Daily Devotions - Entries tagged "Devotions"

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will finish his three-week series of messages focusing on our church's mission and vision. The title of this series -- "Be One. Make One." -- references our calling as a body of believers to be disciple-makers. This week we will focus our attention on reaching the world.

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will finish his three-week series of messages focusing on our church's mission and vision. The title of this series -- "Be One. Make One." -- references our calling as a body of believers to be disciple-makers. This week we will focus our attention on reaching the world.

The second key is leading. A disciple is someone who is not just learning about God, but putting it into practice. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he encouraged them, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice” (Phil. 4:9). James, the brother of Jesus, would later say basically the same thing, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Now, we have all different kinds of leadership in our lives as disciples. Clearly Jesus is the primary leader—He is our Lord, our King, and we are his servants. We are seeking to obey his commands and serve under his rule. So first and foremost, a disciple is someone who is being led by Jesus and is obedient to his commands.

But a disciple also places themselves under the leadership of a local church, submitting to the authority of the Bible and Gospel-centered teachers, and committing to participate actively and grow consistently.

Within this context we have all been called to work together with the Holy Spirit to lead others one step closer to Jesus. God is at work changing people’s hearts, but he wants us involved in bearing witness for him as well, leading others to the living water we ourselves enjoy. Following Jesus means doing what he did and that means we are called to make disciples who then go make other disciples.

Where are some areas that God might be calling you to engage or lead others to take one step closer to Jesus?

Father,
This task of making disciples and leading other to Christ sometimes feels completely overwhelming. Please guard my heart and help me not to get discouraged or give up.
Amen

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will finish his three-week series of messages focusing on our church's mission and vision. The title of this series -- "Be One. Make One." -- references our calling as a body of believers to be disciple-makers. This week we will focus our attention on reaching the world. 

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade” (Mark 4:26-32, ESV).

The prevailing image throughout most of Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom of God is growth. Just as a tiny mustard seed is transformed into an enormous tree, we come from insignificant beginnings but God is constantly at work, bringing forth amazing results in those who have placed their trust in him.

From the first faltering attempts of a few disciples in Jerusalem God has brought forth a movement that has changed the world. Having talked about what a disciple is, we now turn to the important question of how we make disciples who then make other disciples. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the details of this process, but to keep things simple, we’ve broken this down into three key parts: Love, Lead, Launch.

God calls us first and foremost to Love Himself and to love others. It’s a dual command that governs everything we do. Secondly we are to Lead people to Jesus, helping them take that next step forward in their faith journey. Finally, we are to be a multiplying people, Launching others to replicate their discipleship experience in the lives of others. Throughout this week we’ll explore each of these areas in more detail.

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Just as a cut and polished diamond has many reflecting facets, there are many different facets of the process of spiritual growth. At its heart, a disciple is a follower or student, but we can flesh that out a bit more as we consider the different ways in which a follower becomes more like his or her teachers.

Along that line, we might expand our definition to say:

“A disciple is one who follows Jesus (head),

is being changed by Jesus (heart)

and is committed to the mission of Jesus (hands).”

What we come to recognize is that “following Jesus” or “taking one step closer to Jesus” is not merely about learning more information. Yes, spiritual growth involves head knowledge, but it is not limited to that. Moreover, “following Jesus” is not just about heart issues -- personal piety and personal spiritual disciplines. Of course those are vitally important, but the scope of discipleship is bigger still. It has an outward component -- the “go and make disciples” instruction that came from Jesus Himself.

The big picture we get of the mature follower of Christ -- one who is experiencing the reality of that expanded definition -- is the disciple who is fulfilling the Matthew 28 assignment, and doing the work of making disciples.

Dear Father,

Help me to see myself in the big picture of Your plan. Just like I committed myself to follow Jesus and accepted His gift of grace, I also want to commit myself to the work of your Kingdom. I invite Your Spirit to make me aware of the habits and attitudes that are stunting my spiritual growth and hindering me from becoming all You want me to be.

Amen

We reflected yesterday on what our church might look like if we were to radically align our lives with Jesus’ instruction in the verses we’ve just read.

