I Go to Awaken Him

Lesson #176

After being told that Lazarus was sick, Jesus waits for two days to allow him to die. “Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”” (John 11:7 ESV). After waiting for two days I think the disciples were kind of surprised that he was going now, especially since it was not safe for Jesus to go to Judea now. “The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”” (John 11:8 ESV). Think about how you would feel if you were a disciple and knew that Jesus was going to return to an area of danger. Is your concern for Jesus or for yourself? If they were to stone Jesus, what might they do to you? What thoughts might you have about why Jesus was going back? Was it to grieve with the family, to encourage them, or maybe raise Lazarus from the dead? How does Jesus answer them?

“Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”” (John 11:9-10 ESV). Jesus begins his answer with a physical example of working during the twelve hours of daylight. At night when it is dark you would not be able to see and would stumble around. But the wording Jesus uses implies something deeper; it suggests a spiritual dimension. Since Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), then to walk in the day means to walk in the light that Jesus provides; to walk in fellowship with him, believing in and obeying his words. In contrast, to walk in the night means you not walking with Jesus in his light; you are not in fellowship with him and you do not believe in or obey his words. To walk in darkness apart from him means there is no light or spiritual life within. But there is still another level to the response Jesus gives to his disciples. As long as Jesus is on earth, it is day for him and he has work to do. At this time the work Jesus has to do in located in Judea. As Jesus continues to work he gets closer and closer to the final work he has been assigned to do on the cross.

“After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”” (John 11:11 ESV). Again a dual meaning is conveyed in this response. The disciples hear physical sleep and wonder why Jesus is going for the purpose of wakening Lazarus from needed restful sleep, but Jesus knows Lazarus is dead and he is going for the purpose of raising a dead stinking body to life. As you can imagine, the disciples and Jesus are on two entirely different pages at this point. This is clear from the next two verses: “The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.”” (John 11:12-13 ESV).

We will finish this conversation in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, the multilevel found in these verses point out a rather unique aspect of the Bible. We have looked at many verses in which there is a physical aspect, that often doesn’t make any sense to an unbeliever, but when studies by one spiritual alive it takes on meaning. To an unbeliever, the Bible is not much more than a history book containing stories and poems, but to the believer it is indeed a living book. Father, as I study for these lessons, the life I encounter nourishes my soul and draws me closer to your heart. 

Lazarus Dies

Lesson #176

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill” (John 11:1 – 2 ESV).  We spend most of the last lesson trying to determine if this Mary also anointed the head of Jesus. Scripture doesn’t name that person, but tradition identifies this Mary with that woman. After considering a number of things we also assumed the probably that it was this Mary. Let us continue in our study.

“So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill” (John 11:3 ESV). Lazarus was apparently sick enough to cause concern, so the sisters sent someone to inform Jesus that Lazarus was sick. John makes it very clear by the wording of this request that Jesus had a special place in his heart for this family. “But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”” (John 11:4 ESV). Looking ahead, we know that Lazarus does die, but if we look ahead even further, we know that he lives again physically. Death is not the real issue, but the glory of God is. Jesus healed illness and raised others to increase the faith of those witnessing the events, demonstrating his ability to do the works of God. In restoring physical life to Lazarus, Jesus will use this as an illustration in teaching those there, that he has the power to also restore spiritual life. In chapter 9, Jesus used a man born blind and demonstrated the works of God by restoring his sight. What Jesus has in mind here is to demonstrate that he has the power to give spiritual life to a person born spiritually dead.

