Monday, Sept. 2, 2024
Sheep
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3
Please read and/or listen to John 9:35-10:10 today. In John 10:1-21, we will see Jesus use the sheep/shepherd relationship to illustrate his relationship to his sheep—his people. This narrative immediately follows the healing of the man born blind and the declaration that Jesus makes that he is the light of the world. The scene is still the temple mount. Jesus is still speaking to address the blindness of the Pharisees. Before he declares that he is the door, he begins by using an illustration that would be clearly understood by his listeners. At the time he was speaking, it was common for there to be times when a common sheepfold would be used. Several flocks could be in the sheepfold at the same time. There would be a doorkeeper who would watch over all the flocks inside. The shepherd would come and would call to his sheep and his sheep would follow him and come out of the fold with him. In the same way, Jesus comes into the fold and calls his sheep to lead them out. The fold he is referring to here is the nation of Israel—that is, the descendants of Abraham. The Pharisees have declared they are of God because they are of Abraham. Jesus is declaring that not all those who are of Abraham are truly of God. This is a stunning figure of speech they do not understand (10:6). They are so certain they are God’s that they will not listen or see that to belong to God is to believe in Jesus. Jesus calls to his people to follow him. He leads, we follow. Have you heard the call of Jesus to follow him? Have you truly given your life to him? How is followership going for you? Take some time today to ponder your heart to follow. Talk with Jesus about it!
Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024
Door
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9
Please read and/or listen to John 9:35-10:10 again today. In the third of his seven statements in John where “I AM” is followed by a predicate nominative. Led by the Spirit, John is recording these so that we may know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing we may have life in his name (20:31). Joseph was told that the son Mary was carrying was to be named Jesus because he would save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21). In the verse we are focusing on today, Jesus declares it to be true. He is the door. He is the way that a person will be saved. It is through him that a person can enter the fold and become one of his sheep. He is the only door. There is no other and there is no other way to enter his sheepfold as his. Anyone who tells you there is another way is a liar. This is directly pointed at the Pharisees and the teachings that they added to the revelation of God. Because they did not understand the illustration of the shepherd calling out his sheep, Jesus changes the illustration slightly. At the time he is speaking another way that would be common for shepherds to guard their sheep at night is by putting them in private enclosures by themselves with one entrance when the common enclosure was not used. The shepherd would then lay down in that door and be the way in and out for the sheep. Jesus is speaking to help them understand that he is and always has been the way to enter God’s chosen flock (see Ps 118:20ff). They are confused about this. They have determined the way to God. They have created a pathway of their own design, and it is not an accurate pathway. There is only one door. Jesus is that door. Have you determined in your mind the way to be right in your own eyes? Are there any ways in which you are missing the only way to be saved? We must be saved from the death penalty that our sins have earned us. Jesus is the one who will save us from our sins—if we turn to him and truly believe.
Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024
Voice
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3
We will focus on the verse above today. Something remarkable about the sheep Jesus is speaking of is the way they listen to the voice of the shepherd. They know his voice and they follow the shepherd. Jesus is using the illustration to allow his followers to see that the shepherd does not drive the sheep, he calls them to follow. He takes the lead and guides them and calls them to follow him. This comes from relationship—time spent together. The shepherd speaks to his sheep regularly and often and in fact, names them and calls them by name. The sheep respond with trust and loyalty. The shepherd’s sheep so trust his voice because of the relationship that they will not listen to a voice that is not of the shepherd (10:5). The sheep will flee from the voice of a stranger. Those who have heard the teaching of Jesus and have understood it are those who are his sheep They have heard his voice. They have gone from darkness to light. They have turned from blindness to sight. They are his sheep. The Pharisees that are in opposition to Jesus are blind and they do not hear his voice. Even as they are represented as being in the fold as the children of Abraham, they are not of those who have been saved. They do not know the true voice of God. They will not follow. Today, consider the voice of Jesus. Do you know his voice? Out of all the voices that speak into your life are you seeking to know best the voice of your Shepherd? Are you seeking intimate relationship with him that will allow you to know his voice so that you can follow and so that you can flee from the false voices? What are some false voices that have influenced your narrative and how are they keeping you from the joy of following Jesus?
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024
Sheep (part 2)
All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. John 10:8
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:1
Please read Jeremiah 23:1-4 and Ezekiel 34:1-24 today. God cares deeply for his people. As Jesus comes and speaks to the Jewish people as the King of the Jews, it is totally appropriate for him to use the analogy of the sheep and shepherd. The Jews would have known from their rich history that God was the shepherd of his sheep. We will look at this much more fully next week as we consider the fourth “I AM” statement of Jesus as the good shepherd. For today, we will consider his desire for his sheep to be cared for. Many times, the term for shepherd was used for a king as well. As an example, Saul was to shepherd the nation of Israel for God and become their ruler (2 Samuel 5:2). Jesus is the King of the Jews. He cares for his sheep, and he rules over his sheep. Those entrusted with that role had by and large failed. They had scattered the sheep. They had confused the sheep. They had abused the sheep. God declared that because of the abuse of the sheep that he himself would search for his sheep and seek them out (Ez 34:11). Jesus is especially speaking to the blind guides—the Pharisees. They have declared they see (Jn 9:41) yet they remain spiritually blind, not living in the light, and they are guilty of being robbers and thieves stealing the sheep for their own purposes and gain. Yet, those who are truly the sheep of Jesus have not and will not listen to them. Jesus will care for his sheep. Again today, take some time to reflect on what it means to be one of the sheep that belongs to Jesus. What comfort does it bring for you/ How does it inspire you to follow him and help him care for his sheep?
Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
Going
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:8
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:3 (NIV)
Please read and/or listen to Psalm 121 today. Jesus is the door. It is through him that we are saved. We will enter his sheepfold and become his sheep—his very own. He will call us by name. Another beautiful aspect of Jesus being the door is that through him we will go in and out and find pasture. Ps 121:7 celebrates that the LORD will keep you from all evil. He allows us to go out and to go in. He discerns our going out and how we lie down as we go out. He watches over out coming and our going both now and forever more. He keeps his sheep. As the door he guards us from all evil even as we go from the fold and reenter it—as we live in this world and as we are exposed our ways are guarded. We do not leave his care. If we enter by the door we are saved—both now and forevermore. Ponder that today, would you please? Spend time meditating on what it means to be cared for in this way. Consider the beautiful truth that Jesus keeps your going out and coming in now and forever. A song that touches my heart as I consider this can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzJkC0-CSng
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
Life
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
Life. Abundant life. Eternal life. Life to the full. Light of life. Life.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1 KJV
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Colossians 2:13 (ESV)
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins Colossians 2:12 (NIV)
You who were dead have been brought to life as you have entered his fold. As his sheep you are alive, and you have the light of life. You are living in the abundance of life. No longer dead in your sins. No longer trapped in the chaos of the domain of darkness. You have the light of life—abundant life—eternal life.
Today, ponder the verses above—consider memorizing one of them. Let it remind you of the life you have in Jesus. Let it remind you that you get to follow him. You get to make him known. You get to live abundantly. Cast of any doubts you may have that cause you to live in darkness!