Read John 10:1
1 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
*Sheep are kept in a fenced pen at night. Why?
Read John 10:2&3
2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
*Anybody have a dog? When you call your dog does he come? How about when you call someone else’s dog?
Read John 10:4&5
4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.
5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
*Will someone else’s dog obey you? No, they will run from you.
Read John 10:6
6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant,
*Do you know what it means?
Read John 10:7
7so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
*With Jesus being our gate, what does that do for us? Jesus protects us
Read John 10:8
8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.
*Why do thieves and robbers want sheep? For the money
* Who are the robbers and thieves in this parable? The devil trying to steal us from the shepherd, Jesus
Read John 10:9&10
9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
*What do we get when we are saved? We are free, we have good pastures, a rich a satisfying life.
*If there was no promise of heaven when you die, would you still want to be saved? I would, life is more satisfying with a good shepherd to care for you
Read John 10:11
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
*How did Jesus sacrifice for us? Died on the cross for our sins
Read John 10:12&13
12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.
13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.
*Who is the hired hand in this parable? The world.
*Does the world care for you like the shepherd? The world only wants our money. Look at all the advertising, it is always trying to get us to buy more, want more. The world only cares what it can get from us.
Read John 10:14&15
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,
15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
*Are you one of Jesus’ sheep? Do you know him?
Read John 10:16
16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
*Who are the other sheep? Gentiles
*Who are Gentiles? Not Jewish people
*Are you Gentile?
*Anybody ever see a sheep? They are yucky, smelly, dirty, stupid. They wander away for no reason. We too are like that compared to God. Why he still loves us, who knows?
Read John 10:17&18
17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again.
18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
*Did Jesus have to give up his life for us? No
*Would you have given up your life for some smelly, yucky sheep?
*Are you thankful that Jesus gave up his life for us?
Read John 10:22-25
22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication.
23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.
*What is the work that Jesus did in the Father’s name? Name some miracles Jesus did.
Read John 10:26&27
26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
*Who are his sheep? Those who hear Jesus’ voice and follow him.
Read John 10:28-30
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,
29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
30 The Father and I are one.”
*When you become saved can you ever not be saved? No
*Will you ever die? No, you live eternally
*How do you become saved?
*Any of you would like to be saved?