Devotion Archive

Week of February 15, 2010

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me . . . My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:14, 27-28

These words from the book of John are some of my favorite in the Bible.   In our Screenside Chats, we are looking at the beautiful pictures that Jesus shows us in these words, focusing on a different picture each week. 

An estimated 189 million stems of roses were sold on Valentines’ day.  If you received some of these stems, you might still be admiring their beauty today.  But, of course, you know what is coming. 

In a matter of days, if not already, those beautiful roses will start to fade and flop.  They will dry and die.  And most likely, they will be relocated from their prized place in a vase to the bottom of a trash can.

Some people think of their own lives like that.  Some people imagine themselves in a slow state of death, each moment “dying a little more” until the final breath.  As a rose perishes, so does a human body.

But that’s not really how Jesus thinks about it.  Do you hear his shocking words above?  “They shall never perish.”  Did you get that?  Jesus says that you will never perish!

How can he say that?  Because he also says that “I give them eternal life.”

You are not in a slow state of dying.  You are really in a constant state of eternal living!  Oh, to be sure, one day the temporary tent of a body that you are in might cease to function.  But that is not the end of you!

Because Jesus rose from the dead and lives forever, he promises that you, too, will live forever with him.  You will keep on living in heaven.  Death for the Christian, for you, is not an end to living.  It is simply a relocation of address.  You leave behind all the pains and limitations of this life, and relocate to the perfect paradise of heaven.  Still living!  Never perishing!  

What a beautiful gift of love that is!

Immortal, just like you,
Pastor Jon Bergemann

Weekly Devotions are taken from Trinity's“Screenside Chat”, a weekly email devotion and newsletter from Pastor Bergemann designed to give you a spiritual boost from your Savior while keeping you connected to your Trinity family. 

Contact Pastor Jon Bergemann if you are interested in knowing more about Trinity Lutheran Church.

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