Saved
Opening Prayer
Jesus, my Lord, guard my church and those in it from dissension and jealousy. May we focus on You today and always!
Read John 10:1-10
[1] “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. [2] The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. [5] But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” [6] Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. [7] Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. [9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Give thought today to Jesus as your shepherd.What looks like a private conversation between Jesus and the healed man turns out to be a group discussion (9:40), and Jesus’ description of himself as both shepherd and gate is part of his answer to the Pharisees’ question. Shepherds then had different kinds of sheepfolds. The ones where all the village flocks sheltered together were protected by a strong locked door. Other sheepfolds had walls but no gate. These might be out on the hills and the shepherd would protect the flock by lying down across the entrance. Jesus looked at the Pharisees and, instead of seeing caring shepherds, he saw men who were too blind to lead: strangers and robbers who would “destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture” (Jer. 23:1, ESV). With these images, he pushes home the point he’s been making all along, that these leaders don’t know him. They don’t even recognize his voice. His sheep, on the other hand, do. So, how would you describe the voice of Jesus to someone who’d never heard it before? What kind of words does he use? What tone? And how do you know when he is speaking to you?
Apply
Do your church leaders care for their “flocks”? Do they hear the voice of the Lord and share with the people of the church?
Closing prayer
Loving Shepherd, I often wander away from Your flock. Today, I pray for ears to hear only Your voice.
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