The Gospel of John: John 10.1-18

Read and meditate on John 10.16.
Jesus is the Shepherd of one flock, and that flock is made up of many nations and peoples, tribes and tongues.

                           ¹⁶“I have other sheep as well,
not of this fold, and I must bring them all,
and they will hear My voice, and there will be
one flock, one shepherd.”

- John 10.16

Reflect
1.  Jesus continues to explain His work as Good Shepherd. He had previously said that He “goes before” His sheep and “leads them out” (vv. 4, 3). Where should a shepherd lead the sheep entrusted to his care? Why is it important that he go before them? Where is Jesus leading us?  Complete the following prayer: Lead me today, Lord, and show me what You want me to do in my Personal Mission Field. Thus I will…

2.  Jesus mentioned “other sheep,” by which He referred to the Gentiles, all those outside the fold of the people of Israel. Why were the Jews of Jesus’ day so animated against having anything to do with the Gentiles? Can congregations become this way toward people – especially lost people – who are not part of their community? How does that happen? Lord, I pray for our church, that we might…

3.  Jesus said He must “bring” those other sheep “also.” How did Jesus bring sheep into the Father’s sheepfold? What did He do? Lord, many of Your sheep are still scattered and lost in the world. You have called us to…

4.  Should shepherds in today’s churches be bringers of sheep? What would that look like? How can you encourage and help your church’s shepherds in this work? I pray for our shepherds, Lord, that they…

5.  Lost sheep do not naturally find their way home. They must be sought, and they must be brought. What would a local church look like that was diligent in seeking and bringing lost sheep into its fold? Bring together your prayers from questions 1-4 into one prayer.

Summary
“So listen to this unity being even more urgently drawn to your attention: ‘I have other sheep,’ he says, ‘who are not of this fold.’ He was talking, you see, to the first sheepfold of the race of Israel according to the flesh. But there were others, of the race of the same Israel according to faith, and they were still outside, they were of the Gentiles, predestined but not yet gathered in. He knew those whom he had predestined. He knew those whom he had come to redeem by shedding his blood. He was able to see them, while they could not yet see him. He knew them, though they did not yet believe in him. ‘I have,’ he said, ‘other sheep that are not of this fold,’ because they are not of the race of Israel according to the flesh. But all the same, they will not be outside this sheepfold, because ‘I must bring them along too, so that there may be one flock and one shepherd.’” Augustine (354-430AD)

Jesus is not in the business of merely finding lost sheep. He’s in the business of building the Lord’s flock. What’s the difference?

Closing Prayer
Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORDwith gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He whohas made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
Andinto His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100

Psalm 100 (Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns)
Shout to the Lord with joy, O earth!
With gladness serve His matchless worth!
Before Him sing with joyful words,
And know that God alone is Lord!

He made us all, and not our hands –
His people, we before Him stand.
A faithful Shepherd, He will keep
And for us as His own sheep.

Enter His gates with thanks and praise;
Extol His Name through all your days!
Give thanks to Him, and bless His Name!
His praise forevermore proclaim!

God is the Lord, so good and kind;
His love we evermore may find.
His faithfulness is ever sure;
To every age it shall endure!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.