St. Johns News

“My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 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. . . . I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:2,3,6

Your Mansion Awaits You

I remember the first house my wife and I purchased. As I recall, it was about 1300 square feet or so. Nothing too large, especially for a family of five (six, if you want to count our yellow lab dog), but we were thankful. After all, it was our first home, even if it wasn’t a mansion.

The night before he died on the cross to wipe away the world’s sin with his holy blood, Jesus spoke about heaven to his disciples. He vividly described it for them as a large house, a mansion, with many rooms for his many followers throughout the ages. Soon he would leave his disciples and return to his Father in heaven because his redemptive work on earth would be finished. But fear not, disciples! “I will come back for you one day and lead you by the hand to the rooms in my Father’s mansion. I am your only way to heaven. Believe this. Believe in me!”

Are you having a bad day? Think about this and smile: right now, Jesus is preparing a room for you in the Father’s big heavenly house. When he is ready for you, and not before, Jesus will come for you, either when your heart stops beating or judgment day’s trumpet starts blasting. Though you deserve a room in Satan’s hell-house because of your sin, Jesus’ nail-pierced hand will take your hand and lead you safely out of this vale of tears and sorrow to your Father in heaven and his mansion. There you’ll live forever in perfect happiness and joy with all of God’s children only because of God’s undeserved love. Believe this! Believe in Jesus!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you live in my mansion to prepare; you live to bring me safely there. Amen.

Jesus said again, “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.”
John 10:7-9

Jesus Is the Only Way

There is a temptation to see people as thieves and robbers see people–as a means of getting something for themselves. That is how the devil and the world see people and how your own sinful flesh would have you see people.

That is not how Jesus, the gate, would have you see people. Jesus would have you see people as the focus of his love. He would have you see people as recipients of kindness and compassion. He would have you see people as sheep in need of a shepherd. And Jesus would have you see him as the only way for them to have a relationship with God and eternal life in heaven.

There is a temptation to live as the devil and world want you to live–to go your own way and do your own thing, to find pleasure and satisfaction in the things of this world apart from God, to flaunt your self-reliance and independence from God. That is how the devil and the world want you to live, and your sinful flesh loves to play along.

That is not how Jesus, the gate, wants you to live. Jesus wants you to listen to his voice and trust him. He wants you to come to the Father through him and to find spiritual nourishment and strength in his word. And Jesus wants you to know that he is the only way to have a relationship with God and eternal life in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I have seen others as thieves and robbers see them. In the peace of forgiveness, let me be a channel of the goodness and grace that can only be found in you. May I always listen to your voice and follow you, living in true goodness and grace, now and forever. Amen.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
1 Peter 2:24

Prepare a Table

When King David wrote Psalm 23 around 1000 B.C., he had been anointed with oil in a ceremony that declared him the king, so he knew the overflowing joy in the words “You anoint my head with oil.” He and the people in his kingdom celebrated the Passover every year with a meal that included lamb, unleavened bread, and wine, so he knew the special significance of the words “You prepare a table before me.”

How much did David understand that baptism would become the anointing of the New Testament and that the Passover meal would become the Lord’s Supper celebrated around the world today? We don’t know.

But by the time Peter wrote about the wounds of Jesus healing us of our sin and guilt, just a few years after he saw Jesus die and come back to life, it had become clear. Christians knew that the table being prepared for them when they gathered for worship held the true body and blood of their Savior, given and poured out for the forgiveness of their sins.

When those Christians read in Psalm 23, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” they knew that their greatest enemies—sin, death, and the devil—had been defeated by the death of Jesus on the cross and the presence of those menacing enemies was only temporary.

Christians of that day were moved to repent of their sins and live in righteousness and love. Christians of today have the same response when their lives overflow with thankfulness for what Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has done for them.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd of the Church, thank you for anointing us with the waters of baptism, and nourishing us with the food of your salvation at the table of your Supper. Amen.

For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:25

You Are With Me

Psalm 23 was originally written in Hebrew. It’s a gorgeous piece of poetry. One feature in many Hebrew poems is that the theme is in the middle of the poem. In Psalm 23 there are 26 Hebrew words before the middle verse and 26 Hebrew words after it. Right there in the middle, the theme of the poem, are the words translated as “You are with me.”

It can be scary for me to think of the Lord as someone who is with me. I am so bad so often it is embarrassing to realize that he sees all of that. In today’s Bible passage, the apostle Peter says that I act like a sheep who is stupid enough to leave the flock and go out astray on its own. Peter knew a thing or two about acting stupid in front of Jesus.

But Peter also knew a thing or two about repenting and returning to Jesus. He calls Jesus the Shepherd and Overseer of his soul and not just his soul but mine too.

When I realize that Jesus forgives me, his being with me is not scary anymore. Instead, his presence comforts me. I will fear no evil because he is with me. No accusation of conscience or of the devil is stronger than his presence. In fact, I really want him around when those guilty thoughts make me feel panicky and alone.

“You are with me” is the center and theme of Psalm 23. “You are with me” is the motto of my Christian life.

Prayer:
Be with me, Lord Jesus. I ask you stay close by me forever and love me. Amen.

They will come in and go out, and find pasture. . .I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:9,10

Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever

Good relationships are a key to finding happiness and living a full life. Research shows that solid relationships help people live longer, deal with stress better, and have healthier habits. There is compelling evidence that strong relationships contribute to long, healthy, and happy lives. The quality of relationships is the single biggest predictor of happiness.

