Of all the assurances we may need for life, let the blessed assurance that we belong to You be the one which blesses the life and needs of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from John 10: 1 "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go 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. (NRSV)
There are some passages to which The Message version does not do justice and this is one of those. Of all of the famous John verses and passages this ranks at the very top, especially verse 10. This discourse between Jesus and His disciples comes after the great encounter in the Temple between He and the religious rulers who were upset about a man born blind being healed. It's one of the great dramas that involves Jesus, a blind man, the religious leaders, and the blind man's mom and dad. The big question is Why did you heal this man, and did you really heal this man? After that drama, Jesus is talking to His disciples about what really matters in life. We tend to forget that we are sheep as far as God is concerned and God provides a great Shepherd for us. The two formative churches in my life were both name The Good Shepherd (El Buen Pastor of Kingsville and Houston). In this passage Jesus is describing all that has gone on in Israel's history regarding the care and feeding of God's sheep. Many have come and will continue to come, but not through the front door, who will claim to be shepherds and many will follow them. But those who know the voice of the shepherd will not. Those who know the voice of the shepherd know who He is and what He can provide and so they are not so easily misguided. Jesus explains plainly in verses 9 and 10: "I am the gate." Whoever believes in Christ Jesus has entry into a life saved from sin and not only saved but soothed. Any other gates that might present itself serves to lead us into total destruction. Jesus' mission and ministry was to bring us life and that in abundance.
What gates have you tried in your quest for life? Have you found Jesus to be the One for whom your heart has ached all this time? In Jesus we find the One who leads us away from the destructive nature of false gates and takes us to a place where we are not only safe, but taken care of, and have the fullness of life found only in Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Loving God, lead me away from the gates of destruction and into the true gate, Jesus. Let me find in Him the fullness of life. I pray this in His precious and powerful Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
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