John 10:1-42
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 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 in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
John 17:3
Now This is Eternal Life
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Acts 4:12
Salvation is Found in No Other Man
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
In Jesus telling us about the story of the Good Shepherd, He tells us that death would come to Him...And death will find us...That is our fate...But Jesus gives us hope in His story...He gives us salvation over our death...He gives us an answer to our cry of, "Is that all there is in this life?"...I find it interesting the questions we have of life and death...Where did these questions originate in our minds?...But no matter how much thought or wondering we do over them, and where our questions come from about life and death, these questions are addressed by Jesus...And though they maybe addressed in His parables and in a proverbial way, He is constantly speaking of life and death...He teaches us the eternities...Following Him gives us an answer and a hope to the sting of death, as life moves on through the Gate and on and with the Good Shepherd and His Father then into eternal life and into heaven...
Finding purpose in life for me is found in the One God sent, and reading what He says about these things...Looking for purpose in life, without Jesus, is like trying to walk and find something in the pitch blackness of darkness...We need Light...Jesus told those following Him, “Very truly I tell you, I AM the Gate for the sheep...All who have come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them...I AM the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved...They will come in and go out, and find pasture...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full...“I AM the Good Shepherd...The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...The hired hand is not the Shepherd and does not own the sheep...So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away...Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it...The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep...“I AM the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me— just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep...I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen...I must bring them also...They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd...The reason My Father LOVES Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again...No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord...I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again...This command I received from My Father.”...
Knowing that there is this One Gate and this One Good Shepherd and this One way to salvation are very important...Knowing that the explanation given by Him on eternal life is knowing His Father and Him is also important...So knowing Jesus and His teachings are important to us living a full life, knowing that death approaches, and knowing that we as believers are given this hope, His hope and faith for eternal life, with a salvation from Him alone...He tells us, "Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."...And His Disciple St. Peter tells us, "Salvation is found in no One else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."...
Jesus teaches us that He is the Gate to God...He is the only Gate to God...Whoever follows Him will be saved and be given salvation...We are given free choice throughout our lives, and we can choose to come in and go out of His pasture and follow His teachings, and some days not follow them so much...But we are still His sheep, and He is our Shepherd...There is evil constantly around and evil will try to deceive us from the Truth, and take us away from Him and His Father, and out of His pasture...Evil only wants to entice people and then abandon them...For the darkness of evil thinks more of the flesh than that of eternal life...Evil does not want us to follow the Truth...Evil wants us scattered and not holding together as a group of neighbors in fellowship...Those who believe in Jesus know His teachings, just as God knows His Son...And Jesus would lay down His life for His followers on the cross...There will be many followers, but only One Good Shepherd...And the Good Shepherd would be hung and die on the cross, only to take His life up again...No one can and could really take His life, but He will give His life up, on His own accord for us and our sins...Jesus had the authority to lay His life down and the authority to take His life up again...This command He had received, came from His Father in heaven...