John 10:1-21
The Good Shepherd
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone 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 one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper 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 the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They 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 and does not own 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.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
John 14:1-31
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And 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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus 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’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe 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 works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
Jesus teaches us the eternities...And He is always teaching us about God and heaven and the Kingdom of God...As we listen to His dialogue to the Pharisees and to the crowd, we hear Him teaching us about the eternities...He tells us things like He is the Good Shepherd...He is the gate for heaven...He knows His Father in heaven, and His Father knows in Him...He will lay down His life for His sheep and those who follow Him...He has come to give us life, and that we may have life in the full...When He speaks as He does we hear about His knowledge of eternal life...
This reminds me of something C. S. Lewis said as Jesus talks about heaven and His Father in heaven...Lewis said, "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in...Aim at earth and you get neither."...
As we listen to Him, we hear Him speak and recognize He is not like other men or teachers...Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, I AM the gate for the sheep...All who have come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them...I AM the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved...They will come in and go out, and find pasture...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full...“I AM the Good Shepherd...The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...The hired hand is not the Shepherd and does not own 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...The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep...“I AM the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me— just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep...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...The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again...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.”...The Jews who heard these words were again divided...Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad...Why listen to Him?”...But others said, “These are not the sayings of a Man possessed by a demon...Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”...
Then Jesus further talks about the eternities as He tells us to believe in God and also to believe in Him...We are to trust God, and to also trust Him...He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life...He is the Way to the Father, to God, and is, in fact, the Only Way to God and therefore the only Way to heaven...And there are many rooms in heaven for all of us...When we have seen Him, we have seen God...Soon He would go back to heaven and back to His Father in heaven...And to add to His mystery, He says He will send us the Holy Spirit, who will guide us to all Truths...
So as Lewis says -if our lifelong aim is only this earth, we will not get too much in the end...But if we aim for heaven and the eternities and what Jesus teaches, we get the Kingdom of God, which is everything...And Jesus will add to this life as only He can do...We also get this earthly life in the fullest and a peace on earth that only He can give...