Does your heart long for such a place? Do you yearn to be part of a community that is growing and loving and moving and expanding in such an exciting way? At some deep level, don’t you feel like maybe this is what church is supposed to be like -- where totally unchurched people are coming to faith? Where the Gospel is changing people from the inside out? Where encounters with the incredible grace offered through Jesus is turning lives upside down? Where Jesus-focused, Gospel-fueled spiritual growth and maturity is the goal? Where there is no such thing as an apathetic, middle of the road Christian living a lackluster life of spiritual lethargy?

Jesus didn’t rescue us from sin and give us totally new lives so that we could then keep that gift for ourselves. Salvation didn’t buy us access into some special inner circle with membership limited to a select few. No, our primary role as disciples is to go and make more disciples. This is what Jesus modeled for His first disciples, this is what He trained them to do, and this is what He commissioned them for before He left. Moreover, He gave them -- and all believers since then -- the Holy Spirit to equip them for such a massive task.

Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus, Your Son, to earth on a rescue mission. Thank You for making a way to free me from bondage to sin and an eternity of separation from You. Thank you for loving me even while I was dead in sin and far away from You. Help me today to see the people around me through Your loving eyes, and by the power of Your Spirit give me the words and opportunities to introduce them to You.

Amen

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Imagine our church five years from now. The building is the same, but there’s a fresh sense of anticipation in the air -- a palpable energy, a feeling of excitement and opportunity. God is clearly up to something big. New people are coming to faith on a regular basis. Hardly a week goes by without baptism service because so many are eager to take that step of public commitment. As you walk the halls on Sunday morning you realize that you don’t recognize most of the people you see, and yet, somehow it’s ok. It turns out that the thing you feared the most -- of not knowing everyone at church -- is now something you’re proud of.

You are confident that the neighbor you want to invite to church with you will feel accepted and embraced. And that guy from work who came to the Easter service is now attending a group you’ve never even been to yourself. You trust the church culture to be welcoming and supportive.

On Wednesday night, your community group has a visitor -- invited by a young woman who has only been coming for a month herself. As you go around the room sharing prayer requests, she breaks down and asks for help with a situation with her boyfriend. She is not a believer yet, but seems to sense that prayer might be the best solution right now. As you lead the group in prayer you reflect again on the fact that just a few years ago this young woman was you, visiting this group for the first time, uncertain of what to think or feel about a group of Christians meeting together like this. Now, here you are getting ready to launch your own group, a little nervous, but confident in God’s ability to work miracles in the most unlikely of places.

As we contemplate what it might look like if we were to radically engage ourselves in becoming disciples who make disciples, let’s allow our imaginations to run wild. Let’s dream big as we take the first steps. Let’s open our hearts to how God might shape us and change us to become a church of disciples who make disciples.

Father,

As I begin this new week, I want to give my schedules and plans and priorities over to You. Help me to focus my time and my attention on the things that matter to You and Your Kingdom. Show me the ways You want to change me into the disciple-maker you called me to be, and open my eyes today to more of what it means to be Your faithful follower.

Amen

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Becoming more like Jesus was the natural response of those exuberant believers of the early Church, and it is the call on the lives of those who are followers of Jesus today. But if Jesus is the man we are seeking to emulate, then clearly we have a long road ahead of us.

We begin to truly see our position as "spiritual newborns" when we consider that our model is Jesus, the perfect Son of God. Disciples are therefore a work in progress; buildings that are constantly under construction, with Jesus as the blueprint for that growth.

Someone once quipped that, "the alternative to discipline is disaster," and disciples who fail to keep their spiritual lives "up-to-code" are opening themselves up to trouble. So many of Jesus' parables revolved around the concept of growth, of bearing fruit, of a Kingdom multiplying, growing and spreading. However, a disciple who doesn't like working on spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible reading will never see the fruit Jesus expects. Yes, this is God's Kingdom, and He is working to bring all things together according to His plans and purposes. But the astonishing blessing and opportunity is that He has called and authorized Spirit-filled and Spirit-led disciples to lead the way.

So how are we doing?

We may not always do it perfectly, but are we pursuing the command to love the Lord our God as best we know how? Are we seeking to live lives characterized by holiness?

We may still be working through some issues and problems in our own lives, but by the power of the Holy Spirit are we extending grace to others and seeking to love them as much as we can?

