"And THE WORD became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld HIS GLORY, as of the only begotten of the FATHER, full of Grace and Truth. " (John 1:14-16).
"And of HIS fullness we have all received, and Grace for Grace.
"For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through JESUS CHRIST."
[From the footnote of John 1:16--- The fact that John states that GRACE comes from HIS FULLNESS teaches us that Grace is MORE than GOD'S disposition or impersonal favor. It is GOD meeting us at our point of need in the Person of JESUS CHRIST, including all HIS Power and provision.
"No one has seen GOD at any time The ONLY Begotten SON WHO is in the bosom of the FATHER, HE has declared HIM." (John 1:18).
"The next day John saw JESUS coming toward him and said, 'Behold! The LAMB OF GOD WHO takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29).
In John 10:7-9, we can hear JESUS speaking to us: Then JESUS says to us---"Most assuredly, I say to you, I AM the Door of the sheep. I AM the door. If anyone enters by ME, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
[Footnote for John 10:7-9---entering the sheepfold through JESUS is a saving action and provides (us) the sheep with abundant life and provision. * To go in and out does NOT mean that one can vacillate about being in Christ one moment and outside of HIM the next. The picture is one of security and safety in JESUS as the Door to the sheep's daily comings and goings."
The doorway was of great importance in Hebrew tradition and thought; much more so than in our culture today. It was against the background of the Hebrew respect for 'the door' that JESUS made this assertion repeatedly - 'I AM THE DOOR'"
Early in her history as a nation, Israel had been enslaved by the Egyptians. For hundreds of years they were driven by their taskmasters to work in slime pits in the hot sun making bricks with which to build great cities for their enemies. In desperation they cried out to GOD for deliverance.
The final act of GOD freeing them...had to do with the Door of each man's home! A spotless Passover lamb was to be slaughtered for each household. The blood of each lamb was to be liberally sprinkled on the lintel over the door and on the doorposts. (Picture this in your Mind and Heart: Draw a line down from the blood Over the door...down to the floor where the blood would have dripped. Then draw a line from the blood on one of the doorposts across to the blood on the other door post---These two lines form a CROSS---like the one on which JESUS died to SAVE US from OUR SINS!!!
In John 14:1-6 we hear JESUS' conversation with Thomas (and with Us): "Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in GOD, believe also in ME. In MY FATHER'S House are many dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you to MYSELF, that where I AM, there you may be also."
"And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to HIM, 'LORD, we do not know where YOU are going, and how can we know the way?' "
"JESUS said to him, I AM the Way, the Truth, and the life. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME."
How then should we live before HIM.....we shall bow our hearts before HIM---submitting to HIM, that HE will live THROUGH us--- so that others will be "Eyewitnesses of HIS MAJESTY" in and through our lives. (2 Peter 1:16).
(For many more blessings/treasures/understanding...Please read "The Shepherd Trilogy" by Phillip Keller).
(JESUS Speaking): "It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits nothing, The WORDS that I speak to you are Spirit and they are Life." (John 6:63).
