1
00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:09,480
Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, Hey there, friends, I'm Jody Nisnick and

2
00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,320
Speaker 1: welcome to our Lent series. LND is a season that

3
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,320
Speaker 1: helps us prepare our hearts for Easter. This year, we're

4
00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,120
Speaker 1: reflecting on the I Am statements of Jesus. When Jesus

5
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,840
Speaker 1: uses this phrase, he is hearkening back to Exodus, where

6
00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,200
Speaker 1: God reveals himself as the I Am. And when Jesus

7
00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,559
Speaker 1: uses this phrase, he is declaring he is God and

8
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,040
Speaker 1: revealing something about his character. My prayer is that these

9
00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,840
Speaker 1: moments of reflection and prayer will help you slow down

10
00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,960
Speaker 1: and draw closer to the heart of Jesus. Will get

11
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:55,480
Speaker 1: started after a brief word from our sponsors. Before we

12
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,480
Speaker 1: begin our meditation, I want to invite you to head

13
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,280
Speaker 1: into the show notes, where you will find a link

14
00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,800
Speaker 1: to download the free I Am Companion journal that I've

15
00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,000
Speaker 1: made for this series. It has each scripture that we

16
00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,280
Speaker 1: are meditating on, all of the reflection prompts, and it

17
00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,960
Speaker 1: gives you space to take notes on your prayers and

18
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,880
Speaker 1: meditation time. I do hope you'll take advantage of this

19
00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,120
Speaker 1: free resource. Also, for the season of LYND, I will

20
00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:28,119
Speaker 1: release a brief guided prayer every Wednesday to help us prayer, flee,

21
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,839
Speaker 1: reset our focus on Jesus. You'll find that right here

22
00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,160
Speaker 1: in this feed each Wednesday. Well, with that, let's get started.

23
00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,520
Speaker 1: I want to invite you to begin by settling in

24
00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:50,120
Speaker 1: with a few deep breaths and some noticing. So take

25
00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:59,880
Speaker 1: a deep breath in and slowly exhale, and now as

26
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:05,840
Speaker 1: you do another deep in and out breath, just notice

27
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,760
Speaker 1: how you are right now. What are you bringing in

28
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:15,520
Speaker 1: to this space? Is there something weighing on your heart

29
00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:21,040
Speaker 1: or your mind? Is there something that is tense in

30
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:27,360
Speaker 1: your body? Ask God to hold all of those things

31
00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,840
Speaker 1: for you and loosen up any part of your body

32
00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:37,760
Speaker 1: that is feeling tight. Right now, take another deep breath

33
00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:45,120
Speaker 1: in and out, and let me pray for our time. Lord,

34
00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,280
Speaker 1: thank you for this space to be present with you,

35
00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,919
Speaker 1: to hear your living and active word, to remember who

36
00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:02,959
Speaker 1: you are. That you are the gate or the door,

37
00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,960
Speaker 1: but you are the one who protects us. So today,

38
00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,880
Speaker 1: as we listen to this scripture, we ask that it

39
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:18,760
Speaker 1: would be living and active. We pray that your spirit

40
00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,800
Speaker 1: would lead and guide us. You would help us see

41
00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,239
Speaker 1: what we need to see so that we can have

42
00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:31,360
Speaker 1: the conversation with You that we need to have mostly Lord,

43
00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,760
Speaker 1: we just asked that you would help us know you

44
00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,400
Speaker 1: and your love and care for us a little more

45
00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,920
Speaker 1: as a result of this time, and we ask this

46
00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:53,320
Speaker 1: in the name of Jesus. Amen. Today we're meditating on

47
00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,800
Speaker 1: the third I Am statement of Jesus. I am the

48
00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:04,600
Speaker 1: Gate some translations, I am the door. In this particular passage,

49
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,640
Speaker 1: the Pharisees, who are the religious leaders of Jesus's day,

50
00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,560
Speaker 1: they have begun to feel threatened by Jesus, and so

51
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:19,480
Speaker 1: they're trying to discredit him. Jesus is responding to them,

52
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,560
Speaker 1: but he's not just responding to them. He's also speaking

53
00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,599
Speaker 1: to the people that are listening in to this conversation.

54
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,000
Speaker 1: People who have become confused about who they should trust,

55
00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:38,240
Speaker 1: people who have felt overlooked or not very well cared

56
00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:42,919
Speaker 1: for by the religious leaders of the day. And we

57
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,760
Speaker 1: can relate to this. Many of us have experienced wounds

58
00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,040
Speaker 1: from spiritual leaders, and many of us come with the

59
00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,599
Speaker 1: same wondering that they had, who can we really trust?

