1953 Cartoons
In 1953, a series of short cartoons aired on TV with two of my favorite cartoon characters of all time, Sam Sheepdog and Ralph Wolf. Every episode followed a similar plot line. Ralph Wolf would come up with an elaborate plan to steal a sheep from the flock and at the last minute, seemingly with minimal effort, Sam Sheepdog would stop him, foil his plan, and Ralph Wolf would be left empty handed once again.
I’m not sure Jesus had Sam Sheepdog and Ralph Wolf in mind when he was standing in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago teaching, but listen to what he said:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” – John 10.1-2, 10-11
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEOOhLne-mA[/embedyt]Thieves & Robbers
Here we are, some 2000 years later, and there are still thieves and robbers. There are those who seek to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. There are those who offer life that isn’t really life. It’s a counterfeit life, a fake, a poor substitute for the REAL LIFE Jesus offers.
You can spend all your days longing for the life you see on instagram, for the life the world offers, for the life you think others have, for the life you’ve always thought you wanted, but there is only ONE who offers REAL LIFE.
And you can be deceived by the father of lies, by the thief, the robber, our enemy who has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
You see there is a thief, a robber, there is one who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy your life. But here’s the good news, he has been defeated by The Good Shepherd. By the One who willingly laid down His life so that we might live.
Jesus is Life
And the life the Good Shepherd invites you to live, the life that Jesus offers, it’s not just a good life, it’s real life. Abundant life. Eternal life. It’s the life you were created to live.
Jesus also famously said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3.16
As we begin this new year together, I want to encourage you step into this abundant life Jesus offers.
You see, Jesus came so that we might have life and have it to the full.
Jesus is LIFE.
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