John: Chapter 10

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

September 2, 2021

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In our previous two messages, we have shared some gleanings from John, Chapters 8 and 9. It seemed good to continue this series. The tenth chapter of the Gospel according to John naturally falls into three sections: (1) In Verses 1-6, Jesus sets forth a parable; (2) in Verses 7-21, Jesus partially expands on the meaning of the parable; and (3) in Verses 22-42, after another discourse between Jesus and the Jews, there was a separation in that some Jews believed in Jesus and others tried to arrest Him. This chapter marks the final teaching session of Jesus recorded in the Gospel according to John. 

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To Him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Jesus calls His own sheep by name. Abraham, Abraham in Genesis 22:11. What would have happened if Abraham had not heard the voice of the Lord? Isaac would have died. Moses, Moses in Exodus 3:4, when the Lord spoke to Moses in the burning bush to get his attention. If Moses had not heard the voice of the Lord, would the Lord have used another deliverer to lead God's people out of Egypt? Samuel, Samuel in 1 Samuel 3. Although Eli, in six years, had undoubtedly taught Samuel many things, the only thing recorded in the Bible is that Eli helped Samuel hear the voice of the Lord for himself. Samuel then became one of the greatest Old Testament prophets and the Lord did not let one word from Samuel's mouth drop to the ground.

Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? as recorded in Acts 9:4. This example is truly amazing in that the very man who was intent on capturing and even killing Christians could hear the voice of the Lord ... and he did not even know who was speaking to him. In summary, the Lord Jesus, the only good Shepherd, calls all of His sheep by name. Do we hear His voice?


4 And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them.

Verses 3, 4, and 5 are extremely important for all believers. We must be able to distinguish, to discern, the voice of the Lord in contrast to the voice of strangers. I have believed for 50 years that perhaps the most important function of any one in a leadership position in the church is to help other believers to hear the voice of the Lord for themselves. But each sheep also has an important responsibility. We can say it many different ways. We must have our senses exercised to discern between good and evil on the one hand and the word of God on the other hand. I believe that is not possible unless we understand and walk in the real meaning of repentance, have a real sense of brokenness, and walk in humility.

Romans 2:13, "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

We Christians today have heard and heard and heard, but we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Christianity, of course, is not a religion but a warm, personal relationship between Christ and His sheep. Of all the figures used in the Bible to designate Christ and His followers the best and most common is the shepherd and the sheep. Historically, there seems to be quite a contrast between the eastern and the western shepherds. The western sheepherders are commercially oriented and only interested in the money they can make in their jobs. They do not know their sheep by name. They do not know their sheep. They use dogs to corral the sheep. Not so with eastern shepherds. The eastern shepherds name all the sheep. Jesus, our chief Shepherd gives us that example to live by.

Our resting place is not based on what we believe but on who we believe. Religion without the Person is only a chain around the neck. Paul told Timothy and us, in 2 Timothy 1:12, 

"... for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

Today, too many Christians know what we believe but do not know Who we believe. We know what He has done for us and we know lots of things about Him. The great apostle Paul, after 30 years of ministry, said, in Philippians 3:10, 

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;" 

We want to know the power of His resurrection; we agree mentally that we want to know Him; but who wants to know the fellowship of His sufferings? unfortunately not too many. We all conform to a stated doctrine and gravitate to a group of people we believe to be compatible with us. That is called "inbreeding." We become isolated and insulated. We believe that if we just hang on long enough, somehow we will become mature. If we ever have a convert, we make him like us. We love to hear or tell some new thing. We like to hear our pastor explain what some set of scriptures mean. Birds of a feather flock together. Perhaps the first example in the Bible when men tried to be "together" is in Genesis 11:1-9, when men set out to build a tower that would reach unto heaven (man's attempt to reach God). That was the origin of Babylon. Scripture warns us twice to, "Come out of her, My people."

We need exercise as well as food. The Lord leads His sheep out. The Lord leads us forth that we might get experience in the wilderness. Why? so that hopefully we will learn to trust Him and not a man, no matter how godly that man might be. Enemies are out there, but He goes before us to prepare our way. What happens tomorrow? We should not desire to know. It is more than sufficient for us to trust God.

