Wednesday in the Word...John 10.14-21...What happens if...?
Before our Wednesday in the Word, let me share with you an article that caught my eye and therefore I read it through. Here is the link:
Here are the 3 main points:
1. When we leave the church, we stop being reminded.
2. When we leave the church, we embrace self-reliance.
3. When we leave the church, we create a gap.
I add these three corresponding questions:
1. What do we need to be reminded of?
2. Does pride fit anywhere into God's plan?
3. What are some common "gap" fillers?
Today's Wednesday in the Word covers John chapter 10 and verses 14 through 21, which read,
v.14, 15 - "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."
Jesus continues on with the fourth "I AM" statement which He introduced in verse 11. These verses are almost the same as verse 11 except for the addition about Jesus' relationship with His sheep and His relationship with the Father. There is an ownership between the sheep and the shepherd. Jesus calls His sheep, "My own." There is also a knowing between the sheep and the shepherd, a relationship beyond the ownership. There is an attachment that is going both ways, from the shepherd to the sheep and from the sheep to the shepherd.
What can Jesus equate this to or describe it like? He goes back to using the relationship that He has with His Father. What is happening between Jesus and His disciples and His "to be" disciples is mimicking what is happening between God the Father and God the Son.
How are we to be a part of this flock, owned by Jesus, the good shepherd, and known by Him and He knowing us? He must lay down His life for us. This is not a forced action by others but a willing response to His Father's plan. He willingly lays down His life for His sheep so that they might be "right" before the Father. Many times we might say "the Jews" or "the Romans" or "Pilate" or "all of us" put Jesus on the cross. The implication is that we are in charge or the cause of it but no matter our actions or the actions of those of that time, Jesus knew the plan and played the part of a substitute sacrifice for us of His own accord. It was all God's plan and timing for this action to take place. He will hammer this point home in verse 18.
v.16, 17 - "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again."
Two new things are given to us in these verses. The first is that there are "other" sheep meaning not just Jews will be in this flock but also Gentiles. The process is the same. These "other" sheep must also hear His voice just like the "original" sheep. God's plan is that the mixing of these sheep are to make one flock under one shepherd. We may be divided by geographic locations, but the family of God is regulated by those who point to Jesus as their Shepherd. There is only one way into the flock, whether you are an "original" or if you are an "other" and that is through the one Shepherd, Jesus. A great cross reference verse is Romans chapter 1 and verse 16, which reads,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The second "new thing" is the death of the Shepherd is not the end. We will let verse 18 carry the weight of this concept but another great cross reference verse is Romans chapter 1 and verse 4, which reads,
"...who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,..."
v.18 - "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
Jesus wants His disciples to know that He is in total control of what is going to take place. He is the One in charge of His death and His resurrection. He is telling them ahead of time that He will rise on the third day. He is the one proclaiming on the cross, "It is finished" and "Into Thy hand I commit My Spirit." As much as we want to take the reins or credit, Jesus says and shows us that the events of His death and resurrection are a commandment from the Father and we are just extras on the set of life who will benefit from what the main Character is doing. Another great passage to show this willingness of Jesus is His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to the betrayal. Luke chapter 22 and verse 42 says,
...saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup form Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."
Let's finish this section with the events of how the people responded to this message about the Shepherd and what He was to do for His sheep.
v.19-21 - A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?" Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?"
Different opinions of Jesus have been forming. Back in chapter 7 and verses 12 and 13 you see the start of it. Some think of Jesus as part of Satan's team and crazy in the head while others can't justify His God-like actions and words with someone who would be teamed up with the opposition. These who are listening and watching need to be "born again" as said to Nicodemus at night recorded in chapter 3. We are born first and physically to see this physical world. We need to be born a second time and spiritually to see and understand God's spiritual world. Without that second birth, we will be confused about who Jesus is. He opens our eyes to see Him not just a man who died on a cross (others hung Him there) but the King who gave His life so that we might have eternal life before God the Father. We are born anew from confusion to clarity about who Jesus is. Let us pray.
"Heavenly Father, I pray for Your flock to increase. I pray to be used of You, with the gifts You have given me, to share, as commanded, the message of who You really are. May eyes be opened, hearts softened, and second births happening for people of all nations. May we, already in the flock, start the discipleship process modeled by You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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