Jesus Is The Gate To Eternal Life

John 10:1-10 KJV; 4th Sunday of Easter; Jesus, the Good Shepherd is the door to the kingdom. Follow him rather than anyone who attempts to sneak in another way.

Probationer Shown No Mercy

Reading from Luke 10:25-37 KJV; who has mercy upon the neighbor who had fallen on the wayside? Who will have mercy on the probationer who through no fault of his own misses his court ordered appointment?

The One Good Shepherd

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 

                                                                      (John 10:7-14 KJV)

Are you still wondering when that abundant life is going to be yours?  Have you considered that just maybe you are following the wrong shepherd?

Even in times of trouble those who follow the good shepherd, who is Jesus the Christ, will know peace. They will know peace because they know that Jesus is with them and no matter what dark valleys they travel through he will bring them to lie in green pastures and beside still waters. Jesus will restore our souls.

There is only one good shepherd. Follow him and live life in an abundance of peace!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Kingdom Of God; Our Ultimate Concern

We should have no other gods!

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

                                                                  (Matt 6:20-21 KJV)

Money is a necessity. We need it in this world today to eat; to have shelter; to have medical care. We even need it to find a job in order to have enough money to take care of these necessities as we may need gas for a vehicle or enough cash for Uber, appropriate clothes for the position, water for bathing before the interview, and the list goes on.

But, in Matthew we hear Jesus tell us not to set our hearts on these things. He is not telling us that we do not need them or should not have them. We do need them and we should trust God to provide these things. Of course, we don't get to sit at home doing nothing but watching television or playing video games in order to have these necessities. They are not going to drop from the sky like the manna fell for Moses' clan. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:  

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (2 Thess 3:10-12)

Yes, there is a need to focus on taking care of those things to sustain physical life while we live and breathe here on earth. But, money and things cannot be our  only focus or our ultimate concern. We are not only physical beings with expiration dates; we are also spiritual beings and all who believe in Jesus belong to that eternal Kingdom of God.

What Jesus is reminding us in the verses from Matthew is that we must be careful. As we amass earthly treasures, things like greed can sink into our hearts and the treasures we seek can easily become false gods taking over our whole lives. It is a reminder that the one true God and His Kingdom should be our ultimate concern. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Be Prepared!

 

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 

                                                                                     (1 Thess 5:1-6 KJV)

No one can know when their last breath will be taken. As a thief in the night, the Lord will come in full glory and we cannot know when that will take place. But, we can be prepared. 

To guard against thieves in the night there are many precautions we can take. Surely, we can at least lock our doors. I prefer it to be quiet in the house so that I am easily awakened by any unusual noises. I also do not go to bed intoxicated by anything. If someone breaks in, I would like to be of sober enough mind to at least know it and be able to either defend myself and/or at least call for help. There are many other ways that we can secure our homes and ourselves against thieves who do their mischief at night.

We can also prepare for the day when the Lord comes unexpectedly like a thief in the night. Scripture tells us we will not and cannot know the day or the hour. But, we can and should prepare for that day by reading and hearing his word. We can prepare by listening to him as well as bringing our concerns to him so that he might lead us in the way he would have us go. 

There are many ways that we can prepare for his coming. Do not delay your preparations for another day, another year, another time. No one knows when that day will come. It could be today, tomorrow or a thousand years from now. It makes no difference. Watch! Wait! But, be prepared to see the Lord in full glory!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Treasures

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 

                                                  (Matt 6:19-21 KJV)

Where do you invest your time; your talents; all the gifts that God has given you? Do you enjoy those gifts? There is only one place where you will find real joy. That place is in relationship with Jesus Christ and with others around you. Some things are necessary: food, shelter, heat, clothing. Other things are not. They are luxuries. They can be excess baggage that steal away our time and our opportunity to be in caring and loving relationships. 

The greatest treasure of God is being able to live in relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Kingdom of God. May God help us to seek His Kingdom that we might know what a treasure living in His presence really is.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Real Treaures

This cross was a gift from the Sunday School at my last

congregation. Real treasures are not things. The real treasure 

is living in relationship with God and with one another.

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21 NRSV)

Where is your treasure? Where is your heart? In this world? In this physical world or in the Kingdom that Jesus has prepared for you? What treasure could be greater than being reconciled to God our Father? Expensive cars? Huge homes? A closet full of designer clothes? Expensive jewelry? What? Fame? Fortune? What treasures in this world demand your attention at the expense of a relationship with God our Father, God our Savior, God our Comforter? 

Do you love God? Do you truly love Him? Where your treasure is, there your heart is! Get real! 

God grant that all eyes would be opened so that the real treasure given to us through Jesus Christ our Lord might be revealed. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

What Do You Treasure?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt 6:19-21 NRSV

Where do you invest your time; your talents; all the gifts that God has given you? Do you enjoy those gifts? There is only one place where you will find real joy. That place is in relationship with Jesus Christ and with others around you. Some things are necessary: food, shelter, heat, clothing. Others things are not. They are luxuries. They can be excess baggage that steal away our time and our opportunity to be in caring and loving relationships. 

The greatest treasure of God is being able to live in relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Kingdom of God. May God help us to seek His Kingdom that we might know what a treasure living in His presence really is.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Gate To The Kingdom

Jesus is the only way through the gate into the Kingdom of God.

He is the gate.

Live life in the Kingdom. Live life in Christ.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 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. John 7:9-10

So who are you going to listen to? Whom will you follow? The thief or the one and only one who can give you abundant and eternal life. Jesus is that only one.

I find it very wearisome to have to keep explaining to the same lost sheep over and over again that they have been and are following a thief; a false shepherd, rather than the one who will lead them to our Father's home. These thieves; these false shepherds, that scatter the flock are nothing more than false gods. False gods cannot help you. There is only one God who can lead you into the Kingdom where you will know true peace and joy. You will know it in His presence.

I may find proclaiming the same message; the same warnings, to the same people, for decades wearisome. Yet, I will not let up for I know that the only way for them to truly experience life to it's fullest is to experience it in Christ. They must enter the Kingdom through the gate, who is Jesus the Christ, in order to truly live life.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut 6:4-7 NIV

Do not let the thief come in to steal you away from your place in God's Kingdom. May God grant you the discernment to know who would lead you astray and ultimately destroy your life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Thieves Cannot Sneak Into The Kingdom Of God; There Is Only One Way In

"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." John 10:9-10

There is a reason for walls. It is to keep one safe from many things that would harm us. Walls protect us from most storms; from beasts of prey; and from those who would steal from us or do us other injuries. We need walls; but, we also need gates or doors to enter in and depart when the time is appropriate. It would be very nice if we did not need them. If we could all live in peace with one another. But, that is not the reality. Thieves will find a way to go over the walls and through locked doors.

But, there is a door that is always open for anyone who desires to enter. For anyone who would knock the door will be opened. Jesus is that door. He is the gate to eternal life where there is peace and safety for all.

Even the thief can enter through this gate; if only he would. The problem is that the thief would prefer to enter in a way other than the way that he or she has been invited. However, those who would attempt to find another entry into the Kingdom, they will not be successful. There is only one way into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the way. He is the gate through which we must enter the Kingdom of God. He is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one enters except through him. Anyone who desires is welcome to enter into the Kingdom where there will be safety and peace for all.

Thank you Lord, for opening the gate to eternal life. Help us to enter and live life in your Kingdom.

God's Peace - Pr. J