We love gates. We boast about living in gated communities. We have gates leading into our fenced yards to keep in what’s ours and to keep what we don’t want in our area. We have locks to reinforce our security with our gates. We feel secure with our gates.
But most of us have fences that really would not be that hard to climb. And gated communities are not that secure. Shane and Amy once lived in a gated community. When we went to visit we would have to call and have one of them meet us at the gate with a card to scan to let us enter. That is if we were not fortunate enough to arrive at the same time as a resident was entering. Then we just followed them and entered unchecked. It really wasn’t that secure.
As we have discovered the last two weeks Jesus has been gaining more attention by making some bold claims. He told the 5000 looking for another meal “I AM the bread of life.” He went to the temple and declared, “I AM the light of the world.” He was using the Hebrew word haya (hay-yaw). God used this name when He introduced himself to Moses. Jesus is boldly claiming to be equal with God. He is claiming to be God.
Jesus final confrontation in the temple at the end of the Festival of Booths made it very clear. Jesus ended his debate with the religious rulers with this statement. John 8:56-59 “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”
The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.”
As Jesus was leaving the area He probably came into an area where shepherding was prevalent. He would have been standing in the midst of green pasture. Perhaps over to his side He saw a mud-brick structure with a small single entrance to house the sheep at night.
He turned to the crowd around him and said “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, (John 10:1-6)
It’s important that we understand what He meant. First, let’s understand the sheep. Sheep are considered “prey” as opposed to a predator. Since they are prey, they like to gather in herds since there is safety in numbers. This makes them social animals. If a sheep is knocked over on its back, it cannot get up without assistance.
Being social animals sheep are inclined to follow a leader. This instinct is so strong they have been known to follow a leader over a cliff. They are always seeking to establish and re-establish who is the leader by head butting, poking with their horns, shoulder shoving, or blocking with their bodies.
Sheep will follow the sound of the voice they recognize and will run from a voice contrary with the one they know.
Jesus is comparing sheep to people. We are social animals. We desire to gather in numbers. It maybe a church. It maybe a local bar. We feel secure when we are around others. Often when we have been knocked over by circumstances we need someone to come along and help us back on our feet.
We are prey. In the spiritual realm, we have an enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) In the physical realm, we are prey to materialism and advertisements that tempts us with false realities. This leads us to follow leaders that may be more bent on our destruction than on our security. This also leads us to follow the voice of deception because we have grown accustom to the voice.
We butt heads and shoulder shove attempting to establish our place in authority. We desire to have things our way and are willing to push and shove to get there.
Next, let’s examine the thief and robber. They don’t enter through the gate but rather try to sneak over the wall. The reason they do not go through the gate is that there is a gatekeeper.
It was not unusual for shepherds to bring their sheep into Jerusalem occasionally. There would be a central pen where all the flocks would be held. A gatekeeper would have the responsibility of maintaining the security of the pen. When a shepherd decided to leave the gatekeeper would open the gate while the shepherd would call his flock. Those that belonged to him would follow, the others would remain behind.
If the thief called out to the sheep, none would follow him because they would not recognize his voice. Therefore, there would be no need for the shepherd to sneak over the wall, only a thief. Ant the purpose would be for destruction.
Then there is the shepherd. The sheep recognizes his voice. He calls them by name. He leads them and they follow. They feel safe and secure following the voice of their caretaker.
In the midst of their inability to comprehend Jesus revealed himself for the third time. John 10:7 “so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”
Again, Jesus declares himself to be I Am, ego-eimi (I-mee). Jesus declares his very existence makes him the gate for the sheep.
In the late 1800’s Sir George Adam Smith was one day traveling in Palestine with a guide, and came across a shepherd and his sheep. He fell into a conversation with him. The man showed him the place where the sheep were led at night. It consisted of four walls and a way in with no door. Smith asked about their safety at night with no door. The shepherd replied, “I am the door. When the light has gone, and all the sheep are inside, I lie in that open place. No sheep ever goes out but across my body. No wolf comes in unless he crosses my body.”