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5 ESV). Again, John emphasizes the love Jesus has for this family because he knows that Jesus is going to do something that on the surface doesn’t show much love on his part for this family. “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (John 11:6 ESV). Jesus knew that if he stayed those two extra days, it would mean certain death for Lazarus. Jesus chose to wait to be sure Lazarus would be dead when he filled the request to come to be with Lazarus and his sisters. At the end of waiting these two days, Jesus tells his disciples his plans to go visit. We will look at their response in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, how often you do things that at first glance seem not to make sense or demonstrate your love for me, but time has a way to revealing that your ways and thoughts are not necessarily my ways and thoughts. You are all knowing and you see things and have plans I don’t know about. Scripture is clear and you demonstrate to me so often that you deeply love me and want the best for me. Father, help me fully trust all of my life into your loving hands. Conform me into the image of your beloved Son. 

Lazarus Is Sick

Lesson #175

With this lesson we begin our study of the first major section of chapter 11, defined by John 11:1 – 16. In this section Jesus is notified that Lazarus was sick, but Jesus does not respond and waits until he dies before going to him. His death will provide Jesus with the opportunity to present some very important material. Let us begin our study and see what God has for us to learn from this section.

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha” (John 11:1 ESV). The setting of our narrative is the village of Bethany, located about two miles from Jerusalem (verse 18). The three main characters of our narrative are named: Lazarus, Mary and Martha; a brother and two sisters. Bethany was identified as the village of Mary and Martha, suggesting that they were well known by people in the area. It seems from Luke 10:36 that these women were accustomed to entertain Jesus with their hospitality. Since Lazarus was identified simply as living in Bethany, we can conclude that he was not as well-known as his sisters.

“It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill” (John 11:2 ESV). This Mary is not the sinful woman who anointed the Lord’s feet at the table in the Pharisee’s house in Jerusalem (Luke 7:37). She was a different Mary. This anointing that John identifies with Mary, at this time, has not occurred yet (John 12:3), but is important enough to this event to mention here. John mentions this anointing to show a very special relationship between Mary and Jesus.

I probably should not raise this point, but I think it demonstrates the importance of careful Bible study. There is another anointing we all know about that is recorder in both Mathew and Mark. “Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table” (Matthew 26:6 – 7 NASB). Who was this woman? It is commonly thought to be the same Mary that anointed his feet in John 12: “Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair” (John 12:1 – 3 ESV). Some say Mary also anointed his head and is thus the woman in the Matthew 26 account. Careful inspection reveals the dinner in the house of Simon the leper occurred two days before Passover. The dinner put on by Mary and Martha appeared to be at their home and it occurred six days before Passover.  If we assume two separate dinners, which satisfies the Scriptures, it is possible to assume the woman in Mathew 26 was Mary. That conclusion is based on the foot and head anointing being acts of love expressed by Mary toward Jesus and that the anointing of the head of Jesus and what he says ties very well into the account being developed in John 11. I therefore tend to lean toward the woman in Matthew being Mary. This is not directly supported by Scripture and shows why it is important to distinguish between truth and tradition. Until this study I had assumed that the Scripture named Mary as the woman who anointed the head of Jesus, but I was mistaken.

Prayer

Father, this lesson enforces my resolve to not teach from denominational Bible studies. These studies are a level removed from the Scriptures allowing interpretation to be heard as truth. These studies cover the material quickly and usually include just the easy parts and do not allow time to uncover what the Bible really teaches. I believe this is a good reason why believers today are so ill-informed on what the Bible actually teaches. Father, we desperately need to take time for proper Biblical training to lay a foundation for holy living and an effective witness. Father, we desperately need your discipline in this matter. 

Understand Who I Am by My Works

Lesson #174

We come to a text that I find very difficult to clearly explain. “Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (John 10:34 – 36 ESV). The reference to “gods” is from Psalm 82:6, but that doesn’t help me and I don’t find real insight from commentaries at the level I want to write here. There was something about what was said that the Jews seem to understand that caused them to back off a bit. What Jesus said doesn’t lead to any conclusion that resolved the matter, but was a maneuver on his part to keep the stones from flying and gives him time to say more on the matter.

