Good Wednesday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Do you know anyone who grew up in a really BIG family? A friend of ours grew up in a family of 15!! The oldest child was married and starting her own family while her parents were still having babies! That friend is now a grandparent so you can imagine how huge her extended family is! Have you thought much about how BIG and DIVERSE the family of Jesus is in our world today? The latest stats I’ve heard is that the Chinese family of Jesus is estimated to be more than 150 million people! How large is the Jesus family in your country?
Let’s rejoin Jesus as He’s having a shocking conversation with His disciples and some of the Pharisee religious leaders in Jerusalem. I think they were probably standing by some sheep pens near the Sheep Gate, because Jesus was talking about sheep and their shepherds, as we saw yesterday.
Jesus had just made this bold declaration: “I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me – just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father – and I lay down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:14) If you and I could look around the group, I’m confident we would see furrowed brows and men scratching their heads trying to figure out what Jesus meant by those words.
Obviously, Jesus was not talking about four-legged, wool covered animals and He being a career shepherd. Jesus was talking about PEOPLE and of course the disciples and Pharisees always assumed Jesus was ONLY talking about Jewish people. Why? Because Jews assumed Jews were the only people God cared anything about!
So, what Jesus said next almost knocked these men over: “I have other sheep that are not of this pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be ONE flock and ONE shepherd.” (John 10:15,16) I can see the disciples looking at all the different types of sheep in those pens and saying ‘well, yes, I suppose Jesus is right, there are so many different varieties and colors of sheep that good shepherds care for.’
But they knew Jesus was NOT talking about four-legged sheep, but rather Jesus was talking about human beings. But that would mean Jesus was actually suggesting God cared about people who were NOT Jewish, is that possible? So, what do you think Jesus meant, my friends? I see four important things, let’s see if you agree.
First, every person, everywhere in the world, in every generation is a unique creation of God, made in God’s image, sustained every day, every breath by the power of God and loved profoundly by God!
Second, from shortly after the resurrection of Jesus to the present moment, far more NON-Jewish people have heard, understood and responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than Jews have! In fact, if you take the total number of Christians in the world today, the number of Jews who have trusted Jesus as their Messiah and Savior is less than 1% of all Christians worldwide!
Third, the ‘ecclesia’ (global church) of Jesus Christ is by far the best example of unity with diversity. No global business, no nation, not even the United Nations organization has as much diversity with unity as do the followers of Jesus.
Just look across the landscape of your city: how many different ethnic groups, different languages are represented in all the Christians of your city? Yes, Jesus has been fulfilling His John 10:15, 16 statement all around the world in every generation since His resurrection! So, may I ask a question? Are you a person who celebrates the diversity with unity in the body of Christ, the global church OR does it trouble you?
While the disciples could not possibly grasp the future picture of the global church Jesus was describing as many different sheep responding to His call and coming into His ‘one flock’, they also could not grasp what Jesus said next: “The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay My life down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.” (John 10:17,18) So my friends, looking at those words of Jesus from the perspective of 2000 years of history, and the entire New Testament, what do you think Jesus meant?
Do you understand the direct relationship between LOVE and OBEDIENCE in the parent-child relationship? In fact, a few weeks later, on the evening before Jesus went to the cross, Jesus told these same disciples: “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching…He who does NOT love Me will NOT obey My teaching.” (John 14:23,24) So what do you think was the ULTIMATE test of Jesus’ love-obedience for His Father? Was it leaving the glory of heaven to be born in a Bethlehem stable? Was it resisting all temptation and living a sinless life?
Was it withstanding the opposition of religious leaders and the desertion of His disciples? Or was it Jesus willingly hanging on the cross, bearing the sins of the entire human race, and accepting the wrath judgment of His Father God for all sin? Oh yes, Jesus could have said NO, taken Himself off the cross, and returned to heaven without paying our sin debt price with His death. But if He had done that, there would be NO possible chance for any person to be forgiven by God, saved from our sin condemnation, and welcomed into heaven!
So, Jesus closed His sheep pen message with these words: “…you do not believe because you are NOT My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:26-30) Oh my what profound promises from Jesus.
Those who trust Him will learn to discern His voice and will follow Him. Are you and I included in that? Jesus gives them eternal life with Him in heaven and nothing, no person, no demon, no power, can snatch a truly ‘Jesus saved person’ out of Jesus’ hand! That my friends, is eternal security! And finally, Jesus, God the Son, and Almighty God the Father and the Holy Spirit are ONE God! Do you understand and fully trust your life to those truths?
The ‘life lessons learned’ notes below will help you dig even more deeply into these vital truths. And a wonderful worship song will draw you into the presence of God and tomorrow I’ll be here waiting for you. So… will you ponder those lessons learned and will you worship?
Today’s Scripture: John 10:15-30.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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