John 10:7-16 ~ I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

 

Bethlehem Barns are built as if caves, into the hillside

Lazarus

John's Cave on Patmos Island 

John described arriving in Heaven in Revelation 1

as if the walls dropped away

Caves were where David lived, off and on.

Jesus was born in a cave, probably, and ended on Good Friday, in a cave.

John was sent to Patmos to live in a cave.

Caves have a unique core, to be so solid

and yet have an amazing outlook.

Maybe, possibly, like a soul. It would seem likely

a soul doesn't have a door to shut.

John 10:7-16

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 

8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. 

So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Jesus began His Life with the cave in Bethlehem filled with Shepherds. They type of people, willing to go past the sheep, to find the baby the Angels had told them to find. They sought the Lord.

Isaiah said, send me. And the Gospels open with those willing to be part of God's plan and help. Just by showing up. 

Isaiah said, send me. And Mary was willing to do the Lord's Plan believing He would not have her put to death to carry a baby out of wedlock.

Holy Night by Antonio da Correggio, commissioned in October 1522, for a family chapel.

Why would Mary, chosen by the Lord to be the Mother of God, be the best lay person example of a shepherd? She was the first shepherd in the life of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:38

"I am the Lord's servant," 

Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Mary believed God. But she probably didn't see her part in an unborn Baby's life like that of Moses. Not Isaiah. Yet completely delighted to be part of God's Plan of Salvation. Giddy.

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.

Isaiah said, send me.  And Joseph was willing to show up in Bethlehem with his clan, to have a hugely pregnant betrothed with him. Some said it wasn't his child.

Mary and Joseph had a seamless family in Nazareth; they were seen as good shepherds to the small town. A hard thing to do, not to favor or disfavor the Son of God. A difficult thing to return to Nazareth to raise kids - the lady who was pregnant during the betrothal. 

When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.


Mary had to live down even the Sanhedrin Council gossip still available in the 1st Century Talmud. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 

Still she lived in peace. And her family is recorded as being a seamless family, although blended. Jesus would agree with their parenting in the Scriptures.

Mark 6:2-4

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus taught God's love to His disciples:

Acts 10:34-35

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

Mark 3:33

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

All of the people in the Gospels, wanted to help the Lord. And they did. But we could believe

they never thought of themselves as Moses or Elijah.  More a shepherd.

As the bones in an altar in the Largest Cathedral in Spain say, "This is Lazarus, he is a friend

of Jesus." 

1 Peter 5:2 

 Be shepherds of God’s flock 

that is under your care, 

watching over them

—not because you must, 

but because you are willing, 

as God wants you to be; 

not pursuing dishonest gain, 

but eager to serve

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? '

And I said, 'Here am I; send me!

Abba, Father,

We Live in the every 500 years

world history trembles, trembles, trembles.

And after the Pandemics, people, nations

and cultures have a time of terrible

nonsense and anger.

These historical times

are surrounded with terrible drought,

Unprecedented storms of all types,

as a backdrop of human behavior.

The goal of a family, community, Church, neighborhood,

city and culture is the hope for our children.

We find this time alarming.

We find our Freedom is Challenged

no matter which side of the aisle

we voted

or didn't vote from.

This is the time to speak up firmly,

and support those

who would bring families into Peace,

Calm, Honesty, Integrity

and Jesus.

We pray the dark falls away

and the Light of God's Love

Mercy

Grace

Joy

and Peace

will come to us 

worldwide

and this Nation.

We pray we will not

become irritable,

rude,

discouraged,

downhearted

or afraid.

But we fight the Good Fight

with honesty

manners

diligence

determination

and the willingness to have

GOD

want to fight our Fight.

Each human being is a Child of God

and should respect one another

and our ability to

stay within the Framework

God had Given Us.

God's Word is

Yesterday

Today

and 

Tomorrow

God calls this earth

His Good Creation

and the Fullness of the earth is His.

Stand up for respect

and for manners.

The Rights God has Put in our Heart.

May the Goodness of God Prevail

Always.

Jesus is the Exact Nature of

Our Father,

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Lord Jesus