“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands” (John 10:37 – 39 ESV). Jesus wants them to seriously consider his works and if they do not sincerely believe he is doing the works of his Father, then they shouldn’t believe what he says. But, Jesus says, if I do the works of my Father and you don’t believe me, at least believe the works so that “you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” That was more than they could take, so “they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands” because it was not yet time for him to die as he had more work to accomplish. This is true for you and I as believers. If there is still work God wants to use us for, then our lives are protected from death until we are released. Jesus escapes from their hands and the Jerusalem story ends with anger, unbelief and murderous plans.

We next find Jesus across the Jordan where the atmosphere is much improved. “He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there” (John 10:40 – 42 ESV). Jesus goes to the place where John the Baptist had prepared the soil for his initial arrival and remained there for a while. John did no miracles, but simply said things about Jesus, which the people realized, after being with him, were true. Here faith had the opportunity to flourish and many believed in him there as we come to the end of chapter 10.

Prayer

Father, as I watch Jesus do the work of ministry among the people I can’t help but think about my brothers and sisters in other countries where they face persecution. In spite of the dangers they continue to witness with some who hear believing and others growing in hostility, just as it was with Jesus. Some are able to continue to do the work of ministry for some time and others are imprisoned or killed in a short time, but as with Jesus I believe they are able to continue until their work in finished. Why then does the western Christian seem to be an abnormality? Is it because our idols of safety and comfort have bound us? 

Evidence that Jesus Is God

Lesson #173

In John 10:24 the Jews asked Jesus to tell them plainly if he was the Christ. In John 10:30, Jesus made it very plain who he was when he said, “I and the Father are one.” In this lesson we will look at John 10:31 – 33 and the reaction by the Jews to who Jesus said he was.

“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”” (John 10:31 – 33 ESV).

In verse 30, when Jesus claimed to be one with the Father, it was clear to the Jews that he was claiming to be God. They heard blasphemy because in verse 30 they said, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” When Jesus claimed to be one with the Father, was he really implying that he was God? To be sure that is what Jesus meant, we will list six passages in John that support this.

1. John 1:1, 14a: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . .  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is very clear that Jesus is God.
2. John 5:19: “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” It is impossible for any human to say that he does only what he sees the Father doing.
3. John 8:58: “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am”. Jesus has to be more than human to say he existed before Abraham did.
4.  John 10:18: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” It is impossible for a human to be able to raise himself from the dead.
5. John 12:41: “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” John considers the glory of God that Isaiah saw to be the glory of Jesus.
6.  John 20:28: “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”” Jesus accepted the assessment of Thomas as to who he was and also his worship.

From the above verses, we know for sure that Jesus was claiming to be equal with God and for that the Jews were about to kill him. Since Jesus was to die on a cross, not by stoning, he had to again escape from them or somehow defuse the situation. We will see how he does that in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the evidence, given in John, that supports the claim that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, the Messiah. Thank you for the evidence we as believers have by the indwelling Spirit that Jesus is indeed the way and the truth and the life. I long for that day when I will be able to see Jesus, face to face in all his glory. 

Are You One of His Sheep?

Lesson #172

We continue with the response Jesus was making to the request made by the gathering about the clarity of what Jesus had been saying about himself. They wanted him to clearly tell them whether he was the Christ or not. We will look at John 10:25 – 30. “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep”” (John 10:25 – 26 ESV). Jesus has already told them he is the Christ the promised Messiah, but they do not believe. Is there a reason they do not believe; is there a reason why your friend or neighbor does not believe? I believe there is. Those who are children of God, “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13 ESV). It is not our will that we believe, but the will of God. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44 ESV). No one born physically has the desire or the ability to love and believe what God says concerning salvation. God the Father in his sovereignty, determines who his children will be. We are adopted and he makes the choice as to who will be born again.

Jesus tells them they do not believe because they are not among his sheep. Those whom the Father chooses are lost sheep that we are sent out into the world to find. As we share or preach the word, they will hear and be drawn to Jesus and at the right time the Father will cause them to be born again and Jesus will give them eternal life. These lost sheep, by hearing the word, grow in their understanding, like a baby grows in the womb of its mother. When the time is right, these lost sheep are called out of the sheepfold by Jesus and they follow him in belief and are born again.

