The Good Shepherd Takes Good Care Of Us

5.3.20 John 10:1-10

1 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the door, but climbs in by 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 the door 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 sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration in speaking to the people, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 So Jesus said again, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: I am the door for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

The Good Shepherd Takes Good Care of Us

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Listen to Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, so many preachers on TV. This is their FAVORITE verse that they quote ALL of the time. They’ll flaunt their planes and their houses and talk about how they named it and claimed it. “If you don’t have abundance, then you aren’t living your best life. You’re selling God short.” But that’s their interpretation of abundance. The word in the Greek is pe??ss?? (perisson), meaning “that which is exceptional in the sense of being more than what is expected.” What did Jesus say we would have perisson? Life. More life. What does that mean?

We cherish life. We are pro-life. If you think about it, what is more important than life? What good are riches, new cars, a good job, if you aren’t healthy enough to enjoy them or use them? Young married couples crave to have life. They want to have children to raise together. Retired couples want years of life to enjoy together. Athletes want good health so that they can perform at the highest ability. Life! Perisson life is a wonderful thing to have.

But life is also SPIRITUAL. Ephesians 2 talks about this spiritual life that we now have -

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

(Isn’t it interesting, how in describing death, people are busy doing all kinds of things - following their cravings and desires and thoughts? Life, according to the Bible, is not going after your dreams.)

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, . . . 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Life comes from within when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and our hearts to know and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Life is in connection with Jesus, through our baptism, in the Word, in the Lord’s Supper. Wherever Jesus is, there is life. Life is shown to the world when we live out a life of good works in accordance with God’s will. This is what Jesus has come to GIVE us. LIFE!

It’s the opposite of those who climb over the wall. They are the thieves and the robbers, who come in to steal, kill, and destroy. Just this past week a robber broke into a house right next to some of our members and was shot in the stomach over on the west side, only about two miles from our house. Jesus said that there are those who want to do the same thing to His sheep, the church, the people He purchased and died for with His blood. They want to lure them away from the church, take what is theirs, and destroy them.