John 10 verse 10 Purpose and Life October 20, 2024
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· 53 viewsGod wants His children to have abundant life
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John 10 verse 10 Purpose and Life October 20, 2024 Lesson 3
Scared Life Series Class Presentation Notes AAAAA
Background Scriptures:
· 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NASB)
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
· Galatians 5:18-25 (NASB)
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Main Idea:
· God wants His children to have abundant life
Study Aim:
· To learn that God not only wants to give His children life, but an abundant life with Him.
Create Interest:
· Jesus said that he came that men might have life and might have it more abundantly. The Greek phrase used for having it more abundantly means to have a superabundance of a thing. To be a follower of Jesus, to know who he is and what he means, is to have a superabundance of life. A Roman soldier came to Julius Caesar with a request for permission to commit suicide. He was a wretched dispirited creature with no vitality. Caesar looked at him. “Man,” he said, “were you ever really alive?” When we try to live our own lives, life is a dull, dispirited thing. When we walk with Jesus, there comes a new vitality, a superabundance of life. It is only when we live with Christ that life becomes really worth living and we begin to live in the real sense of the word.[1] Allow Christ to guide you to live it abundantly!
· As you read this lesson see where you fit into God’ command to us:
o Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Lesson in Historical Context:
· God pictures his care of his people through the image of a shepherd and his sheep (Ps 23:1–4). In Psalm 80:1 God is called the “Shepherd of Israel.” In Isaiah 40:11 God promises to bring his people back from exile in Babylon like a shepherd gathering his lambs in his arms. God wanted his people to understand his grace, his mercy, and his love.
· One of the ways God cared for Israel was by appointing human shepherds, leaders who were supposed to serve as God’s representatives, demonstrating God’s care for his flock. But those who were supposed to lead the Israelites—who were in positions of religious influence and who were to be God’s representatives to his people—were not caring for the sheep. They were hurting the sheep. Instead of leading them to encounter and obey God, they were leading the people away from God and into empty religious ritual. Instead of bringing the people of God to graze in the pastures of God’s grace, the religious leaders were loading them up with the weight of religion and man-made requirements and making them plow the barren fields of legalism. Instead of guarding the flock of God, they were goading them to turn from God to their own efforts. Instead of leading them to the overflowing fountains of grace, they were leaving them distressed, diseased, and spiritually dead.
· In Ezekiel 34 God condemned the religious leaders of Israel for their mistreatment of his sheep (34:1–10). He says the shepherds have left the sheep exposed. They’ve forced them to fend for themselves. They’ve even killed the sheep for their wool and meat. In response, God will set up “one shepherd” over the flock—his servant David (34:22–24). At the time of this prophecy, King David was dead and had been for a long time. We understand this promise refers to a King who would come from the line of David. It’s a promise about the Messiah, Jesus.
· All of this is background to help us interpret Jesus’s words in John 10. In the previous chapter Jesus healed a blind man. When the man who had been healed would not denounce Jesus, he was kicked out of the synagogue. The religious leaders left him to wander alone, fending for himself, but he didn’t remain alone for long. Jesus found him.
· Jesus fulfills Ezekiel 34. The shepherds of Israel neglected the sheep. They were reckless and destructive. But God hadn’t forgotten his flock. He sent a shepherd to rescue and care for his sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd who cares for God’s people. How does Jesus care for his sheep.[2] We find purpose in life through finding this answer
Bible Study:
John 10:7-11 (NASB)
7 So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have itabundantly.
11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
· As I approach this lesson on the purpose of life, I look back across over my decades of life and mull/cogitate on the countless times Jesus has made my life in the good times and the bad…abundant. The best answer was always.
· While our lesson has the focus on Verse 10, I feel the need to share verses 7 to 11 to better share about this abundance.
· When we studied John 14:6 in Lesson 1 in the Sacred Life series, we dug deep into the depth of Jesus comforting his followers in establishing his credentials as God incarnate who desires all humans to come to a saving knowledge of him.
o John 14:6 (NASB)
6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
§ During his ministry Jesus gave 7 “I am” statements which if corporately studied will accurately explain why we have abundant life in Jesus.
