He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 10
10
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told this story to the Separated Ones (Pharisees), for they were blind guides, leading the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) down a false path to a bad end.
1“I speak from my heart,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to the blind tribal leaders. “Thieves and outlaws do not use the gate to the sheep pen but sneak in some other way. 2But the shepherd uses the gate to enter, 3-4and the gatekeeper opens the way. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice, for he calls each one of them by name, and they follow him as he leads them in and out of the sheep pen.
5“The sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger. They will run away, for they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6Because he was using a story to teach them, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) could see that they did not understand, 7so he told them the meaning of the story.
THE GATE FOR THE SHEEP
“I speak again from my heart,” he said. “I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who put themselves before me are thieves and outlaws—false shepherds. My sheep do not listen to them.
9“I am the gate for the sheep. The ones who enter by me will be safe and well cared for. Following the Shepherd, they will go in and out and find good food to eat.
10“Thieves enter only to take away life, to steal what is not theirs, and to bring to ruin all they cannot have. I have come to give the good life, a life that overflows with beauty and harmony.
GOOD SHEPHERD
11“I am the Good Shepherd, the one who watches over the sheep. I will lay down my life for them. 12The ones who watch the sheep only for pay will run away when a wolf comes, because the sheep are not theirs. Then the wolf preys upon the sheep and scatters the flock. 13The ones who do it only for pay are not true shepherds, for they do not care for the sheep but only for themselves.
14-15“I am the Good Shepherd, the one who lays down his life for the sheep. The Father knows me, and I know him. In the same way, I also know each one of my sheep, and they know me. 16I have other sheep who are not from this flock. I will go and find them, and they will also hear my voice. Then there will be only one flock, with one Shepherd.
17“My Father has a great love for me, for I lay my life down to take it back again. 18No one takes my life from me, for I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay my life down and the right to take it back. It is my Father who gives me this right.”
DISAGREEMENT
19This story brought much disagreement among the Tribal Members, and they began to argue about him.
20Many were saying, “He has lost his mind and has an evil spirit. Why do we even listen to him?”
21At the same time others were saying, “These are not the words of someone with an evil spirit. Can an evil spirit open blind eyes?”
FEAST OF DEDICATION
Two moons had passed since the Festival of Shelters, and 22it was now time for the people to celebrate the Feast of Dedication#10:22 Also called Hanukkah and Festival of Lights in Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
This festival was to remember the time when the Great Spirit’s lodge was cleansed after it had been made ceremonially unclean by an evil ruler.
23It was winter, and Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was walking near the sacred lodge under the entryway named after the great chief Stands in Peace (Solomon).
24The tribal leaders came to him and said, “How long will you make us wait? If you are the Chosen One, then tell us!”
25“I already told you who I am,” he said to them, “but you did not believe me. The things I do, representing my Father, speak the truth about me. 26As I told you before, you do not trust me because you are not my sheep. 27I know who my sheep are, for they know my voice and go where I lead them. 28My gift to them is the life of the world to come, full of beauty and harmony, and they will never fade away or come to a bad end. 29My Father gave them to me, and no one can take them from me, because no one is greater than my Father. My sheep are safe in his hands, 30for I and my Father are one.”
TRIBAL LEADERS REJECT HIM
31The tribal leaders became furious and picked up stones to kill him.
32Creator Sets Free (Jesus) stood his ground and said to them, “I have done many good things, representing my Father. For which of these do you mean to stone me?”
33They answered, “Not for any good thing you have done, but for speaking lies against the Great Spirit. How can you, a weak human being, represent yourself as the Great Spirit?”
34Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered them, “In your tribal law it says, ‘You are powerful spiritual beings.’#10:34 Lit. You are gods. See Psalm 82:6. 35If Creator’s word, which came to you, says you are ‘powerful spiritual beings,’ and the Sacred Teachings are clear and cannot be changed, 36then how can you say that the one the Father has set apart and sent into the world is speaking against the Great Spirit when he says, ‘I am the Son of the Great Spirit’?
37“If I am not doing what my Father does, then do not believe me. 38But even if you do not believe me, then at least believe in the powerful things I do. Then you will see clearly that I am in the Father and he is in me.”
39The tribal leaders moved toward him to take him by force, but he slipped through their hands and walked away.
CREATOR SETS FREE RETREATS
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) decided it was time to leave Village of Peace (Jerusalem) again.
40He went to the place on the east side of the river Flowing Down (Jordan) where Gift of Goodwill (John) first performed the purification ceremony.#10:40 Baptism He and his followers remained there for a time.
41Many people from the area came to hear him and, after seeing Creator Sets Free (Jesus)teach, tell his stories, heal the sick, and force out evil spirits, the people were saying, “Gift of Goodwill (John) never performed a miracle or did any powerful signs, but what he told us about this man is true.”
42And so many of the people there believed in him that he was the Chosen One.
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