Jesus continues by saying, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27 – 28 ESV). It is clear from the response of these people that they do not hear with understanding or believe what Jesus is saying and therefore are not his sheep. Notice three important conditions: 1) his sheep hear his voice, 2) Jesus knows them by name, and 3) his sheep follow him. But those who are his sheep he gives eternal life, which has no end. Once you have been given eternal life you will never perish, because if you could then you weren’t given eternal life. There is therefore no possibility of you losing your salvation. There is also no power in the universe that can snatch a sheep out of his hand. He gave his life for us and as a result we are eternally secure with him. Jesus adds more: “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:29 – 30 ESV). We are the Father’s children and therefore protected by the power of almighty God. Jesus then draws unity with the Father. Here we see two persons and one God. As you can expect, this will result in a violent reaction on the part of those who are not his sheep.

Prayer

Father, as I study for these lessons, I realize my need for help to live like a member of the family of God. My talk, my thoughts, my behavior and my appearance should reflect who I belong to. I should stand out like a foreigner who is living amongst us. I should seek to be holy and righteous and reflect your love to those around me. God, I pray for your help to live as I should. 

Do Not Keep Us in Suspense

Lesson #171

With this lesson we will open the next major section of Chapter 10, in which Jesus asserts his deity by claiming that he and the Father are one. We will break it up into lesson sized pieces, with the first piece covering John 10:22 – 25a. “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon” (John 10:22 – 23 ESV). We now move to a different time and location. It was the time of the Feast of Dedication. I am tempted to simply define what this feast was and move on, but I think we need to stop here for a thought. This is not the first feast John has referenced to give a better understanding of Jesus. For example, Passover gives background to the Exodus themes running through the Bread of Life discourse in the sixth chapter. John used the Feast of Booths as background for the discourse and drama in chapter 7 – 9. The use of this feast is not quite as clear, but if we look ahead to what follows it seems to create a fitting setting for that discussion and allows John to continue to emphasize Jesus’ fulfillment of the feasts, and in particular of the temple.

The Feast of Dedication, which was once called the Feast of the Maccabees, is today called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. This feast refers back to the re-dedication of the Jewish temple after it had been defiled with pagan sacrifices and rituals. The Festival of Lights is reference back to the one jar of undefiled olive oil found in the temple, which was used to light the menorah in the temple. This oil lasted for eight days, allowing time to make more olive oil to keep the light burning. As the light of the world, Jesus walks into the temple and will soon declare that he and the Father are one and that he is the replacement of that temple, which will soon be destroyed.

Since it was winter, Jesus did not teach outside, but inside, in the area referred to as the colonnade of Solomon. “So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”” (John 10:24 ESV). Did they gather around Jesus to have him clearly explain if he is the Christ or not or are they hoping he will say something that will cause the gathering to become a mob with the desire to kill him. I don’t think this gathering is entirely friendly. After all they have seen Jesus do and say, their request seems to indicate a level of hostility. They want a direct answer, not one couched in a parable, that can be used to either condemn him or believe in him.

“Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe”” (John 10:25a ESV). Jesus points his finger back to the people and says to them, “I told you, and you do not believe.” This is sure to increase their anger, but what Jesus then says, we will see later, brings them to the boiling point. A final comment before leaving; What can be very plain to one person can be a complete mystery to another. Think about what you as a believer see as being clear, but to an unbeliever it makes no sense. The natural man is unable to understand spiritual things, but to the one who is spiritually alive it becomes clear. As we witness and teach, we must not forget this because like with Jesus before these people, what we say may be accepted as truth or it may result in persecution against you, as it did with Jesus.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I find that the closer I walk with you and the deeper I abide in you, the easier it is to understand your word. Thank you for the indwelling Spirit that gives this understanding. Thank you considering me worthy to entrust me with this growing understanding. I pray that you will give me clarity as I write, that my readers would be blessed with a greater understanding of your word and desire to walk more closely with you. 

