As we begin this next leg of our 40 day journey together we will come to the midpoint our journey.  This always seems to present a critical crossroad for many "feasters" who may find it challenging at this point to remain steadfast and focused.  Some may want to give up, rather than press in to continue to reach the goal.  Our goal is Jesus!  Let us fix our eyes on our Lord and press on with perseverance and prayer.   As we will find in our study today, the path we have been called to walk is not easy; in fact, God's Word tells us that we can expect tribulation.  The good news is we were never meant to walk it alone; our Lord has prepared the way for us and He has promised to never leave or forsake us.  One of the great benefits of our seasons of fasting is the deeper levels of intimacy and dependence we gain with the Lord.  He wants us utterly dependent upon Him. So let us "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of [us]" (Philippians 3:12b); let us be still before the Lord knowing that the Lord has called us to this time with Him to show us more of Himself. I promise the time we spend in His Word is worth it; but more important Jesus is worth it!  He is worthy of all our attention, affection, adoration, and praise!  Let us stop for a moment, catch our breath, and pray.  He has something wonderful for each one of us today!

 

Our reading this morning is one short sentence, but it holds tremendous weight:  "Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep" (John 10:7).  Maybe, in our highly industrialized, computerized world today those words don't register the way they would have in Jesus' day, but the meaning is still applicable and essential to our understanding of who God is and what He wants to do for us today.  The Scripture verses we will be studying these next two weeks highlight one of the most beautiful topics of the Bible that we as His followers need to understand - we are the sheep of His pasture and He is our Shepherd.  It's a simple picture, but it speaks volumes of God's devotion toward His people. 

 

In the Scriptures the gateway (doorway) to the city was vitally important to the safety, security, and overall life of a city.  If there were any weak points or openings in a city's wall they would become vulnerable to enemy attack.  The gate of the city was where much of the life of the city took place:  It is where the marketplace was held; gates were often named after the item that was sold there (i.e. "the Sheep Gate" (Nehemiah 3:1); "the Fish Gate" (Nehemiah 3:3)); people met at the gate of the city to hear important announcements (reference 2 Chronicles 32:6) and to hear the reading of the Law (reference Nehemiah 8:1, 3); the elders met there to transact legal business (reference Ruth 4:1-2); and it was also the seat of the king (reference 1 Kings 22:10).  The gates of the city were closed at night and then opened in the morning (reference Joshua 2:5, 7).  For Jesus to identify Himself as the "Gate for the sheep," He is telling us that He has possession of the whole city; He is the center of life for the city and He will supply our every need.  As our gate He becomes more than our Protector, He is also our Provider, our Defender, our Teacher, our Savior, and our King!   And as the gate, He is the only way to enter in to that glorious and secure life!

 

A shepherd would become a literal "door" to the sheep pen.  He would lay his body across the opening of the sheep pen after the sheep were brought in for the night, and his body would be used to keep them safe and protected from any enemy who might try to get in and harm or steal them. As our door, Jesus provides us a way out of the darkness of the world, and into the safety and security of His flock.  He is the door to salvation.  No one gets in except through Him.  It is no wonder that the angel of the Lord first appeared to shepherds out in the field who were "keeping watch over their flocks by night" (Luke 2:8-11).  Who better to receive and understand the glorious announcement that the Savior of the world had been born, than those whose very profession was to guide, protect and save helpless sheep.  Jesus stepped down from heaven in human flesh to lay down His body to save us from a world that wants to harm and destroy us.  We are but helpless, wandering sheep in need of a Shepherd-Savior.  Jesus doesn't just possess the city, He possesses the entire Kingdom; and as our Shepherd-King He has opened the door for us to enter in to a life of safety, peace, security, and salvation if we will simply come to Him and put our trust in Him.  Praise God, with Jesus as our Gate, we have found salvation and eternal security in Him! 