We may not have a complete grasp yet on what the "mission of God" is, but do we know we are called to reach the world?

Are we gathering together with other disciples to participate in any way we can towards that end?

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your patience with me. Forgive me when selfishness or laziness or other distractions turn my attention away from You. Help me today to grow in my love for You and for the people You bring into my life. Help me to understand what You are doing in and through Your Church, and show me what part You have for me to do.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

For those who were part of the early Church, it was a radical change for them when they became "Christ-followers." We use that same terminology today, but the idea may have lost some of the meaning it had when it was used by those Acts 2 believers.

So what does it mean to "follow" Jesus? Of course, when we say "follow," we are not talking about the way that we absent-mindedly follow a tour-guide around a museum. Although the Bible frequently refers to disciples as sheep and Jesus as the Shepherd, we are not blind lemmings; mindless drones chasing after a leader with no clue what we are doing or where we are going. Rather, a disciple follows with the intention of learning, growing, and developing. A disciple follows in the hope of becoming someone or something more...something better.

In a church setting we refer to this process as spiritual growth, or discipleship, and it doesn't just "happen;" it requires effort from us. The bottom line is that a disciple is someone who commits to making sacrifices and putting energy into the process of becoming more like Jesus. Working together with the Holy Spirit, we pursue this change through regular practices, or "spiritual disciplines" such as prayer, Bible reading, worship, service, evangelism, fasting, and giving.

A growing disciple is someone hard at work. Here's what Paul had to say on the subject in 2 Timothy 2:3-7:

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs -- he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Dear Father,

A lot of days I am too much like that museum visitor -- following along with the group, but not focused on You and how I can grow to be more like You. Help me today to listen to Your voice and follow You like a commited soldier . . . an athlete in training . . . a hardworking farmer.

26"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." -- John 15:26-27

In verse 26, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will bear witness about who He is and testify to His authority and Kingdom. He then says that His followers will do the same. Ultimately, the fruit we bear as we abide in Christ is a witness that gives testimony and proof of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As we end this week of reflections on John 15, we need to remind ourselves that this life is not about us -- our comfort, our expectations, or even our fruitfulness. It is about the glory of God. It's about how our witness, our testimony, our fruitfulness points to the One who deserves the worship and devotion of every creature on the planet.

Over and over, Jesus and the leaders of the early Church remind us that we who have freely received so much from our Lord are to freely give everything, in order that His Kingdom might expand.

We are warned not to hide the light or the love that Christ has poured into our lives. We are repeatedly encouraged not to keep the gifts, blessings, and the fruits He has given to ourselves. In fact, Jesus lovingly but firmly exhorts us to live sacrificially and to intentionally witness and testify for Him in word and deed so His Kingdom might expand.

In the first Chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians, he writes that he is thankful that the faith and trust that the Colossians have in Christ Jesus is bearing fruit by growing and being extended to more and more people. As divine fruit-bearers (fruit that comes from His work in our lives) we have a profound responsibility. We are to move into the lives of those all around us -- our family, our neighbors, our workplaces -- with the life-changing reality of God's love and the message of the Gospel of salvation in Christ alone.

In Colossians, Paul specifically speaks to "bearing fruit in every good work" (Colossians 1:10). Later in that letter, he will request prayer and ask his audience to follow him in reaching the world for Christ.

Yes, we are to abide in Christ and we know as we do that we will bear much fruit. Today, let's remember that we exist to love God and love others intentionally and sacrificially. Let's remember that Jesus' very last instructions for us -- as He ascended into heaven -- were to go into all the world and share the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Father,

How natural and easy it is for me to turn inward and stock up all the fruit for myself and those closest to me. Help me to keep before me the mandate You have given to be about others and not myself. Help me to see those around me who need Your love, Your joy, Your peace, Your patience, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness and self-control. Help me to step out of my comfort in order that the whole world may know and love You.

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.

Yesterday, we talked about the fruitfulness of the believer who abides in Christ -- not fruit that comes from trying harder, but by abiding in Christ. Today, we want to focus our attention on the second verse of this passage, where Jesus explains that God will actually prune those branches (the lives of believers) that bear fruit in order that they will produce even more fruit.