60
00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,919
Speaker 1: So Jesus uses an image that his listeners would have

61
00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:08,200
Speaker 1: immediately understood. It was shepherds and their sheep. In their

62
00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:14,200
Speaker 1: agrarian world. They knew shepherds didn't drive their sheep. They

63
00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:20,320
Speaker 1: actually led them, and sheep followed because they recognized their

64
00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:25,760
Speaker 1: shepherd's voice and they trusted his care. At night, when

65
00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,000
Speaker 1: the sheep were brought into the sheepfold, there was only

66
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:35,839
Speaker 1: one opening, and the shepherd would actually lay down across

67
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,240
Speaker 1: that entrance. In that moment, the shepherd didn't just guard

68
00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:46,440
Speaker 1: the gate, he became the gate. So with that context

69
00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,919
Speaker 1: in mind, as I read the passage the first time,

70
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,520
Speaker 1: just listen to these words of Jesus so you get

71
00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,760
Speaker 1: grounded in the text. Our reading is from John ten,

72
00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,160
Speaker 1: verses seven through ten. Today I'm reading from the New

73
00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:14,400
Speaker 1: International Version. Very truly, I tell you, I am the

74
00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,960
Speaker 1: gate for the sheep. All who have come before me

75
00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:24,200
Speaker 1: are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened

76
00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:31,039
Speaker 1: to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me

77
00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:36,440
Speaker 1: will be saved. They will come in and go out

78
00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:43,400
Speaker 1: and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and

79
00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:49,839
Speaker 1: kill and destroy. I have come that they may have

80
00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:59,360
Speaker 1: life and have it to the full. Before I read

81
00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:04,039
Speaker 1: a second time, just take a moment to imagine this scene.

82
00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,800
Speaker 1: The sheep fold, the sheep are securely inside, and the

83
00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:29,000
Speaker 1: shepherd guarding the door with his physical presence. And now

84
00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:34,520
Speaker 1: replace the imagery of the sheep with yourself and the

85
00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:40,240
Speaker 1: shepherd with Jesus. You are not confined to this one place,

86
00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,440
Speaker 1: as the passage says, you can come in and go

87
00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:51,600
Speaker 1: out and find pasture. What thoughts, feelings, or images do

88
00:07:51,680 --> 00:08:26,200
Speaker 1: you notice as you imagine this? Holding this as I

89
00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,960
Speaker 1: read a second time, ask God to help you notice

90
00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:36,640
Speaker 1: the word or phrase he has for you in this passage.

91
00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:45,000
Speaker 1: Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for

92
00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:49,320
Speaker 1: the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves

93
00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:53,760
Speaker 1: and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

94
00:08:55,720 --> 00:09:01,840
Speaker 1: I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.

95
00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,400
Speaker 1: They will come in and go out and find pasture.

96
00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:16,840
Speaker 1: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

97
00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,440
Speaker 1: I have come that they may have life and have

98
00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:30,520
Speaker 1: it to the full. Reflect on the word or phrase

99
00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,200
Speaker 1: you noticed, and ask God, how does this apply to

100
00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:35,800
Speaker 1: my life?

101
00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:56,839
Speaker 2: Right now?

102
00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,520
Speaker 1: As I read a third time, notice again what you

103
00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,840
Speaker 1: noticed in the second reading, and ask God to help

104
00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,319
Speaker 1: you know how He is inviting you to take a

105
00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,040
Speaker 1: step forward with him. There may be a promise to

106
00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,679
Speaker 1: remember a step of trust, to take a sin, to

107
00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:58,520
Speaker 1: confess or something else. Very truly, I tell you, I

108
00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:03,280
Speaker 1: am the Gate the sheep. All who have come before

109
00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:08,800
Speaker 1: me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not

110
00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:17,160
Speaker 1: listened to them. I am the Gate. Whoever enters through

111
00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:23,920
Speaker 1: me will be saved. They will come in and go

112
00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:30,880
Speaker 1: out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal

113
00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:37,680
Speaker 1: and kill and destroy. I have come that they may

114
00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,360
Speaker 1: have life and have.

115
00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:46,760
Speaker 2: It to the full.

