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.

John 10:1-6

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. John 10:3-5

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 10:1-6, Jesus continues to teach - here His focus is on His role between Himself (the Good Shepherd) and those who follow Him - His sheep.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus emphasizes His authority as He begins to teach, starting with "[t]ruly, truly."  He then starts to describe His role with those who follow Him - He is both the sheepfold door and the Good Shepherd (v1-3a) who serves as the only way to God - this is similarly described in John 14:6 where Jesus shares that "no one comes to the Father except through me."  One cannot be saved unless they believe in Jesus.  Matthew 7:13-14 also shares how this path to salvation through Jesus is a narrow gate - if we seek an easier path, either through the wide gate or by climbing in "by another way" as described in v1, one cannot be saved but instead will be eternally condemned. Followers of the Good Shepherd/Jesus know Jesus' voice (v3-4) - which implies that we seek Him and then listen to Him as He reveals Himself to us. Jesus knows His followers (He is Our Creator), He leads them (lamp onto our feet - Psalm 119:105), and they follow Him (v4). Jesus' followers are able to distinguish between Him and false gods who claim to be truth (v5).   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Everyone is led by something/someone and from a spiritual perspective - they are led either through a wide gate that leads to destruction or through a narrow gate that leads to life to the full now and for eternity.  Those listening to Jesus (including His disciples but also others such as the Jews/Pharisees per v19), did not understand.  There is often text that we don't understand from scripture - this is why we need to continue to listen to Jesus (and His appointed messengers such as pastors) and it is OK to struggle/wrestle with God and ask Him to reveal Himself to us and bless us (Genesis 32:22-32 - see this post). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not seek the wide gate or to climb into the sheepfold by going around the door.  Do not follow strangers' voices or false gods - only Jesus.  Claim the promise that Jesus knows you, loves you, and leads you into green pastures (Psalm 23), cares for you, and ultimately saves you.  Follow the example of those who enter the sheepfold through Jesus-the narrow gate and door of the sheepfold. Follow Jesus out of the sheepfold - listen to Him by doing daily to scripture for His care and feeding.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are the narrow gate, the Way, Truth, and the Life.  I know that no one comes to You except through Jesus!  I know that Jesus knows me, loves me, and saves me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

Ecclesiastes 7-11

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.  Ecclesiastes 7:14-18

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus this morning is a commentary assisted review of Ecclesiastes chapters 7-11 and the commentary's third division for these chapters - The Gospel Is the Answer to Our Brokenness and Meaninglessness.   

 Excerpts and highlights from the commentary on this division: 

• "Solomon exposes us to the brokenness of the world—a brokenness that really hurts and brings emptiness—for the positive outcome of causing us not to build our lives on things or people other than God. Ecclesiastes is God’s goodness to us because He refuses to allow us to wallow in our broken futility.  Our frustration over the absurdity of life drives us to God and His gospel. That is the answer to brokenness and meaninglessness."
• The commentary shares how "Ecclesiastes encourages faith in God and His gospel in two ways in Ecclesiastes 7-11.  First God is in control and working things out according to His timing and plan.  Therefore Ecclesiastes 7:14-18 exhorts us to fear God."
• We are referred to Ecclesiastes 9:13-16 which tells the story of of poor man who saves a city from a siege but this poor man is soon forgotten - the story of course points to Jesus and how He, while many believer He is forsaken, He is not as He rises from the grave to Heaven to be seated at the right hand of God. Jesus is the answer to our worlds sin, brokenness, and resulting meaningless.
• The commentary for this division closes by describing how "Jesus is the Savior who rescues us from brokenness. Jesus is the wise man who makes us wise. Jesus is the poor man who makes us rich. And yet He was rejected too! Mark Dever points out that Isaiah 53 explains the wisdom and foolishness of Ecclesiastes 7–11. The righteous man got what the wicked deserved, so the wicked could get what the righteous deserve (Dever, “The Ungodly”). The poor, wise Savior who rescued the world is rejected and despised because the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world and the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). It pleased God to save through a cross that looked like foolishness. Turn to Jesus, and He can free you from your brokenness and meaninglessness. Let Him turn your foolishness into wisdom."  Amen!
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and is full of grace and compassion - taking on flesh and willingly laying down Your life so that I could have life now to the full and for eternity with You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins....See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Ecclesiastes 7-11

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins....See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.  Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus this morning is a commentary assisted review of Ecclesiastes chapters 7-11 and the commentary's second division for these chapters - Sin Leads to Brokenness and Meaninglessness.  

