Have you ever thought about how the characteristics of the Good Shepherd have impacted your life? Scripture often calls believers “sheep” because they share many traits. Psalm 100:3Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” [1] Sheep lack a sense of …
The thief’s purpose is to get, but Jesus’ purpose is to give. John 10: 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.[1] Here life is the Greek word zoe. This means the absolute fullness of life, life real and genuine, a life …
What is satan’s purpose on this earth? Jesus tells us. John 10:10a The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.[1] We first see this thief in Genesis chapter three, where he seeks to deceive Adam and Eve, whom God had created. Genesis 3:1The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the …
We see the danger of false shepherds throughout God’s word. Jesus provides insight into the difference between a real and a false shepherd. John 10:1“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one …
Jesus is the Gate. He was using a common image to explain a spiritual reality. His first-century listeners would have been knowledgeable about sheep and shepherds. Those of us in the twenty-first century are not as familiar with a sheepfold and need more information. A first-century sheepfold was a rock wall enclosure of loosely stacked …
Jesus goes ahead of us. That is a comforting thought and reveals how much He loves us. Jesus illustrates the sheep-and-shepherd relationship of going ahead, and, in a spiritual sense, this is what Jesus does in our lives. John 10:4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him …
Sheep know their spiritual shepherd because they have a relationship with their Savior, Jesus. In the Bible, believers are called sheep and share many of the same characteristics. There’s something about a relationship with our Savior that lets us hear His voice above the noise of everyday life, just as sheep recognize their shepherd’s voice. …
The healed blind man discovered that true sight begins with Jesus. This man received his physical sight after Jesus had stated, “I am the Light of the World.” The healed blind man acknowledged Jesus as a prophet (John 9:17), but had not seen him until Jesus found him. John 9: 35 When Jesus heard what had …
Jesus angered the Jewish leaders when He announced He was the Light of the World. Why wasn’t Jesus arrested? John 7:37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the …
Jesus argued that His claim to God as His Father was valid because knowing Jesus is knowing the Father. Jesus had just said, “I am the Light of the World.” The Pharisees heard this statement as a claim of Jesus’ divinity. According to Jewish law, it took two witnesses to prove a statement was true. …