Reading the Bible Everyday – John 10

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #78.  Today we’ll read John chapter 10 together:  Jesus is the Good Shepherd; the Jews surround Jesus; and there’s more near-stoning and a lot more believing.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

I am so excited!  We are having tile laid on our front step.  Mitch has been going wild with his pressure washer.  So we’re going from white concrete to tile that looks kind of like slate but isn’t slippery.  But the best part is that when that’s done, we’re gonna place some potted palms on either side of the steps.  We already bought the pots from a discount place a couple of towns over.  And I purchased a couple of those LED lights that you stick in the dirt and they shine up thru the palm leaves and cast cool shadows at night.  It sounds so fancy, doesn’t it?  I can’t wait.  When it’s done, maybe I’ll snap a picture and post it on the blog at liftinghervoice.com.

 John Chapter 10:  1 “I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. 7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 [This happens] because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father.” 19 Again a division took place among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and He’s crazy! Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22 Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in My Father’s name testify about Me. 26 But you don’t believe because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish-ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” 31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him. 32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?” 33 “We aren’t stoning You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You-being a man-make Yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods ? 35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’-and the Scripture cannot be broken- 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God? 37 If I am not doing My Father’s works, don’t believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in Me and I in the Father.” 39 Then they were trying again to seize Him, yet He eluded their grasp. 40 So He departed again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and He remained there. 41 Many came to Him and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.

Many years ago, I was part of a Bible study on Psalm 23.  The study was written by a shepherd and it was fascinating.  It taught me so many things about why Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd.  For instance, the shepherd’s crook or staff is used for so many things.  As an example, when the shepherd is just hanging out with the sheep, standing amidst them, he will sometimes tap tap tap a sheep on the hind quarters, just to let the animal know that he is near.  It comforts the sheep; calms them.  And the sheep really do know the shepherd’s voice.  They are soothed and follow the shepherd’s voice but are alarmed and scatter at the voice of a stranger.  I’m sure the sheep have no idea the number of times they are saved by the strength and bravery and provision of the shepherd.  They do not reason.  However, I know we are His sheep, and I suppose, if we’re honest, most times we don’t see danger and the forces of darkness that want to do us harm either.  He protects us and sometimes we don’t even say ‘thank you.’  We just don’t always see him at work.  Let’s pray about that.  Jesus, thank you that You are the Good Shepherd.  Thank You that You loved us so much, that You laid down Your life for us.  Thank You for calling us by name.  Forgive us, Lord, that we don’t listen sometimes.  Help us to always hear Your voice and run to You. Amen. 

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.