This common process in viticulture refers to the cutting back of dead and/or overgrown branches in order to enhance the fruitfulness of the plant. Here Jesus points us to the important role of trials and suffering in the life of the believer. As so many other passage of Scripture tell us (I Peter 1:3-9 and James 1:2-4, for example), God's beautiful and ultimate purposes -- that we bear much fruit -- are often realized through experiences and situations that are painful and difficult.

Chances are, all of us have experienced things that we have considered trials. It may be that right now you are walking through a situation or painful experience that has knocked you off center. This passage tells us that God loves us intimately and desires that we grow to live the fruitful and God-glorifying life that He created us to live. This passage also reminds us that God lovingly and carefully prunes our lives in order that we might bear more and more fruit for Him.

Today, let this truth focus your thinking and transform your perspective on your current trials.

Father,

Though I certainly don't seek out pain and trials, I understand that You love me and desire that I be fruitful for You in this life. Give me the wisdom and perspective to see trials, testing and pain in light of Your sovereignty, Your goodness and the pruning I know I need.

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last -- and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

This passage of scripture is found right in the middle of Jesus' last words to His closest followers. It is known as the Upper Room discourse. These last several minutes together with these beloved followers are precious to Jesus, as He seeks to encourage, inspire, and offer instructions to His disciples about future events and His will for their lives.  

If you were to read on for three chapters to John 18, you would be thrust into the middle of Jesus' passion narrative and all of the events that led to His trial, torture, death, burial, and resurrection. This is the absolute center of all human history. Therefore, these last few minutes with His disciples were all the more precious, and Jesus used them to say some very important things to them -- and to us.

Imagine for a minute that you are spending what you know to be the last several minutes with a trusted teacher and friend. As he speaks candidly with you, how closely are you listening to the words? In the future, how seriously will you consider these final observations, the guidance, and the counsel? How well will you remember the penetrating words from this last conversation?

Take a few minutes and -- with the perspective that these are "final words" being spoken to us by the Son of God, the Savior of the World -- reread John 15:1-17.

Which phrases and instructions strike home the most to you? What aspects of your life need to be brought into the light of Jesus' so-carefully chosen words?

Father,

Help me to truly hear Your comforting, encouraging, and yet radical, words today. Help me to allow them to penetrate deep into my soul that I might live and love through You and for You.

The “I AM” message series continues next Sunday as Pastor Rob returns to teach on Jesus’ words in John 14:6,
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”

⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

According to Wikipedia, the truth may mean either:

• The truth in a particular context -- a statement that is known to be correct -- i.e. in accord with reality, as corroborated by evidence or related experience
• Supreme reality, holding the ultimate meaning and value of existence

I called a friend of mine and asked him what the truth was, and he responded with, “The truth is whatever you want it to be. You just have to mean it when you say it.”

Finding none of these really helpful -- and for the most part pointless -- I conclude that there really is no truth in this world and that all truth is relative, except one, and that truth is this: God created the universe and everything in it, it was corrupted by man, God has redeemed it through the death of Jesus. Through Him, the free gift of salvation is offered to everyone, and God wants us to tell the world, so no one will perish.

Wikipedia almost had it right. The Truth is this statement is known to be correct: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, Jesus, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This is also “corroborated by evidence” and by my “related experience,” as one who has come to personally know that Truth and to accept His gift of salvation by faith.

Jesus is the Truth.

Father,

Help me today to focus on experiencing the life that is mine in You -- because life outside of You is pointless and devoid of meaning. Keep me focused on the great truth that You so loved me that You gave Your Only Begotten Son, so that I would not perish, but would have everlasting life with You.

Amen

The “I AM” message series continues next Sunday as Pastor Rob returns to teach on Jesus’ words in John 14:6,
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”

⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?

⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

⁹Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. ¹²I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

It is interesting to talk with people and listen to how they represent themselves. They frequently make “I am” statements, like, “I am Billy’s Mom or Dad.” “I am a lawyer.” “I am single.” “I am married.” “I am old…well maybe not old but vintage.”

Jesus also uses “I am” statements to tell us who He is, and we find them recorded in the Gospel of John. I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35). I am the Light of the World (John 8:12). I am the Gate (John 10:9). I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26). I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). I am the vine (John 15:5).

