Life to the Fullest

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LIFE TO THE FULLEST

John 10:1-18

10:1 "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. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The 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. 12 The 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. 13 The 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— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." 

NIV

Having looked into one aspect of these words of Jesus we now move to another. No one else will ever be able to give us life and give it to us to the full other than Jesus. He is the only gate, the only way we can be saved. Because he is using the metaphor of the sheep pen, we need to see it in the context of that culture. Usually, at the end of a day, many shepherds would come together at the local sheep pen which was usually made up of stones. Personally having visited the plains area of Israel, the Negev, where sheep would have been kept, it has a massive amount of stone all over the ground even to this day. In fact, many of the Bedouin who still live in tents, make their territory with piles of rocks, sort of like a fence. So these sheep pens would be a stone-walled area with just one opening. The shepherds would camp out right at the entrance guarding the way into the pen. In this case, it is Jesus who guards the entrance to heaven. Anyone else who wants entrance and does not come through Jesus is nothing but a thief and a robber. Anyone else who wants to think they are the guardian of the sheep runs when the wolf comes to attack the flock and scatter it. How is that applied to our lives today? Are there hired hands today? It is a good thing to be a shepherd, a pastor called by God to look over a certain flock. But the shepherds, the other pastors with their flocks must bring them into the sheep pen which Jesus is watching over, the sheep pen of heaven. There is also something pastors have to know is that there are wolves attacking their flock, trying to divide or scatter it, so they can devour many of them. These wolves may well come in sheep’s clothing, pretending to be sheep, followers of the Good Shepherd, but we should not be deceived by them, for they did not come through the one true gate. If they were they would breed their own flocks, they would not go after sheep who belong to another shepherd. However, therein lays a rub. Shepherds who have been called by the Good Shepherd to pastor certain flocks, should be on guard against the wolf and not run, but stand and defend his flock, making sure they know who that wolf is in sheep’s clothing and that it is still a wolf. However, Jesus is still saying that he is the only one, the only shepherd who lays his life down for his sheep. There is no one else who does that. Not a single person, no matter how good of a shepherd, or sheep they happen to be, can provide the way into heaven by laying down their life. There is, obviously, not a single person, other than Jesus, who can pick his life back up again. Jesus is the only way to attain life and life to the fullest. We also should see that the wolf could also be, as in the context of his teaching, others who claim to be the Christ, of which there were in those days. Jesus warned them and now warns us of those who would claim to be the Messiah, the one who is the way to heaven. Again, false prophets and false teachers, of which they had many, as well as we do today. They would still qualify under the label, wolves in sheep’s clothing. Let us live only in the flock of Jesus. He is the only way to be saved and to live and live to the fullest.

One Shepherd

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

ONE SHEPHERD

John 10:1-18

10:1 "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. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The 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. 12 The 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. 13 The 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— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." 

NIV

Although there is so much in these words of Jesus, we just cannot break them down into smaller segments without losing the whole of his message. Still, we have to deal with certain elements of his dissertation one at a time. First, we should note although this is the beginning of the next chapter, according to how, whoever, made the various books of the bible into chapters, Jesus is still speaking to those Pharisees who he accused of being blind. Now he is calling them thieves and robbers. The Pharisees thought of themselves as the shepherds or pastors of the people, their guides in religious matters and in the law. We know Jesus is the gate, he is the only way into the pen, which symbolizes the church. This church is not church as we look at the building we enter on Sunday to worship, but rather the church as the people of God. There is no other way to become the church, other than through the gate, Jesus. Now, it has also been said that if a man has been called by God to be a shepherd of a local flock, he has been given the authority by Jesus and thus can enter the pen and call forth his flock and they will listen to his voice. The idea here is there can be only one shepherd of a flock. Jesus is the true Shepherd, of the whole church, however, he appoints, or calls some to be pastor and teachers. What we have to know is that each local church has been given one shepherd under the authority of Christ. Now, that does not mean a church cannot have more them one pastor, but all additional pastors are under the authority of the one pastor of the church. However, what that also means is the sheep know his voice and listen to him, just as we know the voice of Jesus, and we do not listen to strangers, such as those who teach Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism or those voices of the world, teaching materialism, self-fulfillment, or whatever. But it also means that we do not listen to the voice of others who profess Christianity and make their claim of truth a means for national fame and future. They are not our shepherd, much like the Pharisees were not the true guide for the people, as they were the blind leading the blind. Again, one Good Shepherd of the church, Jesus, and one shepherd for each flock. The shepherd knows his sheep by name and calls them and they follow only his voice and run from strangers. What we learn here in a practical sense is that all those voices on multi-media waves are strangers who do not know our name and we should not listen to them, no matter how fine-sounding their words are, they are not the shepherd of our flock. Those multiple voices only serve to confuse and confound, divide and conquer, support for their own benefit. Therefore it behooves us to listen to the voice of Jesus, the one Good Shepherd, and to that voice of the Pastor called to shepherd his church.