 

 

 

Jesus provides safety and security to those who are willing to enter in through His gate; but we must be willing to leave the old life behind us to enter into the new life He has for us on the other side of that door.  "Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

There are only two ways to walk in this world:  on a path which leads heaven (eternal life), or on a path which leads to hell (eternal destruction); the path of good or the path of evil.  We cannot walk the middle ground; we must choose sides - either to walk the holy path, or the sinful path. "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him" (1 Kings 18:21).  The way of evil is the natural path to walk because our hearts are inclined to evil, and there is no one good except God. Jesus said the gate that leads to destruction is wide and broad and many people enter it because it is the easy, popular way that the world walks.  It may seem to cost nothing in this life to walk that path, but in the end it will rob a person of the greatest treasure - life with Christ.  In contrast, the door to life is narrow; and to enter it will be costly to the human nature that must be transformed.  To enter this gate requires self-denial and tribulation; it can be a hard, and seemingly lonely, path to walk.  "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to" (Luke 13:24).  

 

When we enter the door to salvation we enter a very holy place.  Jesus shed His blood on the cross to gain us entrance.  Our sins stood in the way of our ability to enter that narrow door, but Jesus paid the price of our admission.  Our Good Shepherd laid down His life for us and carried the full weight of our sin to the cross and crucified it there. To enter the most holy place of His presence we must be willing to lay the baggage of our sin, through repentance, at His door.  We cannot carry unholy baggage with us. This is what makes the path of life so difficult for many to enter: too many people want the blessings of the abundant life that Christ offers, but are unwilling to surrender their worldly appetites to walk that narrow path.  Many people want to live a "comfortable" Christianity that requires little or no sacrifice.  They live with one foot in the church and one foot in the world; they would rather not have to make a choice at this time and choose instead to walk the middle ground, but these are two opposing roads and it impossible to walk them both at the same time.  "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But He will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'  Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught on our streets.' But He will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from.  Away from me you evildoers" (Luke 13:25-27).

 

Many people today are not experiencing the victoriously full, abundant, and abiding life in Christ that He holds out to them, because they have not fully embraced Jesus and His work on the cross.  They may have "trusted" Jesus, but they aren't truly following Him.  They have been fooled into believing they are living for the Lord, when actually they are really living for the world.  They never left their former life.  They have not truly surrendered their lives to Christ and have no victory over their sinful, selfish lifestyles; they live with a false sense of security.  They standing at the doorway, but never truly entered in to that life of deepening intimacy and dependence upon the Lord.  Unfortunately, the day they realize that they have been living a lie, will be the day that it is too late.  "But while they were on their way to buy oil, the Bridegroom arrived.  the virgins who were ready went in with Him to the wedding banquet.  And the door was shut.  Later the others also came.  'Sir! Sir!' they said, 'Open the door for us!'  But He replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'  Therefore keep watch, because you don't know the day or the hour" (Matthew 25:10-13).

 

Jesus has given us the Spirit of understanding so we will be wise and walk the narrow road without "the baggage of sin and worldliness" weighing us down.  We must be willing to surrender our former life to walk with Him.  We cannot expect that we can live like the world and be acceptable to Him. "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus" (Acts 3:19-20).  Repentance is a complete attitude change about sin - it is a total change of mind that turns our hearts to Christ and leads to a transformed life.  It is a radical change of life only possible when we fully and completely trust in Christ. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,  but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).  The Lord has set before us life and death, blessings and cursings - may we listen to the One who has created us and redeemed us and "choose life, so that we and our children may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19)! The door of grace is open and our Lord's offer is freely given; let us therefore pass through ourselves and travel the narrow way, and pray for those who willfully pass by to have their hearts pricked by divine love and grace to choose the way which leads to life!

 

 

 

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

I called on the LORD in distress;
the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
The LORD is my strength and song,
and He has become my salvation.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
and I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
for You have answered me,
and have become my salvation."

(Psalm 118:1, 5, 14, 17, 19-21)