· These are remarkable claims to make. They show that Jesus boldly declared His divine nature and mission to people. Each of the sayings magnified some aspects of His mission and ministry.
o I am the bread of life. 6:35, 48, 51.
o I am the light of the world. 8:12; 9:5.
o I am the door of the sheep. 10:7, 9.
o I am the good shepherd. 10:11, 14.
o I am the resurrection and the life. 11:25.
o I am the way, the truth, and the life. 14:6.
o I am the true vine. 15:1
· Verse 7 is the first explicit application drawn from the description of the ideal shepherd in John 10:1–5. Rather than beginning with His life as a Shepherd, He spoke of Himself as the door. The door of the sheepfold was the place of entry for shelter and rest; it was also the place from which the sheep went out following the shepherd.
· But the Shepherd does not stop leading the sheep out; He also leads them in. They become a part of the “one flock” (not “fold”) which is His church. He is the Door of salvation (John 10:9). Those who trust Him enter into the Lord’s flock and fold, and they have the wonderful privilege of going “in and out” and finding pasture. When you keep in mind that the shepherd actually was the “door” of the fold, this image becomes very real.
· As the Door, Jesus delivers sinners from bondage and leads them into freedom. They have salvation! This word “saved” means “delivered safe and sound.” It was used to say that a person had recovered from severe illness, come through a bad storm, survived a war, or was acquitted at court. Some modern preachers want to do away with an “old-fashioned” word like “saved,” but Jesus used it![3]
o Hebrews 13:8 (NASB)
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
· Vs. 9: As the door, Jesus provided both salvation and nourishment. When the sheep were outside, they were vulnerable to the attacks of wild animals and thieves. The good shepherd fights off these enemies, even if it costs him his life. However, when the sheep enter the sheepfold, they are safe from the enemies. This is a picture of Jesus as the door or way to salvation. But the door is also the way to places where they can eat and be filled. This signifies the spiritual nourishment available in Christ.
· Please know I am mindful of the fact that folks read this and make the leap to “tribulation” and get their minds askew about natural disasters like our recent hurricane Beryl on July 8 and the most recent ones horribly affecting the southeast and Florida…Helene and Milton. There are no answers for our secular minds. Compassion and the need for same comes to mind for us all as something to pray about…and many (including Kathy and I) during our list of storms “have walked a mine in their moccasins” to some extent. But no words really make the leap.
o John 16:33 (NASB)
33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world."
· As a side note to this, I have two recent articles submitted by Dr. Jim Denison I am happy to send to you that will offer you thoughts to consider.
Thoughts to Consider and begin to understand the abundant life that has nothing to do with fame or fortune but is inclusive of the life offered by Jesus to all who come to him.
· Doors Were Inviting: The doors of Eastern homes opened inwardly. They were installed in an inviting manner. Christ our door invites us too.
o He invites us for REST.
§ Matthew 11:28 (NASB)
28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
o He invites us for CLEANSING.
§ Isaiah 1:18 (NASB)
18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.
o He invites us for FULFILLMENT.
§ Revelation 22:17 (NASB)
17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
📷 This invitation was given to us in the closing lines of Scripture. Closing words of a letter are the most tender and important. The Lord wanted to express His love and invitation again for us to come to Him.
· Doors Were Marked With the Word of God
§ Deuteronomy 6:9 (NASB)
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. We should memorize and apply God’s word.
o Christ was marked with the Word of God for He was the Word.
§ John 1:1 (NASB)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
§ John 1:14 (NASB)
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
o Christ the Door Indicates Exclusiveness
§ There was one small opening in the shepherd’s sheep pen. To enter it you had to remove any obstructions or hindrances. The shepherd literally became the door of the pen, protecting the sheep from wolves and from straying away. Our Lord is the door to Heaven. There is no other way. If you want to enter the sheepfold of Heaven, the obstructions such as our own righteousness or sinfulness must be removed. There was one door into the sheep pen, one door into Noah’s Ark, one way into the Temple, and there is one way to have access to God and be saved. Christ is the door. He is exclusively, undeniably, the only way to Heaven.
§ Acts 4:12 (NASB)
12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." * John 14:6—Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.[4]
· In verse 8: Jesus explained His reference of verse 2 to thieves and robbers. In the parable they were literal people who came by night to steal the sheep. The doorkeeper would not allow them to enter, so they had to climb over the walls. It was the duty of the doorkeeper to keep out thieves and robbers. What did Jesus mean by saying, All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers? Surely He was not saying that all previous religious leaders were in this category. The true prophets and John the Baptist came before Jesus, but they were called and used by God.
o Jesus was thinking of those charlatans who claimed godlike status. They were not the true Messiah. The New Testament reports that these were not all in the past. Jesus warned of false messiahs (Matt. 24:5–6). Paul called on the church leaders of Ephesus to be shepherds of the flock because wolves would come among them (Acts 20:28–29). Some of these would be wolves in sheep’s clothing or at least in shepherd’s garb.
