Historical Posts
He Knows Me! – John 10:02-04 – audio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Text: John 10:2-4, 11
They don’t know me!
If I ran into Governor Kasich at the mall today, he wouldn’t know my name.
If I went to a campaign event and got close enough to one of the presidential candidates to shake his hand, he’d have no idea who I am.
Neither would Leonardo DiCaprio, or Oprah Winfrey.
I met Coach Jim Tressel at an event one day, and he didn’t seem to be interested in developing a close, personal friendship.
But none of that particularly bothers me.
Isn’t it incredibly encouraging to know that the only One who really matters knows each of us individually?
Here’s the way Jesus put it:
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he brings out all his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. . . . I am the good shepherd – John 10:2-4, 11
Just a number…
Have you ever attended a college that identified you by your student number?
Or worked for a company where you were little more than an employee number?
Your government knows you by the nine-digit number assigned to you shortly after you were born.
Not Jesus, our Good Shepherd
He knows us by name, not by number!
He knows us as individuals, not constituents, taxpayers, or employees.
He’s counted the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7)… and if that’s true, could anything escape his notice?
He knows about the tough day you had at work last week, the argument you had with your spouse last night, and the anxieties in your heart right now.
He knows how much you love your children, and he knows your plans, your dreams, your hopes.
He’s the Shepherd who knows, loves, and protects.
None of the heavy hitters may know you, but in the end only one who matters does.
He knows your name, and he’ll shout it loudly sometime soon when he comes back to get his flock.
Content by Donald W. Treadway
Return to the Home Page
John 10:24-30 Jesus, The Good Shepherd (Part 3)
Text: John 10:24-30
Bible Class Discussion Notes
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3- John 10:24 – Many of the Jews still doubted that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
- John 10:25 – Jesus already proved who He was by His words, miracles, and sinless life. Even if they still didn’t believe Him, they could not deny the works He did.
Jesus knew that according to Jewish law, there had to be 2 or 3 witnesses before a testimony could be considered. Therefore, Jesus claimed Himself, His works, His Heavenly Father, and John as witnesses to His identity (John 5:31-38; 1 John 5:7-11). - John 10:26-27 – Jesus knew that they didn’t believe Him because they were not of His sheep. Jesus knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him and His voice (John 8:47; previous lesson).
- John 10:28 – Christ gives eternal life to His sheep. No one can remove them from His protection (John 3:15-16).
- John 10:29 – Christ reminds us that His Heavenly Father is greater than all (John 14:28), even Himself. Thus, He gave Christ all authority (Ephesians 4:6; Matthew 28:18), who will eventually return it to Him (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
- John 10:30 – Jesus equates Himself with His Father, which caused the Jews to believe He was blaspheming God. However, Jesus prayed that we would all be one with Him, as He is one with the Father (John 17:6-10).
Content by Richard Dillon
Return to the Home Page
John 10:07-18 Jesus, The Good Shepherd (Part 2)
Text: John 10:7-18
Bible Class Discussion Notes
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3- John 10:7 – Jesus states plainly that He is the door of the sheep (see John 10:1). There is no other way to His Father but through Him (John 14:6).
- John 10:8 – All those coming before or after Christ are NOT Him; instead, they are the thieves and robbers (verses 1-5). Therefore, we should not believe the many false Christs that exist today that Jesus warned us about (Matthew 24:23-25).
- John 10:9 – Again Jesus emphasizes He is the door of the sheep. If we go through Him, we can be saved (Acts 4:12); we can be saved through no other! Only through Christ, the door, do we have access to God by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18).
- John 10:10-11 – As thieves and robbers come to kill and destroy, the Good Shepherd (Jesus Himself) comes to give life abundantly. He gave His life for us (John 3:16), and often says He is the bread of life (John 6:48) or can give living water (John 4:10, 14).
- John 10:12-13 – A hireling is a temporary shepherd. He does not care for the sheep but is only interested in receiving his wages. When danger approaches, he forsakes the sheep. Zechariah prophesied about a false shepherd who would be greatly punished (Zechariah 11:16-17).
- John 10:14-15 – As Christ is the Good Shepherd, He knows every one of His sheep, and we should all know Him.
Paul said, “The Lord knows those whose are His (2 Timothy 2:19ff”. Jesus knows His Father well, and His Father knows Him. He laid down His life for His friends, His sheep; we are His friends if we do what He commands us (John 15:13-14). - John 10:16 – There are other sheep not in this fold. Jesus commanded His apostles to preach the gospel throughout the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). Thus there are many folds, but all have the same Shepherd—Christ! (See previous lessons on the kingdom of God as Christ is the head of the church.) We are all baptized into one body, the church of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 4:4-6; Ephesians 5:23; Romans 16:16).
- John 10:17-18 – God loved His only begotten Son because Jesus did His Father’s will. Thus, the world knows Jesus loved Him because He kept His commandment of laying down His life for us (John 14:31; 17:4). He has the power to lay it down and take it again (see Matthew 28:18).Jesus knows we love Him when we do His commandments (John 14:15).
Content by Richard Dillon
Return to the Home Page
John 10:01-06 Jesus, The Good Shepherd (Part 1)
Text: John 10:1-6
Bible Class Discussion Notes
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3- John 10:1 – If anyone tries to enter the sheepfold by any way other than the door, he is a thief and a robber. In the religious world, people try to get to Heaven by other ways than through the right one.Solomon wrote, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).” Thus there is only ONE way to Heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).Sadly, there are many that go down the wrong road that leads to destruction, but we can take the narrow gate and difficult way to life (Matthew 7:13-14).
- John 10:2 – The one that goes in and out of the door is the shepherd. He has access to do the door, and we have access to Christ by faith into God’s grace (Ephesians 5:1-2), and access to God through Christ (Hebrews 11:6).
- John 10:3 – The doorkeeper opens the door for the shepherd, and the sheep follow him in and out. The shepherd knows all the sheep by name, and they should all know him.Jesus knows us all by name, and even when Mary did not recognize Him after His resurrection, He called her “Mary!” and she knew Him (John 20:16).
- John 10:4-5 – The shepherd is the leader of the sheep, and the sheep follow only him. Strangers may try to lead the sheep, but a sheep should only follow the voice that is familiar.Likewise, there are many “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in the religious world. Sadly, many are misled by those wolves. The apostle Paul warns us about them (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).We should know God’s voice by constant study of His word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17). God’s word was first spoken directly, then through the law of Moses, then by the prophets, then by His own Son, and now in the Bible (Hebrews 1:1-3). We must not follow those that teach contrary to God’s Word!
- John 10:6 – Some were not able to understand Jesus’ illustration.He often spoke in parables because some could not see nor understand (Luke 8:9-10). There was even a time when the disciples could not understand about Jesus being delivered into the hands of men because it was hidden from them until the Day of Pentecost (Luke 9:43-45; Acts 2:1-40).
Content by Richard Dillon
Return to the Home Page