I AM: Discovering the Nature of Jesus!
Sunday, March 7, 2004
My Prayer Today
Jesus, I thank you that you are the true shepherd. For there is no other way in which I can be saved except through You. Help me not to follow anything or anyone but you. I ask for discernment in my life so that I may be able to distinguish the truth from lies. I know that you are the true shepherd, and I ask that I would listen and obey your voice this day. You indeed are my door to God the Father, so I praise your name! Amen.
God's Word Today
John 10:1-10
"I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice." Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, so he explained it to them. 'I assure you, I AM the gate for the sheep,' he said. 'All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."
Reflecting on God's Word
According to verse one, what does Jesus say is the characteristic of a thief or a robber?
According to verse two, how does a shepherd contrast the thief or the robber? Why?
Why did Jesus use the allegory of a sheepfold to explain this? Did this connect with the people listening?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word
Who was Jesus talking to in the passage?
Who was Jesus referring to when he spoke of "thieves" and "robbers?"
Understanding God's Purpose
How did Jesus go through the "gate" or the "door?"
Why is the devil the illegitimate guide to the sheep flock?
How does the devil "sneak" over the wall to the sheepfold?
Applying God's Word to Our Lives
Are you able to distinguish Jesus' voice as opposed to the devil's? How?
Even if you are a Christian ("in the sheepfold"), can the devil still try to defeat you while in the fold? Why is it important to know the voice of the True Shepherd?
Thoughts
There are many Christians today who believe that if Jesus is Lord of their life, the devil will not attempt to attack and destroy them. It was once said that "those who deny the enemies potential for destruction, are often the most vulnerable to it." These Christians who feel they are immune to destruction, often find themselves defeated because they left their "guard" down. The enemy came in and stole their heart and mind. In John 10:1-10, Jesus explains to the crowds that the devil desires to sneak over the wall into the sheepfold and steal the sheep. But Jesus also says that he is the one who attends the gate / door and is the true shepherd of the sheep. He is the rightful owner and protector of the sheep.
Jesus did not say that the enemy will not attempt to steal and rob the sheep from the sheepfold, he rather says that he is the gate the sheep. He says I AM the door. When Jesus came into this world by being born of the virgin Mary, he redeemed humankind back to the Father through his death and resurrection. Because of this, the sheep (Christians) will know the voice of their Shepherd because he calls them by name. Jesus is legitimate leader of the sheep, and therefore we should always keep our eyes and ears upon him rather than the one who attempts to destroy us.
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