· Verse 10 contrasts the results of the thieves with the work of Jesus. The purpose of the thief is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. This is consistent with the work of the false shepherds of Ezekiel 34:2–6. Rather than helping and protecting the flock, they slaughtered them and took their wool. They ignored the sick sheep and left them unprotected as prey for the wild animals. Sadly, this had often been true of the false shepherds of Israel. Jesus knew that there were thousands of religious leaders in His own time, but too many were like the Pharisees of John 9.
o By contrast, Jesus said that He had come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Life is one of those short words that contain so much of the message of God’s Word.
§ But Christ has come to benefit the sheep. He gives life which is not constricted but overflowing. The thief takes life; Christ gives it to the full.[5].
§ Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
o People want to live, to love, to hope, to have joy, and to know peace. And these are the very things emphasized in the Bible.
o The promise of full life, full to overflowing, is as relevant for us today as it was then.
§ The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond.
§ The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.[6]
· The word life is found many times in the Gospel of John. Sometimes it stands alone; often it is modified by the word “eternal.”
o The distinctive in John 10 is that it is called an abundant life. This can be translated as life “to the full” (NIV) or life “in all its fullness” (NEB, REB).
o When people express the kind of life they want, they often refer to a full life. Many of these people have never seriously considered that the truly full life is found in only Jesus Christ. An abundant life goes well with the hope of eternal life.
o In John’s Gospel this life does not begin at death but at conversion. Believers have life now and it will never end.
Thoughts to soak on
· The true and only entrance means life—salvation, security, sustenance. But death attends the false way, for the thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy(10)—lostness, death, destruction. Against this background is cast the supreme theme of the Gospel—life abundant through faith in Christ. I am come (“I came,” Phillips) that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The whole purpose of Jesus’ mission was to impart life (20:31), and that this life should be of supreme quality (eternal) as well as infinite in quantity (cf. 1:16; 2:6 ff.; 4:14; 6:13; 7:38).
· God’s purpose and plan are not only to save man from death, destruction, and guilt, but to make him holy, “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). Such purpose could be achieved in only one way, the voluntary death of Jesus. Simply because He is the good shepherd, He gives his life for the sheep (11).Literally, the good shepherd may be translated, “The shepherd, the good one.” His goodness so excels that He is singled out—there is no shepherd like Him. As we look at the details of the parable, for surely He is Door to the fold, the only Entrance to life, and He is Shepherd to the sheep, the only One who cares enough to lay down His life for the sheep (cf. 6:51).[7]
John 10:10 (b) I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
· I love John 10:10, but increasinglyas I hear testimonies and preaching, it comes across this way: “Come to Jesus, and you will have abundant life. Get saved, and you’ll have peace, joy, and love you’ve never known.” While that is all true, sometimes people have tribulation as discussed in relation to natural disasters…but there is more!
· If people respond to the gospel based solely upon John 10:10, when they get fired from their job or dumped by their girlfriend, they say, “Wait a minute. Jesus said I would have life abundantly—but look at me.” And they become disillusioned and disoriented in their faith. John 10:10 is the result of the gospel but not the essence. The essence of the gospel is found in the next verse.…
John 10:11
· I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. The essence of the gospel is not what Jesus will do for you—it’s what He already did for you when He died for your sin.
o Because Jesus bore the wrath of God we deserved, our sins past, present, and future are forgiven in totality.
o Thus, the gospel means we need to be about the business not of saying, “Get saved so you can buy a new car,” or, “Get saved so you won’t have any more problems,” but, “Get saved because Jesus Christ died for your sins.”[8]
Dr. Charles Swindoll shares a few words for us
· People in the West (especially the false prophets of the “Word of Faith” movement) interpret “abundance” to mean prosperity, an abundance of money and possessions, creature comforts, a fat wallet, a prestigious job, the nicest house in town, and the sleekest car in the driveway.
· Yet I see no indication that Jesus offered His followers anything by way of material wealth. No stack of shekels. No pension. No insurance coverage. Not even a guarantee of safety. In fact, He promised them quite the opposite (Luke 9:22–25).
· Jesus was not preaching against wealth, per se. As far as Jesus was concerned, money and possessions are morally neutral and have no relation whatsoever to the new kingdom, except that they might distract us from what He considers important.
o So, if abundance is not cash, possessions, or comfort, what is it? Given that Jesus’ inner circle of followers suffered persecution and died as martyrs, what kind of abundance did they receive?
