Month: November 2018

BOOM…

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

IMG_0524Have you ever had something “hit” you in a way that mere words cannot explain? Have you ever experienced a sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia? (aka, brain freeze or ice cream headache). Have you ever been exposed to the icy cold sensation of a negative thirty-five degree temperature on your bare face in the morning? In each instance the best way for someone to understand these events is to feel these for themselves.

John records a “triple whammy” of Jesus’s “I am statements in chapter 14:6 of his Gospel: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”.

Did it hit you? These are the words of Jesus; go back and read them again with authority; read them out loud; take a minute to hear what they are saying. (it’s ok, I’ll wait while you take a minute)

Jesus is responding to questions from Thomas and Philip, two of his disciples that have been following him for some time. He is reassuring them of who he is; that if they know who he is they know his Father in heaven.

When Jesus refers to himself as The Way, he reminds us of his betrayal, suffering, death and resurrection that opened up the way for us to be in relationship with his father:

“No one comes to the Father except through me”.

The Truth is a picture of reality, Jesus as God in flesh. The disciples lived in the presence of the truth of who Christ is, our One True Redeemer. The Life, another sketch of what Jesus has to offer us; his life was given so that we may live – we are talking everlasting life with him in the house of the Lord!

BOOM… let that hit you like a blast of cold air or an ice cream headache.

Do you Believe This?

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

IMG_0523Our culture today is fascinated by the unbelievable and the virtually impossible. For example, Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries. Robert L. Ripley (Ripley’s Believe it or Not), a cartoonist, explorer, reporter, adventurer, and collector, traveled to 201 countries in 35 years seeking the odd, the unusual, and the unexplained.  

Scripture makes some pretty incredible claims, some of which reach beyond the scope of our finite human minds. Jesus made a claim that no other being on earth could ever make, He said, “I am the resurrection and the life”. (John 11:25) This incredible statement is foundational to the faith that hundreds of millions of people like you and I have put our hope and trust in; centuries of time have passed before us having been shaped and influenced by this statement. Jesus makes the declaration that he is the source and the power that will bring all those who believe in Him into everlasting life in the presence of his father.

Consider for a moment the person that Jesus speaks these incredible words to; Martha of Bethany, sister to Lazarus, who was raised from the dead. Martha is not new to the life and work of Jesus, she has seen and experienced the life transforming power of Messiah. This is an incredible reminder to those who live to bring honour and glory to the name of Jesus to remain confident in His power to overcome sin and death. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” What is your answer? Can you and will you stand faithful in front of the supreme judge when he returns again and say to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who has come to save the world.

I Am the Shepherd

~ Steve Vandop ~ 2 Comments

IMG_3205To fully know what something is we must also understand what that something is not. The antithesis (a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else) helps us hone or sharpen our understanding of the subject. John records many of Jesus’s “I am” statements in his Gospel. In order to grasp Jesus’s claim to be our “shepherd” we can understand what he means by looking at what a shepherd is not.  Ezekiel uses the metaphor of a shepherd in a way that helps us understand what role a shepherd is not. Here are some of the highlights.

  • They focus on their own gain, not the well-being of the flock. (34:1-3)
  • They ruled harshly and brutally. (34:4)
  • When the sheep were lost, no one searched or looked for them. (34:6)

There are many more examples in scripture that use this same metaphorical language of “shepherd” to describe who Jesus is. Isiah puts it beautifully with these words, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: “He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;” (40:11). Johns record of Jesus’s clear statement in chapter 10:11 says “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The implications of what Jesus says with these words is beyond incredible. The role of the true shepherd in Ezekiel chapter 34 is described as fulfilled by God, Jesus makes the claim in John’s gospel that He (as God in flesh) is the one fulfilling this role.

Jesus came to care for his sheep and to lead them back into a relationship with His Father. His focus was not on himself but for the well-being of the people. He chose to seek out the lost, the broken and the hurting, to lead and guide them with love and compassion. Jesus willingly laid down his life for us as our shepherd, for the forgiveness of our sins. He came back to life and continues to lead and guide us through the work of the Holy Spirit, what an incredible gift. Who are you following? Are you trusting in Jesus as your shepherd? Have you experienced the life transforming power of the Holy Spirit in your life? Jesus, the Good Shepherd is calling out your name, he is your shepherd, take a moment to listen and follow his call.