Friday, May 9, 2014

I Came to Give Abundant Life

Jesus' Fulfillment of Scripture
Jesus' Use of Scripture

Jesus' Mission on Earth

John 10:1-10

The Message

He Calls His Sheep by Name

10 1-5 “Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”
6-10 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

For Reflection
In this modern age there is no limit to the numbers of people that offer self-help advise.  There are, however, very few that offer the sacrifice of self.

Our lives can not be made whole unless we answer the call of the Shepherd.  You will know his voice because He knows your name.  In the soul of who we are is the implanted will to return to God.  It is the cause of our unrest, our unsatisfied needs.  Those who do not respond to the call of God are like those who seek unsuccessfully to satisfy their longing with food, drugs, money, success or the accolades of others.  Soon the longing returns and must be fed again.
Pray
that you will feed only on the bread of salvation.  Pray that others will realize the satisfaction of feeding from the hand of God.  Pray prayers of praise and thanksgiving for the abundance found in a life of serving the Father.

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