No Remaining Guilt

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

NO REMAINING GUILT

John 9:35-41

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." 37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."  38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."  40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

NIV

We have arrived at the main event, the climax of this whole thing about healing the man born blind. Although this was a real-life event, Jesus turns it into great teaching. Perhaps that was his intent all along when he first came across this blind man. After Jesus admits to this man that He is the Son of Man, He makes this metaphorical statement about the blind and those who see. This is not about the blindness or the seeing of the eyes, but of the heart. Jesus came into the world so we who were blinded by our life of sin, who lived in that darkened city of death, could see his light and find our way across the bridge, Jesus, into the city of light and life. Once we were blind, but now we can see. However, Jesus also responded to these Pharisees who were impertinent to his words. They were if fact blinded to the truth, but at the same time, they had the truth right before their eyes. They claimed to know the truth about God, about the Law of Moses, the scriptures, or scrolls of all the prophets, which they read. They claimed to be righteous by their obedience to the law, the very law which shows them to be sinners in need of a Messiah. In our country, if we break the law, and say that we did not know about that law, we will be told that ignorance of the law is no excuse, we are still guilty of breaking it and as such are required to pay the penalty. Could this apply to us as we either know the truth or are yet finding it? In other words, if we do not know, or are unaware of certain truths, are he held responsible for them? The fact is we have the whole truth, nothing but the truth, contained in the Bible. There should be no reason we do not know the truth, all the truth, for, in fact, Jesus sent the Spirit to lead us into all the truth. However, the truth is all we need is Jesus. Just like the Pharisees could not see that, but looked to their good works for righteousness, we too must be careful not to get caught up in looking to our good deeds as a form of righteousness. This blind man could not see Jesus until he was healed and now he sees Jesus and worships him. That is as simple as it gets, once we know who Jesus is, we worship Him. Once we were blind, but now we can see. Jesus is the Truth and the Truth will set us free. Our guilt no longer remains.

A Hearing God

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

A HEARING GOD

John 9:24-34

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." 25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" 26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

