John Devotional | Week 11 | Mar 13-17

Read John 10:1-42 — today we’ll focus on V1-21.

• V1-6: Who is Jesus speaking to? (reference John 9:24-41)
  • Who does not enter the sheepfold by the door vs who does?
  • What is the difference between how the sheep relate to the shepherd vs the stranger?
• V7-18: In ancient times, multiple flocks of sheep would be kept in a walled sheepfold, guarded by a doorkeeper at night. Each morning, the shepherds would arrive at the door, and call out their sheep by name until each shepherd had formed his flock outside of the pen, where he would then lead them to pasture and an additional enclosure of security where he would stand as the door.
  • Jesus refers to Himself as “the door” – what 3 things are given to those who enter by Him? (V7-9)
  • Compare + contrast the thief/hired hand with the “Good Shepherd” (V10-13), and the state of the sheep in relation to each.
  • What relationship does the Good Shepherd have with His sheep? How is that modeled by the relationship between the Father and Son? (V14-18)
• How does Jesus’ audience react to His words? (V6, 19-21)
• What kind of shepherds did the Pharisees show themselves to be in John 9?

Pray today in adoration for the way Jesus offers Himself freely as our Good Shepherd, perhaps using Psalm 23 to praise Him with His own words!

• • • Read John 10 again today. Jesus is claiming to be the Good Shepherd, the only door through which we may find eternal life. Anyone who came before Him is a thief and a robber. Today we’re going to look back at an Old Testament text that rehearses the thieving ways of the shepherds of Israel, who had come before.
      • Read Ezekiel 34 in its entirety, making note of the following questions as you read.
        • What charges does Yahweh bring against the shepherds of Israel?
        • What has happened to the sheep in the meantime?
        • What is the Lord’s judgment against the shepherds? What is His solution?

      Pray today in thanksgiving for the way God has been, is right now, and always will be the Good Shepherd of His sheep. Praise Him for specific ways you have experienced His provision.

Read John 10 today, making note of the way Jesus promises 4 times to lay His life down for His sheep, bringing all who are His, into the fold to be One flock with One Shepherd.

• Read Rom. 5:6-11.
  • What words are used to describe those whom Christ died for?
  • What have we received through Christ’s death?
• In V16 Jesus speaks of how there will be one flock. Read Eph. 2:11–22 to gain a greater understanding of how this came to fruition.
  • What was the state of the Gentiles before Christ?
  • What has Christ’s blood brought about?
  • Who may now experience peace as “one flock”?

Pray today in confession for the ways that you live as an enemy of God at times, despite being brought near by the blood of Christ. Praise Him for His great love as revealed in Jesus!

Read through John 10 again, and spend time meditating on and praying through the following realities that we have learned this week:

• (10:3-4, 14) Jesus knows each of His sheep by name. He calls them, He leads them, He is always with them.
• (10:10) Jesus came so that we might have life, and life abundant!
• (10:11, 15, 17-18) Jesus has freely laid down His own life for the sake of His sheep.
• (10:28-29) Jesus gives eternal life to His sheep. They will never perish. No one and nothing can snatch them out of His hand. No one and nothing can snatch them out of the Father’s hand – He is greater than all! The Good Shepherd loses none of His sheep.

Have you trusted in this Good Shepherd? If so, praise Him as the Good Shepherd who knows you by name and will hold you safe in His hand, forever. If not, today is the day – enter through Him alone, and you will be saved (10:9)!