John – God Speaks!
Jesus came to a dark world with Truth. Truth was the Light that pierced the darkness and brought all lies out into the open. Truth is truth whether we choose to believe Him…or not. The people were divided over Jesus’ declarations of Who He was. People are still divided today. Jesus is Truth.We begin this passage with “I tell you the truth…” How refreshing it must have been to hear Truth while living under Roman oppression, living under the self proclaimed power of the religious elite who tell you only what they want to know, and living in a world that will “bait and switch” a sliver of truth with lies. Who is telling the Truth? Truth is telling the truth.
Jesus helped people to understand WHO He was with more I AM statements for Truth clarification:
–“I AM the Good Shepherd. The sheep hear My Voice.”–“I AM the Gate for the sheep. Those who come through Me, the Gate will be saved”.
–“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” No one else but Jesus, sent of God, could do this as the perfect sacrifice provided by God.
“So that we would believe Truth, John the gospel writer has already pointed out to us that Jesus is the great I AM.
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).
“I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
Later, John will conclude the I AM statements of Jesus with:
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the Gardner” (John 15:1).
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
John 10, New Living Translation
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
“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 who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”Know Truth. Know Jesus.
We need to stop indecisive thinking and just believe…Truth.
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior,
Thank you for saving my soul. Thank you for being Bread and Living Water to me. Thank you for being my Shepherd who loves and protects me from evil, and for being my Lord who guides me to good pastures. Thank you for abiding in me and i in you, the True Vine. Bear Your fruit in me.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 