While walls look imposing and prevent neighbors from regularly interacting, they also work great to keep pets safe in our yards. Whenever we let our animals out, I ensure all our gates are shut so they can enjoy running free in a safe environment where other animals or people cannot access and where they cannot accidentally run out and get hurt by running in the street. Our work ensures their security, keeping the walls secure and the gate shut. The church also works to keep our members and community safe. Since a relationship with God requires intimacy, the church must be trustworthy for people to share. We follow Christ’s call to welcome people to the gate and lead them to an encounter with Jesus. Once inside the walls, we ensure that they remain safe from the wolves that try to pull people away from the gospel and toward politics or some other endeavor. This activity follows Jesus as He led his followers toward an understanding that God’s concern for people was like leading them as a shepherd leads sheep and as someone who protects them at the gate, ensuring their safety. In the passage below, Jesus reminds the people that many want to take advantage of the vulnerable. In contrast, Jesus offers comfort and protection willingly, sacrificing His freedom for the benefit of humanity.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “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 listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by 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. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 10:1–21.
The declaration made by Jesus that He is the door or the gate through which the sheep enter into the fold points us to the reality that Jesus is the gate to a relationship with God, and we are guided to God’s mission through Jesus’s sacrificial love. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for his sheep, demonstrating ultimate care and sacrifice. This act of sacrifice, done out of love for the Father, is essential for the salvation of humankind. As the legitimate way to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus provides salvation, security, and nourishment. Through Jesus, humanity can encounter God because the sins that once separated humanity are dealt with on the cross. Thus, the church’s role is to guide people toward Jesus, emphasizing his sacrificial love. All teachings and leadership should be interpreted through the filter of Christ. Anything contrary to Jesus must be discarded.
When looking for any instruction about how the church should lead Christ’s flock, we find Jesus models how the church should lead people to the gate so they are not persuaded to jump the walls. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, provides the model for leadership within the church. True leaders are those who enter by the door and are genuinely called and commissioned by God, and whose priority is the well-being of the flock, even to the point of self-sacrifice. This contrasts sharply with the false shepherds who are self-serving and neglectful and seek their glory rather than the good of those they lead. The church is called to recognize and follow true shepherds who embody Christ’s character and be wary of those who do not. God intends to unite people from all nations into one flock, guided by one shepherd, as indicated by Jesus’s teaching about other sheep. Therefore, this teaching highlights the church’s mission to adopt a global perspective, extending the message of salvation to those outside the fold, which traditionally referred to Israel but now includes Gentiles. The church’s unity is rooted in a shared connection with Christ, not in conforming to a single cultural or ethnic identity. Therefore, the church should strive to collaborate with all people, regardless of their origin or background, and demonstrate that God’s peace comes from Jesus’s love and care for us. Our words and actions must reflect those of Christ because the flock knows the voice of the Shepherd; therefore, if the church doesn’t sound like Jesus, the flock will not follow.
In perfect obedience to His Father’s command and His divine mission, Jesus intentionally and willingly sacrifices His freedom to fulfill God’s plan. His entire life and ministry purposefully led to the ultimate act of obedience – sacrificing Himself for His sheep. When the wolves come to take the sheep, Jesus steps in to willingly sacrifice for their relationship with the Father. This behavior acts in stark contrast to thieves and robbers who prioritize self-preservation over the well-being of the sheep. As the good shepherd, Jesus intentionally chooses to face danger and lay down His life for His flock, demonstrating sacrificial love. The church must follow His example and be intentional in sharing the Gospel, even when facing danger. We are called to actively demonstrate God’s mercy and lead others to Jesus, the gate through which we access the Father.
Jesus’ declaration as both the gate and the good shepherd encapsulates the essence of His divine mission and the path to salvation. As the gate, He provides the exclusive entry into a relationship with God, offering security, nourishment, and eternal life to those who enter through Him. As the good shepherd, Jesus exemplifies sacrificial love, willingly laying down His life for His flock. This dual role demonstrates His supreme authority and His intimate care for humanity. Following Christ’s example, the church is called to guide people towards this gate with intentionality and sacrificial love. It must reflect Jesus’ voice in both word and deed, ensuring that all teachings align with His message. By embodying Christ’s character and mission, the church becomes a beacon, leading people from all nations to the one true shepherd. This global vision of unity in Christ transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries, emphasizing the universal nature of God’s love and salvation. Ultimately, Jesus’ intentional sacrifice, rooted in obedience to the Father’s will, sets the standard for Christian living and ministry. The church is challenged to demonstrate this same level of commitment, facing potential dangers and putting aside self-preservation for the sake of God’s mission. Doing so faithfully leads others to the gate, where they can experience the transformative power of God’s love and mercy through Jesus Christ.
Elpis and Shalom 