Division and Resistance

Lesson #170

With this lesson we will finish the fourth section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:19 – 21. Jesus comes to the end of his discourse and as expected, “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words” (John 10:19 ESV). These Jews professed that they worship the God of Abraham and obey the Law of Moses, but now when Jesus comes in fulfillment of the law, they begin to struggle with what Jesus is saying. Over the years the Jews have constructed walls around their belief system and have decided what to look for in the coming Messiah. In their minds he was to deliver them from the Romans. Think about the demands of the law concerning sacrifices and how to worship. To replace these sacrifices with the sacrifice of Jesus as the Lamb of God and to accept him as the Messiah, not of a current physical kingdom, but of an eternal kingdom is too radical for them. Jesus is trying to tear down their walls and enlarge their spiritual borders, but those walls provided them security and comfort. With what Jesus is saying about who he is and what they should believe, they are feeling very insecure and troubled. Some understood and believed, but most didn’t, resulting is division, accusations, anger and hate.

“Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”” (John 10:20 ESV). Standing before them is the Son of God, their Messiah and they say he has a demon and is insane. If only they knew that one day, they would have to stand before him in all of his glory and face God’s judgment against them. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain they will experience when this time comes. How thankful I am that Jesus took all of my pain and suffering that I would have experienced and gave me eternal life in place of eternal judgment.  They said, “Why listen to him?”; because he has the words that will set them free of their sin. When a person doesn’t understand and begins to feel uncomfortable or threatened, the natural response is to condemn the one causing their problem and remove that one from their presence.

“Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”” (John 10:21 ESV). There are those who see the miracles Jesus performs and see the hand of God at word, not the powers of the demonic. They also see the connection between the signs and his words and realize that Jesus is indeed their deliverer and for now they are followers of Jesus. Jesus will say and do things in the future that will cause many of these to also turn away.

Prayer

Father, I pray that when I encounter challenges to my faith, I will not react negatively against the challenge, but will step back and quiet my soul and seek understanding of the truth. Lord, I pray that you will continue to open the word to me in greater understanding and strengthen my ability to write, that my readers would be touched by the word through the work of the Spirit, resulting in changed lives to your honor and glory. 

Why the Father Loves the Son

Lesson #169

With this lesson we will finish the fourth section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:11 – 18. We will pick up our study at verse 17: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again” (John 10:17 ESV). Why does the Father love Jesus? “For this reason” looks back to Jesus as the shepherd in verse 16 who is calling the sheep out of the sheepfold to himself, but in order to have these sheep he must die for them. This brings great delight to the Father because in this way Jesus is reconciling us to the Father. He loves us so much and his desire for a relationship with us is so great that he is willing to sacrifice his only Son to obtain it. Our salvation is dearer to him than his Son’s life. To think that the Father would ask his Son to drink the cup of his wrath in our place shows that in his mind he values us as equal to that of his Son. That is the price he is willing to pay to obtain us. It is for that act of obedience that the Father loves Jesus.

This act of obedience, on the part of Jesus, eternally changes him. It starts with the necessity of the Son taking on our flesh and becoming Jesus the God-man and taking that flesh to the cross as the perfect sacrifice. Through our faith in him and what he is doing we are joined to him in his death; we die together physically, but it doesn’t end there. Jesus has the power to lay down his life when his work is done and then he has the power to take it up again. His resurrection doesn’t raise just him, but those of us who by faith died with him. “For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5 NET). This union with the resurrected Jesus is the great mystery of the ages, “which is Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). Forever, he and we are intermingled together as one. As he is one with the Father and the Spirit dwells in us, thus we are one together with God. If we really understood this and embraced it, it would radically change our lives. We would indeed by seen as aliens and strangers and would be willing to forsake our idols of safety and comfort and sacrifice our lives, if called upon, and stand as a witness for our Lord.

