Series: Rebuild The Gates [#1]
THE SHEEP GATE
Nehemiah 3:1
Introduction:
With all of the craziness going on, many people are predicting that this is the end. No one knows when Jesus is coming back; but He gave us instructions. Jesus told us to be watching, be ready, and be praying. If Jesus came back today, how would He find you?
In the Old Testament we find that the Babylonians went into Jerusalem, killed many, took many captives, and destroyed the Temple and the walls around the City. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, the Persian King. Nehemiah got permission from the King to go and rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Nehemiah knew that without a wall around Jerusalem, the city would be vulnerable and destroyed again.
Right now, the spiritual walls and gates around our Nation, State, City, and Churches have been burned down and destroyed by the enemy. The enemy has come in and stolen what is not his. He has stolen our morals, ethics, and principles in which we were founded. He has robbed us of our children, grandchildren, church family, etc…
We have allowed the enemy to cause us to feel powerless, vulnerable, scared, and without hope; but through the power of God, we can have victory. Through the power of God, we need to begin to rebuild the spiritual walls around our Nation, State, City, and Churches. Over the next weeks, we are going to study each of the Gates that were rebuilt. Tonight, we are going to study the Sheep Gate.
Nehemiah 3:1
The Sheep Gate…
1. Was the most important gate around the city because it was where the sheep used for the sacrifices were brought in.
Those sheep that were brought through this gate to be offered had to be examined thoroughly for any blemishes or defects before they could ever enter the city. Only those who appeared perfect could be considered as worthy of offering to God. Once they were into the city and presented at the Temple, they were examined even more closely to ensure that nothing would disqualify them for use as a sacrificial lamb. The Law of Moses said that only a perfect lamb would be acceptable by God as an offering for the sin of Israel.
The Sheep Gate is a symbol of the very 1st experience we encounter in our Christian life. It is not through our own righteousness and our own blood, but by the perfect, precious Blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. On the day of his crucifixion Jesus carried his cross out of the city, passing through the Sheep Gate. Just as many thousands of sheep had passed through this gate, the Lamb of God passed also.
The Sheep Gat…
2. Was rebuilt by the High Priest and Priests.
Jesus Christ built the gate into which we enter into the New Jerusalem with a cross. Without the cross where Jesus shed His perfect blood for us, there would not be cleansing of sin. If you were to continue reading through this chapter of Nehemiah about the others gates that were rebuilt, you would discover that there are 2 things unique about this gate.
The Sheep Gate…
* Had no bolts or locks.
All of the other gates had locks on them, but the entry into Jerusalem from the Sheep Gate was by choice. Jesus built the gate that leads into the New Jerusalem without locks and bolts. It is by choice that we enter or not enter through this gate.
The Sheep Gate…
* Was dedicated.
None of the other gates were dedicated. Why? The Sheep Gate was set apart- It is a Holy Gate. This gate is different from the others. The Sheep Gate was the starting point of Nehemiah’s reconstruction project in rebuilding of the city just as it is the starting point of rebuilding our lives and our relationship with God.
There is only one way to the rebuilding of our lives, our Church, our City, our State, our Nation, etc…; and that is through Jesus Christ. There is no other way to be saved. If you were to read through the entire 3rd chapter of Nehemiah, you will find that the Sheep Gate is also mentioned at the very end of the construction process, once the work on the walls of the city have come full circle. This is because everything starts and ends with Jesus’ death on the cross. The Cross of Christ is the central point of human history and the center point of eternal life. All of God’s plans for your life and for mine are hinged upon our passage through the Sheep Gate and the acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
The High Priest rebuilt the Sheep Gate, but some of the other priest helped. Scripture tells us that all Christians are Priest. So how do we help rebuild the gate? We know that only Jesus could pay the price for our sins, but we are told by Jesus that if we are going to be His disciples that we are to deny ourselves daily, take up our cross, and follow Him.
In order for the Sheep Gate to be rebuilt in your life, Jesus must be the center. There should be evidence of the saving power of Jesus in your life. If people do not see that evidence and power of Jesus, why would they want to pass through the gate that leads to salvation? We know that this gate is narrow and isn’t the gate that most people will pass through. The Bible is clear that more people will pass through the gate that leads to destruction, than the gate that leads to eternal life.
The Sheep Gate…
3. Is Jesus.
Not only is Jesus the Sheep Gate, but He is also the Great Shepherd. Jesus tells us that the man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep; but anyone who comes in by some other way is a thief. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman (keeper) opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. A shepherd is someone who has made it their life's work to take care of their sheep. So, the watchman knows who the shepherd is. The watchman welcomes him gladly, because he knows that the sheep are now in good hands. In truth, we are all lost sheep who really needed God's care. So God sent Jesus to be our Good Shepherd.
Jesus' parable also reveals that others than the shepherd try to lay claim to the sheep. These people have not been sent or approved by the owner. Like the serpent which slithered into the Garden of Eden; robbers and thieves climb in by some other way. The difference between the Shepherd and the thief is the motive behind their entry into the sheep pen. The reason the robber climbed in by "some other way" was to grab some sheep out of his selfish desire in order to sell them or eat them; but Jesus’ motive is love.
Conclusion:
Jesus is the Sheep Gate, the Lamb of God, and the Good Shepherd. If we are going to rebuild then we must rebuild upon the power of the Cross of the Lamb of God and allow Him to lead us in the paths that we go in. It all begins and ends through the saving power of Jesus Christ.
