JOHN

Chapter 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21

John Chapter 10

• John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 

Again we are reminded continually that there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus. We can try other ways, good deeds, religious works and the keeping of all laws but there is only one way to heaven and eternal life. Jesus is that way.

This reminds me of a shepherd who places sheep in the sheepfold but there may still be an opening that some wolf could get in or a sheep could get out. If someone asked him,"Where is the door?" He would say, "I am the door, nothing will get by me." Wow, think about that one. Jesus is the door and if our trust is in Him, nothing will get past Him. We can't ask for a better way than that.  
Thieves and robbers are false teachers or hirelings that do not really care for the sheep. 

• John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

A good pastor will always point His flock to Jesus and make sure that Jesus is the chief shepherd. He will not rob Jesus of the glory that belongs to Him.

• John 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 
• 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 
• 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

His sheep will know His voice. 

Another verse:

• John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
• 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

Those that keep the word will know His voice and not follow another. The word is the best prevention against being deceived by false shepherds. If we never read and study His word, how can we possible know His voice?

• John 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 
• 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 
• 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 
• 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
• 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Although Satan will use his agents to make us think he will give us the good life full of fun, money and all we can desire, in the end it is everlasting destruction that we will reap. Jesus came to give us the true riches that no one can ever take away from us. 

One treasure is the bible itself. It is the greatest treasure we could own among things that we can see. It is God's message to us, the written word provided for us that we not be deceived. When Jesus was on earth in the flesh, they had Him, they had the Old Testament and the apostles to teach the word. We today do not have Jesus in the visible flesh but He has provided us with the written word. He has also provided us with the Holy Spirit.

Many false apostles and prophets entered the church after the first apostles died off and the Lord provided us with the bible to guide us as well as the same Holy Spirit that the apostles received on the day of Pentecost. The gifts of the spirit never ceased yet because that which is perfect has not yet come. While the word of course is perfect, all of us are not yet perfected yet. That which is the perfect one is Jesus. Jesus has not yet returned so we still need all the gifts of the spirit until He returns. We must not let anyone rob us of the gifts of God given to spread the gospel to the entire world. 

The gift of salvation is given to us first for the saving of our souls then the gifts of the Holy Ghost are given to further the spread of the gospel and prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The written word is given to make sure all that claim to be operating in the gifts of the spirit are walking in truth. The true gift of prophecy for instance will not be contrary to the written word of God.

Those having the true fruits of a spirit will not add to or take away from the word of God. 

I remember seeing a video of a group of people in another country where bibles were rare. Another group of people probably from England or the United States sent a shipment of bibles in their own language. The people acted like it was gold or something precious. They were so happy to each have their own bible. We who have bibles in every department store, should be thankful and never take it lightly or for granted.

• John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 

That is why Jesus is the only way of salvation. If He were not the only way, God would not have allowed Him to come into human flesh, bear the penalty for our sins and die in such a horrible manner. 

• John 10:12 But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 

A good pastor will not flee when he sees his congregation in trouble. 

• John 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 
• 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 

No one cares for us as much as Jesus Himself. We must love our pastors but always remember that Jesus is the one who is worthy of our adoration and praise. Pastors may fail but Jesus will not fail. Many times we must maintain a balance between respecting, caring, supporting and praying for our pastors but not to the point of idolization and putting them so high on a pedestal that we don't seek God ourselves but depend on them to do our praying for us. 

• John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 
• 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 

Here we can lay to rest any anti-Semitism or boasting against the Jewish people and the Jews cannot boast against the Gentiles. The Gentiles are the others that Jesus is speaking of here. Other sheep that are not of the original fold is the Gentiles that will come to believe in Jesus as savior. We are to be one fold with the Jewish believers. One must not despise the other. 

• John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 
• 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

God sent Jesus to save us from sin but He allowed Jesus to willingly back out of it if He desired to back out. Jesus had the free will to come down from the cross or not go there to start with. We have a lot to praise Him for. By His staying the course until it was finished, we now can be saved from sin and have eternal life. Praise the Lord forever. 

• John 10:19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 
• 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 

We still suffer these temptations today. Many of one denomination may accuse another of being of the devil. Here is where we need discernment but with lots of love. One has to only read church history to know the mistakes of the past can be revisited if we lose our love. On the other hand, we have to have discernment because Jesus Himself warned of false teachers and those that oppose the truth. Everything has to be balanced out with both discernment and compassion.

I believe in the gospel that Jesus preached, Peter preached and Paul.  It hurts me to go on the Internet and hear what starts out to be an interesting sermon turn into a criticism of those that speak in tongues. Some go so far as to say that it is not from God. I believe in receiving all God has for us to equip us to do the works He called us to do. How can we ever say that all that passed away when the bible does not say that.

Paul did warn that false teachers would arise as soon as he would depart from them. We saw from church history that his words were true. Is the word given the proper place in our worship?  Does everything glorify God and our focus on Him and not on those leading the worship.

Discernment with compassion, watchfulness with love, and always studying the word continually is the goal to achieve. God provided the word for us to read and understand and not be deceived.

Most that are deceived are those that leave off the authority of the word and start to take the word of a religious teacher rather than to check out what they say with the word of God. We don't have to blindly trust every teacher that comes along. We don't have to threaten, persecute and run them out of town but we shouldn't believe them without question either. Everything can be in balance if we keep our eyes on the Lord. 

