GEMS FROM THE GOSPELS JOHN 10 & 11 #52days

GEMS FROM THE GOSPELS

JOHN 10 & 11

John 10 & 11 – The thief enters sheep pen avoiding door to steal, kill and destroy. Shepherd calls sheep by name, and they follow him. They won’t follow a stranger whose voice they don’t know. LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE and follow Him. Jesus explained that He was the door for the sheep to protect them from thief. Jesus came to give life. LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE to find life in its fullest measure. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. He knows His own sheep and they know Him. Jesus has sheep in another pen (Gentiles) and will unite the flock. He laid down His life of His free will and had the power to take it up again. LISTEN FOR THE VOICE of the One who gave His life for you. Hanukkah in Jerusalem and Jesus taught in Solomon’s Colonnade. Judeans said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us!” Jesus said He already did, but they did not trust because they were not His sheep. No one can snatch the sheep from Him or from His father. They are One. LISTEN TO HIS VOICE because He is equal with God. He will keep you secure. Men picked up rocks to stone Him, and He asked for which good deed He was being stoned. They said Jesus was committing blasphemy by claiming to be God. Jesus quoted Psalm 82:6 concerning being sons of God. Jesus slipped out of their hands because it was not yet time for Him to die. Many people trusted in Him. LISTEN FOR THE VOICE of the Son of God. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother, whom He loved, was sick. Jesus purposely stayed where He was for two days before going back to Judea. His disciples feared for His life, but Thomas said they should go with Him to die with Him. When they got to Bethany, Martha went out to meet Jesus while Mary stayed home in mourning. Martha told Jesus that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died. She expressed faith that whatever Jesus asked of God, God would give Him. Jesus told her that her brother would rise again. Martha acknowledged that this would happen on the Last Day. Jesus stated, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever put his trust in me will live, even if he dies; and everyone living and trusting in me will never die.” Then He asked if she believed this. Martha replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One coming into the world.” Martha went and told Mary that the Rabbi was calling for her. Mary jumped up and ran out followed by Judeans who had come to comfort her. She fell at Jesus’s feet and said the same thing her sister had. Jesus was deeply moved, asked where Lazarus was buried, and wept. Judeans noted His love but asked if He healed the blind, couldn’t He have kept Lazarus alive. At the tomb, Jesus told them to move the stone. Martha explained that he had been dead four days and would already be decaying causing a bad stench. Jesus told them by trusting, they would see the glory of God. Jesus prayed aloud for the benefit of the crowd, then shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus came out still bound in grave clothes, Jesus told them to unwrap him and free Him. Lazarus was raised when he HEARD HIS VOICE. Word got back to the Pharisees and High Priests about this miracle. They were concerned that people would try to make Jesus king and incur the wrath of Rome, taking away their power and causing the fall of their nation. The High Priest Caiaphas unwittingly prophesied, “It’s better for you if one man dies on behalf of the people, so that the whole nation won’t be destroyed.” (Isaiah 53:6) Jesus was going to die so He might gather into one the scattered children of God. The priests and Pharisees made plans to bring about Jesus’s death. Therefore, Jesus went to the region near the desert with His disciples. The Pharisees ordered that anyone who knew where Jesus was should tell them so they could arrest Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE!