Jesus Is the Gate

We live in a distracted, and distracting, world.  People become confused by all the conflicting voices clambering for attention. Unfortunately, many of the voices are not based in truth, and therefore, mislead, misguide, and mistreat many people. So how does a person discern a truthful voice from an untruthful one?

For a follower of Jesus, there is a sure first step towards answering this question. In John 10, Jesus is teaching his disciples on this topic. “Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.  I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.  A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:7-10). Surrendering our whole heart to God’s order of things, and Christ’s teaching specifically, is the only way to know truth (John 8:31-32).

Jesus uses the example of tending sheep because it was a very common practice in the time he lived on earth. Sheep are interesting animals. They flock together, and they respond only to one person as their shepherd. The only way they will make a move from one place (field or pen) to another, is by following the lead of their known shepherd. Without their shepherd they are lost and unable to function.

Jesus likens sheep to people. Left to their own devices, people will become lost and directionless. Jesus speaks of himself as a shepherd and a gate when he says, ““Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.  The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers”  (John 10:1-6).

So how do we hear the voice of Jesus in the midst of all the other voices in the world?  God speaks through his Holy Spirit. We must first, listen for his voice. Listening is a skill that can be developed. Listening can be hard work. Resisting the temptation to assume we already have heard what we need to hear (and know what we need to know), can cause us to miss a necessary directive from God. Hearing from God begins with what he has already spoken in the Bible. The Bible is God’s voice, and listening to what it says means we believe and obey it without exception. The entire Bible is written to reveal who Jesus is, and how we should respond to him.

If we are truly in the “sheep fold” of Jesus, we surrender to his authority as the Gate. We yield to his leadership (shepherding and gate keeping).  He calls the shots.  He tells us where to “graze.”  That is, allow our body, mind, and soul to only feed on things that are wholesome and healthy. Behaviors the Bible condemns, we condemn. Behaviors and people the Bible honors, we honor. Abundant blessings accompany this kind of lifestyle.

We recognize however that the “thief” (the devil and evil in the world) is a real opponent. The aim of evil is to “kill, steal, and destroy” as the verse above warns us.  Evil presents in many voices. Failing to listen for, and hear God’s voice, leaves us vulnerable to going through the wrong gate. Not following God’s ways also makes us vulnerable to being destroyed by the thief’s evil ways.

Following the voice of Jesus puts us on the correct path. Jesus is our Shepherd. Jesus is the Gate to open and close opportunities for good or evil to triumph. The Gate governs our “coming and going” (spoken of in the verses above), and is the everyday activities of life being run through the filter of obedience to the Bible as the Word of God. The Gate guides us into refuge and protects us from the thief’s destruction. May we thank and praise Jesus the Gate, for his saving power. He died on the cross to save us from our sin condition, and was resurrected from death to life so we can have an eternal life in communion with God.

I need Jesus to be my Gate every day, and I pray that all reading this will recognize and yield to his gate-keeping as well.

 by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

Troubles?

            Troubles are common to all people. Even people who try to do good by honoring God and following his ways, are going to experience some type of adversity. A particular verse in the Bible, Psalm 34:19, states this very clearly. Most translations use the word “affliction” to describe the condition. For example, the New American Standard Bible (NASB) says, “The afflictions of the righteous are many, But the Lord rescues him from them all” (Psalm 34:19, NASB). 

 Below are some other expressions of Psalm 34:19.

 The Amplified Bible (AMP) reinforces,

“Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous,

But the Lord rescues him from them all.”

 Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translates this as,

“One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the Lord rescues him from them all.”

 The Passion Translation (TPT) puts it this way,

“The Lord is near to those who are in despair, and save those who have lost all hope”

 The Contemporary English Version (CEV) says,

“The Lord’s people may suffer a lot,
    but he will always bring them safely through.”

 The Good News Translation (GNT) reads,

“Good people suffer many troubles,
    but the Lord saves them from them all.”

 The Living Bible (TLB) reiterates,

“The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.”

 The Message (MSG) decrees,

“Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.”

