John 10
Devotional by JJ Goldman
Read John 10
John 10
I Am the Good Shepherd
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
I and the Father Are One
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
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.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of 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.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Devotional
John’s vivid, instructive word pictures leap from the pages of Scripture straight into our hearts. In this passage, Jesus is revealed as the perfect Shepherd, whose tender care stands in stark contrast to the shepherds of John’s day—and even our own. Jesus proved His love through His willingness to sacrifice everything for our well-being.
Our Shepherd knows us by name, and we must learn to recognize His voice amidst the noise of the world. Refusing to follow other voices, we place our trust in Him to lead us into abundance and safety. He fears no enemy and will never abandon us, always prioritizing our welfare above His own.
Jesus reserved His harshest criticism for unfaithful shepherds—leaders driven by selfish ambition, personal weakness, or neglect of those in their flock. In contrast, the Good Shepherd’s unwavering devotion and sacrificial love guide us to follow Him alone.
John’s picture of the “door of the sheepfold” unsettles many who believe there is more than one door, but Jesus declares Himself to be the one true door. His fold is secure, and any intruder seeking to harm His sheep must first face the Shepherd who laid down His life for our eternal freedom and protection.
Does Jesus know your name? Do you follow when He calls? Have you discovered that abundance and protection are only found in Him?
I am very content and comfortable to be one of His sheep! He will keep His promise to guide me and take care of me each and every day. What a blessing!
Jesus knows me and everyone who follows him. I’ve also discovered that the way we’re protected and provided comes from him which is why we thank God constantly for everything in life even waking up! Thank you Lord! Amen!
Today’s charge to recognize His voice and respond in obedience is timely. It’s easy to be led by many different voices, convincing you to believe that there are many ways to life and peace. But only the voice of Christ leads to eternal and abundant life. The Lord’s invited in this season to silence all other voices and means of influence to remain focused and yielded to His alone!
I will always follow Jesus’s voice. I will always follow my Lord. Praise the Lord and Amen!!🙏✝🕊📖
I am grateful he is my shepherd, and I am one of the sheep. I will follow him where ever he leads me. Amen
Father, thank you for your Son.
Lord Jesus, call out to me.
Holy Spirit, enable me to hear and to follow.
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” What a beautiful verse to be able to claim! He knows my name and I definitely follow when He calls. I know that my good shepherd gave his life for me. I am blessed to be able to exalt His Name and call Him my Saviour and my good Shepherd! Blessings All!
Cutting through the chatter in today’s media driven world is no problem for my Shepherd. All I have to do is pray and LISTEN. Sadly this sheep is hard of hearing at times
He is my Great shepherd and when I wander, He searches for me and brings me back
Jesus is the good Sheperd! He came to give me life and life in abundance. He provides all my needs.
Thank you Heavenly Father for being in my life. Thank you for speaking sweetly to me.
Thank you for caring me through this troublesome world. Thank you for hearing me when I call. But more importantly, I am grateful for hearing you speaking to me daily. I love you Lord and I will serve you until the end of my time. Amen and Amen 🙏❣️🙏
He knows my name, my thoughts, my struggles and he will lead me even when I will stray. All I have to do is trust him. That can be a hard thing when things are spinning out of control all around you. However, he is already aware of what we are encountering, so trust him.
Lord, I don’t want to be just a hired hand or especially an unfaithful shepherd. Help me be like Jesus, a good shepherd, that accepts responsibility to know and reach others, care for them, laying down my life to serve rather than be served. Today I will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in me, leading me to care for others sacrificially.
Yes I agree that Jesus is the only way back to our Holy and Righteous God. Help me today to listen and obey. 🙏🏾
JESUS IS THE GOOD GOOD SHEPHERD!!!
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30
What a great promise our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ makes to all believers who trust, believe, and follow Him. A guarantee of eternal life if we choose Jesus! Once we choose to be one of His flock, no one has the ability to snatch us out of either His or the Father’s hand.
I can say that the more I seek Him through prayer and through the reading of His word, that I become more aware of His unwavering presence in my life. Not just watching but working in my life to bring me to a place of deeper knowledge of who He is and who’s I am. He knows me by name. As I pursue Him I am learning to not only know His voice but search for it and desire to know what He is saying and wanting me to do. I am trusting His voice because I am understanding that in it there is life and freedom. I’ve listened to many voices in my life and they have gotten me to an end road of chaos and pain dragging others like my family with me. He is the way the truth and life. He is my safest refuge out strong tower. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!
I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you oh my soul, rejoice. Thank you, Lord, for loving me.
He knows my name it is just when he calls I don’t normally respond. It is self centered of me to not respond to God. It is what grieves him the most.
Every since I was nine years old the Lord has been my Shepherd. I strayed away from time to time but Jesus was always there for me. When I was growing up in a poor environment , Jesus took care of us. I need to pray more , so I don’t stray from the flock .
Thank you Lord that you hear me when I call you. Thank you Lord that you are never too busy! That you always answer. Help me to Listen to you and to be more obedient. I love you Lord.
As a 11 year old boy I heard Jesus, the good shepherd, call my name and I answered. Thank you Jesus for always calling me back whenever I have wandered away from your will for me! Praise your Holy Name forever!!! I love you Lord!! Amen!!
If you want to follow the shepherd, open the book. If you want to hear the shepherd, open the book. If you don’t believe in the shepherd, open the book.
The Good Shepherd Jesus Christ will tell all and show ALL the way to an eternal and abundant LIFE everlasting. OPEN THE BOOK !!!