Bibles which is the very voice of God. A new baby will begin to recognize the voice its parents after a few months of being with them all the time.

Our shepherd Jesus knows us intimately. He knows our names, likes and dislikes, our fickleness, our ugly side, and even how many hairs are on our head. He still wants us! I know my wife Cleo pretty intimately but I do not know the number of hairs on her head. I haven’t taken the time. Jesus takes the time with us, will we take time for him?

Jesus said that he is the gate into the sheepfold; his family. We enter through him when we believe in Him as our Savior and Lord, the forgiver of our sins.

John 1:12 (NLT) — 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Saved = delivered safe and sound. Jesus delivers us safe and sound to our heavenly Father! The pastures is us being able to enjoy this life free from the clutches of sin and being controlled by our sinful nature! Jesus’ purpose as our shepherd is to give us a rich and satisfying life > verse 10

Verse 11 > Usually sheep are sacrificed for the shepherd to give him food, clothing and an income. But Jesus reverses this by giving up his life for us so that he can provide all that we need to live in this life! He said we could pray, “give us this day our daily bread.”

Verse 16 > He was speaking to the Jewish people his first flock. The other sheep are us Gentiles! Thank you Jesus for not leaving us out.

Verse 17-18 > Jesus wasn’t forced to be our shepherd and die for us; he did it voluntarily! Think about that.

Verse 26 > Again we must believe to have Jesus as our shepherd. These religious leaders were not Jesus’ sheep because they refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah the one sent from God to save.

Verses 27-29 > True believers are identified by their following or obedience to Jesus. Once a person truly believes they have eternal life. Did you get that? They have ETERNAL life. That is why no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand! Think about this > we are not saved by our good works and we will not be cast away because of some bad works. Jesus did all the word and we believe and show we have believed by our obedience. Phew!

John 3:36 (NLT) — 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

Verse 33 > Wow all the miracles that Jesus did and they witnessed and still they called him a mere man. Satan really does know how to blind people’s minds.