Jesus told us to go ye into all the world, but even the early disciples settled down until the Lord sovereignly brought persecution. He leads His sheep. That tie between our great Shepherd and His sheep is closer than a husband and wife; closer than a mother and her child.

We give performances. Pastors advertise, "Rev. John Doe will be here next Sunday ... come and be blessed." However, there can be no spotlight on people. In contrast, is the Lord Jesus in your gatherings every Sunday? If so, then He will manifest His glory and many, if not all, will be changed. 

1 Corinthians 1:12-13, "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"

Religious groups and carnal Christians gather to a man. Be still and know that I am God. There is just as much truth and power in the still, small voice of God as in the strong wind, fire, or earthquake.

The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain approximately 40 parables. The first five verses of John, Chapter 10, contain the only parable so named in the Gospel of John. Those five verses speak of seven entities: the door, the sheepfold, the true shepherd, the false shepherd, the porter, the sheep, and the stranger. The door, as scripture says in Verse 7, is Jesus. In order to understand the "sheepfold" we must understand the difference between a "fold" and the "flock." A "fold" is basically a natural enclosure or entity; it confines and restricts sheep (people). A "flock" speaks of a spiritual entity. Unlike sheep in a fold (national Israel), sheep in a flock are not unified by things that are external and tangible. They are kept together by something internal and organic. In those days, there were many shepherds, each with their own sheep, but all the sheep were mixed together within the one fold. Each sheep hears his own shepherd's voice and follows Him. As the sheep jointly follow the good Shepherd, they are constituted as a flock. The sheepfold speaks not of heaven and not of the kingdom of God, but about all of human nature. More specifically, in this context the sheepfold speaks of Judaism or the religion of Judah. In Luke 12:32, Jesus says, 

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

In those days, a sheepfold was a court surrounded by 10-feet high walls but open to the sky, and with only one entrance ... one way in and one way out. The walls kept the sheep from wandering and protected them from some wild animals. The true shepherd is Jesus; the false shepherd is the devil, who is a thief and a robber. The thief's only interest is in himself; Christ's interest is in His sheep, whom He enables to have life and that more abundantly. The porter is John the Baptist, who pointed only to Jesus. The sheep are those who have been born again; and the strangers are the goats ... those who are aliens. The sheep recognize the voice of their own shepherd and respond only unto Him. The shepherd does not call His sheep randomly, but only those that belong to him. From Verse 4, the true Shepherd goes before His sheep; He does not drive them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice. The door is the one and only way into salvation. Inside the good Shepherd's flock there is safety, and whosoever enters in by the door is able to find pasture; i.e., the supply of all of his needs.

Ezekiel 34 exhorts us to discern the difference between the good Shepherd and all of the false shepherds. Today, we see a repeat of Ezekiel 34, with far too many shepherds of spiritual Israel who are hirelings. 

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.

31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

God Himself is called the "shepherd of Israel" in at least four places in scripture, such as Psalm 80, Verse 1, and particularly in Psalm 23. I am sure that a number of different believers have written complete books about Psalm 23.

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Because our view of Christ is often way too small ... too human, we feel unwilling to allow Him to have authority or control, much less outright ownership of our life. If the Lord is my Shepherd, a lump of common clay is linked to divine destiny. It means a mere mortal becomes the cherished object of Divine foreknowledge and predestination. 

"What is man that thou art mindful of Him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?" (Psalm 8:4)

It is only because the Lord is our shepherd that we shall not want. 

Matthew 6:25-34,

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Every true Christian will no doubt agree with those verses but then go about to make more money in order to live a "better life" and save as much as possible for retirement. Along our journey we have insurance on everything, "just in case" the Lord does not provide for us.

To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me immediately gives great purpose and meaning to my short sojourn on this earth. It is staggering to think that Christ, the Creator of such an enormous universe, delights to call Himself my Shepherd and invites me to consider myself His sheep. Is there anyone else who could care for me any better? We belong to Him simply because He created us. In addition, we have been bought with a price. We are not really our own.

