The Gate

The Gate Protects What’s Most Precious

4.26.26 [John 10:1-10] River of Life (4th Sunday of Easter)

When something is precious to you, you go to great lengths to protect it. Think about all the ways you protect your house and all the people who call it their home. You try to live in a safe area. You get to know your neighbors and keep an eye out for each other. You might install motion-sensing floodlights, security systems, or cameras. You have a lock and a deadbolt and maybe a security door. You might put a broom handle in the track of your sliding glass patio door. You might have firearms in your home, just as an added measure of protection. 

At night, you probably have a routine to make sure all the doors and windows are locked, and everything and everyone is safe and sound. 

We go to great lengths—probably even more than these things—just to make sure the things and people that are most precious to us are safe.  

When something is precious to us, we go to great lengths to keep it safe. Our God operates in much the same way, as we see in John 10. 

John 10 is a famous chapter in the Bible. It is the Gospel equivalent of Psalm 23. In John 10, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd. It’s a rich and reassuring picture for God’s people of all ages. When we are very young, we learn to sing I am Jesus’ Little Lamb and when we get up there in years and draw closer to heaven, we cling to that same truth: Ps. 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd. 

We can’t hear that truth too often. But today, that might actually hinder us. Because in the first 10 verses of John 10, Jesus doesn’t tell us that he is the Good Shepherd. Not yet. I think you could argue he implies it strongly. But in the first ten verses, he uses a different analogy. It’s not as warm and fuzzy as Jn. 10:11 I Am The Good Shepherd, but it is no less important. Jesus also wants us to know Jn. 10:7 I am the Gate for the sheep and in me and through me the sheep have life to the full. 

Most of our verses focus on this picture of sheep in a pen. But it seems Jesus is speaking about two different kinds of sheep pens. 

The first pen is far more polished and proper. It has a gatekeeper. It has sheep from multiple flocks, so the shepherd has to call his own sheep by name. It’s probably the kind of thing you would find in a more developed town or village where there were a lot of shepherds. During bad or cold weather, if they had not journeyed too far away, the shepherds led their flocks into town and left them with an overnight caretaker. This gave the shepherd respite and a decent night’s sleep while his flock was watched over.  

But there were other times when this wasn’t possible. The land in and around Israel wasn’t like the verdant hills of the Midwest. And sheep don’t ration pastures. They are known to devour it down to the root if they’re not led somewhere else. So, when you’re more than a day’s journey from the city or village, the shepherd will make a temporary pen for his sheep out of rocks. The rocks aren’t necessarily tall, just enough to keep his sheep corralled in one area, together for the night. In that scenario, the shepherd would place his body and the opening of this pen and literally be the gate as he slept. 

Now that we understand the gates that Jesus is speaking of, we can concentrate on the threats. Jesus speaks of two types of threats to the flock. The thief and the robber and the stranger. Both want to take the sheep away from the shepherd, but their tactics are different. 

The thief and the robber Jn. 10:10 steal, kill, and destroy. They use force and violence. Their goal is to get something from the sheep. To them, the sheep are nothing more than a commodity. He’s after a meal. 

The stranger operates differently. He uses his voice to draw the sheep to himself. He wants to own the sheep for himself. He’s after the wool. 

As we see these two different threats, our inclination is to want to identify them in specific individuals. But Jesus doesn’t do that for us. Rather, he wants us to recognize their modus operandi. Understand their tactics. One uses force and pressure. The other uses persuasion. This works because sheep are not powerful or frightening creatures. Sheep crave safety and security. They also need to be led. They want to be led. So they are prone to being lured in the wrong direction. Sheep think they know what life to the fulll is, but instead they often wander off into a life that is full of temptation, sin, and unnecessary struggles. 

Do you see this to be true in your own life? Have you seen these patterns play out in the lives of your fellow Christians? 

Whatever you want or value most in life, the devil will leverage to lead you away from your Shepherd. When and where do you feel the most secure? Satan will shake those branches hardest!

