When I was reading the end notes of John, I added John to the list containing wolverine and captain america. Why? Read this..

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” - John 21: 22-23.

Now this doesn’t say that John won’t die, but it also doesn’t say that he will die.

Ok, John’s way of telling the things what Jesus did is an unique piece of art. I’m gonna share my thoughts on the below passage.

John 10: 1-16

¹“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. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷ So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² 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. ¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ 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.

Word discovery: sheep has been repeated 12 times! In this passage, the sheep refers to common people like you and me. So this means the passage is all about us! The second most repeated word is shepherd, it has been repeated for 6 times. Shepherd in this passage refers to Jesus. Ok, lets dive in..

Characters in the plot:

1. Jesus -> The door of the sheepfold, the good Shepherd
2. Thief -> steals, kills and destroys
3. Hired hand -> leaves the sheep pack when danger comes

Observation

v1. Those who do not enter by the entrance is a thief and a robber
v2. He who enters by the entrance is the shepherd of the sheep
v3. Entrance is opened only for the shepherd. The sheep knows the shepherd. Shepherd calls the sheep by name and leads them out.
v4. The shepherd leads the pack and the pack follows the shepherd.
v5. But incase of stranger, the sheep will run away and be scattered. B’coz the sheep doesn’t know the stranger’s voice.
v6. The above statement is a figure of speech used by Jesus, and the people who were listening did not understand it.
v7. Jesus, door of the sheep fold. v8. All who came before Jesus, who came before Jesus ? were thieves and robbers. Is it like NOT via door ? (who came before me). The sheep didn’t listen to them.
v9. Jesus is the door. If anyone goes through him in and out, he will be saved and will find pasture.
v10. Intention of thief is to steal kill destroy. But intention of Jesus is to give life in abundance.
v11. Jesus is the good Shepherd. He even can give His life for the sheep. v12. On the other hand, the hired person runs away if a wolf comes and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters. This person is not a shepherd.
v13. Hired man runs away. B’coz he cares nothing for the sheep.
v14. Jesus is the good shepherd. He knows His own and His own knows Him.
v15. Jesus knows the Father and the Father knows Jesus. Jesus lays down His life for the sheep.
v16. There are other sheep not of this fold. Jesus wants to bring them also. They will listen to Jesus’ voice. Then there will be one flock one shepherd.

Ponder

• Who are the (or) what are the thieves and robbers in my life?
• How do I enter by Jesus (the door)^v9?

Why thief comes?	Why Jesus came?
Steal . Kill . Destroy	To give abundant life. (what is life? how can it be given?)

• Wolf: snatches and scatters
• Hired person: A mediocre life, not following Christ, but following some worldly standards. When crisis comes, they just leave you to be snatched and scattered.
• But if I follow the Shepherd - Jesus. Even when big problems come, Jesus will or has already gone to the extent of laying down His life for me. So much care. So much love.
• If I don’t know the Shepherd. If I am not in the pack itself. If I’m simply wandering in desert not knowing what I am doing. Jesus wants to bring me in. I will listen to Jesus. I will know Jesus. Then I will be in the flock, one flock. One Shepherd. Jesus the Shepherd. No CSI, pentecost or AG. All in same flock. Only one shepherd that is Jesus.

Applications

• Be careful of the thieves and robbers. Anyone who does things illegally (a.k.a. doesn’t comes in the right way).
• With Jesus as shepherd I don’t need to hide or manipulate anything.
• I would know Jesus’ voice. Jesus will lead and I will follow.
• If I want to be saved and have a life in abundance. Then I must enter through Jesus. How can I enter through Jesus?
• Live life according to Jesus’ words.
• If I don’t. I won’t find life. When problems come. I will be snatched and scattered. True. I was once snatched and scattered. It was horrible.

PS: Its not an optional thing