It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own, and delights to care for us. Many people who really have never come under His direction or management claim that "The Lord is my Shepherd." But do we really belong to Him? Do we really recognize His right to us? Do we sense a purpose, a rest, a deep contentment because we are under His direction? If so, then we can exclaim in truth, just like David did, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Paul said, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11). Note that Paul said that he had learned to be content. That does not come naturally.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He leadeth me. We are wise to let Him lead me because He knows perfectly our needs and He knows where our green pastures are located. Still waters speak of the gentle nature of Christ. Turbulent waters or floods speak of the judgment of God. 


3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The true Shepherd takes responsibility. The Lord says that we are with Him, forever, provided that we do not willfully deny Him. I do not believe that any other contract lasts forever. A marriage contract should last "until death do us part," but there are no human marriages in heaven. The same is true for a judge on the Supreme Court or a contract to buy a house. Only God can say forever. The Lord puts forever (eternity) into our hearts. Everything else focuses on time. Unfortunately, far too many believers are still "time" oriented.

Back to John, Chapter 10, where Jesus starts to reveal who are some of the seven characters in the parable. 

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

1 Peter 5:1-4. 

1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Hebrews 13:20-21.

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Back to Verse 12 of John, Chapter 10. 

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

As we shared earlier, the KJV translates incorrectly the phrase "there shall be one fold." It should read "there shall be one flock."

 

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye Him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of Him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

The last scriptural record of the time of year is the Feast of Tabernacles (from John, Chapter 7). Therefore, the events in these verses were three months later.

Prior to the year 165 BC, the Jewish people in Judea were living under the rule of the Greek kings of Damascus. During this time King Antiochus Epiphanes, the Greco-Syrian king, took control of the Temple in Jerusalem and forced the Jewish people to abandon their worship of God, their holy customs, and reading of the Torah. He made the Jews bow down to the Greek gods.

According to ancient records, King Antiochus IV (who was sometimes called "The Madman") defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and spilling its blood on the holy scrolls of Scripture.

As a result of severe persecution and pagan oppression, a group of four Jewish brothers led by Judah Maccabee decided to raise up an army of religious freedom fighters. These men of fierce faith and loyalty to God became known as the Maccabees. The small band of warriors fought for three years with "strength from heaven" until achieving a miraculous victory and deliverance from Greco-Syrian control.

After regaining the Temple, it was cleansed by the Maccabees, cleared of all Greek idolatry, and readied for rededication. The rededication of the Temple to the Lord took place in the year 165 BC, on the 25th day of the Hebrew month called Kislev. Hanukkah is called the Feast of Dedication because it celebrates the Maccabees' victory over Greek oppression and the rededication of the Temple. But Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights, and this is because immediately following the miraculous deliverance, God provided another miracle of provision.

In the Temple, the eternal flame of God was to stay lit at all times as a symbol of God's presence. But according to tradition, when the Temple was rededicated, there was only enough oil left to burn the flame for one day. The rest of the oil had been defiled by the Greeks during their invasion, and it would take a week for new oil to be processed and purified. However, at the rededication, the Maccabees went ahead and set fire to the eternal flame with the remaining supply of oil. Miraculously, God's Holy presence caused the flame to burn for eight days until the new sacred oil was ready for use. This miracle of the long-lasting oil explains why the Hanukkah Menorah is lit for eight consecutive nights of celebration. As a Jew, Jesus most certainly would have participated in the Feast of Dedication.

The same courageous spirit of the Maccabees who remained faithful to God during intense persecution was passed on to Jesus' disciples, who would all face severe trials because of their faithfulness to Christ. And like the supernatural presence of God expressed through the eternal flame burning for the Maccabees, Jesus became the incarnate, physical expression of God's presence, the Light of the World, who came to dwell among us and give us the eternal light of God's life.

Back to Verse 23 of John, Chapter 10. 

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in Him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take Him: but He escaped out of their hand,

40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there He abode.

41 And many resorted unto Him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 And many believed on Him there.

There was a separation in that some Jews believed in Jesus and others tried to arrest Him. Jesus said, in 

Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." 

A sword separates or divides ... separates the sheep from the goats.

Revelation 14:1-5. 

1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

The firstfruits unto God are the overcomers over all of time. The rest of the body of Christ goes through great tribulation in order to be perfected (Revelation 7).

5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

May we all follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes. Amen.