Why do we wander? John 10:1-13 is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast.

In last week’s show, we finished our discussion on John 9 and the blind man that Jesus put mud into his eyes. It’s a great show showing the progression of how we were all once blind to Jesus. Then over time as Jesus reveals himself to us we start to see Him more clearly where intimacy with Him begins.

This week we will be in John 10 which focuses on the image of sheep, sheepfolds, and shepherds. It is a rural and Eastern image, but it is an image that can say a great deal to us today, even in our urban, industrialized world.

Paul used this image when admonishing the spiritual leaders in the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:28). The truths that cluster around the image of the shepherd and the sheep are found throughout the Bible, and they are important to us today. The symbols that Jesus used help us to understand who He is and what He wants to do for us. In John 10 we will see three declarations that Jesus made about Himself. First is “He is the door”, the second is “He is the good shepherd”, and lastly that “He is the Son of God”.

Read John 10:1-10 and unpack His first declaration of being the door.

A little background to this story is that it grew out of the confrontation Jesus had with the Jewish leaders following the casting out of the once blind man in John 9. After He was done talking to them about light and darkness, he then changes scenes here and now talks to them about shepherds and sheep. Why?

Jesus opened His sermon with a familiar illustration, one that every listener would understand. The sheepfold was usually an enclosure made of rocks, with an opening for the door. The shepherd or helper would guard the flock, or flocks at night by lying across the opening. In the morning, the shepherds would come, call their sheep and assemble their own flocks. Each sheep recognized its own master’s voice.

The true shepherd comes in through the door, and the helper recognizes him. The thieves and robbers could never enter through the door, so they have to climb over the wall and enter the fold through deception. But even if they did get in, they would never get the sheep to follow them, for the sheep follow only the voice of their own shepherd. The False prophets can never lead the sheep, so they must steal them away.

Jesus is making His claim clear that the fold He is talking about is the nation of Israel. The Gentiles are the other sheep, they are not of the fold of Israel. When Jesus came to the nation Israel, He came the appointed way, just as the Scriptures had promised. Every true shepherd must be called by God and sent by God. If he truly speaks God's word, the sheep will hear his voice, and not be afraid to follow him.

Notice that the shepherd doesn’t stop by just leading the sheep out; He also leads them in. They become a part of the one flock which is His church. He is the door of Salvation John 10:9. Those who trust Him enter into the Lord's Flock and fold, and they have the wonderful privilege of going in and out and finding pasture.

Let’s Read John 10:11-13 and unpack that the Good shepherd dies for the sheep.

The word translated “good” here means intrinsically good, beautiful, and fair. It describes that which is the ideal, the model that others may safely imitate.

Jesus in this section of the reading describes 4 different ministries that the good shepherd does. In Vs, 11-13 the good shepherd dies for the sheep. Normally, the sheep die for the shepherd, but now the Good shepherd dies for the sheep. Five times in this sermon, Jesus clearly affirmed the sacrificial nature of His death. He did not die a martyr, killed by men; He died as a substitute, willingly laying down his life for us.

The fact that Jesus said that He died for the sheep must not be isolated from the rest of biblical teaching about the cross. He also died for the nation of Israel, in John 11 we will unpack this more. While the blood of Jesus is sufficient for the salvation of the world, it is efficient only for those who will believe.

Throughout the Bible, God's people are compared to sheep, and the comparison is a good one. Sheep are defenseless and need the care of the shepherd. They are prone to wander and must often be searched for and brought back to the fold. We wander off at times because we are made like sheep and are in need of a shepherd)

Thanks for listening and don't forget to:
Subscribe to our newsletter for your FREE T-shirt. https://riotpodcast.co/
Visit our website https://riotpodcast.co/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRIOTPodcast
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRIOT_Podcast
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theriotpodcast/
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4jgyxf4j5Sxgmz84Ukgvg

The RIOT PODCAST is a listener-supported podcast: Donate Now https://riotpodcast.co/donation/