The Gate of Salvation and Life in its Fullness
In the first part,
Jesus declares that He is the Gate for the sheep (7b) and the shepherd (2), and the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life (10b).
He shows what qualifies to be “the shepherd,“ and compares with a robber and a thief.
In the 2nd part,
Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd, and compares with the hired hand.
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I. The Gate, Jesus (John 10:1 – 10)
First, Jesus explains the difference between shepherd and thief/robber. The shepherd enters by the gate (John 10:2) but a thief and a robber climbs in by some other way (John 10:1).
Then, Jesus declares “I am the gate for the sheep” (7b, 9a)
Jesus is the Gate to the sheepfold, and it is important to enter through this Gate.
The man who enters by the Gate is one who recognizes and believes Jesus and he is the shepherd of His sheep.
Jesus entrusted His sheep to His servants like us. Entering through the sheep gate Jesus, we are able to be a shepherd to His sheep (2). Shepherd should understand their character & ability by calling them by their names and lead them by being an example (3).
If a man does not recognize Jesus, he is not qualified as the shepherd but considered as a thief and a robber (1-2). They have two different purposes: See verse 10.
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.
“Entering through Jesus” is the condition of salvation both for shepherd & sheep (9).
Jesus is the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life in its fullness (10).
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II. The Good Shepherd, Jesus (John 10:11 – 18)
Jesus declared in John 10:11a.
11aI am the good shepherd (11a, 14a)
Now, Jesus explains about the Good Shepherd. See v11b.
11bThe good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus says this with “the good shepherd” replaced with “I” in v15b.
14 ‘I am the good shepherd; …… 15 …… and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Jesus compares the Good Shepherd with the hired hand in v12 and v13.
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.
Differently to the hired hand, Jesus owns the sheep. This implies how much greater His care and love toward His sheep (us) are than all others (hired hands)’s.
As we know, we usually do not commit if the cost is too high. But we may sacrifice even our lives for someone only if we truly love & care about that person. The Good Shepherd Jesus committed to save us even though it cost His life. This shows how much Jesus loves and cares for us. As a disciple & a shepherd entrusted His sheep, we learn from Jesus to be a good shepherd like Him (11-18).
See v14 and v15.
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.
In these verses, Jesus says “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”. What does this mean? Let’s think more about this Word.
- Jesus knows me: Jesus knows my character, habits, weaknesses and strengths, needs, feelings, hurts, intensions/motivations, sins, miserable fate if without Him, ……
- I know my Shepherd: His sheep knows “His sacrifice was out of His love toward me and how great His love is, He knew me even when I didn’t recognize Him, He knows me all along, He makes my life meaningful, He is trustworthy, He is faithful, He is good, ……”
See v16.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Jesus talks on “other sheep that are not of this sheepfold”. Jesus owns them at present, too, as shown in the expression of “I have” (not “I will have”). Jesus declares, “there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
Whom you hear determines who you are
Recent two cartoon posts in our website show ‘Jesus is God and our Creator’. This was witnessed by Disciple John in the Gospel of John.
Now we find this fact is supported by what Jesus Himself said in John 8:58.
- 58 ‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’
The fact that Jesus is supreme is important to people whose religion is Buddhism (Founder: Siddhartha) or Muslim (Founder: Muhammad) because Jesus is superior than the founders of any other religions. Jesus is worthy of our worship but the founders of other religions are not the object of worship.
IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT RELIGIOUS GROUP WE BELONG TO
Very interesting thing is that it is written that there was conflict between Jesus and leaders of Jewish religion. This shows Jesus is not just the founder of religion who wants you to become religious like Jews, Buddhists, Muslims or Hindus. Jesus is the true example to follow, who has living relationship with God.
Jews thought they believed God but Jesus said to them they didn’t know God. See John 7:28b, and John 7:29.
- You do not know him, 9 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.’
And Jesus hears God:
- what I have heard from him I tell the world.’ (John 8:26b)
- Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’ (John 8:47)
In conclusion, who we really are is not up to what religious group we belong to but depending on whom we hear moment by moment.
We think we live independently by our own decision. According to Jesus, we either hear from God, or want to carry out the devil’s desire (John 8:44) and do not hear or believe the truth (John 8:45, 47). If we belong to God, we will hear Him (John 8:47) and love His children (1 John 5:1, John 8:42).