Jesus states with authority “I Am the gate.” He says, “I lie in that open place so my sheep will not wonder and the enemy will not take them. I keep my sheep safe and protect them” That means satan has to cross over Jesus to get to us and that is not going to happen.
Look what Jesus said in John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”
Jesus continues on teaching. John 10:8 “All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.”
Jesus is clearly referring to the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes. The Bible tells us “the Pharisees dearly loved their money and they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public.” (Luke 16:14, Mark 12:40) However, these thieves and robbers existed long before this time. Those that were called to be shepherds of God’s people in the Old Testament had failed. Listen to God’s scolding rebuke on these spiritual leaders.
“For the leaders of my people—the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds—are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.
The shepherds of my people have lost their senses. They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord. Therefore, they fail completely, and their flocks are scattered.
What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the Lord.
Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.
My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray and turned them loose in the mountains. They have lost their way and can’t remember how to get back to the sheepfold.
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.” (Isa 56:10-11, Jer 10:21, Jer 23:1-2,
Jer 50:6, Eze 34:2,8,10)
I must admit that mind wandered a bit too today’s church. How many shepherds have quit sounding the alarm of God’s judgment? How many shepherds no longer seek the wisdom of God but rather depend on man’s wisdom? How many shepherds have deserted their flock for personal gain? How many shepherds have quit leading their flock back to the Lord? How many shepherds have fed themselves on lavish lifestyles while their flock suffers? How many shepherds enjoy their own comforts while their flock lives in poverty? How many are thieves and robbers?
Jesus states that those false shepherds that came before him were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep, the sheep given to him by the Father, did not listen to them.
He repeats his assertion in John 10:9 “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.”
Again, He states, “I AM the gate. There is no other.” Entering through his gate promises us justification (having our sins dealt with effectively), regeneration (being made spiritually alive), adoption (being a member of God’s family and a joint heir with Jesus), and sanctification (being transformed into a holy being based simply on our relationship with God). It’s a welcome mat that says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Also there are no locks on this gate. We can come freely into the comfort of the sheep pen. There are no demands made on us through the Law of Moses. We have a place of safety and rest. We can go freely into the world knowing our shepherd continues to watch over us.
Plus He promises us good pastures. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted scripture in the Bible. “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you---” Some preachers have built a ministry on the word prosper. But the Hebrew word is “Shalom.” It means peace. God has plans to give us peace. We don’t not have to be wealthy to find the good pasture of peace. True peace comes from having faith in our shepherd and his ability to care for us.
John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
When a thief entered into a sheep pen to steal a sheep, he wasn’t looking for a pet lamb. He was looking for his next meal. His intent was to kill and devour his prey. Keep in mind that Jesus was describing the religious leaders of his time as thieves and robbers. Jesus makes it very clear that when personal gain outweighs the care of the sheep, they are guilty of thievery.
In comparison, Jesus claims his purpose is to care for the sheep and provide them with an exceedingly good life. His desire is to give us a life rich with his favor, a life fully satisfying.
Perhaps you don’t have this feeling of a rich and satisfying life. Jesus stated in vs. 8 “the true sheep did not listen to them.” (the thieves and the robbers) In this statement, He insinuates that the true sheep listen to him. To listen meant to hear, pay attention, understand, and obey. In order to have this peace, a rich and satisfying life, you must be listening to the true shepherd. You must be following him.
Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Jesus has established himself equal to God. So in essence, He is saying, “All your emotions, all your rational thinking, and your very being must reflect your love for me. Then you must reflect that same love to everyone around you including your enemy.”
In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” When we obey these two commandments, our shepherd can then minister to us.
One other thing before we leave today. It is a fact of nature that sheep beget other sheep. The shepherd cannot make sheep.
One of the last commands that Jesus gave as He was leaving to return to heaven was this; “And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. (Mark 16:15) We have an obligation to tell those around us about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bring them into the sheepfold. Look for opportunities that might present themselves and go for it.