Do material things make your life feel full? Does money make you feel safe and secure? That will consume you—whether you have a lot or a little. Worry will keep you up at night. Fear will sabotage relationships. When what you possess is what makes you feel safe & secure, you’ll assume that everyone is out to steal it from you. 

Does life to the full look like you calling the shots? Do you need to be in control to feel safe and secure? Strange voices will persuade you to believe that your hopes and plans are divinely inspired and appointed. You’ll micromanage and manipulate others to get your own way. You’ll step on people who get in your way or don’t get on board with your ideas. You’ll lie when it makes matters easier. You’ll ignore bright red lines of righteousness when your ends justify your sinful means. You’ll refuse help and defy humble calls to repent. 

Does life to the full look like being surrounded by friends, family, and admirers? Do you need to be liked to feel safe and secure? You’ll feel constant pressure to perform and conform. You’ll go along with lies and gossip to get along with people. You’ll become vain and materialistic. You’ll shun those whom others don’t like, simply to fit in. You’ll brush the truth aside so that you can continue to rub shoulders with shameful people. You’ll run from tough conversations about sin and righteousness because you don’t want to ruin your relationship. 

When we let our sinful nature define what life to the full looks like, we get ourselves into all kinds of trouble. Without even realizing it, we are in danger. The thief has us right where he wants us. Where he can steal us away, slaughter us for sport, and destroy our bodies and our souls.

We need the Good Gate to keep us safe as much as we need the Good Shepherd to lead us to safety. And we have both in Jesus. Our Good Gate keeps us safe and our Good Shepherd gives us life to the full. 

Life to the full is not a life that is flush with cash. Life to the full is not a life where we’ve got everything under control. Life to the full isn’t when everyone likes and respects us. Life to the full is when we are known, saved, and safe with Jesus. You have that because Jesus is your Good Gate and your Good Shepherd. 

He knows you. Your hopes and your dreams—the parts those closest to you know. Your hedonism and your depravity, your struggles and your fears—the parts you hide from everyone you can. He knows how you have been pressured into wandering away from him. He knows how you have been persuaded to follow strange voices. He knows you by name and he knows all the sins you can name and those you can’t. 

And despite knowing you warts and all, he loved you. He loved you when you were ungodly and unrighteous. He loved you and, unlike the thieves and the robbers he came to give to you rather than take. 

He came to give his life as a ransom for your many sins. He was slaughtered for your shameful iniquities. He became the spotless Lamb of God and died sacrificially to take away your sins once and for all. The Son of God who knows you also saved you by giving up everything for you. He came to steal you away from the jaws of the grave. He came to rescue you from the unrighteousness Robber, the devil. He came to set you free from the sinful pressures you face in this world. He did this because you are precious to him. 

When someone is that precious to you, you go to great lengths to keep it safe. Think about all you do to keep your home and your loved ones safe. Your power isn’t in the same ballpark. Your vigilance runs out of steam. You get sleepy. But not your Savior. Your desire to keep them safe cannot hold a candle to your Christ. You are precious to your God. That is why he serves as your Good Gate and your Good Shepherd. And when you listen to his voice, when you follow his commands, you will enjoy life to the full. 

Where can you hear his voice? It is in his Word. His Word which is the focal point of everything we do here. His Word which is the wisdom you hear from Christian friends and family. His Word which the Holy Spirit imprinted on your heart and impressed upon your mind. His Word which you have learned from infancy which is able to make you wise for salvation. His Word which teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains you in all righteousness. Your Savior keeps you safe and leads you with his powerful Word and Sacrament. 

He will lead you into the refreshing waters of the forgiveness of all your sins. He will lead you into the green pastures of his Supper, where he strengthens you to lead a God-pleasing life. He will give you rest and guidance in his Word. He will lead you into a life that is full of meaning, significance, and contentment. Because your Good Shepherd knows you and knows what you need. He provides you with your daily bread. He doesn’t give you control over every little thing that happens in your life, but he gives you agency. He prepares good things for you to do in advance and he equips you to do those things to his glory. He doesn’t promise you that everyone will like and respect you. But he does promise that he will always love you and remain by your side. Because you are precious in his sight. Amen.