John 10
COMMENTARY:
: 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. (245 “stranger”[allotrios] means another man, foreign, not of one’s own family, an enemy, a person who does not belong in the environment in which they are found, or one belonging to another, or unfavorably disposed.)
DEVOTION: There is a unique relationship between a believer and Jesus Christ. There is a unique relationship between a father and his child. The child knows the voice of his father when he enters the house. Most children know the footsteps of their father. They also know if a stranger is calling them.
Jesus made it plain that those who are HIS followers know if someone is speaking the truth of the Word of God or not. As they listen they have discernment given to them by the Holy Spirit that tells them if the message is truly from the LORD.
While HE was on the earth there were people who genuinely understood HIS teachings and those who were confused. God doesn’t want us confused by the teachings of someone who is not a follower of HIS.
HE makes it plain to us that there are false teachers. They talk but what they say has no meaning to us. We are not fed. We are not growing.
We need to get to the point that we will only listen to those who stay true to the Word of God. The Word of God leads us to honor Christ. We are not worshiping the Bible. We are worshiping the God of the Bible. We are worshiping the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on a daily basis.
CHALLENGE: Pray for God to give you wisdom from above. Pray for discernment each time you listen to the radio, television, read a book or listen to a sermon at church.
: 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (4982 “saved” [sozo] means make whole, keep safe and sound, rescue, preserve, cure, make well, or restore.)
DEVOTION: Jesus uses everyday examples of what HE is trying to teach regarding HIS plan for making people whole in their relationship to God.
Here HE states that there is only one entrance into the kingdom of God. It is through a door. HE is that door. So HE is teaching that the only way to God is to enter a door that HE represents. HE is the only way to heaven.
Once a person has gone through the door he will be in proper relationship to the Father through the Son. With this new relationship the individual will find food that will help him grow spiritually.
Until he enters the door he will not understand or be fed by the words of Jesus. They will enter one ear and exit through the other ear. There will be no comprehension of the truth of the Word of God.
Today we find churches that will teach that there is more than one way to heaven. They are wrong but they still teach their false doctrine. We need to make sure that we teach the truth of the Word of God. Otherwise we will have and do have a group of people who think that they are heading to heaven with the false belief that they can get their by good works or by other means.
We have a tendency to not stay truth to the teachings of Jesus. HE taught in all areas of life and if we teach something other than what HE taught we lead people away from the LORD.
Sometimes people with PhD’s get the attention of people and they think that they must know what they are talking about and they follow them away from the truth of the Word of God.
There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. HE is the only door.
There are people listening to the teachings of Jesus who could not understand what HE was saying. The Holy Spirit and the message were rejected.
CHALLENGE: If we see people who are not willing to be fed the Word of God they have not entered through the proper DOOR.
: 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (191 “hear’ [akouo] means listen to, pay close attention to, usually respond in conformity, consider what is or has been said, to understand, or to get by hearing learn.)
DEVOTION: When Jesus came to this earth HIS mission was to reach the Jewish population. HE sent HIS disciples to preach to the children of Israel. When a Gentile woman approached HIM for healing HE stated that HE was not sent to her nation. She told HIM that she would accept the crumbs that fell from the table. HE admired her faith and healed her child.
HIS three and a half years were dedicated to help the Jewish nation understand that HE was the Messiah they were waiting for. They were not convinced. Some became believers but not most. They thought that the Messiah was going to become King and defeat the Romans. Jesus didn’t do this. They were disappointed.
This other fold that Jesus told HIS disciples about is thought to be the Gentile nations. Remember that Abraham was promised that through his seed all the nations of the world would be blessed.
When Jesus gave HIS final instructions to the disciples HE told them to go and make disciples of every nation. They were to start at Jerusalem then go to Judea, then to Samaria and finally to the uttermost part of the earth. The mission was plain. God was going to use HIS followers to bring people from every nation into obedience to HIM. Jesus will have a flock made up of people from every nation under heaven. The number is going to be amazing.
We are presently waiting for the last one to become a believer before the return of Christ to call the church to HIMSELF. You might be the one to reach the last one to become a believer in the Church Age of History.
CHALLENGE: Each believer need to reach those in their world for the LORD. It is the commandment Jesus Christ has left us.
: 28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (726 “pluck” [harpazo] means gain control over, to seize, to carry off by force, to snatch out or away, take away or pull.)
DEVOTION: This chapter is teaching that Jesus came as the only way to get into heaven. HE is the door. There is no other way to enter except through the door. HE is also the good shepherd. HE knows HIS sheep and they know HIS voice. HIS sheep will not listen to the voice of a stranger.
Jesus uses this time of teaching to tell those who believe in HIM that they are part of HIS flock. Those in HIS flock are called by name. HE promises HIS flock eternal life. HE promises that HIS followers will never perish. HE promises that no one can carry off by force any of HIS flock. HE promises those who follow HIM that they will have an abundant life. HE promises that their joy would be full.
HE continues by saying that God the Father is greater than all and HE was the one who gave each individual to Jesus. No one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. So our verse for today informs us that no one can gain control over HIS sheep. No one can snatch them out of HIS hand. The next verse informs us that no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Some have tried to teach that we can snatch ourselves out of the Father’s hand. Our sin will take us out of the Father’s hand. That means that we can take ourselves out of the Father and the Son’s hands. Does that sound right? Are we stronger than God’s hands? The doctrine of eternal security teaches that those who genuinely become followers of Christ will never lose their salvation. They are saved for eternity. If they sin, they can confess their sins and be restored to fellowship with the Father. Those who don’t confess are chastened of the LORD. HE uses weakness, sickness and pre-mature death as forms of chastening.
Can those who are part of the flock take themselves out of the Father’s hands? Can those who were chosen from before the foundation of the earth take themselves out of the Father’s hands? Can those who are written in the book of life be taken out of the book of life? Those who don’t receive the promises found in this verse are those who were never part of the flock that the Father gave the Son. God never breaks a promise.
One other warning in this passage is that there are hirelings. Hirelings don’t care for the flock as much as the Good Shepherd. If there are people who are responsible to take care of the flock or under shepherds, we need to watch to be sure that they care for the flock and will not run when the wolf comes calling.
CHALLENGE: Don’t doubt the LORD’S ability to keep you once you are one of HIS. Satan likes Christians to doubt their salvation.
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