Jesus is the Good Shepherd that pursues, protects, and provides for His beloved sheep. He calls us, he goes before us, he takes us to good pasture, and he guards us from all spiritual harm. He even lays his own life down for us giving us forgiveness, freedom, and the promise of eternal abundant life through Him. At the end of the day, Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we’ve got nothing to fear when we know that He’s near.

In Jesus we have the ‘death of death’! From John 8:51 Jesus says, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.’ Even in the midst of those that want to see Jesus killed, He gives His followers a promise that they will literally remember forever! The life we have with Jesus today will never end!

True disciples are those who abide. 'Abiding in God's Word'...is trusting that truth and freedom are found nowhere else but in Jesus! So stay with Him-all your life!

John chapter 8 is a tale of two sinners: a woman caught in adultery and a group of pharisees who didn’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus did not distance Himself from either-instead He brought conviction. The woman drew near to her savior and called Him Lord, while the pharisees continued in unbelief and wanted Him dead. Since Jesus is the light of the world, His conviction can bring life! As we turn from our sin and put our belief in Jesus we can walk in that light!

The wonderful story of Jesus interacting with the adulterous woman in John 8 is filled with controversy, confusion, and plenty of misunderstanding about what this story is even about. However, we consider where this fits in the storyline of scripture, we discover that this story reflects wonderful truths of the gospel to us that will comfort us, call us, and change us to live differently! 

After arriving in Jerusalem during the most important spiritual festival of the year, Jesus announces his mission as the Messiah and invites the crowd to find true spiritual life through belief in Him. However, instead of seeing the crowds believe, what John describes is a scene of division where everyone has developed their own opinion about who they believe Jesus to be. Some will dismiss him, others will accept an altered version of Him, while others will reject him entirely. As we read, we’re invited to consider the question: will you believe in Jesus?  

Like the people in Jerusalem, we often set our own expectations and we think we’ve considered of the best outcomes that will satiate our thirst for things to be made right. Jesus brings us better news. When we encounter good news of the Christ sent by YHWH, we (like the Jews) must set aside our expectations and be accepted into God’s plan to make all things new starting from within us. Our lives are not better because of Jesus, He is our life and he gifts us the Spirit as our daily source of life—like a well of water springing from within us. The alternative is to be forever thirsty.

On the 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Celebrating God’s provision in the wilderness), Jesus alludes to His divinity; He comes from The Father and The Father sent Him. Centuries of prophecy and anticipation are about to be fulfilled.

As a people of Jesus, we celebrate the truth. Belief is knowing the truth of Jesus. Unbelief is not believing what He has said to be true.