Excerpts from the commentary's second division Sin Leads to Brokenness and Meaninglessness:

• "When it comes to brokenness in this world, we need to realize two things. Sometimes we are broken because of our own sin, and sometimes we are broken because we live in a cursed, broken world."
• "Ecclesiastes makes something abundantly clear: all of humanity—including you—has sinned and departed from God’s wise design for the world. When we rebel against our design, we end up broken. We know this to be true experientially. After all, anytime you attempt to use something in a way that its designer did not intend for it to be used, it gets broken or does not work."
• "Some people think intimacy will fix their brokenness so they go from relationship to relationship trying to fill the void, but they end up hurt and unsatisfied each time as they look harder and harder for something they will not find. Others look to success in a job, or making lots of money, or hundreds of other things, but these things never bring lasting satisfaction. So much of our futility and brokenness is due to our own sin and our own idolatry in which we turn good things into ultimate things. We worship money, pleasure, sex, success, power, and much more. Instead of seeing those things as gifts from God to be used as He intended, we see them as ultimate and seek to get from them what they cannot give. So often the things we think we want so badly fail to provide what we think they will, and we end up empty. That is the brokenness of departing from God’s good design. We all sin, and we are all broken."  See also Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29, and Romans 3:9-20.
  
• "God made the world crooked in response to Adam’s sin (7:13), and man cannot fix it! Solomon says, “Consider the work of God, for who can straighten out what He has made crooked?” All humans experience the meaninglessness and brokenness of this world where things do not work right. Sin and brokenness are equal-opportunity destroyers."
• "Things do not work the way we think they should. The righteous suffer while the wicked prosper (7:15). The wisdom literature honestly recognizes that things do not always work out as they ought immediately in this world. Some scholars want to act like Ecclesiastes is a corrective to the overly optimistic wisdom of Proverbs, but that is simply not the case. Proverbs recognizes these discrepancies and points them out as well, but Ecclesiastes simply dwells on them more."  See also Ecclesiastes 8:10-17.
• "Shockingly, not only is there no justice, but sinners prolong their lives while the righteous receive the retribution the wicked deserve (8:12,14). We see this reality and we say, “That’s not fair!” But that is the world we live in. The problem is not just the random injustice of things not working out right but also the ultimate mystery that happens to all of us. Death is the ultimate problem, and it comes to all regardless of how we live. You may not experience brokenness until death, but it will come to all of us regardless of how successful we are in this life. Your effort makes no difference. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 that no matter how well you live this life, you will eventually be caught by time and chance. The Grim Reaper is faster than us all. He never grows weary, and when he shows up, we often never saw him coming!"

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6), the Living Water that you drink and will never thirst again (John 4:13-14), and He is the reason for the hope believers have (1 Peter 3:15).  Surrender your life to Him!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus for giving me faith, hope, and everlasting life!  I am not deserving...no way not by a long shot.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

