uʍop-ǝpᴉsd∩ At the Gate

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me“

John 14:6 (CSB)

esus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep

John 10:7 (CSB)

Here is a link to last week’s series, Upside down.

John 10. Jesus, the Shepherd.

I love this passage. I bet you do, too.

This story illustrates how God’s own children know His voice. We know our Redeemer as He guides us.

There is so much more here than just the picturesque scene of a beautiful hillside meadow dotted with fluffy white sheep and a tender-eyed overseer standing at a gate.

Jesus is so much more than that. Jesus is that Gate. He is the only way into God’s Heaven.

In this passage, Jesus was using a teachable moment that Middle Eastern shepherds could relate to. They got a clear view of their Savior.¹

Actually, for today’s devotion I am going to invite you to do a little self-guided Bible study for the first part of this chapter. I hope you will follow through or you will miss a beautiful thread that leads throughout this study.

Read John 10:1-18. But also, why not do some reading from a reliable resource about the lives of shepherds in biblical times? It is an eye-opening revelation. Their lives would have been considered deplorable by some in society today. It was that way then, too.

How is Jesus the “True Shepherd”? This passage shows how the Good Shepherd helped these men understand. They saw His relatability yet without engaging in their sin. He could touch them without being repulsed. He loved them without disdain.

Before we leave this scene, always keep in your heart and mind this truth: Jesus is the only way to peace with God.

As we look at the passage below, the Jewish leaders are merciless in their attempt to trap Jesus. They want Him to implicate Himself as a blasphemer against God. That is because He has already claimed to be God’s Son.

But as Jesus proves, time and again, He is no victim for their schemes. He easily slips from their grasp every time.

They sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand.

John 10:39 (WEB)

They must have been mystified. When they finally do “nab” Jesus, weeks later, on the night before the crucifixion, it is still at Jesus’ will. They never held power over God or His Son. God held all power and authority over them.

And yet this same power that eluded these blind and wicked men is the power that you and I seek. We find the gentle drawing of the Holy Spirit irresistible and good. We know it is the power that will save us. That grasp frees us from the grip of sin and death, doesn’t it?

Look at how it works in amazing unity between Jesus and the Father.

I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.” them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

John 10:28-30 (WEB)

God holds onto you. Jesus holds you. Look how this compares to Jesus High Priestly Prayer in John 17:20-26

Like a father holding on tightly to his child, but even more so.

But the religious leaders would never get it.

The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

John 10:24 (WEB)

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me. ²⁶ But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:25-27 (WEB)

Do you see how the thread from the first part of chapter ten brought us right back around to the great Shepherd of the sheep?

Are you following that lifesaving voice?

And many believed in him there.

John 10:42 (WEB)

By the way, we saw the word believe used 6 times in the verses below. That brings our total in ten chapters to fifty-five uses of the word believe. What is this great thought doing for you as a BELIEVER?

John 10:25; 26; 37; 38 (2x’s) & 42

World English Bible (WEB)

by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.