Anchor My Faith

Experience Life Abundantly

Scripture: John 10:10

In the previous lesson there was a struggle trying to stay true to the context of the passage as we looked at Jesus as the true Shepherd and he being the door to the sheepfold, and then we considered shepherds serving under him and their sheep. We begin this lesson by considering those who are thieves.

^{Jn 10:10} “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” are those who work at gathering people around them to believe in what they are doing and to invest their resources in their ministries. These thieves present the Bible in a false context, resulting in false doctrine that tend to lead their followers away from Jesus and to a religion with its rules and works. Many who follow these thieves think they are saved, but many are not; they are being misled. There are many on TV who have great followings who pick and choose from Scripture what they want and then present it in a context that fits their ministry. These thieves care little about their follower’s relationship to Jesus; what they care about is how their followers can benefit them.

On the other hand, Jesus was willing to sacrifice his life for our salvation from which comes abundant life. That abundant life begins now and continues for an eternity. A promise of this abundant blessing can be found in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 34:12 – 15 ESV: ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴ I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.”

The thief deceives his followers and leads them into bondage, but Jesus calls out his followers into a life of abundance, not necessarily of worldly comforts and pleasures, but a life that is rich, full, joyful and overflowing with meaningful activities. We see this in John 1:16 – 17 ESV: ¹⁶ “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The thief has nothing to offer, but from the fulness of Jesus there is available to us more than we can imagine.

Conclusion

Jesus is the door that controls who enters heaven. Through him and only him can one enter heaven and come before the Father. Coming in our next lesson, Jesus will claim to be the good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.