John 10: 1-10 says: 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.
When Jesus speaks that the man who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate is a thief, pay attention to it: there is another way to get into it.
The sheep pen is the church, where we get together. Can you manage to enter the church by another gate which is not Jesus?
Is that possible?
Yes! By ourselves.
Some people may go to the church because somebody invited them, by curiosity, or because the music is nice. Then they get used to it and spend even a lifetime in the church having a good time with their friends, working hard on arts, theatre, dancing, but without knowing Jesus!
How is it possible? Jesus says in verse 10: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full, but some people may understand that as a busy life, working hard in the church, like old Pharisees.
Jesus was meaning everlasting life, our inheritance thru Himself. Never by myself, my power, my merit.
But today, in the name of Jesus, you shall enter the church (the Christ Body) and you shall leave the church, thru Jesus. Let’s understand this:
Jesus Christ is the only gate that is worthwhile entering. Evil can offer you a large variety of beautiful gates, such as: drugs, addiction to alcohol, power, money, sex… all of them are beautiful, large and appealing. The gate of Jesus is narrow, not attractive, you never pay attention to it. Bible says in Isaiah 53:2: He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
Jesus never impacted people because of his handsome face.
Jesus is the only gate that leads us to salvation. It is small, narrow, tight, but is the only one.
Friends’ gate isn’t. Family’s gate isn’t. Power’s gate isn’t.
In the verse 9 we can notice that the food is not inside the church. Church is like a sheep pen for us. It offers safety, protection. It is the place where the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
In order to be fed, the sheep have to leave the shelter. The same happens to us. We are not fed inside the church but outside.
Some day, the disciples found Jesus alone and got worried about him because He should be hungry. So they decided to offer him some food. He declined and his disciples became intrigued: did someone else bring some food to Him? And Jesus answered: "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.
What is your food??
After some few hours without eating we feel weak. If we could ask Jesus, “Can you stay a few hours without doing God’s will?” He would probably say: it is impossible! I want it and I need it. At that time Jesus could say: there is no reason to be here but doing my Father’s will.
What have you been eating?
Where have you been finding food?
If doing the will of God was the food of Jesus, which is ours?
Our food is the same: to do God’s will.
And we are able to do the God’s will every time we are guided by the Holy Spirit.
But what is the meaning of doing God’s will inside the church?
Jesus said: He will come in and go out, and find pasture, because your food is outside.
Doing God’s will in the church is pretty easy. All of us are jars full of the Holy Spirit. But outside is completely different. That’s where we are called to be witnesses.
Now, let me ask you a very important question: are you feeling weak?
TO BE CONTINUED.
About Me
- Pastor Daniel
- At the age of 10, he moved to Recife, where he taught children at the Central Methodist Sunday School. At the age of 13, he went back to São Paulo and continued teaching classes, at this time, to teenagers at the Methodist Church in Vila Mariana. After his 15th birthday, he was playing and conducting worship at the Methodists Churches in São Paulo. On his early twenties he lived in London. At the age of 24, he came back to Brazil, married Adriana and went back to his teaching. A few years later, at 27, he and his family, moved to São José do Rio Preto, 450Km far from São Paulo, where he worked in the Projeto Vida Church as a Biblical School teacher and worship leader. Four years later, he planted his first church, the Igreja Metodista Renovada in SJRio Preto. One year later he was ordained Junior Pastor. In 2000 he moved to Uberaba and attended the Salt of the Earth Church, working as Biblical School teacher and worship leader. At the age of 40, he planted a new church in Uberaba and was ordained Pastor for Salt of the Earth Church. At the age of 41, he planted his third church in Uberaba and got his Theological Graduation.
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