Distinguishing the Good Shepard from the Thief

John 10:1-6 ““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.”

What does this passage show us about Jesus?

What does it show us about Jesus?

What does it look like in our own life for the thief to climb in a different way?

John 10: 7-11 “So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

What is the primary characteristic of the Good Shepard?

What does abundant life look like? And, how is that different from what the world expects?

John 10:12–16 ESV

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Why don’t some shepherds stick with the flock?

What do you think Jesus’ tone was like when he spoke verse 16?

Monologue

The devil has one of two objectives with any given person.

#1- Get them to reject Christ and live in absolute rebellion of the Gospel

#2- Get a believe to stray off the narrow path and just become complacent

Example of Operation Fortitude

He wants to make everything look exactly the same while covering up the 5-10% that makes all the different

Final Overview:

What are some ways that the enemy tries to subtly get us off track?

Complacency

Pride= Self Sufficiency

False Teaching

Blindspots

How do we distinguish the Shepard from the Thief?

#1- God’s Word/Authoity

#2- Living by the Spirit/ Hearing His Voice

#3- Living in Community with people who can lovingly expose blind spots

#4- Going out and bringing lost sheep home