gate

“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. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:1-10, NRSV)

Thankfully for all of us, the way to God is through Jesus. And Jesus is the gate.

It is interesting to note that in Jesus’ day and when he told this that shepherds would find places that needed someone to block off the way in or out. Literally, the shepherd would be the gate to protect the sheep.

Jesus is our way in and the protector of us from the wolves.

Rest in Jesus being the gate and letting us in and keeping us safe.

lost sheep

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3So he told them this parable: 4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:1-7, NRSV)

How many of us if we had 100 sheep and discovered that 1 of them was missing would leave the 99 in search of the 1?

Maybe if they were in a barn or a pen, then yes, but if they are in the wilderness and not protected then probably not. But here the shepherd leaves the 99 in the wilderness and go after the 1 to find it. That is how extravagant the love of God is for you.

God loves you so much that God leaves the community to watch each other as God finds those who are lost.

This is not about the sheep repenting and returning it is about the love of God who goes searching.

free under authority

13For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17, NRSV)

Governments are put in place to help us and to govern us. Laws are there for good civil order and to help us live together as a society.

But in this there is freedom. Freedom to be who God created us to be.

So live under the civil authority and live under God.

Priesthood of all

9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge. (1 Peter 2:9-12, NRSV)

You are chosen.

You are needed.

You are wanted.

Just as you are!

You have a part to play and never forget that God loves you as God created you.

Breakfast?

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. 9When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-14, NRSV)

Two things about this reading always make me go what?

When Simon Peter heard it was Jesus he put on clothes for he was naked and jumped in the water.

Now when most of us go swimming we tend to take off clothing not put it back on. So I was always amazed by this.

And Jesus asked them for breakfast. Jesus wanted to eat. He was dead and now He wants something to eat. Usually, dead people don’t eat much.

But here Jesus is proving to the disciples He is alive and well and the tomb had no effect on Him.

And they all knew it was Jesus and He ate with them.

I wonder how we would react to meeting Jesus and having Him ask us for food?

Pure and Spiritual

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3, NRSV)

Seek after God and only what God has to give you.

Everything else is fast-food junk compared to the succulent food God gives.

So rid yourself of all the junk and feast on God!

endures

23You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25but the word of the Lord endures forever.” That word is the good news that was announced to you. (1 Peter 1:23-25, NRSV)

Nothing stands forever except…

No nothing stands forever, the flower fades, the grass withers, the snow will melt eventually, nothing stands forever.

Well the Word of God will never pass away. It is always true.

The hope and promises we have in God’s word will never pass away and they will stand forever.

Hope in it!

what a walk!

13Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:13-35, NRSV)

We read this passage and we wonder how the two disciples wouldn’t know who Jesus is? But here is a question I honestly never thought of before, who is the other disciple?

We know there are two disciples and one of them is named Cleopas, and the other one is who? And here is the question that was asked in a devotion I was watching today, was the other disciple male or female?

I thought as the pastor speaking said, “We all assume the other disciple is male because that is how it works in our biblical mindset…” Right, I never thought about the other disciple being female. But why not.

Well, then that means that women can be disciples, which of course they can. so what is the problem with the other disciple being female?

That pastor then went on to talk about the events at the foot of the cross in John. John 19:25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Standing at the cross were Mary, and her sister the wife of Clopas. Now Clopas is not Cleopas but are they the same person? Because the two disciples were going to Emmaus and they got to a house and acted like they were going to stop because it was their home and the urged Jesus to come in with them. And if they were the sister and brother-in-law of Mary Jesus’ mother then that is why they would have been there and why they would have gone home afterward.

We get hung up on details sometimes and maybe not see the whole picture.

We can be and are all disciples and we need to learn from Jesus, that everyone is welcome. And Jesus died and rose for each one of us.

So let’s take that message to the world!

Who do you invite?

12He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14, NRSV)

Right now I think most of us would just open our door and let the world come in to be around us! We are all going stir crazy here, but who would you invite to a party?

Do we invite people who can invite us back? Do we do things for people who can do things for us in return or do we graciously give to everyone because God has graciously given to us?

Blessed are you who give to others as God has given to you.

Hope

13Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. 14Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. 15Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16, NRSV)

What do you hope for?

What do you hope in?

Do you see the difference?

I hope we will soon be out of the shelter in place. I hope we will be able to gather together with friends and families, to return to a way of life that is not us staying in our own places and away from other people. I am an introvert and love my time alone, but I have had enough of that and need interaction. I hope this will all be over soon.

But I can not use that as the basis for my life. My hope that I trust in and cling to is Jesus. I hope in Jesus. I know that Jesus will always be with me and His grace will cover me. That is my hope. That is the basis of my life and it is because of that grace, I hope we will be together again.

What do you hope in?