Built Upon

For he grew up before him like a young plant,      and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,      and no beauty that we should desire him. 3   He was despised and rejected by men;      a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces      he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4   Surely he has borne our griefs      and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken,      smitten by God, and afflicted. 5  But he was pierced for our transgressions;      he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,      and with his wounds we are healed. 6   All we like sheep have gone astray;      we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord ...

        Jesus claims to be THE way, THE truth, and THE life, insinuating that there is NO other way, truth or life.         Jesus says that He is the way. The way to what? In John 14:2-4, Jesus says to His disciples, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. (4) And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas replies that he doesn't know where Jesus is going, how can he know the way, and Jesus said: I AM THE WAY.         There is one way. Jesus is the way to His Father's house. Thus, Jesus is the way to eternal life with Himself and the Father. Prior to this scenario with His disciple's, Jesus had mentioned that He was the only way. In John 10:9, Jesus says "I am the door. If anyone enters by ...

        John 10:11- "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Jesus shows Himself metaphorically as a shepherd and us, His people, as His sheep.          Compared to the intelligence of the shepherd, sheep are not intelligent. They can't survive for long wandering on their own. It's upon the protection of their shepherd that they must rely. Indisputably, sheep are entirely undeserving of their shepherd's protection. However, a shepherd protects and fights for his sheep even to the point of death.         In Jesus' case, He fought for us and protected us by His death on a cross. As a sheep's understanding is minuscule compared to the vast perspicacity and intellect of his shepherd, so is Jesus' understanding of this world and life infinite beyond our imaginations. Without Christ, we can't survive for long. We're headed for death. Yet with Him, we can have protection and eter...