Ecclesiastes 5

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear. Ecclesiastes 5:7

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-review of Ecclesiastes 5:7, which covers the second division of the commentary chapter titled Religion Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Through Christ, We Can Approach God with Confident Reverence.  The commentary shares how in American culture "[w]e have a hard time understanding the concept of the fear of the Lord because we live in a culture that has no reverence for authority. We no longer approach parents, teachers, or coaches with respect. Lack of respect and honor has bled over into a new casual Christianity where Jesus is our...copilot and not so much our absolute, formidable King and awe-inspiring, sovereign Master.  We should humbly submit to and stand in awe of God who knows all of our sins and empty promises. People may try to object to this idea and say, “Well, that is just the Old Testament,” but Jesus warns us to fear Him who can destroy soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). We are called to reverent awe of God."  We are encouraged by the commentary to approach God through Jesus as the only way - John 14:6.  The Old Testament is described as temporary as it only foreshadowed how the incarnate Jesus would serve as the perfect and final sacrifice for all of humanity's sin forevermore, tearing the curtain in the temple that separated worshipers from access to God.  The commentary refers us to Hebrews 10 where Jesus is described as a better mediator and we can approach Christ in confidence.  Specifically in reference to Ecclesiastes 5:7, the commentary shares: "[d]espite our careless words and empty religion, Jesus brings us back to God. He fully cleanses us and allows us to come boldly before God’s throne. We do this individually in prayer and private worship. Jesus makes this clear in John 4 with the woman at the well. You no longer have to go to a specific physical location to worship God. You can pray and worship Him anywhere. But while we can approach God in private worship, we approach Him in a special way in corporate worship. Now, according to Ephesians 2, we are the new temple where God dwells. Hebrews 12 says that when we gather for corporate worship, we gather at Mount Zion in the presence of God Almighty, innumerable angels, and the saints who have passed on. But we are still called to listen and fear!" We are also referred to Romans 12:1 where Paul shares how believers are to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - going to the cross so that I can have not only salvation but also access to God whenever and where ever I am.  Thank You Jesus that I can approach You in confidence.  I am not deserving of such a loving and caring God.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

Isaiah 3-4

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Isaiah 4:2-4

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 6 of my study, where I start looking at Isaiah 3-4, the key takeaway comes from Isaiah 4:2-4, where God offers hope for those who remain close to Him, the remnant that will not be brought low, humbled and destroyed. I am reminded of John 14:6, where Jesus says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Those, whom I will refer to as "the world," who rely on idols above the One, True God, Jesus Christ, will not be saved but instead be destroyed.  Yet, again, for those who fail to submit to God, they will perish for eternity. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has sealed me for eternity and called me as one of Your elect - thank You Jesus!  What an incredible gift!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin of worry and other sins, continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Mark 8

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. v25

Roughly a week ago, I posted a link to DesiringGod.com about seeing Jesus properly, and today it is relevant once more to reference this post as the blind man healed here by Jesus is only healed according to the folks at Desiring God because he saw Jesus clearly.  The healing occurs in two stages to reinforce that the life that Jesus promises us only comes to us once we acknowledge who Jesus is in both an absolute sense and who He is for us personally.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died for me both for all and for me personally - thank You Jesus - the greatest gift of all time!  I am not worth such a gift of grace.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and energy.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.....But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. v8-10 [excerpt]

Isaiah 35

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.....But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. v8-10 [excerpt]

As Isaiah continues with His vision for God's judgement on Israel, he once again talks about God's grace for those who believe - the redeemed.  We will have trouble - indeed - but God wants us to "take heart" (John 16:33) and take comfort in knowing the path we have chosen will bring us peace and comfort.  

Thank You Jesus!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God because You provide Jesus - the way, the truth and the life!  Thank You for sending Your Son! I am not worthy of such love because I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
 

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. v6

God is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).  He wants us to have life and to have it to the "full" (John 10:10).  If we turn towards Him and focus on a renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2) we overcome the damning consequences of our free will. 

God directs us towards truth as He gives us wisdom and knowledge.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  Psalm 119:105

More from John Piper on free will.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are an amazing God who has helped me with truth and knowledge - thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such a gift.  I often place other gods and idols above You.  Please forgive me!  Help me see the surpassing worth of You and You alone!  Help me turn towards You and love with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. v4-5

God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27) and God is working in us to transform our hearts, minds and lives (Romans 12:2).  If we surrender to Him and ask Him to show us the way, He will lead us...He will show us the way as He IS the way.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

For us to follow Jesus, we must first acknowledge our own shortcomings - that we are insufficient...that we need God.  We must demonstrate humility.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

I need to daily remember that I would be lost without Jesus...that my way or the world's way leads to eternal damnation. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY way for You are THE way, the truth and the life.  I WOULD be lost without You.  Thank You for guiding me and leading me.  I am both filled and blessed.  Yet I am undeserving of such blessings.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.