The Gate
Notes
Transcript
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 10
a courtyard surrounded by a stone wall. If it had a gate, there was usually a gatekeeper guarding it (v. 3) who would know which shepherds had legitimate business there. Several families might use the same sheep pen
OT picture of Israel often as sheep
Faithlife Study Bible - Sheep Pen or Sheepfold = a courtyard surrounded by a stone wall. If it had a gate, there was usually a gatekeeper guarding it (v. 3) who would know which shepherds had legitimate business there. Several families might use the same sheep pen
Some translations = Door rather then Gate
It is this Sheep Pen picture that Jesus is discussing in our scripture today
Please stand as we honor the reading of God’s Word
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.
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, 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.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate 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 gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
THE WORD OF GOD, FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Opening
Opening
Opening
Open to Salvation
Palestinian shepherds LEAD not drive
Sheep know their shepherds voice - they follow Him - not strangers
Jesus is the only way - the only one that authorizes access - all others are thieves and robbers
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
“Whoever” believes in the gate - will have eternal life
Closing
Closing
Closing
Leave Condemnation
Salvation Army Officer John Allen: “I deserved to be damned in hell, but God interfered.”
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
God certainly interfered. His desire is to save. Stop waiting for the lightening to strike!
Locking
Locking
Locking
Brings Security
Micheal Green shares this story: Someone asked an astronaut, “How does it feel inside the space capsule?” The astronaut replied, “It really makes you think, when everything is done according to the lowest bidder. It really makes you think.”
Jesus is not the “low bidder”.
He gave is all. He died for us.
We can have security in that.
Our security is exclusively determined by our relationship to Jesus, the gate.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That is POWERFUL and CERTAIN security!
Stability
Stability
Stability
Sound Teaching
Jesus brings life - stability is in him
He leads you to the pasture you need
Promise of pasture fits right in with previous promises of water and bread
These promises are necessary to have life to the full
We have this stability to live a life pleasing to God
He leads us in our spiritual pasture
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Go through the Gate
Open it for SALVATION
Close it against CONDEMNATION
Lock it and be SECURE
The Gate leads to STABILITY
Jesus says, “I am the Gate”