John 10:22-24

 John 10:22-24

There are in this passage two assertions about Jesus that He affirms and which causes the Jews to reject him. The first is that He is Christ; the second is that He is God. When asked to plainly state if he were the Christ, Jesus refers to the signs He has done. There is a specific reference to healing the man born blind. Rather than assert this directly, why does Jesus refer to His signs? At this time of Roman oppression and during the Feast of Dedication, commemorating the defeat are the Syrians by the Maccabees, to assert His Messiahship could have led to an open rebellion. The Jews’ failure to see Jesus as Messiah was because these people were not the sheep belonging to this Shepherd. Jesus said that He and the Father are (note the plural) One (note the singular). This prompts the Jews to take up stones to kill him. 

Jesus argues that He is in fact God in a way that seems strange to our Western ears but was as clear as could be to His listeners. The reference is to Psalm 82:6, where judges who have the authority and the responsibilities of the word of God are called gods. If this is true, and the scripture is always true, how much more the One who is the very word of God-made flesh is in fact God? Jesus is not trying to dodge or evade the question. He was answering in a way that they understood from their own scriptures. They did understand, as indicated by the reaction of the Jews wanting to arrest him. From this point on, Jesus is marked for death by the Jews. Only popular support and hiddenness prevent the Jews from doing what they wanted.

"Lord, thank you that You were absolutely clear about Your identity.  AMEN"

John 10:11-21

 John 10:11-21

Jesus declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd. There is the kind of good that gets positive results. There is a higher form of good in addition to good results. This good also has beauty or winsomeness as a principal characteristic. The first never moves beyond function, the second adds to function that special something. That special something is not specifically named in the text but it is understood. That special something is selfless love. Why would the shepherd fight lions or wolves at the risk of his own life? Because he loves the Sheep. From childhood a shepherd would walk, live, eat and sleep in the company of his sheep. In the flock there would be sheep that he had watched be born and that he knew as lambs. Add to the skills of proficient shepherding great love and you have the concept of a good shepherd.

In contrast is the hireling. We should not think that the hireling is unskilled in the art and science of shepherding. He may, in fact, be technically excellent. There's only one flaw in the hireling: he doesn't care for the sheep. That is the mark of Jesus: great capacity paired with great love. There is no other who has the technical skill that Jesus has, primarily the power of salvation. But also there is no one who loves as Jesus loves.

This passage is not primarily about local ministers. However, the local Pastor, Elder or Bishop who fails to be a good both technically capable and a loving shepherd need not be kept as the leader or shepherd of the church.

We need to remember that if we fail to follow Jesus it is not because He is not the shepherd, it is because we are not His sheep.

“Lord, help me know and hear the voice of my Good Shepherd. AMEN”

John 10:1-10

 John 10:1-10

The last half of verse 10 is one of the most beautiful and popular verses in the book of John. After all, who doesn’t want abundant life? The problem is that we misunderstand what Jesus meant when He talked about “abundant life."  Shaped by our consumerist culture, our fallen nature, and too often times false teachers, we assume that the abundant life is personal peace and affluence. If you think that following Jesus means primarily or ever secondarily that you will enjoy owning more stuff than you really don’t know what Jesus was talking about.

In these verses and those that follow, Jesus is talking about the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep, between Himself and His people. Notice that the shepherd calls the sheep, the sheep hear and recognize His voice, and the sheep follow Him. There is nothing about possessions in this description; it is all about relationships.  The “abundant life” is being with Jesus. If you think that is not enough, what you are saying is that Jesus is not enough. Which, by the way, is a good indicator that you are not really following Jesus. 

There are now, and always have been, plenty of 'strangers’, 'thieves', and ‘robbers’ that want to steal sheep. They are easy to recognize because rather than leading people to a relationship with Jesus, they use and manipulate them. There are plenty of people who are willing to follow anyone who will promise “personal peace and affluence."  But these are not so likely to be sheep as pigs, unclean and fit only for the filth and mire of their carnal appetites. 

"Lord, give me a heart that will be satisfied if all I have is you.  AMEN"