Jesus continues his discourse: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:18 ESV). Jesus is totally in control, even while dying on the cross. He knows when his work is done; when all the sin for those chosen by the Father have been covered; have been paid for by his shed blood; he then cries out “It is finished.” (John 19:28); “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46). Then on the third day he frees himself and us, who are joined with him through faith, from death. We rise with him, to forever be one with him. It is no longer us and him, but we. I am sure it will take an eternity to fully fathom the meaning of this “we” and what it will be like.

Prayer

Father, as I begin to understand how much God has done for me, through the preparation of these 169 lessons, I find myself standing more and more against the world and standing with more determination with the Lord as a witness.  Activities that I engaged in with the world a short while ago, I can no longer tolerate. The constant desire of my heart is to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ and serve him in loving obedience. As I continue to study and pray, God continues to change me. Father, thank you for the change. 

I Must Bring Then Also

Lesson #168

With this lesson we continue with the fourth section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:11 – 18. We will continue our study of verse 16, looking at the second of four parts. The first part was “I have other sheep” and the second part is “I must bring them in”. We saw in the last lesson that these other sheep are those chosen by the Father that are yet to be found and be born again. The “must” of this statement is critical; it is of divine necessity because their names are in the book of life, the Father has chosen them, and Jesus has laid down his life for them. Therefore, not one of them can be overlooked. Everyone has to be found! So, how does Jesus bring them into the flock?

We find the answer in verse 3: “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 ESV). How does that work today? The Father sent Jesus to be a witness and “Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21 NET). So how is his voice heard as we are sent out? Jesus said, “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony” (John 17:20 NET). Jesus calls through prayer and we witness to those he is calling. Can you see the importance of our prayer to know who he is calling so we can be at the right place at the right time for an effective witness?

The third part of verse 16 is, “They will listen to my voice.” If Jesus calls and the sheep hear him, then is there a need for our witness? Yes, as we have seen above, there sure is! But there is more. Jesus commands us to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark16:15 ESV); to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19 – 20a ESV). It is a partnership in which we share the gospel and he calls. It is true that today many Muslims are reporting having dreams and visions in which Jesus calls them, but there is still follow up to the experience with someone sharing the gospel. Once Jesus calls and has “brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:4 ESV). How do you know you have been called out? You hear his voice and you follow him. If you are not following the Lord Jesus in loving obedience, then you need to question your salvation.

The fourth part of verse 16 is, “So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Notice the two words “will be”? Some say there are two flocks; Jews and Gentiles and they are to become one. The results of our studies indicate two different flocks; those in the sheepfold and those already called out. As people are born physically, those with names in the book of life will be in the sheepfold, waiting to be found and called out. These are lost sheep waiting to experience being born again. One day when the last person whose name is in the book of life is born again, then there will be just one flock and this flock is forever. We know this because of verses we will study later: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27 – 30 ESV).

Prayer

Father, what a beautiful plan is laid out here. Every person is born in sin and deserves eternal punishment, but you prepared a way through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to satisfy the demands of justice, allowing you to exercise your sovereignty and show mercy to a chosen group. These you adopted as children into your family, giving the gift of salvation as an act of grace. Father, my salvation is all about you and not about me. The only part I played was to simply accept your offer, which no “lost sheep” is able to resist. I will never forget the night I heard your call. Nothing could have prevented me from accepting Jesus Christ into my life that night. Absolutely nothing! 

I Have Other Sheep

Lesson #167

With this lesson we continue with the fourth section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:11 – 18. We will pick up our study at verse 16: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16 ESV). There are four important parts to this verse; 1) “I have other sheep”, 2) “I must bring them also”, 3) “They will listen to my voice”, and 4) “So there will be one flock, one shepherd”.

