At Oasis Church, we believe that the Bible is truth and needs to be
read and obeyed… and that all people following Jesus will do this!
It's part of God's plan to transform us and make us more and more like
Jesus.

With this is mind, the challenge was issued… read
through the Book of John, a chapter a day, for the next three weeks. I
will be sharing a couple of verses and thoughts that jumped out to me
each day… here we go!

John 10:1- 5 1 "I
tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold,
rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The
gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice
and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.5 They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice."

• there is to be familiar,
  relational aspect to following Jesus… so much so that we are able
  to recognize and respond when Jesus talks to us!

• We also see that there are many
  voices, distractions talking and trying to get our attention… but
  we are not to follow them!

• Is our life a picture of following
  His voice, Jesus – the Good Shepherd?

• We recognize Jesus by spending
  time with Him, connecting in prayer and listening through His Word
  and by shutting up and being still!

• As a dad, there is also a
  challenge to lead our families in the same way… familiar and
  relational. Requires me to actively be there and involved in my
  boy's lives…

• If they don't know my voice, they
  will follow a stranger's… not good!

  11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.12 A
hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the
sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And
so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.

• Jesus is the Good Shepherd… not
  only in words but in action!

• He gave His life in our
  place…we, because of our sin, were rightly and deservedly in the
  bullseye of God's wrath… and He stepped in front of us and paid
  the price!

• He didn't get paid to do it…He
  responded in love to His Father and for the sheep…wow!

• Do you believe? Have you accepted
  God's grace and mercy and forgiveness extended to us by Jesus?

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.16 I
have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring
them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock
with one shepherd.

• He gives again His credentials as
  a Good Shepherd… sacrifice of His life

• the other sheep not in the
  sheepfold? That's any of us who are not Jewish, of the nation of
  Israel!

• He has united us outsiders and
  those who have been the chosen nation of God since Genesis into one
  flock and together, we have one Shepherd… amazing!

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."
  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.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.

• People: tell us if you're the
  one… Jesus: I already told you!! Listen! Look at the proof!

• If we are following Him, we are
  hearing His voice… is this true for you?

• God does the work of salvation…
  and what He decides can't be undone!