OUR DAILY BREAD : GATES OF PARADISE

[cimi]

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY JANUARY 13


GATES OF
PARADISE

READ:
John10:9
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I am the gate;
whoever enters
through me
will be saved.
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Italian artist Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455) spent years skillfully crafting images of Jesus' life into the bronze doors of Italy's Florence Baptistery. These bronze reliefs were so moving that Michelangelo called them the Gates of Paradise.

As an artistic treasure, the doors greet visitors with echoes of the gospel story. It was Jesus who said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved" (JHON 10:9). On the night before his crucifixion, he told His disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (14:6). Within a few hours Jesus would say to one of the criminals being crucified at His side, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (LUKE 23:43).

The apostle Peter a few weeks later boldly proclaimed to those who had called for Jesus' death that "there is no other name under heaven...by which we must be saved" (ACTS 4:12). Years later, the apostle wrote that there is only one mediator between God and humanity__the man Christ Jesus (1 TIM. 2:5).

The gates of paradise are found in the Savior who offers everlasting life to all who believe and come to Him. Enter into the joy of His salvation. __Dennis Fisher

** I needed a mediator because of my sin.
Thank You, Jesus, for being the way to the Father
by Your death and resurrection.
I will be forever grateful.
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Jesus died in our place to give us His peace.

***************************Today's Bible Reading __ John 10:1-9******************************
1 "Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does
not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by
some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who
enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The
gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his
voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of
them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run
away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the pharisees did
not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the
gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves
and robbers but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am
the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will
come in and go out, and find pasture"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jewish shepherds kept their sheep in two
kinds of sheepfolds. In the villages, the shepherds led their flocks
into stone-walled communal enclosures guarded by gatekeepers
(JOHN 10:1-5). In the morning, the shepherd would arrive at the
gate, be recognized by the gatekeeper, and be allowed to enter
the sheepfold. As the shepherd walked and called among the
mixed flocks, only his own sheep would respond to him,. Hearing
and recognizing the shepherd's voice, his sheep would follow
him out of the sheepfold to the pasture. Out in the wilderness,
sheepfolds were often makeshift low-walled enclosures made of
stones. The shepherd slept across a narrow opening in front to
protect them and keep them from wandering (vv. 7-9). Jesus said,
"I am the gate for the sheep" (v.7)