NIV

They were not satisfied the first time, so they had to have one more conversation about this healing. The Pharisees are convinced Jesus is a sinner, which has to come from the fact as they interpret the law, he violated the Sabbath. That would make him a sinner, not like them, for they do not violate the Sabbath and therefor they are righteous, they do not sin. Self-righteousness is a killer, it murders the soul, it destroys the spirit, sending it to the place of perishing. All their education in the law, all their knowledge has actually blinded them to the truth. Of course, they have used the law or manipulated the law for their own benefit, while this man born blind from birth has a greater understanding of the character of God then these Pharisees. This man born blind makes a great theological statement, although it is certain he is not a theologian. He begins telling the Pharisees their ideas are remarkable. The fact they believe they are disciples of Moses and know God spoke to Moses, but as far as this fellow Jesus, they don’t even know where he is from. They are saying as far as their concerned, Jesus is nobody, just another sinner, an upstart maybe, but he is not one of them. The Pharisees want this man to give the glory to God for his sight, not to this fellow, this sinner, who works and causes people to work on the Sabbath, who violates the law. However, this man born blind, who now can see, makes it clear, God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Wow, that is coming from a regular kind of Jew, not one of the group, the highly learned. Look at the response of the Pharisees, so judgmental, so self-righteous, so wrong, and so steeped in sin. They accuse this man of being steeped in sin from birth, in other words, sin caused him to be born blind. How foolish they are in their attitudes. What do we learn from all this? First, it would make sense not to think too highly of ourselves. Second, it would make sense we should not judge anyone, but reserve all judgment for God. Third, we should understand God does not listen to sinners. Now, what does that mean, for we are sinners? Does that mean God does not hear our prayers? Perhaps that only applies to those who are not saved, the lost, the sinner who has not repented and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. But then how are they going, actually how did we get saved if God does not listen to sinners? He hears the prayer of repentance. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, so we need to repent if we want God to hear of prayer. This cannot be a one-time repentance thing and then all our prayers are heard. If we look at David, in many of the psalms he wrote, he was always filled with repentance, over and over again. It would make sense that we should seek forgiveness of our sin each day before we even ask God to do anything for us. Whatever we pray for, it would be wise to seek forgiveness for our failures, our failings, or our sin. If we say we have none we deceive ourselves and call God a liar. Oh, hear our prayer! Cleanse our hearts, purify our minds, our hearts, our being, so that we can hear from you, and you will hear from us, as we seek your counsel, your guidance, your direction for us, and your healing. Speak to your servant dear Lord, give us ears to hear, a heart that listens and a spirit that obeys.

Believing in Miracles

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

BELIEVING IN MIRACLES

John 9:13-23

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided. 17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet." 18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" 20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

NIV

The saga continues as we get into this division among the Pharisees regarding the blind man now being able to see. Here we go again about work on the Sabbath although it was an incredible miracle for a man who was born blind to now have sight. Eyes that have never seen now can see. Whoever heard of such a thing, it is impossible for any man to be able to do that. Even with our modern medical achievements a person born blind, or even loses sight later in like cannot be made to see again. Even a whole eye transplant will not work unless the optic nerve is replaced as well, and as of yet, that has not been accomplished. So as far as we know, the only blind people who have received their sight fully are those Jesus healed. Some of the Pharisees argued about whether Jesus was from God because he did not keep the Sabbath. Some were a bit confused as they actually consider that if Jesus was a sinner because of failing to keep the Sabbath, still he did such a miracle, it would be almost inconceivable that he was indeed a sinner. The blind man thought Jesus was a prophet. The Jews had not seen a prophet among them for hundreds of years. Even John the Baptist was a prophet, but they did not see him as one. The Pharisees had created their own place in society and it was a good one. They were among the ruling class, they had power and authority. A prophet would spoil all that. So then this could not be the same man, so they sent for his parents and sure enough, the parents weren’t going to testify about anything because they knew the power of the Pharisees, chief priests and teachers of the law. If they said anything about Jesus healing their son, they would be thrown out of the synagogue. What do we learn from any of this? It seems it is just a case in history, but yet Jesus did do something no man can or has ever done, which proves he is God. Some things are just impossible with man, but with God, nothing is impossible. The Pharisees, being so entrenched in their form of law, they could not make any room for a miracle from God. Maybe we have become so entrenched in our faith in the medical approach to health, and wholeness, we too have not left any room for a miracle from God. Maybe we have developed the opinion that doctors are from God, or God’s way of healing. However, was it not Jesus who healed people and told them to go show themselves to the doctors for proof? The wisest course of action should be to leave room for a miracle, trust in God first and foremost in and for all things. We always have to remember the medical profession are just people, with whom the impossible has not yet been done, but God has been doing, for him the possible, for man the impossible, forever. We need to trust God instead of a man. We need to believe for and in miracles.

Evidence

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

EVIDENCE

John 9:6-12

6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man." 10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. 11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.

