Experiencing Life
Can You Hear His Voice?
John 10:1-42
The Good Shepherd and his sheep (1-6)
The life of a Shepherd…
The job of the Shepherd…
The necessary characteristics of a Shepherd were constant vigilance, fearless courage and patient love for the flock.
The duty of Shepherd…
A true sign of a follower of Christ is you listen to the voice of Jesus and you follow.
- Even if there are competing voices - we listen and obey Christ.
- How do we know the voice of God - we study his word, pray and commune with God.
- The more you know his word, the more you recognize his voice.
Our Shepherd is…
Personal reflection:
- Is Jesus your shepherd?
- Is Jesus leading you?
- Do you hear his voice?
- Has he called your name?
The Good Shepherd is the Door to Life for his Sheep (7-10)
“I am the Door” – 3rd of 7 “I am” statements
“I am the way, the truth, and the life - no one comes to the father except through me." (Jn. 14:6)
a) I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved - salvation, (b) He will come in and go out and find pasture - freedom in Christ.
Personal Reflection:
- Have you entered through the door to the superabundant life?
- Are you experiencing the power, presence and protection of the LORD Jesus?
- Are you experience freedom from sin?
True and False Shepherds (11-15)
Jesus speaks of his substitutionary death for sinners on the cross (v. 15; 6:51, 11:50-51; 17:19;18:14)
Shepherds who love Vs. Shepherds hired
Ezk.34:15 “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice."
Double Danger: The flock at risk
1. The dangers of the wolves in the world - ‘I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves' (Mt. 10:16)
2. The dangers of the wolves’ in the church- “…after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock” (Acts 20:29)
Personal Reflection:
Like sheep, we all have the temptation to go astray, but with Christ overseeing, he will correct us. Are you trying to get past the protection of Jesus in your life?
The Death, Resurrection and Glory (17-18)
“take it up again” …
He will rise from the dead, conquering sin and death and with all authority demonstrate his messiahship and deity (Rom 1:4)
“Jesus was not helplessly caught up in a mesh of circumstances from which he could not break free. Apart from any divine power he might have called, it is quite clear that to the end he could have turned back and saved his life. He did not lose his life; he gave it. The cross was not thrust upon him: he willingly accepted it - for us.” William Barclay
Jesus lays down his life.
- He is the Good Shepherd.
- He is the Door.
- He calls his own.
Who are his own?
- if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Rom. 10:9
- Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Rom. 10:13
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