Psalm 23 spells out that truth in a beautifully poetic way. The writer talks about his good relationship with the Lord and says, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

So it isn’t a surprise when Jesus, the Good Shepherd mentioned in Psalm 23, says about his followers, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

It might be a surprise, though, when the followers of Jesus have difficulties in their relationships, feel lonely, or find themselves occasionally isolated. Didn’t Jesus promise a full life, and doesn’t that usually mean excellent relationships?

Jesus is aware of the difficulties in relationships in this life. He knows that his followers will go through stages, coming in and going out, getting closer and moving on.

In order to provide the most stability, Jesus offers a relationship with himself. Since he died to take the punishment for sins, he always forgives and continues the relationship. Since he rose from the dead, he is always there.

Jesus knows that relationships in this life are imperfect, so he invites us to look forward to the perfection of eternal life in heaven. Psalm 23 ends with these comforting words: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, grant me good Christian relationships in this life, and comfort me with the promise of perfect relationships in eternity through faith in you. Amen.

The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:3,4

He Leads You

The picture painted by the words of Psalm 23 is beautiful. The Lord, your Shepherd, makes you lie down in green pastures. He leads you beside quiet waters. He restores and refreshes your soul. He guides you along the right paths.

The Lord Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd. He wants you to think of him as the Shepherd in Psalm 23. When he speaks, he wants you to follow him.

You can be certain that he will make you lie down in green pastures. His words in the Bible are so nourishing and fulfilling, that whenever you read them, you will notice good spiritual food all around you.

When you are anxious, listen to the promises that Jesus makes in the Bible, and rest beside the quiet waters of his strength and love.

When you feel guilty, listen to the quiet voice of his forgiveness.

When your soul is distressed by pain and unfairness in your life and in the lives of your loved ones, look up to the Shepherd who knows the future and promises to work it all out for your good. Let his goodness restore and refresh you.

When you wonder about the right thing to do, follow Jesus on the path of his righteousness, and trust that he will bless your decisions and declare you holy.

You can’t go wrong listening to the voice of Jesus. He leads you exactly where it is best for you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, lead me safely through this life by your strong and loving Word. Amen.

Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. . .I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
John 10:7,9

The Real Entrance

The first words of Psalm 23 are pretty famous: “The Lord is my shepherd.” If I take those words seriously and want to get close to the Lord, I need to enter his sheep pen and know where the gate is.

The last words of Psalm 23 are also pretty famous: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” If I take those words seriously and want to be in the mansion of the Lord forever, I need to know where the door is.

Psalm 23 was written by David, a man who started out as a shepherd and ended up as a king. At first he lived outside with sheep, but at the end of his life he lived in a palace. The words of the psalm reflect his journey.

Jesus was a descendant of David. When he was born, his mother placed him in a manger—a place where animals were fed. His life followed the pattern of his ancestor, David. Now he lives in the glory of heaven, and he invites me to join him there.

He explains how I can get to heaven. Thinking of sheep, he calls himself the gate. Thinking of a king’s palace, he calls himself the door. In either expression, he means to say that believing in him is the only way to get to heaven, to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I have approached places where it is hard to identify the real entrance, and it’s frustrating. Thankfully, that’s not the case when it comes to entering heaven. Jesus identifies himself as the only real entrance to a relationship with God and an eternity in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, guide me safely to a close relationship with you and to an eternal home in heaven. Amen.

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came 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. He 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.”
John 10:7-10

Jesus is the Gate

Fences have become a way of life. People put up privacy fences to keep others from seeing into their yard. Farmers put up fences to keep the cattle in the field. Businesses put up fences to keep thieves away from their warehouses. But every fence has a gate—a passageway for those who are supposed to get to the other side of the fence.

Jesus says he is the gate–not into a yard or a field–but into the presence of God and eternal life. Sadly, there are people who try to convince us that we can receive eternal life by relying on something other than Jesus, such as the good things we do. But try as they might, they are unable to establish another way through the fence. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. He opened the way to God by removing all of the barriers that stood in our way: our sins, our guilt, and the accusation of the devil. He prepared us for life with God by washing us with the water of baptism and assuring us that our sins are forgiven. He leads us through the gate as he gives us his Word, which nourishes us and causes our faith to grow. What is more, he protects us from those thieves who would urge us to ignore the only gate and try to reach eternal life by jumping the fence.

Through Jesus, we have life, the fullness of eternal life with God!

Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, in your mercy you opened the way to eternal life. Guard me from those who seek to lead me astray. Establish my faith in you, my only Savor. Amen.

It was not with perishable things . . . that you were redeemed.
1 Peter 1:18

Perishable Things

In the corner of a museum in Springfield, Illinois, there is a special room where people enter quietly. In that room is a clear glass case. The case has special lighting. The interior of the case keeps a specific temperature and level of humidity. All of this technology is necessary because of what the case contains. Inside that case is Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat.

As you view this hat, there are two features that may jump out at you. One is that, on the hat’s brim, you can see wear marks from the first two fingers of Mr. Lincoln’s right hand from all the times he tipped his hat in greeting or held it steady in a stiff wind.

The second feature is more sobering. It is the simple fact that the hat looks old. For all the efforts to preserve the hat’s condition, the passage of time has still made its impact. With age has come deterioration. As time goes on, the deterioration will continue.

Deterioration does not just strike famous hats of former presidents, of course. Everything in this sinful, fallen world deteriorates. Everything wears out. Everything is perishable.

And so when God chose to buy us back from the curse of our sin, the payment price could not be something perishable. It could not be something of fleeting, temporary value. That’s why God sent his Son.

As a result, God’s forgiveness of your sins will not deteriorate. The peace you possess in Christ will not expire. The Lord’s promises to you will never perish. Not because of a museum’s preservation technology but because of the perfect life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, because of Jesus, your promises to me will never perish. In troubled times, comfort me with this truth. Amen.