The Gospel of John: John 10.1-18

Read and meditate on John 10.1-18.
Jesus declared Himself to be the promised Good Shepherd, Who, by the Lord’s command, must lay down His life for His sheep, and thereby gather all His scattered sheep into one fold. Thanks be to God!

                ¹“The man who does not enter in
the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in through
some other way, he is a thief. ²He who
comes through the door into the sheepfold is
the shepherd of the sheep. ³The sheep are his;
they hear his voice. He calls each one of them
by name, and leads them out. ⁴They follow him,
and know his voice, as he before them goes.
⁵A stranger though, whose voice none of them knows,
they will not follow, but will flee from him;
the voice of strangers is unknown to them.”
⁶This illustration Jesus used, although
they understood Him not, and did not know
what He was saying to them. ⁷Once again
He said, “I say to you in truth, I am
the sheepfold door, ⁸and all the others who
have come are thieves and robbers. The sheep do
not hear their voice. ⁹I am the door, and he
who enters by Me will be saved, and he
will come and go and find green pasture. ¹⁰For
the thief comes but to kill and steal, no more;
but I have come so that they may have life.
I’ve come that they may have abundant life.
¹¹I am the good shepherd. As such I give
My life for all My sheep, that they may live.
¹²The hireling, he who does not own the sheep,
no shepherd is, for he will leave the sheep
and flee to save himself whenever he
the wolf sees coming. Then the sheep will be
exposed and caught and scattered, ¹³for he cares
not for them. ¹⁴The good shepherd will be there
for them – and I am He – because I know
My sheep, and they know Me as well. ¹⁵Just so,
the Father knows Me, and I know Him, too.
And I lay down my life for all those who
My sheep are. ¹⁶I 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. ¹⁷Therefore, He loves Me –
the Father – for I give My life that I
may take it back again. ¹⁸And when I die,
none takes My life from Me; instead, I lay
it down by My own will, so that I may,
by My own power, take back My life again.
The Father has appointed this command.”

- John 10.1-18

Reflect
1. Why is this image of a shepherd and his sheep particularly apt for our relationship with the Lord? How does it teach us to think about the Lord’s relationship to us? Our relationship to Him? Complete this prayer: Lord, You are my Shepherd, and I…

2.  As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep, leads His sheep, guards His sheep, lays down His life for His sheep, and brings other sheep into the fold. Should the shepherds of our churches be doing such things? Explain. I pray, Lord, for the shepherds of our church, that they might…

3.  What “wolves” threaten the Lord’s flock in our day? How should our shepherds guard and defend us against them? Give grace to our shepherds, Lord, that they may know how to defend Your flock and to…

4.  Jesus indicates that power flows through self-denial, the kind of power that leads to a higher and fuller experience of life. How should we expect that power to work in our lives? What does it mean for you to “lay down your life” so that you might “take it back” again? Is this to be a normal part of every believer’s life? Explain. I want to know Your power at work in me, Lord, so that…

5.  A shepherd considers his sheep extremely valuable. He knows them personally. He leads them to places where they can feed and be safe. He guards them, brings others to add to the flock, and denies his own comfort and convenience for their sake. Why? What promise do sheep hold out for a shepherd? What does the Lord want to do in and through you? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you composed for questions 1-4.

Summary
“To be troubled was proper to the flesh, and to have power to lay down his life and take it again when he wanted was no property of people but of the Word’s power. For human beings die not by their own power but by necessity of nature and against their will. But the Lord, being himself immortal but having mortal flesh, had power as God to become separate from the body and to take it again when he wanted to. Concerning this David speaks in the psalm: ‘You shall not leave my soul in hades, neither shall you suffer your holy One to see corruption.’ For it was appropriate to the flesh, corruptible as it was, that it should no longer after its own nature remain mortal, but because of the Word who had put it on, it should remain incorruptible. For since he was conformed to our condition, having come in our body, so we when we receive him partake of the immortality that is from him.” Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD)

The love of the Father is bound up in the self-denying love of Jesus for dumb sheep such as you and I. How great that love must be! Whom can you tell about that love today?

Closing Prayer
I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16.7-11

Psalm 16.7-11 (All to Christ: Jesus Paid It All)
I bless Your Name, O Lord; my mind instructs each night.
You teach me by Your Word, and guide me in the right.
    Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
    Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

You are ever with me, Lord; in You I shall not fall.
But rejoicing in Your Word, I abide within Your call.
    Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
    Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

Soon Your glory I shall see, for as Jesus rose again,
You will come to gather me to my home with You in heav’n.
    Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
    Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

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.