• John 10:21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 

The fruits of the spirit are love (This can be faked so look for the genuine. It's more than just an outward show of affection.) joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

Overbearing, holier than thou on one hand and tickling the ear with good sayings and compliments without any correction are not fruits of the spirit. Love speaks truth but it doesn't puff up self and place self above someone else. Love will exalt only Jesus Christ and not depart from the written word. 

• John 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 
• 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 
• 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 

Jesus may have wanted them to see His works and hear His words and believe He was from God by His actions and words. Perhaps He didn't want to have to just get up and tell them because false teachers will do that. Not only that but if Jesus would have made too much of the miracles instead of the word that saves the soul, they would have tried to make Him king then and there. Jesus couldn't allow that because He had to become our sacrifice for sins first. His Second Coming will be to set up the kingdom visibly. The first coming was for an offering for sin. 

• John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 
• 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 
• 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
• 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 
• 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 

We can lose our salvation only by our own choice and will power. We can't lose it by the power of some human being. Once we come to Jesus, we are safe. No human being can take that away from us. Naturally we never lose our free will and can choose to go away and not follow Him any more. God does not force us to serve Him like a puppet on a string. He wants us to love Him willingly. 

• John 10:30 I and my Father are one. 

Some take this to mean Jesus was His own father and that there is no Father, Son and Holy Ghost. However, there are other places where it mentions oneness. 

• John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 

This is one in unity and purpose, being of the same mind and one accord in spirit and in truth. We are to be in one mind with God as Jesus is one mind with His Father. We are to be the same mind and one accord with our brothers in Christ and also the Jewish believers are to be in one mind with Gentile believers. This of course doesn't mean to unify under one spiritual leader such as the Pope. Neither does it mean that we have to join together into one be organized church or group to gain political power.

This doesn't mean that we unify in a lie or false teaching. This means that we love one another and have unity in truth and in the spirit with peace. A Pentecostal can be unified with a Baptist or a Methodist in spirit and purpose. They don't have to join my church and I don't have to join their church but we can be have unity in love and in the spirit because we both love Jesus Christ. Unity here does not mean that we have to join any man made organization. The churches of the past has made that error and have hurt the gospel rather than helped it. 

A group of many small churches scattered around the world with Jesus as the head and the word is taught fully is much better than a large man-made organized church with political power and money having one head instead of Jesus Christ. 

Another example of oneness is:

• Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.

A husband and wife are two different people but are to be one as a family joined together by God.  

• John 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 

The godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Persecution comes when we speak truth. If they cast stones as Jesus, we can expect the same if we walk in the truth and live godly lives. 

• John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 
• 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 

Jesus could have shown them proof, set up the kingdom then and there, and defeated the Roman rulers of that day but that is not why He came. Notice that false teachers do desire to rule, be dictators and run the lives of their followers. Jesus did not have the traits of a false teacher. Another coming in his own name, many will believe.

The world is ripe for a false leader to arise on the scene supposedly solving all the world's problems. The gospel is not a message of self esteem but of repenting from sin. Jesus came to save us from sin, not save us in our sin. We must turn away from sin when we come to Jesus for salvation. That is part of the gospel. The sin is what is separating us from God. That is the main problem. If we do not repent of sin, we can't be saved.

Beware of those that make us feel good without any repentance or change and still tell us that we have eternal life. On the other hand avoid those that teach good works, rituals and even turning from sin can save without believing on Jesus as the savior that God sent to save us from our sin.

• Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
• 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

When we really come to Christ and are converted to this new and living way, we will not desire to return to a life of sin apart from God. We may be tempted at times but the new way is much better.

• John 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods 
• 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; 
• 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 

All who believe become sons of God but Jesus was the only begotten Son which means deity. Jesus was God that came into flesh. We are not and will never be the deity or part of the God head. 

• John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

We do not assume any power equal to God or rob God of His sovereignty . Men and women must always avoid self-exaltation and lording over other believers. We have nothing that we didn't receive and that someone else couldn't receive. If I lay hands on someone and they are healed, that doesn't make me any greater than someone who never has done that. If I speak in tongues that doesn't make me greater than someone who doesn't. Whatever we receive, God gave it not because of our good works but because of His mercy and love for us. This same mercy and love He has for anyone who may believe now or in the future.  

Jesus claimed to be who He really was but never attempted to use it to Lord over people in that day. He came to save them from sin and to die for their sins. He humbled Himself and took upon our human flesh in order to take back the right to redeem the human race from the curse that came at the fall of Adam and Eve. A man brought on that curse and a flesh and blood man had to get it back. This will be fulfilled in full at His second Coming. 

• John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 
  38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 

There was really nothing they saw Jesus do that could be considered the breaking of the law of God. He might have broken the tradition of the elders but not the law of God. He did nothing but good. He relieved the suffering, He gave eternal life to those that had no hope of achieving it by any other means. He preached to the poor as well as the rich. He spoke truth. I find no fault with Him and neither could they, although they tried. 

• John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 

It wasn't time yet and they had no power to take Jesus before the Father would allow it. 

• John 10:40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 
• 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
• 42 And many believed on him there. 

Some take miracles to believe while others can believe from the word alone. There is a blessing promised to those also that have not actually seen the Lord with natural eyes yet still believe. 

• John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. DC