Each of us has ideas about where to find the life we’re looking for. We are pursuing something or someone who can bring meaning to our lives, increase our joy, and take care of us. And the challenge is we have plenty of people and objects who constantly claim they can provide exactly what we’re looking for.

Wealth is quite confident it can deliver meaning, joy, and security.

Achievement claims it has what it takes to carry you where you want to go.

Power wants you to know if you get it, all your fears will be gone.

Pleasure jumps in and says, “Get ready to discover true life.”

Where are you looking for the life you long for?

Think about the metaphorical path you are currently on in your life. Consider where you are and where you’re headed if you stay on it. Here’s how I like to say it:

Whatever path you take has inevitable conclusions.

The path you’re on is leading somewhere. While the path you’re on promises life, it might not make good on its promises.

Will the path you’re on lead you to the life you long for?

As we continue The Good Shepherd series today, there’s an incredible invitation Jesus gives for finding the life we long for. But like with all of his invitations to us, He’s going to let us know what His part is and what our part is.

John 10:7-10 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Do you believe Jesus is telling you the truth about where to find life? If so, what will the implications be for you?

“Very truly I tell you.” Jesus is always telling the truth and yet here, He emphasizes it to make the point even stronger. Jesus spends the rest of our text comparing and contrasting Himself to what He calls thieves and robbers. Who are these thieves and robbers?

It’s probably best to think that these thieves and robbers were anyone making claims on where people could find life, but not because these false shepherds loved the sheep. It’s especially referring to religious leaders who were primarily interested only in providing for themselves and protecting themselves. False shepherds take advantage of the sheep and exploit them. And then at the end of our text, Jesus refers to a thief who is coming to steal and kill and destroy.

I want to show you three kinds of false shepherds, but I believe this thief is behind all of them.

Secular False Shepherds

Our world is constantly giving us a vision for where to find life. “You do you.” “If it feels good, do it.” “Make it all about you.” “Take care of yourself because no one else is going to take care of you.” Choose your own identity. Do whatever makes you happy. The big idea is to find real life by answering only to yourself. If you want power or pleasure or security, you decide where to find it. The only problem with this vision is it doesn’t actually lead to joy or purpose or contentment or life.

Religious False Shepherds

The vision of religion is “do all these things and maybe it’ll be enough to appease God at some point.” It’s all about following the rules and making sure you get all the externals correct. There’s no grace involved and there’s no value on the inner life; you only get points for the things people can see. This vision involves us earning our way into eternal life.

Satan as False Shepherd

Then there’s the vision Satan has been selling to human beings since the beginning. He’s been promising us life by luring us away from God by getting us to distrust God’s intentions for our lives.  

Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Did God really say? Yes, he told us if we ate it we would die. “You will not certainly die.” This is the vision Satan continues to offer all of us. “You will not die; you will actually find life here.” But it doesn’t lead to life. It leads to death, shame, and hiding. From there, we too attempt to cover ourselves like Adam and Eve – remember, this is the vision of religion – you have to take care of yourself to be presentable to God.

Please be aware of the secular vision, the religious vision, and the vision Satan has for your life. They all promise life, but they don’t deliver on their promise. Thankfully, there’s another vision for life…another promise about what is possible for your future.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The Gate – Jesus was saying that I am the path to the life you long for. One of the challenges people have had with Christianity from the 1st century to the 21st century is its exclusivity. I think this statement from Jesus shows how inclusive and exclusive His invitation is. He says WHOEVER – that sounds like pretty inclusive language to me. But then he says ENTERS – that’s exclusive language. Whoever – that includes you. But you will not receive the life He’s offering unless you enter.

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

Saved – This word “saved” means delivered safe and sound. Jesus assumes the role of our Protector. Pasture – He not only protects; He also provides everything we need.

Life to the Full – What does this mean?

What gets translated as “to the full” comes from the Greek word perissos (perry-sos), which means “that which goes way beyond necessity”. Some synonyms for this word: superfluous, excessive, extraordinary, and surpassing. Jesus is making an incredible claim about what He’s inviting us into.

What makes us hesitant to respond to Jesus’s offer of life to the full?

We’ve bought into other visions of the good life and His offer is quite counterintuitive. Wealth, Pleasure, Status, Accomplishment.

Matthew 16:25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

We can have the life we long for, but only if we give up our lives to Jesus and for Jesus. Here’s the ultimate question for each of us today.

Do you believe going all in on your faith in Jesus will mostly take life from you or mostly give life to you?

How each of us answers this question will determine everything about our future with Jesus. The secular false shepherds want you to think that surrendering your life to Jesus will ruin it. The religious false shepherds want you to believe you have to earn your way into the pasture. And Satan wants you to think that Jesus is holding out on you.

This shepherd/sheep metaphor is all throughout Scripture. Here’s one of my favorite places:

Luke 15:3-7 Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

That’s the Good Shepherd. Goes out into the dangerous open country with one objective – to find the lost sheep. When he finds that sheep, he’s not angry. No – he JOYFULLY puts it on his shoulders and carries it home. And throws a party. Jesus is pursuing you and He longs to carry you home.

Will you trust Him for your life?

What vision from the false shepherds have you been giving into? Walk away. Come to Jesus. Find pasture and life to the full.