§ The abundance Jesus offers is a spiritual abundance that transcends circumstances like income, health, living conditions, and even death.
§ The abundant life is life that never ends, yet we don’t have to wait until the end of our physical life to receive this abundance and to enjoy it. Abundant life includes peace, purpose, destiny, a genuine purpose for living, the joy of facing any adversity—including the grave—without fear, and the ability to endure hardship with confident assurance.[9]
What are the lasting truths in John 10:7–10?
· Jesus provides both salvation and sustenance.
· False religious leaders do great harm.
· Jesus came to bring life—abundant and eternal.[10]
A bonus study on Life😊…..Abundant and Eternal
· Life is one of the great words of the Scriptures. The word life (zoe) and the verb to live or to have life (zen) have a depth of meaning1. Life is the energy, the force, the power of being.
· Life is the opposite of perishing. It is deliverance from condemnation and death. It is the stopping or cessation of deterioration, decay, and corruption (Jn. 3:16; 5:24, 29; 10:28).
· Life is eternal (aionios). It is forever. It is the very life of God Himself (Jn. 17:3). However, eternal life does not refer just to duration. Living forever would be a curse for some persons. The idea of eternal life is also quality, a certain kind of life, a life that consistently knows love, joy, peace, power, and responsibility (Jn. 10:10).
· Life is satisfaction (Jn. 6:35).
· Life is security and enjoyment (Jn. 10:10).
· Life is found only in God. God is the source and author of life, and it is God who has appointed Jesus Christ to bring life to man. Jesus Christ gives the very life of God Himself (Jn. 5:26; 6:27, 40; 10:28; 17:23).
· Life has now been revealed. It has been unveiled and is clearly seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shows man what life is (Jn. 1:4–5; 5:26; 1 Jn. 1:2).
· Life only comes to a man by believing in Jesus Christ.A man outside Jesus Christ only exists. He merely has the existence of an animal.
o Real life is found only in God. This is to be expected and it is logically true, for God is the creator of life. As the creator of life, He alone knows what life really is and what it is supposed to be (Jn. 3:36; 5:24; 6:47).
o This is the reason He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world: to show men what life is. When a person looks at Jesus Christ, he sees exactly what life is, exactly what it involves (see Ga. 5:22–23):[11]
A closing thought for all who read this
· If your life is about anything other than Jesus Christ, that thing will steal your joy (v. 10). It will rob you of the delight God wants you to have in Jesus.
o If you pursue anything as ultimate in your life other than Jesus, it will fail. But in Jesus Christ, regardless of your circumstances, you can discover unshakeable joy and abundant life—not an abundance of possessions or even an abundance of laughs but a life overflowing with joy in Jesus.
o He promises the closer we walk with him and the more intimately we follow him, the greater our joy will be and the fuller our lives will be. Jesus didn’t call us out of the emptiness of sin to live in mediocrity.
o He called us to feast at his table, to rejoice in his presence. Stop wandering away from the Shepherd to seek out your own pasture and to find your own water. Every time you do, you will find the grass withered and the water bitter.
· Jesus is the gate/door. Through him we rest in the safety of the fold and rejoice in the sweetness of the field. The false shepherds of Israel cast the sheep aside, endangering their lives, but Jesus, the good shepherd, lovingly gathers his sheep to himself and offers abundant life to all who will allow Him to be their Lord and Shepard.[12]
[1]William Barclay, ed., The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1975), 60.
[2]Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg, Exalting Jesus in John (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), 214–215.
[3]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 329.
[4]Rod Mattoon, Treasures from John, vol. 1, Treasures from Scripture Series (Springfield, IL: Rod Mattoon, 2005), 296–297.
[5]Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 310.
[6]Tom Wright, John for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-10 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 150.
[7]Joseph H. Mayfield, “The Gospel according to John,” in John, Acts, Beacon Bible Commentary (Beacon Hill Press, 1965), Jn 10:9–11.
[8]Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 522.
[9]Charles R. Swindoll, John, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Tyndale House Publishers, 2018), 204–205.
[10]Robert J. Dean, Bible Studies for Life, Spring 2007, Herschel Hobbs Commentary (LifeWay Christian Resources, n.d.), 32–34.
[11]Leadership Ministries Worldwide, The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004), 213.
[12]Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg, Exalting Jesus in John (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), 217–218.
