The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

The Lord Jesus explains to us the difference between someone hired to watch the sheep and the shepherd. If minor annoyances would come along probably most hirelings would deal with them. But sometimes when grave danger suddenly happened, hirelings would run away as fast as they could. They ran because they cared for themselves and thought little about the sheep. The difference is that the shepherd, if he or she was a good shepherd, flight from the danger would be unthinkable. Good Shepherds would run toward the danger because they had sheep to protect. In eternity past God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit decreed the eternal decree. No, I don’t claim to understand it by any means. But this I do know: in eternity past it was decided that at the time appointed, the Lord Jesus would take upon Himself the form of a man. This is known as the incarnation. He is the Good Shepherd. He gave His life for us. Never have I been loved by anyone like this. Though I am a man greatly blessed because I have many who love me, no one has ever loved or cared for me like the Lord Jesus. It is the same with you, friend. No one has ever loved or cared for you like the Lord Jesus. He is our Good Shepherd!

For today: I surely want to be the kind of follower who will please my Good Shepherd. How about you?

“I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

Everyone knows what a door is; however, the scene in John 10 may be unfamiliar to us. Earlier the Lord Jesus had healed a man which was blind from his birth (John 9). It was a tremendous miracle that only the Lord Jesus could perform. The religious leaders of the day were furious. Isn’t that heartbreaking? The Lord Jesus performed a mighty miracle, restoring sight to a man who had a congenital birth defect, and now the religious leaders were mad. In fact, they were so angry that they threw the now-sighted young man out of the temple. The Lord Jesus explained to everyone listening that He is the Door. At night several shepherds would bring their sheep into one large sheepfold. A porter was hired who would watch over the sheep and protect them through the night. The next day the shepherds would come through this door into the sheepfold. In a vivid manner the Lord Jesus explained that He Himself is the Door. He is the only way into salvation. He is the only way into fellowship with God. He is the Door. There are not many ways to Heaven. There is only one Door.

For today: I am blessed to remember that the Lord Jesus is the Door. I’m going to try to think about this often throughout my day. How about you?

“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the World: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

Many years ago I was camp pastor for the week at Bethany Baptist Camp in Western New York. I have spoken there many, many times. It is a beautiful camp set in the hills and woods not too far from Chautauqua Lake as well as Lake Erie. It was time for me to head down to supper with the rest of the campers. I came from my speaker’s cabin far up the trail and in the woods. I was nearly at the dining room when I remembered that I hadn’t brought my flashlight. After supper I would take part in the brief activity, and then all the campers would come to the chapel in that same building. Several times I thought to myself that I ought to hurry back to the cabin and get my flashlight. I even told myself “It is going to be late and it’s going to be dark by the time I am finished here.” Then I reassured myself thinking, “Mike you’ve been here dozens of times. You know the way back to your cabin with your eyes closed!” So I didn’t go back for my flashlight. Well let me tell you that it surely was dark on the way back up the trail leading to my cabin! I actually stumbled several times. The phrase “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness” vividly came to my mind. I am so thankful that I know and love the Lord Jesus. He is indeed not only the Light of the World; He is the Light of my life. Even when we go through confusing times, He is our Light, and we can follow His Word.

“And Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst’” (John 6:35).

Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is awesome and amazing in all of His ways. Never a teacher taught like Him. Being the very essence and expression of the Triune Godhead, He took upon Himself the form of a man and walked the ancient streets and roads of Israel. How grateful we are that we have the privilege of reading His glorious teachings. For the next few days we are going to be following this blessed teaching of our Savior through the Gospel of John. The Lord Jesus used the expression “I am” several times. John recorded it for us so that we could see firsthand that Christ indeed is the Son of God. Today we remember the wonderful teaching of Christ as He explained to the people that He is the Bread of Life. Earlier the Lord Jesus performed a mighty miracle of feeding 5000 men (certainly there were women and children as well) with five loaves and two fish. Of all things, the people talked to the Lord Jesus about Moses feeding them manna in the wilderness. The people wanted the Lord Jesus to continue to supply their physical needs. They were totally missing the point. The Lord Jesus explains to us that He is the Bread of Life. He is our source of food and nourishment spiritually. Church folks who bring their Bibles on Sunday and close them Monday through Saturday are really starving themselves. Bread is a daily necessity. Investing time with the Lord Jesus in the Bible and in prayer is a daily necessity. Have you discovered Him to be the Bread of Life?

For today: It is great to carry our Bibles to church tomorrow. I want to be committed to opening mine on Monday morning as well. How about you?

“And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring. O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:3).

Wow! The Lord Jesus is very stern with the wicked people of His generation. They thought themselves to be rather sophisticated in being able to predict incoming storms. By watching the clouds at sunrise, if the skies lit up in redness, they proudly proclaimed, “Storm’s coming!” They were great in their scientific proclamations. However! They were missing the absolutely most important thing in the entire world. They were missing how to have a personal relationship with the living God. The Lord Jesus Christ stood in their midst. He came to them, and they didn’t recognize Him (John 1:11). It saddens me to see highly educated, greatly sophisticated scholars who have achieved high levels of accomplishments who are missing out on the greatest truth and discovery of a lifetime. They are missing out on the joy of sins forgiven and life with the Lord. Aren’t you glad that you have made that discovery?

For today: Aren’t you glad that you know the Lord? Don’t you wish everyone knew Him?