116
00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,920
Speaker 1: Have a conversation with God about what you believe his

117
00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:56,480
Speaker 1: invitation is for you. Be open and honest about any

118
00:11:56,480 --> 00:12:02,560
Speaker 1: fears or hesitations or resistance you feel towards what He's revealing,

119
00:12:03,920 --> 00:14:09,440
Speaker 1: and allow God to speak back to you and love. No, no, no, Now,

120
00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,800
Speaker 1: as we move to the final reading, rest in the

121
00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:17,520
Speaker 1: truth of God's goodness and love for you. Rest in

122
00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:23,040
Speaker 1: the truth that Jesus is the gate guarding and protecting you.

123
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:28,680
Speaker 1: And rest in knowing that Jesus wants you to have

124
00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,000
Speaker 1: life and have it to the full. For this reading,

125
00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,280
Speaker 1: I'm going to read from the message translation. There are

126
00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,600
Speaker 1: a few nuances about how this is translated that I

127
00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:49,880
Speaker 1: believe are helpful. As we close today, I am the

128
00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:54,320
Speaker 1: Gate for the sheep. All the others are up to

129
00:14:54,560 --> 00:15:01,000
Speaker 1: no good. Sheep stealers every one of them, but the

130
00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:07,600
Speaker 1: sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone

131
00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,120
Speaker 1: who goes through me will be cared for, will go

132
00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:18,160
Speaker 1: in and out and find pasture. A thief is only

133
00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:24,960
Speaker 1: there to steal and kill and destroy. I have come

134
00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:31,320
Speaker 1: so that they can have real and eternal life, more

135
00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:41,040
Speaker 1: and better life than they ever dreamed of. Thank you,

136
00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,080
Speaker 1: Lord for your word and the truth in your word.

137
00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:49,800
Speaker 1: Thank you that you are the Gate, that your very

138
00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,520
Speaker 1: presence is what protects us and we have nothing to fear.

139
00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:01,720
Speaker 1: Thank you that you lead us in and out that

140
00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:06,280
Speaker 1: we may come and go and know that we are safe.

141
00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,120
Speaker 1: Thank you Lord that you have come so that we

142
00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:15,120
Speaker 1: can have real and eternal life, more and better life

143
00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,960
Speaker 1: than we ever dreamed of. Lord, would you help us

144
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:26,040
Speaker 1: to rest in this truth today, to believe that the

145
00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:31,080
Speaker 1: life you are offering us is better than any other

146
00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,600
Speaker 1: thing we could ever have. So, Lord, in the space

147
00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:41,560
Speaker 1: the deepest needs of our heart, the longings, the places

148
00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:45,680
Speaker 1: that we are praying for you to intervene, would you

149
00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:51,040
Speaker 1: whisper the truth that you are leading us to reel

150
00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:56,520
Speaker 1: and eternal life, and would you comfort us with this

151
00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:02,720
Speaker 1: truth guide and lead us. Lord be the gate in

152
00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:08,439
Speaker 1: our life. Today. We asked this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

153
00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,360
Speaker 1: Well friends, if you are new to the So Much

154
00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:46,360
Speaker 1: More podcast or if you're new to the season of Lent,

155
00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,000
Speaker 1: I want to invite you head into the show notes

156
00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:55,919
Speaker 1: and grab the free I AM Meditation journal. I unpack

157
00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,080
Speaker 1: a little bit more about what lint is and why

158
00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,280
Speaker 1: Christians have been practicing it for a very long time.

159
00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,680
Speaker 1: You'll also see in the notes my partner Life Audio,

160
00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,000
Speaker 1: and I encourage you to check them out at lifeaudio

161
00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:17,800
Speaker 1: dot com. Finally, if you are enjoying these meditations, one

162
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,040
Speaker 1: of the greatest things you can do for me is

163
00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:25,159
Speaker 1: either share these with a friend or follow on Apple

164
00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:29,520
Speaker 1: Podcasts and Spotify and if you're able, leave a review.

165
00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,200
Speaker 1: All of those things, they just go a really long

166
00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,119
Speaker 1: way and spreading the word and helping get these meditations

167
00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:43,320
Speaker 1: into the hands of those who might need them. As always,

168
00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,080
Speaker 1: my friend, thanks for joining me on So Much More,

169
00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:50,360
Speaker 1: because we really do believe Jesus has so much more

170
00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,399
Speaker 1: to say to us, and this is one way we

171
00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,639
Speaker 1: are creating space to listen