(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)
Worship
By singing praises and hymns, awake your soul, open your heart to the Lord, and prepare yourself to welcome the presence of God and receive the Word of God that will be given to you.
Thanksgiving
Petition with thanksgiving to God for a wonderful day and pray sincerely for a focused Scripture reading time! (Do not rush into reading the Bible without starting with prayers!) (e.g., you may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what will you be speaking to me today?)
Scripture Reading
Get the following items ready in advance: your devotional notebook, paper, pen, and/or electronic devotional articles so that you can easily write down the Bible verses, questions, and thoughts you have noticed! You are encouraged to open your Bible and vocally read out the scriptures (Try to practice this reading method daily or once a week)!
Scripture Reading: John Ch. 10 (ESV)
Meditation
Take a moment to quietly reflect on today’s Scriptures. Through such exercises, let God’s Word be gradually written into our hearts and be inscribed to our mind.
Devotional
Read the devotional articles prepared by CBCLWA (*Read the Bible first before reading any devotional materials.)
(vv.1-21) There are seven “I AM” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. They are: “I am the bread of life”, “I am the light of the world”, “I am the gate for the sheep”, “I am the good shepherd”, “I am the resurrection and the life”, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”, and “I am the true vine.” This chapter is about Jesus being the gate for the sheep as well as the good shepherd.
The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep is often used in the Bible as a metaphor to illustrate the relationship between God and His people. Psalm 23 is a perfect example. Here Jesus said that he is the gate for the sheep, anyone who enters through Him shall be saved, and will come in and go out to find pasture. Jesus said that there is only one way to be saved, and it is through Him, as in Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will not only have provisions in life (v. 9), but also have life, and have it abundantly (v. 10).
Jesus went on to say that He is a good shepherd. He lays down his life for the sheep, and he does it voluntarily. He has the authority to lay it down, and has the authority to take it up again. He demonstrated his own love for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8).
How can you be like an obedient lamb? Knowing their characteristics, they listen to their master, can distinguish his voice from others, and they follow the guidance of the shepherd by his rod and staff. What else can you think of? As stated in Isaiah 53:68, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way.” May each one of us acknowledges our own sinful nature and weaknesses and cling to God’s promises. May we take the time to study God’s words, which will help us discern the truth. Let us obey God’s guidance and discipline, and have faith that we would lack of nothing as Jesus is our provider.
Another thing worth noting is that the Lord Jesus recognizes His sheep, each of which has a name with his own special meaning and worth. You and I are all precious lambs in Jesus’ eyes. We belong together as a flock under His name and we support and encourage each other. We should consider each other as precious and serve the Lord together with one unified heart. The Lord Jesus also said that He has other scattered sheep out there who are still wandering. Are you willing to go out to preach the gospel for the Lord and lead people to Christ?
(vv. 22-42) During the Feast of Dedication, the Jews decided to challenge Jesus so they gathered around him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” It might seem that they really want to know Jesus, yet this group of people blamed Jesus for their own disbelief. Despite the fact that Jesus had said numerous times that He is the Messiah, their hearts were hardened and they chose not to believe Jesus (v. 25). They clearly heard the message from Jesus, yet they pretended they did not hear it. They saw what Jesus had done, yet they turned a blind eye to it. Even though Jesus performed the miracles in front of them and the power from the Father could testify for Him, this group of people were unwilling to respond to God’s message. Therefore, they could not understand. Jesus said that they were not His sheep.
In verse 27, Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Those who hear the voice of Jesus, respond to the work of God, whether it is in His miracles, teachings, or counsel. Those who believe in Jesus are the Lord’s sheep and they will follow Jesus. Such people have eternal life in the hands of Jesus and cannot be taken away because they are protected by Jesus and belong to Jesus and the Father.
Praise God! Brothers and sisters, we have become the children of God by faith, and our greatest dependence in this life is our Savior—Jesus, who is our Great Shepherd. Let us take some time to contemplate: how do I respond to the voice of the Lord? Do I pay more attention to people’s voice, my own voice, or the Lord’s? How can I know my Lord better? How can I follow Him closely? Will people believe in Jesus because they see Christ’s work in my life, just as someone believed in Jesus because of the testimony of John the Baptist? Can people feel that all my testimonies about Jesus are true? May the Lord guide me.
Pray
Give thanks to God for His enabling us to read the Scriptures and for our response for living out the Word of God today! (e.g., You may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what/where are you going to lead me to today?”)