John 10: Strangers, Wolves, and Thieves

Today’s reading is John 10.

Be aware. We do not live in a world populated merely by sheep and shepherds. We live in a wilderness with strangers, wolves, and thieves. Additionally, we find hired hands and robbers. The point being, we live in a cosmos actually populated by nefarious forces arraying themselves against the sheep.

Strangers, perhaps the most generic of the characters in Jesus’s parables, strive to lead the sheep astray. They may lead sheep into another flock, not nearly as good a one as the Good Shepherd’s. Or they may just lead them out into the wilderness to get them lost. They may simply be trying to hurt the Good Shepherd and destroy His flock. But you can rest assured, they aren’t trying to help the sheep. The Good’s Shepherds sheep do not recognize those voices. The sheep do not simply ignore the strangers’ voices, but run from them. Thieves and robbers steal the sheep to, in one way or another, provide for their own wants, passions, and pleasures. Some are merely trying to increase their own wealth and flock size, others want more wool to sell, others want more meat for dinner. Whatever approach they take, their villainy leads to the death and destruction of the sheep because they don’t actually care about the sheep. The hired hands are an interesting breed. At first glance, they seem to be serving the Shepherd, looking out for the sheep. They feed the sheep, prep the fields for the sheep, keep a lookout for wolves. Yet, they also use the sheep for personal benefit. Their true colors shine through when they spot the wolf. They aren’t on the lookout to protect the sheep, but to protect themselves. They see the wolf and they run away. While on the surface they seem different from thieves and robbers, at heart their falsity leads to the same death and destruction for the sheep. Which, of course, leads us to the wolf. We have no doubt what his goal with the sheep is. He wants a meal.

I love the picture floating around on the internet which focuses on a little lamb in the middle of a forest. Though a still shot, it somehow manages to give the impression of a frightened, lost lamb with legs quaking in terror. In the background, an out-of-focus man runs toward the lamb, no doubt with purpose to protect the lamb. It’s a beautiful picture calling to mind the parable of the Shepherd leaving the ninety-nine in the wilderness to find the one lost lamb. I’ve thought about purchasing the picture to hang in my office. But it made me wonder about this parable. Would a picture of this parable sell as well? In this one, the lamb is out of focus as the picture foregrounds a wolf sinking its teeth into the throat of the Shepherd laying down His life for the sheep.

Please, understand the picture Jesus presents. He is not just providing an idyllic story to comfort us. He is telling us the state of our world. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is the only Good Shepherd. No other voice will protect us. No matter what joys and pleasures the voices of the strangers, wolves, and thieves promise us, they will only lead us to death and destruction. We must not simply ignore them; we must flee them. Only the voice of Jesus will lead us to abundant life. And only Jesus died to get us there.

Please, follow Jesus. He saves. No one and nothing else does.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 10.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 10 prompt or improve your trust in God?

John 10: The Door of the Sheep

Today’s reading is John 10.

Jesus told the crowds a parable about sheep, shepherds, gatekeepers, thieves, robbers, strangers, and voices. But the people didn’t understand, so He explained. The very first thing Jesus explained was, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

“Wait a minute,” you protest. “I thought Jesus was the Good Shepherd.” Yes, He is. But in this parable, Jesus is also the door or gate of the sheepfold. While not mentioned in this parable, don’t forget He is also the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36). Trying to work through this, we can understand why the initial hearers were also confused.

We discussed Jesus as the Good Shepherd yesterday. As the door, what do we learn about Jesus? Gratefully, we are not left to wonder; Jesus also explains this:

“If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:9-10 (ESV)

As confused as we might be trying to make out how the Shepherd will go in and out through Himself as the door, Jesus explains His role as the door is more about the sheep. While it is true the thieves, the robbers, the wolves contrast with the Good Shepherd, they also contrast with the sheep. We don’t need to be surprised by this considering Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (ESV). Sheep enter through Jesus. Those who enter some other way are thieves and robbers. We need to beware these false sheep as well as false shepherds. We will know them by their fruit.

In vs. 11, Jesus will start talking about His role as the Good Shepherd. In vs. 10, He is still explaining His role as the door of the sheep. Consider the contrast with that in mind. What do real life sheep stealers do? Sheep stealers may simply try to nab a sheep so they can have a quick meal, but sometimes they are trying to increase their own flock. They promise the stolen sheep good pasture and sneak them out of the fold in some way other than the door. Jesus provides warning. No matter what these thieves promise, they only provide death and destruction. And the one thing they will never do? They will never go through the door or gate of the fold, that’s where the gatekeeper is.

Often sheep find the demand to go in and out and find good pasture through only one door stifling, limiting, controlling. Sometimes sheep want to leap fences, dig holes, and follow other voices. Sometimes they look longingly through the fence at grass on the other side. Sometimes they want to fulfill their own desires and go their own way. But Jesus explains His doorway is there because it is the only way to have life and have it abundantly. His rules are good for us. His prohibitions protect us. His authority guides us to abundant life. Nothing else does.

