Gospel According to John 10: 1-21 Pray, Read, Discuss! скачать в хорошем качестве

Gospel According to John 10: 1-21 Pray, Read, Discuss!

Praise God! Sheep are such stupid animals that they can’t fend for themselves. Even when standing within a few feet of grass to eat and water to drink, they can’t find either. They need a shepherd to lead them to food and drink. Sheep are directionally impaired. They get lost easily. When lost, they have no hope of finding their way back. They need a shepherd to look for them and guide them home. Sheep are helpless, too. They can’t defend themselves, so they are easy prey for wild animals. They need a shepherd to protect them.- Johnson & Richards Jesus the True Shepherd. Jesus calls us by name. He knows us and we know His voice. This comes right after the healed blind man’s excommunication. He goes into detail about what a Shepherd of the people is supposed to do and be like. Jesus is My shepherd. Ordination is no proof whatever that a man is fit to show others the way to heaven.- JC Ryle Jesus explained that not everyone among the sheep is a true shepherd; some are like thieves and robbers. One mark of being a thief and a robber is how a person gains entry among the sheep…… personal and political connections, through formal education, ambition, manipulation, and corruption.- Guzek A true shepherd comes in the legitimate and designed way: through love, calling, care, and sacrificial service.- Guzek Jesus the Good Shepherd. “Because the Pharisees are blind leaders, they are also bogus shepherds, and come under the category of those designated in John 10:8 thieves and robbers” (Tasker). I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly: Jesus said this to contrast His shepherd-like care with unfaithful and illegitimate leaders who come to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. Jesus comes to bring life to His people.- Guzek Abundant life isn’t an especially long life. Abundant life isn’t an easy, comfortable life. Abundant life is a life of satisfaction and contentment in Jesus. ii. “Life is a matter of degrees.- Guzek Some have life, but it flickers like a dying candle, and is indistinct as the fire in the smoking flax; others are full of life, and are bright and vehement.” (Spurgeon) Jesus talks about the Gentiles- “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” It is true- I hear His voice. I know it. There is no separation between Jew and Gentile who believe and put their faith in Jesus. We are one flock. The flock is comprised of all kinds of different people. Despite differences- color, country, culture- Jesus binds us, He is our true north. We are loyal to Him. Such insight- we need to be more like Spurgeon. “All who are one with Christ have a certain family feeling, a higher form of clannishness, and they cannot shake it off. I have found myself reading a gracious book which has drawn mine near to God, and though I have known that it was written by a man with whose opinions I had little agreement, I have not therefore refused to be edified by him in points which are unquestionably revealed. No, but I have blessed the Lord that, within all his blunders, he knew so much of precious vital truth, and lived so near his Lord.” (Spurgeon) The importance of faithful shepherds, pastors, church leaders, cannot be understated. We are living in a world full of Pharisees. Those who put on the dress, the show- they know all the words… they know just the right way to do things… but they are leading people away… or at least, not leading them closer. Self sacrifice. Jesus lay His life down for His flock. He can, He will, He does. No one else has the power to do this- He is alerting His disciples of the day that will come when He does lay His life down- letting them know that He made the choice to do this- and not the Jews or the Romans. He did it because He loves us. He also talks about “taking it up again.” I think this is a reference to His resurrection which HE initiates. He is God. Division occurs. Imagine how shook these people were. So they went to opposite sides. We see this when confronted with things that are true but that don’t align with what we WANT or BELIEVE them to be. Cognitive dissonance is a HUGE issue. “Either Jesus was a megalomaniac madman, or he was the Son of God.” Barclay By what we know of Jesus, is it fair to say that He was a madman? The words of Jesus were not the words of a madman; instead, they were supreme sanity. The deeds of Jesus were not the deeds of a megalomaniac; instead, they were utterly unselfish. The effect of Jesus wasn’t the effect of a madman; instead, He changed millions for the good. Guzek #DailyBibleVerse #BibleReading #GospelReading