Before we look at these four statements, consider how one becomes a sheep. The sheep are those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ as instruments for righteousness (Romans 6:13) and their bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). These will not perish, but will have eternal life (John 3:16). Have you given your life to Jesus Christ as an instrument for righteousness and your body as a living sacrifice? If not now is the time to do so.

Jesus says, “I have other sheep.” Who are these other sheep? Before we answer that we need to review this chapter. In verse 1, we are introduced to the sheepfold containing sheep. Jesus is the shepherd of these sheep (verse 2) and enters by the door. He calls to these sheep by name and they come to him and he leads them out (verse 3). Jesus goes before those he brought out of the sheepfold and they follow him because they know his voice (verse 4). Before Jesus calls them these people are already defined as sheep. I believe they were defined as sheep when their names were recorded in the book of life way back in the beginning. In the context of chapter 10, these sheep are the people Jesus is calling to himself during the time he was in Israel as her Messiah. He is in the process of creating a new people, a new flock. Notice, that these he calls and adds to the flock are already known as sheep that already belong to him, because when he calls them, they hear his voice and come to him.

How can people be sheep before Jesus calls them, before they are born again? The answer is found in John 17:6: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (ESV). These people, these sheep, belong to the Father and he gives them to Jesus at their salvation, when being born again. These were the loss sheep that are to be brought into the fold. They are sheep because their names are in the book of life. Ephesians 1:4 helps us understand this: “For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love” (NET). From before the foundation of the world the Father had title to these sheep. They were his to do with as he pleased; these he given to the great Shepherd to give eternal life to and to keep secure forever. Today, throughout the world are these lost sheep waiting to be called and brought into the fold.

Prayer

Father, so many people struggle with this concept of sheep existing before being born again. You are sovereign and you can choose who you want to adopt, but we your sheep have been given the command to search for the lost sheep. Father, for me these two doctrines are not one or the other, as so many argue, but both. I believe you choose and we are to find those chosen. Thank you for the power and the beauty of these two doctrines working together. 

The Unreliable Hired Man

Lesson #166

With this lesson we will begin the fourth section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:11 – 18. We begin this section by considering the inferiority of the hired hand who was to watch over and care for the sheep. “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:12 – 13 ESV). Jesus is telling this story, a parable, to point out the failure of the Jews as shepherds to the people of Israel and point out that God sent him as the true Shepherd.

Those who names were recorder in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world are the people the Father chooses for salvation. They are the ones Jesus died on the cross for and with the shedding of his blood he purchases them. These chosen ones the Father draws to himself, prepares them to understand and to desire to come and accept Jesus Christ for who he is. These people the Father causes to be born again and given as gifts to Jesus Christ.  

Since the hired man does not own the sheep he thus considers his life and its protection to be more important than the safety of the sheep. When the hired hand sees danger coming he is not willing to risk harm to himself, he leaves the sheep to the destruction of the wolves and flees to safety. As a believer, are we like the hired man? Do we embrace safety and comfort so that when our faith in Jesus Christ is threatened, we tend to remain silent or even deny Jesus to protect ourselves? We need to evaluate our willingness to face persecution and its cost and we also need to consider the effect on our relationship to God if we do not remain faithful.

After pointing out the unreliability of the hired man, Jesus then continues by saying, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14 – 15 ESV). Jesus is the good shepherd because he was willing to lay down his life for the sheep. Jesus owns the sheep because, as the perfect sacrifice he shed his blood, dying on the cross as payment. These he owns, he knows by name and they know him. Jesus then gives an example of how well we should know each other; as well as the Father knows him and he knows the father. Jesus then, for the second time, says he will lay down his life for the sheep.

