Believe the Works of Jesus

Jesus Christ had just finished teaching about himself being the door of the sheep, and how his sheep know his voice, and they listen to him, and they follow him in obedience. And he warned against thieves and robbers and strangers, in a spiritual sense, who were robbing the people of the truth of God’s word and who were lying to the people. And he taught on how his true sheep will not follow strangers, i.e. those who are not teaching the truth, because they do not know the voice of strangers, for they are discerning.

And then he talked about how the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but that he came that the people, his sheep, may have life abundantly. And, again, he was talking of how they lie to the people and so they rob the people of the truth, and since it is the truth that brings people to genuine salvation, those who follow their lies end up in hell, and not in heaven. So, obviously that destroys their lives, both now and for eternity, because they are not genuinely saved from their sins.

He also talked about hired hands who get paid to lead the sheep but who are not the shepherd of the sheep, for they do not own the sheep, so when they see the wolf coming, they leave the sheep and flee, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. These hired hands flee because they care nothing for the sheep. And, again, he is speaking of false shepherds of the people, evidently who are just in it for the money or for what they can get out of it, but they will not protect the sheep spiritually, and so wolves get them.

And then the Jews asked him to tell them plainly if he was the Christ, and he answered them by telling them that he had told them, but they did not believe because they were not among his true sheep, i.e. his true followers. And then he told them plainly what it meant to be one of his true sheep (followers). His sheep listen to him, not just with their ears but with their hearts, and so they heed his words. They obey him, and they follow him wherever he leads them, and so they have eternal life in him.

John 10:31-33,37-39 ESV

“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.’” 

“’If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.”

Now, this did not set well with the Jews who were opposing Jesus, and so they picked up stones to stone him. And so Jesus questioned them as to what good works he did that they would now stone him for. Well, the Jews believed that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy because he made himself out to be God, which, in truth he was and is, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But they would not believe that he was who he said he was, and that is why they wanted to kill him.

So then Jesus challenged them to judge him by his works, even if they did not believe his words, for his works alone gave evidence as to who he really was and is, the only begotten Son of God, who is God. But still they would not listen to him, and they would not believe him, and they would not follow him, because they were not his true sheep. And so they again sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands, for his time had not yet come. But a day did come when they did put him to death on a cross.

But it was God’s will that Jesus Christ should suffer and die for our sins. For he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross that we might become the righteousness of God, i.e. that we might die to sin and live to his righteousness in his power and strength. And he died that we would now live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of living in sin so that we will now honor God with our bodies (with our lives).

So, believe him. Do what he says to do. Listen to him, and then follow him in obedience. Surrender your lives to him. Submit to his Lordship over your lives. Leave your lives of sin behind you and now live for him. Walk in holiness and in righteousness. Be conformed to his ways and no longer to the ways of this sinful world. And you will have eternal life in him, and you will never perish, and no one will be able to snatch you from His hands. But if you keep on in your sins, you will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263