NIV

Having just said that He was the light of the world and that this man’s blindness was not a result of sin, but so the work of God could be displayed in his life, he now proceeds to heal the man. It is interesting that Jesus did not just restore his sight instantly, but made mud and had the man go and wash it off in order for him to be able to see. What must it have been for this man who had never seen anything, never knew what light was, all of a sudden to able to see everything for the first time in his life. John does not tell us if this man was excited, and telling everyone about his miracle, but just that he went home seeing. Did he appear that different just because he could see, that some of his neighbors said he was not who he was, but just a look-alike? We are just at the beginning of a very long narrative surrounding this man born blind who now can see. However, why were people so confused about whether he was that man born blind and now can see? Maybe they just could not believe in miracles and had to come up with some other explanation. But he said he was the man born blind and now he could see. Well, then they had to know how his eyes were opened. If in fact, he is that man, how in the world could this have happened? This nameless man, which is interesting that the whole narrative is about this blind man, and we are not told his name. We don’t know any of the names of his neighbors and as we look further in this narrative to its conclusion, we are not told any of the names of anyone, except the name of Jesus. Everything is always all about Jesus, this is why John wrote this account, this gospel, to show the divinity of Jesus. Yet, the story also gives us insight into the heart of men. Some will refuse to believe even when the evidence is right in front of them. Even if this is the man who was blind, then where is this man they call Jesus? They needed more proof, more evidence before they were going to take his word. Is that the same today? Do some always want more evidence before they will believe? What about us believers? Do we want more evidence before we will believe for healing? Do we want more evidence before we believe Jesus will provide for us, especially in this pandemic period in our culture? Although it is a nasty situation and we should be wise in our affairs of life, not putting God to a foolish test, we still have to know that he is watching over us and that should include protecting us from all harm. It would seem we either believe or we want more evidence, which would mean we really do not believe. The question is which side of the fence we stand.  Yes, be careful, be wise, but believe. These people, although the proof was before them, could not believe. How much proof do we need? We can recount the multiple miracles Jesus did in our life, almost too many to enumerate without writing a book. So then why would he stop now? Why would he not continue to work miraculously in our life? He will and he does, we believe it. We do not need any more evidence.

light of the World

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

John 9:1-5

9:1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 

NIV

Having considered the conundrum regarding the issue of infirmities and bringing glory to God, we should also consider the rest of what Jesus said. Jesus is referring to day and night as in life and death, at least in regards to his own ministry. But that also applies to our ministry and that does not mean just those who are titled as ministers, but to all believers for each has been given a ministry. Every believer, as a living stone, being built into the temple of God, has a function, a place in which to serve both the other stones surrounding it and as the temple for others to come in and find God and then become a living stone themselves. We can only do this, being a living stone, while it is the day. The night is coming and at that time we cannot work. Jesus said that while he is in the world, of course, he used the term, “I AM” which cannot be unseen, once seen, he or “I AM” is the light of the world. There is no question that Jesus is the light of the world. His light reveals who God is and the sin in man, sin which he has the power and authority to forgive. Early in the preceding chapter, we were told as long as we followed Jesus we would not walk in darkness but have the light of life. Still, he also said that we are the light of the world.

Matt 5:14-16

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

NIV

If then we are the light of the world, as long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent us. We have been sent into the world. He commanded us to go into all the world and do the work he sent us to do, preach the good news. Again, that is not just for those who have that title, “Preacher”, but for all believers. We all are to light the way to Jesus. What sense is there to hide it within the church? What sense is it to hide the fact we are believers. We do just that when we keep silent. We do that when we do not take a stand against evil? Does everyone who we encounter know we are the light of the world, or is our light under wraps? Are we being disobedient when we do not let our light shine before men? We are to shine our light before men, that they may see our good toil, our good occupation, or business, employment, or what is accomplished by hand, which is the meaning of the word, works. This may be applied as “Good deeds”, but then what are “Good deeds?” Certainly, we can be sure whatever we do within the church, and however good that may be, it does not fulfill being a light to the world thus letting our light shine before men, that they can see our doing our all at whatever we do, so they will praise our Father in heaven. Then that brings another problem which is not taking any of the praise of men for our good work. It also means we should be careful not to think more highly of ourselves then we should, just because we are shining our light. With all that Jesus did, he always gave glory to his Father, the one who sent him. We need to always remember, as we shine our light, it is supposed to reveal Jesus, not us. We are only the light, a light that gives light to be able to see what it is shining on. Just as the light of day, which we cannot really see, but can only see what it shines on, our light should only shine on Jesus for all to see.