Looking at each of these statements -- as we are doing on Sunday mornings this summer -- we can see how they represent Jesus’ plan for salvation: We are dead without Him so He provides the Bread of Life. We are lost in the darkness of our own sin so He is the Light that guides us from the darkness. He is the Gate through which we pass from our old life of sin and death to our new life in Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd who cares for us as we struggle through life, secure in Him, but still living in a broken and corrupt world. He is the Resurrection, Who raises us from the dead and provides us with new and eternal Life, so we do not need to fear for our future. And He is the Vine, from which we draw constant nourishment and life.

Father,

Help me to stay focused on the completeness of all that I have in You. You are all in all, the great I AM. Thank you that it is Your plan that no one should perish. Please place someone in my path today that I can share this with. Give me the words and the confidence so that You can work through me.

Amen

This week we are reading John 10:1–15, focusing today on verse 14. The text below is taken from the NIV, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice.

¹“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

⁷Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me —  ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Picture an inexperienced airline passenger. Take-off was delayed by a mechanical problem. The flight was long, and with maybe a little turbulence along the way. There may have been a degree of nervous tension by the time the plane landed. The airport is crowded and, never visited before, is a strange place.

Suddenly, our passenger locks eyes with the loved one who is there to meet the plane. Just a glimpse of that familiar face and everything changes. One look, at a single face in the crowd, makes all the difference.

That rush of warmth and confidence — knowing and being known — is just a small taste of what it means for each of us as believers, sheep of His pasture, to be known by the all-loving, all-powerful God of the universe. He knows us down to our innermost feelings and thoughts and dreams and fears.

The Good Shepherd can perfectly provide for our every need because He knows us intimately — better even than we know ourselves.

Jesus,

Thank You for knowing me and loving me. Thank You for providing the very best for me. Thank You for being MY Good Shepherd. Help me to put knowing and loving and serving You at the center of my life today.

Amen

This week we are reading John 10:1–15, focusing today on verses 10 and 11. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! ²But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. ⁵They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

⁶Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, ⁷so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. ⁹Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

¹⁰The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. ¹²A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. ¹³The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, ¹⁵just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.

Verses 10 and 11 make a sharp contrast between the thief — the one who would steal and kill and destroy — and the Good Shepherd, who came to offer us a “rich and satisfying life.”

If you’ve been around the Church for very long, you may have heard about the “abundant life” Jesus came to bring. You may even have memorized part of this verse in the past. But what’s often overlooked is the fact that Jesus began this powerful statement about why He came with a warning:  A thief is coming with the intent of stealing, killing, and destroying.

He warns us about an ongoing battle between Good and evil, life and death. There’s no doubt about Who will win — our eternal future in Christ is assured — but still the battle rages. The thief tries every way he can to wreak havoc in our lives, stealing our joy, diminishing our experience of the “rich and satisfying life” Jesus came to bring us — destroying hope and instilling fear.

But to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Jesus has warned us about the thief, and promised us life — abundant and full — that’s ours for the taking.

Reading on in verse 11, we learn something significant about our Good Shepherd and what He has done to make this rich and satisfying life possible. That life, it tells us, comes through death.

It wouldn’t be uncommon for a shepherd, out in the hills watching over a flock, to encounter a wild animal that would be a threat to his sheep. And for a man to fight off that wild beast — armed only with his hands and maybe a few rough weapons — could be a dangerous undertaking. No doubt some listening to Jesus that day knew of a shepherd who had risked his life in that manner.

The Good Shepherd is like that protective shepherd, Jesus says here — but with an important difference. While a responsible shepherd might risk his life protecting his flock, Jesus the Good Shepherd laid down His life, knowing what was ahead and the death He would suffer.

In that voluntary death, we see and experience the incomparable love of God.

Jesus,

Thank You for the life I can find only in You. I praise You for Your loving sacrifice — for laying down Your life so that I can have life that is rich and full. Help me to live today with an awareness of Your amazing love for me.

Amen

What does Jesus say about the religious leaders of His day — upstanding citizens who knew every law and religious duty, who prayed so eloquently and gave so publicly to the poor?

