I have thoroughly enjoyed our journey through John’s gospel. Today we will conclude our time in this gospel as we look at John 10 where Jesus proclaims that He is the Good Shepherd, and not only this, but also the Gate for the sheep. I have no idea what you have learned over the past few months. But for me, well I have been reminded and challenged of the great blessing we have in knowing Jesus personally and being in Him. I have marveled again and again at who Jesus met and what He did. I have found it awkward at times listening in to His discourse with the Pharisees and how He was so controversial in what He said to them.
I have reflected much on a couple of verses that we did not come to in chapter 20. John states in verses 30-31, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”. We have had the privilege of studying some of the early miracles and have considered much of what Jesus claimed about Himself. John brings this to a head when he clearly states the purpose of his gospel. His purpose is to provide his reader with enough evidence to come to the conclusion that Jesus is indeed who He says He is. And that is, the Christ, the Son of God, and not only this, but He is part of the triune God! So the question must be asked of each one of us – do we believe that this is so?
If we answer in the affirmative, then there are consequences to this belief. The evidence of this belief in our lives is how our lives have been transformed. As the song writer so aptly writes, “It’s no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me!” Jesus makes this crystal clear in our Bible reading today. In verse 27 Jesus proclaims, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me”. The consequence then is quite simple – when the genuine sheep hears Jesus’ voice (teaching) they follow! The challenging question therefore is this – are we following Jesus? Are we walking in His footsteps of submission to His Father? Are we active in making His Father’s name known in all the world? You see, this is the Father’s heart! Were we not blown away by the fact that God loved the world so much that He sent His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life?
Well I am blown away by two other verses from today’s reading, Verses 28 and 29 are extraordinary! Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand!” When difficult times come, and they will, remember this amazing promise. Know who you in Christ and rejoice!