- Other relevant verses: John 5:19, John 12:49, 1 John 3:10
Interactive Animation/Game
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Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see”
John 1:43 – 51
(Short Message)
In v43 – 45, Jesus found and called Philip to follow Him (43). Philip told Nathanael a great news that he has found the Christ, who is Jesus of Nazareth (45).
But Nathanael was sceptical about “Nazareth” (46a).
What is the answer of Philip? See v46b.
‘Come and see’, said Philip.
Philip didn’t argue about Nathanael’s doubt. He simply invited him to see Jesus.
What is the result of the invitation? See v47 – 51.
When Nathanael came to Jesus, Jesus showed his omnipotence to know about Nathanael (47, 48b). As a result, Nathanael believed Jesus being the Son of God (49). Further Jesus gave him vision to experience what would be greater than what he just experienced (51).
In various reasons, people could be sceptical. Only Jesus can clear their doubt and give them faith. Their faith depends on His power and grace. Therefore, they need to come and see Jesus. How they respond to this invitation will determine their destiny. In other words, our invitation to “come and see” has great role and impact on the eternal future of invitees.
% Also, how they deal with His believers will determine their destiny (Matthew 25:31 – 46).
Greetings from new students
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We are at Upper Walkway in the 2nd & 3rd day of O-Week 2017
Come and See takes no-nonsense approach to realise the best potential in you.
Join our club where slave turns into freeman and beggar prince/princess.
We write short messages and make short animation films.
Our Fun Activities include
- Turning photos to 3D characters
- Adding our voice and action to the characters
- Creating short animation films that contain meaningful scenarios
- Creating Virtual Studio using Green Screen
- Creating short, fun, easy-made & memorable self-talk video
- Riding our own people mover for outings
- You could choose to be just a participant or you could handle our own full-frame camera, lights, green/white screens, software/laptop, or cars.
In Come & See
- Create cartoonized 3D character of yourself in a few minutes that can also be used as your profile image in many places in the internet.
- Take time together to review & analyze life style, time management and habbits to project the future, and make necessary & on-going change
- Write biblical messages & scripts
- We may cover more things than any one club could afford within your limited time commitment (practice public speech in our meetings, play sports, and learn selected essential life skills)
Develop presentation skills, cultivate leadership skills and research the Word of God.
What the cross tells us
- Sin has consequence.
God told Adam there would certainly be consequence of sin.
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’ (Genesis 2:17)
Romans 6:23a says 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 9:22 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
… and Jesus had to bleed, suffer and die on the cross to pay for our sins to save us.
The devil, the liar, wants you to think that sin has no consequence.
4 ‘You will not certainly die,’ the snake said to the woman (Genesis 3:4).
- Jesus paid for our sins.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:4 – 6)
No one else but Jesus paid for your sins and there is no other name but Jesus to save you on the earth.
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’ (Acts 2:12)
Guideline to Salvation: Believe and confess.
9 if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ (Romans 10:9 – 11)
- God loves us.
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).
The devil wants you to doubt the love of God.
5 ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ (Genesis 3:5)
Trust God, He loves you, and there is surely a future hope for you.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
(Proverbs 23:17 – 18)
- God’s Power & Wisdom
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)
THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN HUMAN WISDOM, AND THE WEAKNESS OF GOD IS STRONGER THAN HUMAN STRENGTH
You will be better off by serving God first.
- Obedience & Trust
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:7 – 9)
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).
Second Adam (Jesus)’s obedience contrasts with First Adam’s disobedience. Therefore, let us fix our eyes on Jesus.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
(Hebrews 12:1–3)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:1 – 2)
- God wants us to die to sins and live for the righteousness.
24 ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ (1 Peter 2:24)
Apostle Paul confessed as below:
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
Message to youths
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, 12:1
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.
1Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
(Message)
These verses were written for youths.
Youths tend to follow the ways of their heart and whatever their eyes see, as shown in v9a.
But, the command to be happy (9a) does not mean an endorsement of sinful life.
What youths do not know or experience yet is “God will bring you into judgement for all these things” (9b).
As growing old, people know or experience the reality that God exists and judges.
And, the warning of God’s judgement (9b) does not mean an objection to a happy life.
Then, how to be happy and away from judgement?
Let us read Ecclesiastes 12:1.
1Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
Youths who remember their Creator will make a difference as they grow old.
Those who fear God will lead wise life (Proverbs 9:10).
For through wisdom your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life. (Proverbs 9:11)
The righteous will stay fresh and green in old age (Psalm 92:14).
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31a).
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:30 – 31)
