11.8.20 I AM the Sheep Gate - John 10:1-10

Jesus tells the Pharisees that they remain guilty of sin because they claim to know the truth and yet deny who the one who is standing before them – the embodiment of truth....

John 9:41 NASB95

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

We have to remember that records these words, God’s words, spoken to us as He is moved by the Holy Spirit.

He then proceeds in chapter 10 to speak about shepherding and sheep - about tending to those sheep and the relationship the shepherd has to those sheep.

John 10: 1-6 uses a figure of speech using language (word pictures) to imply (suggest) something that left the Pharisees scratching their heads - for example:

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)

Here Jesus makes Himself out to be the door into the sheepfold.

Because the Pharisees don’t understand it, He elaborates and expands on it in verses 7-21. The rest of the chapter is actually yet another one of Jesus’ debates and dialogues and confrontations with the Jews in Jerusalem, this time on the Feast of Dedication, a winter celebration remembering the Maccabean revolt, in which he answers charge, in verse 24, “If you are the Christ, tell it plainly.”

These words are an attack on the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees who claim to be the shepherds of God’s people.

Several things we want us to see this morning about Sheep-herding, the shepherd and his sheep:

Who the Sheep-herders are

What the Sheep-herders are called to do...

as they Call - Lead - and Protect

READ: John 10:1-10

John 10:1–10 NASB95PARA

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Prayer of Illumination

Shepherding Sheep - The Pastoral Life

All of this talk about sheep and shepherds in our age of high speed internet and space travel seems so foreign to us today, but to the people of Jesus’ day it was talk that should have been clearly understood because it had deep roots in the OT Scriptures:

The first reference that pops into mind is the Psalm 23.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

What about Isaiah 53:6?

“All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way.”

There’s reference here to Ezekiel 34 where the God through the prophet Ezekiel rebukes the ones called to be shepherds.

“Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? “

““My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ”” (Ezekiel 34:6, NASB95)

““Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. “And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken.” (Ezekiel 34:23–24, NASB95)

Standing before God’s people is the one these prophesies pointed to...

Jesus is clearly connecting the dots...

What we have here is a “figure of speech, a form of saying, in which Jesus makes Himself out to be the door into the sheepfold. Because they don’t understand it, He elaborates and expands on it in verses 7-21.

The rest of the chapter is actually yet another one of Jesus’ debates and dialogues and confrontations with the Jews in Jerusalem who are beginning to lose patience with Jesus...

“The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”” (John 10:24, NASB95)

Sheep Herders - who they were

All this said, the job of shepherding during Jesus’ day was not one that people wanted to have.

Shepherds were lonely. They were dirty. It was exhausting work. And by the time that Jesus is making this analogy here that we read in John chapter 10, shepherds had acquired a very bad reputation in 1st century Palestine.

They were among the lowest classes of society. They were despised and considered untrustworthy. Their testimony was not admitted in court.

There was one rabbi who said that “parents should not teach their son to be a donkey driver, a camel driver, a pot maker, a sailor, a storekeeper, or a shepherd.”

Sheep herding was not a prestigious or a noteworthy occupation.

Sometimes we think of shepherds as innocent and quaint – these figures that were living in peace and quiet pastures.

That’s not at all what Jesus is up against in His day. In reality, the shepherds were lowly and unimpressive figures.

That’s why it was so surprising that when Jesus was born, who were the first people that His birth was announced to? It was to shepherds in the fields taking care of their flock by night.

Sheep Fold...

The sheep fold of Jesus’ day was very simple.

It consisted of four walls of stone or mud bricks and in one wall was an opening for the sheep to go in and out of.

Most of the commentators say that what is being alluded to here is the common sheep fold of a city where many flocks would have been kept securely overnight.

The next morning each shepherd would go into the fold and call his own flock and they would follow him out of the pen. Each flock knows the distinctive call of their shepherd.

Jesus’ assertion in verse 1 that anyone who does not enter through the gate (or door) is not a true shepherd but a ‘thief and a robber.’

A ‘thief’ is one who uses subtlety and trickery.

A ‘robber’ uses violence and plunders.

The purpose of both is exploitation.

Christ is here saying to the Pharisees – your purpose is to exploit these people because you have entered the sheep fold not by the door but by climbing over the wall.

In contrast (verse 2) the shepherd enters by the door, the rightful means of entry and exit. The shepherd has no need to climb over the walls of the sheep fold – he, and he alone, has the right to go in through the door to CALL ‘his sheep.’

The Shepherd’s Calls

John 10:3 NASB95

3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

““I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:14–15, NASB95)

““My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;” (John 10:27, NASB95)

This helps us understand the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15.

The reason the shepherd knows there was one missing was because each night as the sheep are gathered into the sheep fold the shepherd would stand across the doorway and call them in. As each sheep passed he would inspect it for injuries and anoint with oil and cuts or grazes.

He knows each sheep individually and so he knows when one is missing. Jesus is saying to those who have ears to hear:

God knows you as an individual. You are not just an anonymous face in a crowd. You are John, Mary, Jane – you are known by God. When the shepherd has called them by name what does he do?

He leads them. He does not drive them out but he leads them out.

The shepherd goes before them and because they know his voice, and by experience know he will lead them to pastures green and still waters, the sheep follow.

The Shepherd Leads (3-4)

John 10:3–4 NASB95PARA

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Notice: He doesn’t drive his sheep.

