John 10 - The Life You've Always Wanted!

John 10 - NIV

Verses for the Day

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. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep

Commentary

As I have mentioned a few times, the gospel of John uses "I am" statements to signify that Jesus is truly God. They also point to unique attributes of who he is and what he does for us.  Today Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd". 

The shepherd motif was a popular one in Jesus' day, because so many men were shepherds to their flocks. It was a primary way that many people in Jesus made their living. In Jesus' day if a thief were to steal someone's sheep it would have a huge financial impact on their families. Shepherds used a staff to keep the sheep from danger, and a rod to beat off the wolves. A good shepherd was so loyal they would even lay down their lives for the sheep. So, when Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd" he has these ideas in mind. 

So then how does this translate to his disciples and to us today? The thief is the devil. His mission on earth is to steal us away from Jesus and ruin our lives He hates us becauseone day we live eternally with Jesus, and he will be cast down to the pit of hell for eternity. While the devil does everything he can to destroy our faith and life, Jesus came to give us life. 

John 10:10 is one of my top two or three verses in the bible. Here Jesus says, 

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." 

I love to quote from John Orterg, who says the abundant life Jesus gives us is, "The life we've always wanted!" 

If God made us and sent Jesus to rescue from a life dominated by sin, death, and the power of the devil, how much more will he give us a life of freedom from sin, joy and purpose, and eternal life. Since God made us in His image, He certainly made us to enjoy this kind of life. This is what the thief, the devil, is trying to steal away.

The world, which is governed by the devil, tries to get us to buy into its version of happiness. To put it in a nutshell the worlds says, "Money, sex, and power are the key to happiness". But if you just look around you, people have all of these three in spades are usually miserable in the long run. They can never get enough of these things to satisfy them and fill the hole in their souls which only God can fill. 

I think the absoute biggest lie the devil promotes is the being a Christian is a "drag", while indulging in every pleasure of the flesh is what life is all about. 

1. Are you experiencing the "abundant life" that Jesus promised his followers?

2. In what ways have you had to learn that what the world offers is only temporary and does not truly satisfy the deepest needs we have? 

3. If you are caught in following the ways of the world, remember Jesus is always willing and waitng to for you to come back to the fold and into the arms of the Good Sbepherd!

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for being our Good Shepherd. Thank you that you were willing to lay down your life for us to rescue us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Help us to give up everything to follow you and experience the abundant life you provide. The life we've always wanted! Amen. 

 

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