The Gospel of John

Pharisees
If you lived in the time of the Pharisees, you were in big trouble if you had a house fire on the Sabbath. Carrying your clothes out of the burning building was strictly against the law. But putting your clothes on before escaping was legal!

The Pharisees were the most influential Jewish leaders while Jesus was on earth. They tried to perfectly uphold the law, and they imposed that expectation on others. Yet as carefully as they defined the law, they went one step too far and made it the epicenter of their faith. Jesus was not impressed with their law - abiding ways; in fact he harshly criticized them for burdening people with unnecessary rules and forgetting how to love others.

Jesus
Jesus was born approximately 5 B.C. in the town of Bethlehem, Israel, to a virgin named Mary, who was descended from King David. Raised in Nazareth by Mary and her husband, Joseph, Jesus lived the ordinary life of a carpenter's son. Those who knew him didn't yet know that he was also God's Son. At age 30, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and tempted by the devil into the desert. He then began healing, teaching and performing miracles throughout Judea. He called people to believe in him as the only way to God.

Guilt
We all know the basis of our justice system: "Innocent until proven guilty." We've also all heard people say, "I feel so guilty!" True guilt is a fact, not a feeling. A person may "feel guilty," but he or she may not have done anything to "feel guilty" about. When an offense is committed, that violation may prompt police sirens, a mother's angry reprimand or just a nagging worry in the back of the mind. Guilt may trigger memories of a dark past or be part of a daunting present. If not dealt with properly, the looming, heavy feeling of guilt can hang on us for a lifetime.

Sin
Sin is a tough three-letter word to get one's brain around. It is a term loaded with lots of distasteful and challenging connotations in our world. Everyone sins, but no on e wants to talk about it. Bluntly put, sin is choosing our own will over God's will.

Remain
We've all seen the small child wiggling to get down from his or her mother's lap or pull away from her protective hand. Just as a mother knows her child needs to remain with her for safety, God knows we are lost unless we stay close beside him.

When Andrew (see Andrew) and a friend first met Jesus Christ, they stayed with him for a day. Later Jesus chose Andrew and eleven others as his disciples, and they spent three years together. Before Jesus went to the cross, he commanded his disciples to remain in him always. Just as they were constantly with him as he traveled throughout Judea, they were to live their lives centered in Christ. Jesus explained this using the picture of a vine and its branches. Like branches, we must be completely connected to the vine, Jesus, for our source of life. When we don't remain in him, we wither, and our lives cannot produce any fruit.

Truth
What is truth? God is truth. Everything he says we can believe. There is no deception, no hypocrisy, no half-truth in God, Our finite minds can't fully comprehend God or understand all his mysteries, but he is everything he says he is: the all-powerful, just, loving Creator of everything that exists. How do we know right from wrong? God alone, because he is truth, provides an accurate standard for ethics and morality. Whatever he does and commands us to do is right. Anything God hates and forbids us to do is wrong.

Sheep
The Bible compares people to sheep and God to a shepherd. Sheep are not know for their intelligence or power. They need a shepherd to protect them. Jesus Christ called himself the Good Shepherd. He promised to care for us, his sheep, and keep us secure from harm. Likewise, in the church, we are to care tenderly for others as an extension of Christ's love.

Life
Do you want to live forever? Jesus Christ says he's the only true way. He says he's the door to a life of abundant blessing. God is the giver of life, and his role as such started with the creation of our ancestors, Adam and Eve. When sin entered the world, we were blocked, not only from having eternal life with God, but also from a meaningful life on this planet. Both can be obtained through God himself.

This is where Jesus enters the picture. He came to give us abundant life. He tells us to give him our cares and stop worrying because worrying doesn't add a single hour to our lives. Jesus also tells us to stop selfishly hoarding our lives; instead, we are to freely give them away by serving him. In a strange paradox, it's only when we lose our lives to him that we gain them back. Jesus reminds us that if we get everything the world has to offer, yet lose our souls, we haven't really lived.

Father
God the Father perfectly cares fur us, giving us all we need -- though we may not agree with him regarding what those needs are. He promises us that we don't have to worry about having enough food or clothes because he knows what we need before we ask. God has also given us every spiritual blessing - something of much more value to our lives than any kind of physical possession.

As children of God, we can expect to be disciplined if we err. And we shouldn't be discouraged when this happens because discipline shows that God loves us. Just as good parents teach their children not to do things that will hurt them, so our Father in heaven teaches us what is best for us.

Jews
A yellow star stitched on a jacket declares a person's Jewish identity in Germany during World War II. It was not the fist time that being a Jew carried a death sentence, nor was it the first time that the Jews emerged victorious from a plot for their worldwide extermination.

Jews are the physical descendants of Abraham through his grandson Jacob, the father of the Israelites. The label "Jew" came into use after the Babylonian captivity. The stories of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther highlight God's protection of the people in the midst of great danger and opposition.

Possessed
Demons are a reality though we don't readily discuss them in this scientific age. Demons are able to torment and afflict people. Such attacks are sometimes called "possession."