“Thieves and robbers,” He calls them — out to steal, kill and destroy. Abusing those who followed Christ, rejecting His teachings, and scoffing at His deity, these religious men promoted the lie that following their rules was the way to reach God. Claiming to be the representatives of God, they tried to turn people away — in the name of religion — from God’s own Son and the message of salvation He preached.

The good news? John 10:8 tells us that the sheep didn’t listen to the thieves and robbers. Still watching for the one true Messiah, still ready to follow the voice of truth, hungry for salvation and freedom from the burden of sin — condemned under the law that the Pharisees taught — throngs of people were drawn to hear Jesus’ words of truth.

In verse 9, Jesus affirms His exclusive role as “the Gate” — the one mediator between God and man. He then goes on to describe what awaits for all who will follow Him:

Salvation — protection within the safety of His fold — for now and for eternity.

Freedom — to come in and go out. Freedom that contrasts sharply with the rigid behavior-based religion taught by the false teachers of His day. The Good Shepherd’s sheep can come and go safely under His protection and care — not bound to rules in an effort to try and earn God’s favor — and freed from the power of sin-habits and from the power of the evil one.

Satisfaction — captive only to the Good Shepherd’s loving care, enjoying abundant pastures that provide for their every need.

Father,

I praise You for freeing me from the power of sin and death. Help me to celebrate that freedom today and every day. Thank You for loving me enough to send people into my life to tell me the beautiful salvation story. Give me opportunities today to share the story of Your love with others.

¹“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! ²But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. ⁵They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

⁶Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, ⁷so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. ⁹Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. ¹⁰The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Sheep have never been thought of as the most intelligent of creatures, but recent research by British scientists indicates that sheep have a remarkable ability to remember faces — memories reportedly held for as long as two years. With that kind of long-term visual memory, it’s not hard to believe they could have the kind of auditory memory to give credence to what we read in John 10:4 about these sheep knowing their Shepherd’s voice.

And not only do they know Him, but they also follow Him unquestioningly. They follow Him because time after time, day after day, He has faithfully led them where they needed to go — avoiding pitfalls, leading them to the green pastures and safe waters they need, protecting them from danger. And day by day, their trust in Him grows.

Another reason that the intelligence of sheep has been challenged, according to an experienced farmer, is because they are fearful animals. They are afraid, he says, of almost everything. They spook easily, and animals (and people, for that matter) show little evidence of intelligent behavior in the midst of panic.

But fear is not always a bad thing. In fact, fear can be protective when it energizes sheep — or people — to run away from danger. That’s the kind of situation Jesus is talking about in John 10:5, where He tells His listeners that the sheep run from a stranger, “because they don’t know his voice.” While the voice of the shepherd represents tasty pastures, fresh drinking water, and caring protection, the stranger’s voice triggers a wariness that causes the sheep to flee.

Father,

Thank You for Your faithful love and care. Help me to trust more fully in You — to provide all I need, to choose my path, to go out ahead of me and bring me to the place I need to go. May I be so attuned to Your voice that I am wary of competing voices that could draw me away from faith and trust in You. Give me wisdom to recognize those dangerous temptations that would harm me — and strength to flee into Your loving presence.

Amen.

Today we are reading John 10:1–10. The text below is taken from the NIV, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice.

What an unusual beginning, you might be thinking, for a story about the Good Shepherd. Why this talk about thieves and robbers, ready to sneak in and do harm?

“Psalm 23 has the shepherd story right,” we might say, “starting clearly and positively, ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ ” What a hope-filled affirmation that is!

But the John 10 parable of the Shepherd and His sheep begins, instead, with a warning about those who would lead His sheep astray.

From the larger context here, it is clear that Jesus was delivering a sharp rebuke to the religious leaders of His day, known as Pharisees. They had fought Jesus’ ministry every step of the way — sought to run Him out of town and even tried to have him killed! These religious men had no understanding of His offer of the free gift of salvation, of the living water that gave lasting spiritual satisfaction, or of “the Way, the Truth and the Life” that provided the only means for humans to be freed from the penalty of sin and made righteous in God’s sight.

