John - Week 31

Voluntary Sacrifice 

READ 

John 10:17-18 

17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” 

No other person could say what Jesus is saying in this passage. He’s laying down His life so that He may take it again. Think of how arrogant it must have sounded for Him to say no one could take His life when so many were trying even at that time. Others could never say they have the authority to lay down their lives and take them up again. Jesus was truly one-of-a-kind because He was doing what His heavenly Father commanded. 

REFLECT 

Contemplate what a unique Savior you serve. No other religious leader could make these claims and have them come to pass as Jesus did. And this was only possible because He was not only fully human but He was also fully God. 

RESPOND 

The purpose of a discipling ministry such as this is to encourage you to be discipling someone else. Are you doing that? If not, why not? A disciple is a learner and you need to have someone else learning what you are learning. This cannot be done unless you pass it on. 

Divided Opinions 

READ 

John 10:19-21 

19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 

In the 1st century people were divided about who Jesus truly was. Nothing has changed in the 21^st century. There is even an increase in the number of those who want to be known as atheists—believing in no god. The number is even greater of those who consider themselves to be agnostics—believing that you cannot know whether there is or not. But praise the Lord that worldwide the number of Christ-followers is also increasing. 

REFLECT 

Realize that one does not determine truth by a majority vote. Christ-followers are those who believe the Gospels contain eyewitness accounts of those who saw Jesus first hand, and 1 Corinthians 15 tells of more than 500 witnesses who all at one time saw Jesus after His resurrection. Most of the 500 were still living and could be asked when the apostle Paul wrote this. 

RESPOND 

Read chapters 13 and 14 in the book of Numbers as a historical example that truth is not determined by the majority. Had the majority ruled, the Israelites would not have entered the Promised Land. Do you face situations today in which the majority want to lead in a way that would not honor God? 

At Solomon's Colonnade 

READ 

John 10:22-24 

22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 

Jesus was in the temple but not in the holy place or the holy of holies. He entered the human race in the line of Judah not Levi. He was in the temple area where He was permitted to be. There He met people who challenged Him to tell them whether or not He was truly the Messiah. Why did they want to know? On the surface you might think it was so they could worship Him, but the answer of Jesus later reveals that was not the case. 

REFLECT 

As you tell others about Jesus, some may want to know more about Him so they could mock Him. Others may want to know more so they can become right with God and worship Him. You might not know if the one to whom you are talking has the right motives or not. What you can do, however, is to clearly and lovingly present the Gospel so the Holy Spirit can use what you are saying to draw the individual to Jesus. 

RESPOND 

Read again John 3 that records the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus. See especially the emphasis of Jesus that only the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life (see v. 6). Remember this as you witness. Your presentation should clearly present how a person becomes right with God but only the Holy Spirit can convert the individual. The task of the Christ-follower is not to convert but to be a faithful witness. 

The Proof Is in the Work 

READ 

John 10:25-27 

25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” 

Even though the listeners wanted Jesus to clearly declare whether He was the Messiah, He gave the reason for their unbelief. They did not believe because they were not part of the family of God. If they were believers in Christ, they would have known that He was the Messiah just by observing all the things He had been doing. Even the Greek word for “Christ” was from a word meaning “anointed.” He was the anointed one of God the father but their darkened hearts kept them from believing. 

REFLECT 

If you have taught a group, surely you notice that some are responsive to the teaching of the Word of God whereas others are not. If the people do not have a relationship with the Author, what is written will not be meaningful to them.  

RESPOND 

To learn why some are blinded to the Gospel, read 2 Corinthians 4:1-4. You, however, don’t know whom is really blinded so your task is to keep explaining the gospel as clearly as you can. 

Safe in the Father's Hand 

READ 

John 10:28-30 

28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” 

This is a significant passage that tells of the security in Christ every believer has. There is a difference, however, between “security” and “assurance.” Security is what every person has who has trusted in Jesus for salvation. Assurance is what one feels about the relationship with Christ. If one has trusted in Christ for salvation but is dishonoring Him with the use of his tongue or actions, that individual usually does not “feel” saved. 

REFLECT 

Think on the statements Jesus made in this passage. Do they assure you of the security you have in Christ? Do you “feel” secure? If not, search your life to see if there is something that needs to be confessed to the heavenly Father.  

RESPOND 

Read 1 John 1. These 10 verses tell what the believer in the family of God needs to do to get back in fellowship with the heavenly Father and the rest of the family.