Scripture

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.”

Observation

Jesus says that anyone who climbs into the sheep pen is a thief and a robber. The person who enters through the gate is the shepherd. The sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Jesus is the gate for the sheep. Whoever comes through Him will be saved. The thief comes to steal and destroy, but Jesus came so that we can have life to the full.

Jesus is the good shepherd. He lays down His life for the sheep. No one can take His life from Him, but He chooses to lay it down because of the Father’s command.

Application

Jesus is the gate. He is the way to salvation.

Jesus paints a picture here of a sheep fold. The true shepherd is the one who lies across the entrance to protect the sheep. Others may come to steal or kill the sheep, but they will come in over the walls and not through the gate.

Jesus promises that if we go through Him we will be saved.

There is no other way to be saved, no other name that can bring salvation. We cannot go through Mohamed or Buddha, through philosophy or atheism, through acts of kindness or acts of valour. Only Jesus will save us from our sins.

This is not just about eternity, important as that is. Jesus says that the sheep come in and go out through Him to find pasture. This is talking about provision and abundance in this life.

When we are with Jesus, we must not fret about where our next meal or our next pay cheque is coming from. We trust Him and follow Him, like good sheep, and He leads us to the good pastures.

Prayer

Lord, you meet my every need in this life and in eternity. You are the gate and I choose to come in through you. Amen.