The relationship between us and God may be greater than you think. On January 29^th I posted some thoughts about 1 Corinthians 6:17 on Facebook. That verse reads: “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” Jesus has always existed as the Son of God, who came to earth in the form of a man; fully God and fully man. At our spiritual birth our new creature in Christ had its beginning; our start point for eternal life. At that point the eternal Spirit came to dwell in us and we in him. At that instant we became God-men; one with God and he with us. This same eternal Spirit dwells in you and I, if you are a believer, making us part of one body. Can you comprehend the meaning of oneness with God and having the capacity to know every believer intimately because of this oneness of relationship? We who make up this body of believers are the sheep that belong to Jesus, the good Shepherd. As you get your mind around what God has done for you through Jesus Christ, we can’t but bow before him in worship and out of love serve him in obedience.

Prayer

Father, the more I study for these lessons, the more I learn about who I am in Christ and what he has provided for me now and for the future. The more I know and understand the more overwhelmed I become and the more I look forward to passing from this earthly body to the heavenly realm. What a truly awesome day that will be. But if we don’t study and learn so as to understand, how can we look forward to that time with anticipation? Father, maybe that is why people pray so hard to be healed when near death; to live a bit longer here on earth. When that time comes for me I pray that my family and friends will pray for a quick passage and for the grieving of those left behind. 

The Good Shepherd

Lesson #165

With this lesson we will begin the third section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:11 – 18, where Jesus refers to himself as the good shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11 ESV). Here we encounter another one of the “I AM” statements made by Jesus. Use this link to see a summary of the seven “I AM” statements. Jesus refers to himself as the good shepherd, which is in contrast to what we will see when we look at the behavior of a hired hand. Jesus is good because he cares for his sheep, even in the face of great danger. When the wolves come he does not leave the sheep to be destroyed, but fights them, even to the laying down of his life for them.

Four times in this section, Jesus says he lays down his life for the sheep. Verse 11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”; Verse 15b: “I lay down my life for the sheep.”; Verse 17: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”; Verse 18: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” The last three we will consider when we get to those verses. But here in verse 11, Jesus is considered good in contrast to the hired hand of verse 12: “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them” (John 10:12 ESV). If we are the sheep, then who or what are the wolves?

Three times in John wolves are mentioned that Jesus lays down his life to save us from. First, in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Sin is a wolf that is destroying the world and cuts us off from a relationship to God. Jesus came as the Lamb of God to offer up himself as the perfect sacrifice to draw the wolf of sin off of the world and onto himself and die in place of the sheep. Isaiah spoke of this in Isaiah 53:6 – 12, where “All of us had wandered off like sheep; each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him” (Isaiah 53:6 NET) like wolves. “He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7 NET). Jesus, as the Shepherd in John 10:11, is the Lamb of God here in Isaiah and in John 1:29.

The second wolf is death and follows after sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV). The wages of sin is death and death destroys. It does not matter who you are; your position; your wealth; your age or your sex, you will experience its devastation in your life. Death does not end what we have planned in this life and end our conscience existence. It destroys what we have planned in this life and leads us into God’s judgment. Jesus died on the cross for our sin and by rising again he defeated death. If we are in Christ we have eternal life and are free of judgment and protected from this second wolf.

The third wolf is judgment. “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 ESV). Justice requires that one die for his sin, but Jesus came and lived a perfect life and earned the right to take and drink the cup of God’s wrath, which was meant for us, by his death on the cross. By being judged for our sin, justice is satisfied and God is able to grant us mercy by pardoning our sin and extend grace to us in the form of eternal life. The death of Jesus satisfies justice and protects us from this third wolf.

Indeed, Jesus is the good shepherd to give his life for the sheep for through his death he defeated the wolves that would have overcome us; the wolves of sin, death and judgment.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your obedience to the Father, to willing come to earth as Jesus and out of your love for us, die that we might have eternal life. Lord, your sacrifice, by the shedding of your blood you established the means of our salvation and became the head of the church. Father, through our sacrifice and the shedding of our blood when necessary, the church is being extended. Father, set me free from the need to embrace safety and comfort and prepare me to be willing to sacrifice everything for my faith if called upon to do so.