However, demons only have power in the lives of those who are not close to Christ. Our Lord is more powerful than demonic forces; in fact, they are afraid of him. By belonging to Jesus Christ, we have the upper hand, for he has given us the power to exorcizes demons by using the name of Jesus Christ.

Temple
After Jesus' death and resurrection, god no longer dwelt in a building made by human hands, but in the believing human heart. Because the Holy Spirit lives in each believer our very own bodies are his temples. Today a church building is not the temple, but it is where many "temples" of the Holy Spirit gather to worship God weekly.

Keep
Keep watch. Keep control. Keep the faith. Will these things be lost if we don't maintain them? Basically, yes. For instance, God keeps watch over us no matter where we are or what we are doing. He cares for us and faithfully protects us so that we are not lost to danger or to evil.

Believe
Beliefs dictate who we are and how we live our lives. To believe in something is to have faith in it. Though it may seem feeble to accept something on faith rather than fact, we all believe many things on different levels without being experts through experience or knowledge. A Christian's life is a demonstration of grounded belief in action.

Merely "believing" in God does not make someone a Christian any more than believing in exercise keeps one in shape; a person must actually exercise to stay in shape. Demons "believe" in God (James 2:19). They know he exists, but they don't choose to follow him. Believing that Jesus Christ is your Savior means believing that Jesus' death pays the penalty for your sin. As a result of this belief you repent-you turn away from your sin-and obey Jesus Christ.

Disciples
Does disciple sound uncomfortably like "discipline"? It is. A disciple is a person who adheres to the teaching of another - not just believing a certain philosophy, but also applying it to his or her life.

In the Bible, the word "disciple" can apply to followers of John the Baptist, students of the Pharisees or the broader circle of people who believed Jesus' teachings. But it most often refers to the twelve disciples whom Jesus asked to follow him. They lived with him night and day and learned from his teaching and lifestyle. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus' followers were not perfect, but they knew enough to recognize that leaving everything they had in order to follow Jesus was worth the price.

Eye
If someone says, "I'm keeping an eye on you," it might imply suspicion or displeasure. But when God says his eye is on us, he's promising to watch over us with tenderness and care. He sees our every need and provides for us in ways we may not even be aware of. The Lord also gives spiritual insight, opening our eyes to see things we previously couldn't imagine or didn't know were there. On the other hand, Satan and sin blind us to spiritual truth.

Miracle
Unexplainable healing, the dead raised to life, the sun standing still, strange encounters with supernatural beings, wonders in the sky and other unsolved mysteries - are events like these miracles, coincidences or merely hoaxes? Miracles are occurrences in the physical world that have no natural explanation. Their cause is either still unknown to science or ascribed to the powers of the supernatural. The Bible is filled with stories of miracles performed by God through human beings. God used people to accomplish his purposes (such as parting the Red Sea to bring the Israelites out of Egypt), demonstrate his character (such as sending Jonah to the Ninevites by way of a great fish) and help people believe in him (such as the disciples' ability to heal the sick).

But the greatest miracle worker was Jesus. He said to his disciples, " Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves" (John 14:11).

Salvation
Some people call for God to save them only when they are desperate and in immediate danger. In the Old Testament, when God's people called out to him for salvation, they were looking for deliverance from their enemies. We may not have and army on our doorstep, but we're all in immediate danger from the effects and consequences of sin (see Sin). We can't save ourselves from this-we need a rescue operation. Thankfully, God executed the resource operation for salvation. He sent his Son to save the world by paying the penalty for sin and bringing us back to God. Salvation is all God's work, but we must grab hold of his lifeline, Jesus Christ.

Sound
When Mary's voice reached Elizabeth's ears, she and her unborn baby rejoiced because the mother of their Lord had arrived. In Biblical times, sounding a trumpet blast could signify war or a great celebration. When the last trumpet sounds, the fulfillment of prophecies concerning the return of Christ and the end of the world are imminent.

The word sound is also used in the Bible to refer to something healthy or without flaw. For example, just as having a healthy, or sound, frame of mind is key to writing a valid will, likewise, having a sound understanding of what the Bible truly teaches helps us identify when someone is not teaching the truth (see Truth). A correct knowledge of the truth guides our hearts and minds in discerning the subtle, but critical, differences between truth and falsehood.

Gate
The awe-inspiring Saint Peter's Basilica rests on the legendary site of the apostle Peter's martyrdom. Inside this cathedral is the Holy Door, which is opened every 25 years during the Year of Jubilee. Its opening signifies a time to forgive sin.

Call
What is "the call"? Some people wonder if God calls them to be missionaries or pastors. One thing is for sure: God calls us to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus once compared the kingdom of heaven to a man who invited many guests to a great banquet. Some of the guests ignored the invitation; they had more important things to do. No matter what family you come from or what occupation you hold, God calls you to know, love and follow his Son. It's an invitation you don't want to refuse.

Leadership
The game "Follow the Leader" teaches children to watch and comprehend directions through imitation. It's a game of faith, for the children trust that the "leader" won't make them do anything dangerous.