We as sheep must not look for weak spots in the fences. We must not think the grass is greener on the other side. We must not take heed to the voices of the thieves. They promise life, they provide death. Only Jesus opens the gate to good pasturage. You might even say He is the only way to true life.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 10.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 10 admonish you?

John 2: Our Father’s House

Today’s reading is John 2.

Jesus demonstrated Himself to be the prophet superior to Moses, turning water into wine. What do we expect Him to do next? Surely, as Moses marched into Pharaoh’s house and demanded he let God’s people go, Jesus will march into Rome and demand Caesar let God’s people go. Or perhaps He will march into Jerusalem and demand all the Romans go. But He doesn’t. He does almost the exact opposite. Instead of chasing the Romans out of Jerusalem, He chases the Jews out of the temple.

Jesus was far more concerned about the children of God distorting, twisting, and perverting the house of God, than He was about the enemies of God’s people who oppress, enslave, and persecute them. If Jesus were to show up on earth today, where would He go? Do you think He’d march into Washington and drain the swamp? Or do you think He might march into the churches and purify the springs?

When the disciples considered Jesus cleansing the temple, they recalled Psalm 69:9:

For zeal for your house has consumed me… (ESV)

Whatever David was going through at the time, his detractors looked down on him for his work on the Lord’s house. They were apparently accusing him of theft (Psalm 69:4), likely in connection with the collection he was taking to prepare for the building of the temple. He was so intent on the Lord’s house, people around him thought he had crossed lines. When the early Christians read Psalm 69, they saw Jesus. Of course, they would. After all, Jesus saw Himself there. He’ll apply Psalm 69:4 to Himself. We’ll see that when we get to John 15.

Why tell this story? John writes to explain Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. What does this event have to do with the goal? Surely, one of the big reasons people continued to reject Jesus in John’s latter days was the crucifixion. If Jesus was the Messiah, why had He ended up on a cross? John is setting the stage. Jesus ended up on a cross because, like David, He was consumed with zeal for God’s house. His Father’s house. He is crucified because He dared stand up for God, for the Father. Why didn’t anyone else stand up in that way? Because they weren’t the Son. But a Son will defend His Father and will cleanse His Father’s house.

Of course, we should make application today. We do not worship in a Jerusalem temple. But we are part of the New Covenant temple. We are part of the house of our Father. We need to have zeal for our Father’s house. We need to have the kind of zeal Jesus did. We need to be ready to drive out those who will make our Father’s house a house of trade and especially those who will make it a den of thieves. We must drive out those who will twist, distort, pervert the purpose and work of Christ’s church. And as we do, some will think we have crossed lines. If we are children of the Father, we will also let zeal for God’s house consume us.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 2.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 2 prompt or improve your hope in God?

Psalm 69: Consumed by Zeal for His House

Today’s reading is Psalm 69.

In John 2, Jesus was disgusted by what He witnessed in the temple grounds. The money-trading and cheating going on in connection with supposedly helping people offer proper sacrifices incensed Him. He fashioned a whip of cords and drove them out of the temple, including the animals. Recognize, if He hit those animals hard enough, He blemished them and made them useless for sacrifice.

The Jews got upset and questioned His authority. But the disciples recalled a psalm. What they saw made sense (at least at some point, even if not at the initial moment). After all, Psalm 69:9 foreshadowed: “Zeal for your house has consumed me.”

Jesus was zealous for God’s house. So zealous He crossed the lines of what those around Him thought appropriate. They were the ones wrong, of course. Please, don’t use this passage as justification for your outbursts of anger as if anything and everything you get angry about is on this exact level. Jesus does not see injustice in the world and take up violent arms against it. In the face of the world’s injustice, He went to the cross. This is much more like coming home to your parents’ house and discovering thieves have taken up residence there and driven your parents out. Perhaps in that scenario you’d have a case for your anger, but even then you should probably call the police. You are, after all, not Jesus.

The point is David, even before the house was built, was so zealous for God’s house he had done something that made people think he was weird. They even believe he had crossed a line. Jesus does the same. His zeal to protect and preserve God’s house led him to behave in ways the majority thought were wrong.

What about us? Are we that zealous for God’s house? I’m not talking about the building or structure in which your congregation assembles. I’m talking about Christ’s church, His household, His flock. We are the house of God. We, together, are the bricks and beams making up God’s house. Are we zealous for God’s house? When it comes to being part of God’s house, growing God’s house, building up God’s house, protecting God’s house, preserving God’s house, will we cross the lines of what our society wants to call propriety in order to be zealous for it? Will we let it consume us?

Jesus did. And it led Him to the cross for us. May we follow in His footsteps, wherever it leads us.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 69.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 69 admonish you?