'John' Tagged Posts

Leader …His sheep follow Him because they know his voice. (Vs. 3b) – He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:4 The Lord’s people hear His voice and follow His lead. They refuse to follow others. This is John’s picture of belief in action. Just as a baby learns to discern its mother’s voice, so new followers of Jesus learn to discern His voice. Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus knows your name? Mary wept at…

New Life The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 Jesus started His “Good Shepherd” discourse with a reference to the thief and the robber. Thieves are sneaky and get their booty through subtlety. A robber obtains his booty by violence. Either way, Jesus refers to those who illegally gain access to His flock, try to take them away from the Good…

Solid Faith “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.” John 10:16 Embedded in this Good Shepherd discourse is the prophecy that Gentiles would come to Jesus and become a part of His “flock.” (That includes you and me.) In fact, many believers in the first-century Gentile church most likely came from paganism to Christ through the intermediate step of becoming converts to Judaism. The Greek culture worshiped many false gods, but…

All Authority “I have authority to lay it (my life) down and authority to take it up again.” John 10:18b The story of Jesus does not end tragically in a gruesome death on a cross. It leads to an open tomb—but it doesn’t end there. It winds down through the centuries, all the way to today, through the lives of millions of transformed followers of Jesus who have experienced resurrection life. Ours is the only religion that points to an…

Good Shepherd I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11 The discourse on the Good Shepherd was most likely a continuation of Jesus’ conversation with the Jews following the healing of the blind man (chapter 9). Because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees were called in to investigate; and that led to this discourse. Jesus’ purpose was to illustrate the spiritual principles that governed His ministry and to contrast…