Please turn to John 10:1-10. There are many diamonds to mine in this passage. Come and see.
I. Significance of the sheep pen
1“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
Most villages had a common sheep pen. It was typically made of rocks piled to make a wall. Sometimes a cave might be used if close by.
All the shepherds from that village would share the pen and they would hire a gatekeeper for the night. If a shepherd had to take his sheep to a place too far from the village to find pasture, then they would sleep under the stars as did the shepherds who heard the angels announcement on the night Jesus was born.
I am grateful to Dr. John MacArthur for his insight on the sheep pen. Some people have associated the sheep pen as being symbolically the church. That is not true. Jesus as the Good Shepherd doesn’t lead people out of the church, but into it.
Another well-meaning idea is the sheep pen symbolizes Heaven, but that cannot be true for the same reason. The sheep pen symbolizes Israel. There are many in Israel who will follow Jesus and many who will not.
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him,
Let’s for illustration purpose say there are 100 sheep in this pen. There are four shepherds who share this pen with 25 sheep each. The next morning, each shepherd comes to the pen and speaks to his sheep and they follow him out of the pen to wherever he is going to pasture them.
V3b and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
I love this detail in verse 3b – the shepherd calls his sheep by name. Every pet we have ever had – had a name. Although I couldn’t tell one sheep from another, the shepherd can. Since you and I are represented by the sheep, Jesus knows us by name. He is a personal shepherd. It is not “hey you” or come here “what’s your name”.
I have learned a simple truth about hearing God speak. We hear Him clearest when we are walking with Him daily.
II. Warning about those who enter wrongly
1“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
Those who enter the sheep pen wrongly are the Pharisees. The NIV puts it in the text. Other translations keep it general. The Pharisees don’t really care about the sheep and seek to rob people of their joy with legalism and steal their dignity with unnecessary religious works. There are false teachers in our day on the radio and TV who are trying to deceive the sheep and fleece them for money.
III. Breakdown of “I AM the Door”
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the door for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture.
Four simple words, yet they are so powerful:
• I – personal pronoun, it indicates Jesus Himself. Jesus didn’t come to earth to tell us about the door to God or that He was one among many doors. Jesus declares boldly that He is Himself the door to God.
• I AM – the gospel of John shares with us 7 I AM statements Jesus made during His ministry and this is one of them. The others are: I am the Bread of Life, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Vine and you are the branches, I am the Way, the truth and the life, I am the Resurrection and Life and I am the Light of the World.
In Exodus 3 Moses asked God what His name is, and God revealed it to Him as “I AM”. I think Jesus is being intentional to use that same kind of wording in these “I AM” statements to help us understand He is God in the flesh.
• The Door – the visual image is invoking by calling Himself the door to the sheep pen was understood by the people hearing Him that day. But since none of us are shepherds, we may not. By calling Himself the door or gate, Jesus is saying, if you are one of my sheep, I will take care of you and protect you.
Verse 9 Jesus informs us of three benefits to Him being the door to the sheep pen:
(1.) Will be saved – saved, rescued and delivered. Many people respect Jesus, even believe He was a great teacher and prophet. However, Jesus doesn’t want our respect He came so people would get saved!
Many people admire Jesus for the change He tried to bring to the world. Jesus doesn’t want your admiration – He wants your worship! Enter into the sheep-fold of God by being saved today.
We are observing the Lord’s Supper today. How appropriate to reflect and give thanks for the salvation He gives to us.
(2.) Will go in and out – doors open both ways – to let you out and to let you back in. When sheep are in the pen, the door protects them from attacks by wild animals or thieves trying to steal them. When sheep go out of the pen, they are still in the safe keeping of the shepherd. Either way we are in the safety and protection of the Lord.
Another way to illustrating this truth is Jesus was leading the sheep out of Judaism and leading them into the flock of the church.
(3.) Find pasture – sheep need to eat, and grass is their favorite. I believe is a way of describing God’s blessings on His sheep. God wants to show us His favor and amaze us with His benefits as the Good Shepherd.
Appeal
How do you need to respond to Jesus being the door?
Maybe someone has never been saved and today you are ready to repent of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart to be saved.
For someone else, Jesus being the door means you need to:
• Find safety and protection from harm
• Find pasture and spiritual growth
• Learn how to hear His voice more clearly
