“Whoever Enters By Me Will Be Saved”
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who
does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a
thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his
own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his
voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they
do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with
them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, “Very
truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are
thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate.
Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find
pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they
might have life, and have it abundantly.”
“I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
By coming to provide forgiveness for
rebellious, broken people, Jesus has made it possible for us to live a life of
joy and hope in a world of despair. To live life to the fullest is
qualitatively different than merely existing. Don’t just exist. God gives each
of us the capacity to live life to the fullest. Just do it!
To know God
puts a song in your heart and a smile on your face.