In today's service, we complete what's considered the first half of the Gospel of John today as Jesus teaches in the temple during the Feast of Dedication, also known as Hanukkah. We'll unpack the meaning behind that feast - a relatively recent development in Jesus' time not codified in Mosaic law, but just as present in the minds of Israel if not more so. Today we'll walk further with Jesus into His continued reference to Himself as Shepherd (and us as sheep) that flows from the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah (the latter most familiar to fans of Handel's Messiah. The path marked out for Him is not one of military conquest or political maneuver, but the "foolish" way of the cross (1 Cor 1:22-25), the path that starts in a manger that would appear to be just as foolish.
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