The message of John 10:1 also warns Christ-followers today. To us, Jesus says, “There are enemies out there, beloved, who want to steal away your heart, rob you of joy, and replace your pure faith with a religion of duty and rules and obligation. Be watchful. Beware!”

Father,
I recognize that the war is on. Guard my heart from thieves and robbers who try to sneak in and substitute acts of religion or dutiful performance for the real thing — a vibrant living faith built solidly on a personal relationship with You. Keep me from being a religious know-it-all like the Pharisees, who rejected You and missed the meaning of Your words. May I have ears to hear Your truth, and a heart that’s ready and open for what You have to teach me.
Amen.

Today we are reading John 12:35-46. The text below is taken from the New International Version, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice.

35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

37Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

“Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

40?He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes,nor understand with their hearts, nor turn –  and I would heal them.”

41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

44Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

Steve and Kathryn live in an underground flood tunnel in Las Vegas, along with 700 other people, according to an AOL News article from 2010. Spiders, mosquitoes, graffiti, yes, but they say it’s cooler than the hot Nevada air and the police don’t bother them. Their only fear is flooding — which has taken lives over the years — even so, Steve and Kathryn and their neighbors prefer to evade the light of day and the law.

It’s easy to see a similarity to life in a spiritual sense. Jesus said, “I am” the Light. After His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, our Lord offers an invitation for those in darkness to come out into the light while they can. At the end of John 12:35 and the beginning of verse 36, we read, “The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” Then in verse 46, he returns to that theme to reaffirm, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

It’s quite possible that some who read these devotionals have yet to respond to Jesus’ offer of relief from the darkness of sin and to walk in the light of faith in Christ. Admit your sins to Him, believe that God came to earth in Jesus Christ, lived a sinless life, died for your sins, and was
resurrected to life by Divine power. Don’t stay in darkness a moment longer, trust Him to forgive you, to deal with your guilt, and grant you eternal life with Him.

For those who have already taken that step of faith, these verses make it strikingly clear what a difference Christ can make in the lives of those around us who don’t know Him. May that awareness transform our conversation and our prayer lives, and grow our willingness to step beyond our comfort zones to invite those who live in darkness — who don’t know where they are going — to experience the reality of Jesus, the Light of the World.

Father,
I thank You and praise You that You found me while I still walked in darkness and loved me while I was far away from you. Thank you for sending Your Son to suffer on the cross for my sins. Thank You that You raised Him from the dead so He could be my living Savior and Lord. Thank you for all You have done for me. Guide my words and my actions as I share that truth with others who need You.
Amen

Today we are looking at John 8:12 and Matthew 5:14-16. The text below is taken from the New International Version, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  — John 8:12

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  — Matthew 5:14-16

During my college days, a friend and I did some sightseeing in the southwest. One of our stops was Carlsbad Caverns. At one point during the cave tour, the guide turned off all the lights. Total darkness. No one moved. Much as we tried, no one could even see a faint glimmer of light. Our thoughts went to, “What if the light doesn’t come back on? How would we get out of this cave?” We all depended upon our guide who was light for us.

We’re looking this week at Jesus’ statement, “I am the light of the world.” But there is another source of spiritual light that Jesus taught about. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world.

He taught this principle to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount one day on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. He wanted them to know that they — and all who believed in Him as the Messiah –  were reflections of His light in the world. When people saw them, they would see, in part at least, a likeness of Jesus. The key, He pointed out, was to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

The guide in Carlsbad turned on his flashlight — what difference! All it took was one light to dispel our fears. As believers in Christ, we live in a darkened world, but Christ is our light. We, like little flashlights or candles, reflect His light and lessen the darkness around us. It allows people to see how we live our lives as Christians — “that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your father in heaven”

Spend a few minutes today imagining life — 24-7 — in that total, cave-like kind of darkness. Then, think about even a small flashlight switching on. The difference is remarkable. You and I can make a difference to the people in our sphere of life simply by making sure our light is always shining. How? By getting into the Word, staying in the Word, and letting Jesus, the Light of the world, charge our spiritual batteries regularly.

Jesus,
 I affirm that You are the Light of the world. Enable me — by the power and guidance of Your Spirit — to reflect Your light to those in darkness around me. Help me to reflect Jesus to others, and to bring glory to You by what I do and say.
Amen