Timeless Truths - Don't Listen to The Stranger

“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. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 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. 

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 

Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, 

“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:1-10

The thief mentioned in v10a is Satan. He delights in human misery.

Jesus came to offer more than eternal life.

His purpose is that OUR LIFE matches the Greek word used in this passage: VITALITY and ENERGY. It's not describing physical life.

Jesus wants us to have VITALITY and ENERGY so that whatever life brings, it's good.

"full life" in this passage means ABUNDANT, BEYOND FULL, kind of BUBBLING OVER.

God's life in you is actually dripping off on to those around you.

Without this "full life," we are a drain on others!

This life is what sanctification is all about!

Verses 1-3a

Keys to the Abundant Life

• Listen. Don't just hear. Act on what you hear.
• Listen. Hearing the voice of Jesus daily is the quickest way to be filled to abundance.
• Listen. We need to climb into the sheepfold and wait to hear Jesus' voice.

Verse 3b

God's instruction is customized

• He knows each of us by name. 
• Even when you are part of the crowd for a sermon, Jesus' can transform those words to a customized message for each listener.

Verse 4

We must follow

• You can't just "hang out with the sheep in the pen.
• Church is always safe when the message is "for them, not me."
• You must know that voice of Jesus as the one to follow.

Verse 5

Listening to the Stranger means you're not following Jesus' voice.

• True sheep never follow a stranger.
• True sheep run from strangers.
• True sheep keep following the Shepherd, no matter what.

If John 10:10 does not describe you, you've been listening to the Stranger.

Your salvation may not be lost, but the VITALITY and ENERGY is gone.

You are miserable.

Don't listen to a voice you don't recognize. 

Visiting with the Stranger is when the "Thief" steals the VITALITY and ENERGY from your Christianity

Special thanks to Rev. Don Minter of FlagNaz Community Church for the primary teachings used in this post.

The next Timeless Truths: Boxing God In 

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