God's children follow leaders too-spiritual leaders. And poor Christian leadership can result in others going astray. It is because of this responsibility that Christian leaders will be subject to a harsher judgment from God than will Christians who are not leaders.

Run
The German movie Run, Lola, Run depicts the fast-paced efforts of Lola, who has 20 minutes to cross Berlin and raise DM 100,000 before the mob snuffs out her boyfriend. Its is with similar intensity and determination that we are to live the Christian life. In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul compares Christians to runners to illustrate the discipline necessary for both lifestyles.

Steal
Robin Hood, the renegade outlaw of English ballads, is lauded for robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. It seems like a fair turnabout, yet God tells us quite sternly that stealing-no matter what the reason is a work of the devil. Instead of stealing, God calls his people to work diligently, and he promises to supply their every need. Those who are stealing must immediately stop doing so.

Command
Americans don't like taking orders-they mess with our self-reliance and pursuit of happiness. Christians, however are called to live differently from the "norm." We are called to follow God's commands. And as we do so, God helps us discover the happiness we have longed for.

Alien
Though the Bible talks about aliens, even commanding kindness toward them, the world doesn't imply creatures from other planets. An alien is anyone who is a stranger to your town or country.

Angel
Sorry to squelch your superhero dreams, but you will not morph into "Angel Man" upon your death. As appealing as it might seem to us, humans do not become angels when they die.

God specifically created angels to be his assistants. Their job description includes: worshiping God; relaying messages to people; protecting people; administering encouragement, guidance and punishment to people (on an as-needed basis); and fighting the true forces of evil.

Dedicate
To dedicate or devote something is to give completely, without holding back. Christians give their time, energy, possessions-their lives-completely to God in their desire to show him that he means more to them than anything else in this world. When we dedicate something to God, we are not to ask him to return it.

Forsake
A baby is found in a dumpster behind a building, left by a desperate mother who couldn't care for him. Viewers of the evening news wonder, "What would induce a parent to abandon a helpless child like that?" As difficult as this is to imagine, God says it is even more inconceivable that he would forsake us. In fact, he promises never to leave those who trust in him for salvation. God even turned his back on his own Son as Jesus was dying on the cross so that he would never have to abandon us when we are in need.

Listen
Biblical listening is done more with our hearts and wills than with our ears: As soon as we understand God's Word, we are to obey it. Jesus Christ said that those who hear and obey God's word will be blessed (see Luke 11:28). We see a good model of listening in Psalm 119. The writer earnestly sought understanding so that he could obey (see Psalm 119:34). Though God usually speaks to us through inaudible means-we read the Bible to understand him-he truly does listen to us. When we pray, he hears both our words and the emotions and needs behind them.

Refuge
What would you think if you saw a group of people running for shelter on a quiet, peaceful, sunny day? You would think they were crazy-or that they knew something you didn't. People don't run for shelter without cause. There must be something threatening them.

Solomon
Call him the Bill Gates of the tenth century B.C. King Solomon was the wealthiest man in the world. But he didn't get there on his own. Early in his reign, God said to him in a dream, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" (1 Kings 3:5). The young king asked for wisdom to rule Israel. Since Solomon had chosen well, God said he would also give him wealth and, if he kept God's commands, long life.

Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Israel's capital, is first mentioned in Abraham's time; it was then called Salem. From that time forward, it has played a large role in Biblical history. David conquered the city and established royal rule there. His son Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, making the city the nation's civic and religious capital. After a long siege, Babylon's King, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city in 588 B.C. In 536 B.C. the Jews started to rebuild the city. During Jesus Christ's time on earth, Jerusalem was under Roman control. Jesus was crucified there. The Holy Spirit later came to believers in Jerusalem.

40. Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

41. Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

CHAPTER TEN

The shepherd and his flock

1. “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6. Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7. Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – 15. just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. 18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

19. At these words the Jews were again divided.
20. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

21. But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. How can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

The unbelief of the Jews

22. Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23. And Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25. Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,

26. But you do not believe because you do not belong to my flock. 27. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Topic: Knowing God's Will
John 10:27

The Good Shepherd's voice

Shepherds in Biblical times spent countless hours with their sheep and often named them as they would their pets. To protect them, they would guide them into a large communal sheep pen each night. Then in the morning, the shepherds would return and call to their sheep. Many voices would call out, but each sheep responded to just one. The sheep knew the voice of their shepherd and followed that voice alone.

These sheep came to know the distinctive voice by following the shepherd closely, and that is how it is with Jesus. When we follow him day by day, we clearly recognize his voice. Many voices may call to us, but we'll respond to just one - the voice of our Good Shepherd, Jesus.

If you want to evaluate a voice you've heard, use this simple test: Does it exalt Jesus as Lord? Does it affirm the truth of Scripture? Does it lead to a growing freedom and maturity in Christ? If it does, keep listening - for God is speaking.

FAITH BUILDERS:
Mark 6:34; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25

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THE STARTING POINT STUDY BIBILE New International Version
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