For the past two weeks we have been speaking about the healing of the blind man and now in chapter 10 Jesus has finished His conversation with the Pharisees and begins to teach this man a lesson on discernment.
John 10:1-10:
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:1-10).
What is Jesus teaching here? He is teaching all of us to discern:
His character
His voice
His way
His character
Jesus said:
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep (John 10:1-2).
What is interesting is that there is no break from John chapters 9 to 10 so Jesus is still talking with the man that has received his sight. Right away Jesus wanted to teach this man how to differentiate the character of the Good Shepherd from that of thieves/robbers and false teachers.
These false shepherds were not helping the sheep but using them for their own benefit. In other words, these shepherds didn’t have God’s heart for His people and didn’t reflect His character. Instead of leading them into an encounter with the living God and teaching them His Word and caring for them, they were leading the people away from God and into empty religious rituals.
We see throughout the Old and New Testaments God rebuking the false shepherds who harmed the sheep because of their lack of compassion, their greed, and selfish desire for power and control. He rebuked them for feeding the flock their own man-constructed traditions, for not expressing His character and nature and for walking contrary to His Word.
Abusive, false teachers who have an ulterior motive and agenda, they use deception or stealth to get rich off of people and exploit the poor through intimidation and manipulation.
“Not only what they taught them was wrong; it was also destructive.”
Through their laws, rules, and regulations they made God to look like a cosmic bully, presenting a distorted picture of God.
Throughout the history of Israel and the church, God has always been warning His people against false prophets and their teaching. That is why Jesus and His disciples taught the people the Scriptures and about God’s true character and warned them to continually be on alert about these things.
This is why Paul stayed in Ephesus for three years, teaching the church the whole counsel of God day and night because he knew that as soon as he left the attacks against God’s church would come. He warned the elders in Ephesus to guard themselves and the church against false teaching and against wolves who would come in to tear the church apart.
His voice
Jesus said in vv. 3-4:
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice (John 10:3-4).
“The doorkeeper would only recognize the rightful Shepherd and open the door or gate for Him.”
Jesus is saying when a stranger calls out to God’s sheep, they don’t respond, they won’t listen, they won't be distracted and won’t follow. They know the shepherd's voice. The shepherds of the Near East (both now and in Jesus’ day) led their flocks, they had distinct ways of calling them.
As the early church grew it had to deal with a lot of voices, false teaching and heresies which crept into the church.
There are false teachings rising up in the church, hidden and embedded in movements like the emerging Church which believes that there is a way of being a Christian that is an alternative to the Christian faith. It's about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, feelings over truth. They believe the Word is relative and not absolute.
“The only way we will not be fooled or led astray is to really know God’s character and know His voice.”
He will never lead you down the wrong path nor abandon you. He’s our Good Shepherd and He calls to us to come through Him into the fold. He’s the gate and the gate offers us protection, peace, freedom and security from those who would attempt to turn us from following the Shepherd.
This is why it is important to know and study the whole counsel of God from the Old to New Testament and to keep the Scriptures in their correct context and doctrines aligned within the whole Bible.
When Jesus said, “Truly, truly” at the beginning of this passage and again in v. 7 He was saying, “this is of utmost importance.”
His way
In v. 10, Jesus says:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
Religion takes, the law kills, and lifestyles outside of God’s design destroy. Jesus gives us life, strength, and wisdom (2 Cor 3:6). He not only calls us to live the righteous life for which we were designed, He gives us the power to do it and calls us to enter into abundant life.
“He gives us the ability to love and forgive,”
even our enemies, just as He did. He gives us the wisdom and strength to overcome injustice but not with vengeance.
The psalmist said because the Lord is my Shepherd, He provides all that I need. He feeds, guides, and shields me and lets me lie down in green pastures, leads me beside still and quiet waters.
“Jesus knows each of His sheep and He is a personal Shepherd.”
He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He knows if you are an older sheep you might walk a little slower now. He knows that if you’re a younger sheep you will be full of energy and enthusiasm and may tend to explore and wander off the path.
He knows what we need - when we need to rest and when we need to eat, when we need guidance, comfort or when we need correction. Even His rod and His staff bring comfort. He knows us far better than we know ourselves. And as we draw close to him, we will discern His character, His voice, and His way.