             Besides trouble being common to all, what is the other reoccurring theme in this verse? Yes, you got it!  God rescues!  That is the good news.

             God is near, God helps. God saves.  God delivers. God rescues, not just once or twice, but EVERY time the need arises.  God provides Jesus as our Refuge.  Jesus is our access to all of God’s salvation.  Jesus is the answer for the world today, and for all times.

             Another awesome thought brought out in Psalm 34, is in verse 7 which says, “If you honor the Lord, his angel will protect you” Psalm 34:7 (CEV).  God has angels doing his work on our behalf. Many Bible translations use the word “encamp” to describe the angels positioning. Picture angels camped out, ready to spring into action on behalf of those people who honor God, yet still find themselves in some kind of trouble. 

            Trouble may be close, but God is always closer. Trouble may seem real, but God’s reality rescues from trouble. Receiving Jesus as our Savior and following his teachings, sets in motion the deliverance we need to take care of the troubles that may come our way. My hope is anyone reading this will receive the Refuge of Jesus.  Please contact me if you want to, but don’t know how. 

 

by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry

The Cost of Truth

            Does truth have a price tag? Sometimes the Truth offends. Recorded In Acts 7 is a story of one of the first Christian martyrs. I encourage you to read in for yourself right now beginning with Acts 6:8 through to the end of Acts 7.

The story begins, “Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). It is clear Stephen had a following of people who greatly appreciated his ministry. This created jealousy among the high-ranking religious leaders of his day. They dragged him in before the Council to be tried and most of Acts 7 is his defense statement. His defense gives a overview of the ancient Israelite people, from the calling of Abraham up to the present. God’s people were on a journey, not unlike each God follower’s call and journey we are on as individuals today.

Stephen’s hearers seemed to track with his message until he spoke truth about Jesus as the true Messiah. Stephen boldly pointed out where his hearers were mistaken in their beliefs, and they became indignant. He reminded them of how their ancestors persecuted prophets who spoke of Messiah, and then Stephen spoke these words, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.  Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;  you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-53).  The “Righteous One” referred to is Jesus, who is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

            The narrative goes on, “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.  But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;  and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”  But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.  When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him ….” (Acts 7:54-58).

            Declaring the truth sometimes has a cost to our personal preferences, comforts, and  livelihood. Even Jesus, as the very embodiment of Truth, gave up his life on earth to accomplish God’s higher purposes. Is Truth worth the cost? Ask Jesus. I think his answer is an obvious, yes.

            Truth is truth whether people believe it or not. Stephen’s hearers were okay believing the truth of their Jewish heritage, but when he declared them “stiff-necked,” their Belief turned to disbelief, which turned to anger, rage, and bitterness. In truth, Stephen’s hearers were murderers, and they proved it once again, by murdering Stephen. Their denial of truth set them up to act wickedly. In God’s eyes they were bringing condemnation upon themselves. Stephen  lost his life, but by knowing Jesus, he entered into eternal glory. Without repentance, it cost Stephen’s murderers much more dearly; eternal damnation in hell. Even if they believed they were doing the world a favor by getting rid of Stephen, God’s reality (truth) was just the opposite.

            As religious leaders, Stephen’s adversaries were leading people away from God, not towards him. Because Stephen bore witness to the Truth, regardless of the outcome, his leadership was authentic and authoritative. Truth always wins. Wisdom never shrinks back from the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.   

            The culture we live in seems to have lost its respect for truth. Although this is a display of darkness, as Christ followers we much shine the light of truth everywhere we go and with everyone we meet. The Truth of the Word is our standard, and if we do not lift the standard high, who will?

            May the Lord keep us from being “stiff-necked” in our worldly wisdom. May our hunger for truth keep us searching for more satisfying measures of truth.  May we be proclaimers of truth. May we value the truth enough to point out when someone is being untruthful (like Stephen did, even at the cost of his own life). The cost of  rebellion, denial, or silence is far greater than any imagined price tag on Truth.

 by Ed Hersh, Blue Rock BnB Healing Ministry