10 Very truly I tell you Pharisees anyone

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate 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, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. ” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. [a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 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.

1. Initial Observations 2. The Point 3. Concluding statement

Initial Observations

• Gate: Jesus. • Sheep: All of us. • Thieves & Robbers: Pharisees, or anyone who comes preaching a different message apart from that of the Gospel.

Sheep Pen?

Sheep Pen: The Church

…They will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10: 9(b)

2. The Point

They will come in and go out… John 10: 9(b)

Come in

Come in John 15: 4 “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. ”

Go Out

Go Out John 17: 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. ”

We see the bigger picture

Only when our primary motivation for work is being Christ’s agents of redemption, we start to celebrate our work and not be consumed by it. Because our work ceases to be about ourselves…and becomes about Jesus.

We see the bigger purpose

In the light of Christ’s redemption work, even the most insignificant and thankless jobs, find significance and purpose.

True success in our work is realising that our successes are part of a bigger success story of Christ’s redemption work!

True success in our work is realising that our successes are part of a bigger success story of Christ’s redemption work! Seeing our success apart from this will birth pride in our hearts. It is more harmful than failure!

They will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10: 9(b)

3. Find Pasture

“He makes me lie down in green pastures” Psalm 23: 2(a)

“Green pastures don’t just happen. ” - Don Baker, Way of the Shepherd

“Green pastures don’t just happen. ” - Don Baker, Way of the Shepherd “Green pastures are the shepherd’s provision for the flock when the lambs are small and the milk demand on the ewes is great. ”

Pasture = Rest

Pasture = Rest = Shalom

Shalom means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full.

… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10: 10(b)

They will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10: 9(b)

Jesus is in the business of restoring all that is fallen & broken to the state of SHALOM!