Locations & Times

Are you sure the voice you’re following is actually Jesus?

In John 10, Jesus says we’re all following someone. The question is who. In a world packed with influencers, opinions, and spiritual noise, it’s easy to mistake a loud voice for a true one. Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd and the Door. He warns that false teachers are thieves who steal, kill, and destroy. Real life, real freedom, and real peace are found by learning to recognize His voice through Scripture and following Him out of the chaos into something better.

DISCUSSION MESSAGE QUESTIONs

// Bible References: John 9:41; 10:1-14; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Ps 119:105; 1 Cor 3;

// Community Question: Describe the voice your parents used when you knew you were in trouble.

// Discussion Questions

1. Jesus warns about thieves who come to steal, kill, and destroy. How does the interpretation of 'thieves' as false teachers change your understanding of John 10:10? What false teachings have you encountered that threatened to lead you away from Jesus's true message?
2. Ben mentioned three cultural false teachings: 'Only I control my destiny', 'Do whatever makes you happy', and 'Security and peace can be purchased with money'. Which of these resonates most with you as something you've struggled to reject in favor of Jesus's truth?
3. Why is it dangerous to base our understanding of Jesus's teachings on what we 'feel like' Jesus would say rather than what Scripture says? Can you think of a time when your feelings about what Jesus would say were different from what you later found in Scripture?
4. Going Deeper: Read John 10:1-5, Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep knowing their shepherd's voice. How does this relate to our ability to recognize and follow Jesus's teachings in today's world full of competing voices? How does reading the Bible help us recognize Jesus’ voice?

// Challenge: Ben describes reading the same scripture over a period of days as meditative reading. (An ancient form of listening to the voice of Jesus). Can you commit to meditatively reading John 10 for four days this week? Be prepared to share the different lessons you learned from the same scripture next week.