Difference between being called and being driven.

When Christ calls us by name into His flock he goes before us to lead us out to pastures green and waters still. We are not a driven people.

Just as He knows our name, the sheep know His voice and they follow Him wherever He leads. And He never leads us into sin. And if He asks you to walk in the valley of the shadow of death or to walk in trouble or trial, He’ll never ask you to do that without Him going through there first

John 10:5–6 NASB95

5 “A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

Christ points out how the sheep will not follow a stranger’s voice because they can recognise that it is not the shepherd’s voice.

How important it is to know the shepherd’s voice.

How often we are deceived by the voices of false shepherds because we do not know the Shepherd’s voice.

Learn to recognise the Shepherd’s voice - the shepherd CALLS...

The Shepherd Protects 7-10

Now the picture shifts from a sheep fold in the city, where there would be several flocks to one out in the countryside where there would be only one flock.

John 10:7–10 NASB95

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Jesus twice refers to Himself as the Gate or the Door into the sheep fold.

The function of a gate/door

When the shepherd is a distance from his home, or especially when he may be in the territory of mountains he assembles a temporary enclosure - A fence - built of tangled thorn bushes or branches. This is all the protection that is needed. The shepherds often sleep with their flocks and station himself across the entrance - as a door - giving access/protection

At night in the open countryside the sheep would be exposed to all sorts of dangers – both from robbers and wild animals.

The entrance to the sheep fold would not have a gate or door and so the shepherd would lay down across the entrance – so that no sheep could leave without his knowledge and nothing could enter without him being disturbed.

It is a wonderful picture of the protection of the sheep by the shepherd.

But look at verse 9 – here Christ goes further than just the statement of ‘I Am the Gate.’ Here He speaks of being the means whereby the sheep come into the fold and go out from the fold (when He calls and He leads as verse 4 indicates).

John 10:9 NASB95

9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved.’

What does that actually mean? Saved from what?

Saved From What?

The simple answer is the ‘wrath of God.’ The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 5....

Romans 5:9 NASB95

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

God’s wrath will one day be poured out against sin (as in the days of Noah)

““For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:37–42, NASB95)

– but Christ Jesus has paid the penalty of sin for those who have come to Him in repentance and faith are saved - will be saved on that day.

So we are saved from God’s wrath and from the wages of sin = death (Romans 3 v23).

Romans 3:23 NASB95

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 NASB95

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How are we saved?

By entering the sheep fold through the only gate provided = Christ Jesus.

Think about this - Jesus says ‘I am the door.’

When I read that in connection with the sheep and the sheep fold my mind goes back to the Passover and how the blood of the slain lamb was painted on the doorposts and the lintel of the houses so that those inside would be saved from the angel of death that passed over Egypt that night.

““For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.” (Exodus 12:23, NASB95)

The death of Christ on the cross, the shedding of His blood, is the means by which we are saved.

Physically the sheep had to go through the shepherd to get into the sheep fold or to get out – he would place himself across the entrance and those sheep that he knows by name could not enter or exit unless he allowed them to.

Christ stands between us and God and without Him access is denied.

What we are saved from is the wrath of God and the sin that so easily entangles us (Heb 12:1)....but what are we saved for?

What are we saved for?

We have to remember - Jesus is not talking simply about a sheepherder and his sheep - he is talking about us - God’s people:

“Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:3, NASB95)

The sheep will go in and out through Christ and in Christ find pasture (food for the soul). In Christ alone is there spiritual food, nourishment for the Christian believer

John 10:9 NASB95

9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

I am the Bread of life (John 6:48)

I am The Light of the World (John 9:5)

I am the true Vine (John 15:1)

““He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”” (John 7:38, NASB95)

– once again Christ warns about the false shepherds whose purpose is to take advantage of the sheep.

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

They have no concern for the wellbeing of the sheep. In contrast His purpose is ‘fullness of life.’ I think that is important for us all to hear this morning - especially in light of all that has been going on during this past week and months…Jesus says “I have cone that you might have life, and have it abundantly.”

He came to bring us life as it was meant to be.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. I am not saying life as a Christian will, or should, be all happy etc, but neither should it be like a walk as Pilgrim through the Slough of Despond in Pilgrim’s Progress.

Christ came that through Him life might be lived in all its fullness, because in the end....

It’s All About Jesus

He tells us that He alone is the gate and we can only enter through Him.

When we enter through Him we are saved from the wrath of God and called into ‘abundant life.’

Can you see how closeness to the Shepherd and knowledge of the Shepherd’s voice provides the sheep with protection, guidance and nourishment?

Do you know the Shepherd’s voice? Have you come through Christ into the fold?

There is great comfort in these verses for those who are inside that sheep fold and have entered by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ...

....but there is also a warning for those who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ -

““Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, NASB95)

who have entered enter the sheep fold as a thief and a robber.

Do you and I know the voice of this Shepherd? Have you heard the Great Shepherd of the Sheep calling?

Is it a voice you are familiar with?

Do we actively listen for it? Where do you listen for it? The answer to that is right here in front of you – the Bible.

This is the voice of God – spoken by the one who is God with Us, The great Shepherd of the Sheep - Jesus Christ as He calls, feeds, provides and protects us with his presence and his powerful words.

John 20:30–31 NASB95

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

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