A Journey Made Near

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
________________________________________
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
________________________________________
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
________________________________________
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.
________________________________________
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
________________________________________
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
________________________________________
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
________________________________________
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Comments