I Am The Door Series

For what do Christ’s sheep do as they go in and out? He says they find pasture. A shepherd in Israel wouldn’t keep his sheep in their sheepfold all the time, but the sheep need to be let out to graze in the pastures.

I read that in some parts of the Mediterranean, shepherds would get up from the doorway of the sheepfold, call their animals out, and typically begin grazing them just after dawn. Then they’d lead them to pools of water to drink around mid-morning. The shepherd would get them to shade during the midday heat, bring them again to water, and then pasture them further, grazing in the fields until evening. Then in the evening, a shepherd would bring his sheep into the fold. Like we said before, he would see to his sheep being well supplied—going in and out and finding pasture.

Through faith in Christ, this is the blessing and security that we can enjoy. When you believe in the Lord, you can know that you’re actually at home. In him, you have found a place of rest. In him, you can have the confidence that the Lord knows what we need, and He will generously supply it.

Christ feeds us with his Word. He encourages our faith through the sacraments. He helps us through our fellow believers, and through the elders and deacons. He fills us with his Spirit in all our coming and going, and He leads us alongside the still waters of salvation. He makes us lie down in green pastures, so that we lack nothing. It is constant care, daily, never-failing.

And now listen to what Christ does in order to achieve all this blessing, “I lay down my life for the sheep” (v 15). Hearing that verse, imagine a shepherd on a dark night, somewhere in a deep valley, still on duty. The shepherd is posted at the enclosure’s opening, and his sheep are dozing quietly behind him.

But then he hears a pack of wolves approaching. They’re already snarling, snapping their teeth. They’re hungry, and bent on tasting blood. The shepherd wants to run—of course he wants to run: save his own skin! But if he leaves his sheep, he knows that they don’t stand a chance. They’ll all be dead by morning.

So the shepherd stays at the door of the sheepfold. He will be the door! He bravely keeps his body between the flock and the wolves. For his weak and defenseless sheep, he’s willing to lay down his life. He cares for them, and they will live. Resting behind the door, the sheep are secure.

And that is us. Christ is the door for his sheep. For us He lay down his life! We enter into life through him. We’re allowed to enjoy all the blessings that He gained through his self-sacrifice, when He was killed at the cross. Though ‘we like sheep had gone astray,’ Jesus in great love searched for us and found us. Through faith in him, we may go in and out and find pasture.

So enter through Christ. Trust in his name. Love him, and listen to his voice. Know that you are forever secure behind the One who is the door. Amen.