John 10:22-42 A true Christian will persevere (will keep walking with Jesus)

Can a Christian lose their salvation?

Jesus makes it very clear that if you are one of His sheep (if you are a Christian) you can never be lost!

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."

The question that then arises is, what about those who have followed Jesus but have fallen away?

The answer to this is that some who profess to be Christians were never true Christians, and others are going through a rebellious phase but will return to Christ in time.

A couple of helpful parables on this:

• The Parable of the Sower – Read Matthew 13:1–9, 18-23. Here Jesus explains that some will appear to be Christians but will fall away. Read 1 John 2:19 which is very clear that some will give the appearance of being a Christian, but lack of perseverance is evidence that they never were. 

• The Parable of the Prodigal Son – Read Luke 15:11–32. For a while the son looks like He's completely rejected his father and family; but he comes back to his father in the end!

The wonderful news for all who are Christians, as Jesus has promised,

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand".

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Going deeper – Personal daily study notes on 10:22-42

Monday: read John10:22-25

The Jewish leaders are pursuing Jesus, wanting Him to admit that He is the Son of God and Messiah so that they can arrest Him for blasphemy.

Through what means does Jesus claim to have clearly revealed His identity? How would you explain to a friend the reasons why you believe and follow Jesus?

Tuesday: read John 10:26-27

What reason does Jesus give for their refusal to believe?

What is the proof that someone is Jesus’ sheep?

‘Follow me’ is in the present tense and speaks of a lifestyle of following.

Wednesday: read John 10:28 and John 5:24

Our eternal life is not dependent upon us holding onto God! Rather, God is holding onto us! Jesus is giving us assurance of salvation; we will never fall into judgement.

Meditate and thank God out of John 5:24.

Thursday: read John 10:29

The shepherd is so powerful that His sheep need never fear being lost; the Father is greater than all, and particularly in regard to anything that may harm His sheep.

Friday: read John 10:30 and Romans 8:31-34

The Father and Son are one! This is a reference to the deity of Jesus, but it is also a unity in their purpose to save and protect the sheep.

Read Romans 8:31-34 and spend some time meditating of and thanking God for His unbreakable grace on your life.

Saturday: read John 10:31-42

In Jesus’ defense in verses 34-39, He does not back away from His claim to equality with God; rather, He cleverly side steps their attack by referring to Psalm 82 where wicked rulers are referred to as ‘gods’; this is a cynical title given to these ruler as they behave like they are above God and can behave without reference to God. In effect Jesus is saying,

“If the our bible calls these wicked men ‘gods’ how much more do I have the right, as God’s righteous Son, to claim to be equal with God!”

Many in our day are ‘gods’ in the Psalm 82 sense! They feel that they can re-write the bible to fit their preferences and to better fit with popular views.

Jesus is God along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Let’s make a fresh commitment to honour His word, being sheep that listen to His voice.

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John 10:1-21 Knowing God's great value over us will change everything

John 10:1-21 can be  broken into three parts:

i) 10:7-1-6 – A parable/allegory about shepherding.

ii) 10:7-18 – Jesus applies the picture to Himself and the false shepherds.

iii) 10:19-21 – Two responses: rejection and questioning faith

Jesus uses an allegory/parable to teach in order make the contrast between Himself as the ‘good shepherd’ (who will ultimately die to save His sheep) juxtaposed to these religious teachers who are not! (They are ‘thieves and robbers’; their terrible treatment of the man born blind in the previous chapter has illustrated this.)

Using imagery around shepherding would have spoken clearly and powerfully to the culture of Jesus’ day, but this does not mean that they ‘got it’!

John labels this as a ‘Figure of speech’ – which, although being a simple story, required some investigation and reflection. Only those who ‘have ears to hear’ will listen and hear. Jesus chooses his use of language carefully; He is easily understood on the human level but there is deeper understanding; those who are His sheep will look for and respond to Jesus’ deeper message.

Surface level understanding	Jesus’ deeper message that His ‘sheep’ understand
The shepherd rules over the sheep	Jesus is Lord and my Lord
The shepherd protects the sheep	Jesus is my protector
The sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice	I obey Jesus my shepherd
The shepherd lays his life down for the sheep	Jesus has died for my salvation
A Shepherd provides a place of protection that only His sheep can or will enter	Jesus is my, and is the only ‘door’, to salvation

One of the points that comes out of this is the immense value that He places on his 'sheep'- Christians. This love is ultimately shown as the shepherd will lay His life down for us, for our sin, on the cross. Christians are to live everyday knowing that God prizes them and cares for them. Like David who protected the sheep from the lion and the bear (see 1 Samuel 17:34-37).

‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,  I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.'

God is defending us every day. Let this truth fill us with joy and confidence each day. 

A great way to apply this message is to spend some time meditating on Psalm 23

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THE GOOD SHEPHERD VALUES US

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Going deeper – Personal daily study notes on John 10:1-21

Monday: read John 10:1-2

There are ‘thieves and robbers’ – false teachers and deceivers – in the kingdom; there are wolves in sheep’s clothing & wolves in shepherd’s clothing! These people are self-serving even though they may be very appealing.

The ‘gate’ is Jesus. True shepherds enter by Jesus; they are faithful to teach on the uniqueness of Jesus and salvation that is only found in Him.

Tuesday: read John 10:3-5

Eastern shepherds had an individual call for each of the sheep. For a sheep to leave the sheep pen without the shepherd’s voice would have been dangerous; His voice is protective.  

Have we listened, have we become Christians? Are we listening, responding to His voice each day?

One cannot listen to two voices; following Jesus involves a rejection of all other voices. We only obey Jesus!

Wednesday: read John 10:6-10

Jesus is marking out these religious teachers as ‘thieves a robbers’ – self-centred leaders.

Jesus is both the good shepherd and the gate through which all shepherds and sheep enter into salvation and a restored relationship with God the Father.  Such a person finds security and grace for life. They have ‘living water’ they have the ‘bread of heaven’- all the good things of being in Christ.

Read and meditate on Psalm 23.

Thursday: read John 10:11-15

Jesus is not primarily setting Himself up as a great example of what good shepherds (church leaders, politicians etc.) are to be like; rather, we are being taught about how He is the unique good shepherd whose death will save the sheep and whose devotion will finish the work He begins.

Friday: read John 10:16

What does this verse say about Jesus’ mission? Spend some time praying that God would lead you to His ‘lost sheep’.

Saturday: read John 10:17-21, Isaiah 53:6 and Acts 4:27-29

Jesus announces His predestined death and resurrection for the sheep and how this is the Father’s will (Isaiah 53:6).

Jesus chose to die; His life was not taken. He is not a martyr; He is a sacrifice and saviour!

Read Acts 4:27-29, what does this say about God’s rule (sovereignty)?

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