Daily Devotions - Entries tagged "I AM the Gate"

What does Jesus say about the religious leaders of His day — upstanding citizens who knew every law and religious duty, who prayed so eloquently and gave so publicly to the poor?

“Thieves and robbers,” He calls them — out to steal, kill and destroy. Abusing those who followed Christ, rejecting His teachings, and scoffing at His deity, these religious men promoted the lie that following their rules was the way to reach God. Claiming to be the representatives of God, they tried to turn people away — in the name of religion — from God’s own Son and the message of salvation He preached.

The good news? John 10:8 tells us that the sheep didn’t listen to the thieves and robbers. Still watching for the one true Messiah, still ready to follow the voice of truth, hungry for salvation and freedom from the burden of sin — condemned under the law that the Pharisees taught — throngs of people were drawn to hear Jesus’ words of truth.

In verse 9, Jesus affirms His exclusive role as “the Gate” — the one mediator between God and man. He then goes on to describe what awaits for all who will follow Him:

Salvation — protection within the safety of His fold — for now and for eternity.

Freedom — to come in and go out. Freedom that contrasts sharply with the rigid behavior-based religion taught by the false teachers of His day. The Good Shepherd’s sheep can come and go safely under His protection and care — not bound to rules in an effort to try and earn God’s favor — and freed from the power of sin-habits and from the power of the evil one.

Satisfaction — captive only to the Good Shepherd’s loving care, enjoying abundant pastures that provide for their every need.

Father,

I praise You for freeing me from the power of sin and death. Help me to celebrate that freedom today and every day. Thank You for loving me enough to send people into my life to tell me the beautiful salvation story. Give me opportunities today to share the story of Your love with others.

¹“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! ²But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The 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. ⁴After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. ⁵They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

⁶Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, ⁷so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. ⁹Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. ¹⁰The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Sheep have never been thought of as the most intelligent of creatures, but recent research by British scientists indicates that sheep have a remarkable ability to remember faces — memories reportedly held for as long as two years. With that kind of long-term visual memory, it’s not hard to believe they could have the kind of auditory memory to give credence to what we read in John 10:4 about these sheep knowing their Shepherd’s voice.

And not only do they know Him, but they also follow Him unquestioningly. They follow Him because time after time, day after day, He has faithfully led them where they needed to go — avoiding pitfalls, leading them to the green pastures and safe waters they need, protecting them from danger. And day by day, their trust in Him grows.

Another reason that the intelligence of sheep has been challenged, according to an experienced farmer, is because they are fearful animals. They are afraid, he says, of almost everything. They spook easily, and animals (and people, for that matter) show little evidence of intelligent behavior in the midst of panic.

But fear is not always a bad thing. In fact, fear can be protective when it energizes sheep — or people — to run away from danger. That’s the kind of situation Jesus is talking about in John 10:5, where He tells His listeners that the sheep run from a stranger, “because they don’t know his voice.” While the voice of the shepherd represents tasty pastures, fresh drinking water, and caring protection, the stranger’s voice triggers a wariness that causes the sheep to flee.

Father,

Thank You for Your faithful love and care. Help me to trust more fully in You — to provide all I need, to choose my path, to go out ahead of me and bring me to the place I need to go. May I be so attuned to Your voice that I am wary of competing voices that could draw me away from faith and trust in You. Give me wisdom to recognize those dangerous temptations that would harm me — and strength to flee into Your loving presence.

Amen.

Today we are reading John 10:1–10. The text below is taken from the NIV, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice.

What an unusual beginning, you might be thinking, for a story about the Good Shepherd. Why this talk about thieves and robbers, ready to sneak in and do harm?

“Psalm 23 has the shepherd story right,” we might say, “starting clearly and positively, ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ ” What a hope-filled affirmation that is!

But the John 10 parable of the Shepherd and His sheep begins, instead, with a warning about those who would lead His sheep astray.

From the larger context here, it is clear that Jesus was delivering a sharp rebuke to the religious leaders of His day, known as Pharisees. They had fought Jesus’ ministry every step of the way — sought to run Him out of town and even tried to have him killed! These religious men had no understanding of His offer of the free gift of salvation, of the living water that gave lasting spiritual satisfaction, or of “the Way, the Truth and the Life” that provided the only means for humans to be freed from the penalty of sin and made righteous in God’s sight.

The message of John 10:1 also warns Christ-followers today. To us, Jesus says, “There are enemies out there, beloved, who want to steal away your heart, rob you of joy, and replace your pure faith with a religion of duty and rules and obligation. Be watchful. Beware!”

Father,
I recognize that the war is on. Guard my heart from thieves and robbers who try to sneak in and substitute acts of religion or dutiful performance for the real thing — a vibrant living faith built solidly on a personal relationship with You. Keep me from being a religious know-it-all like the Pharisees, who rejected You and missed the meaning of Your words. May I have ears to hear Your truth, and a heart that’s ready and open for what You have to teach me.
Amen.