The Gatekeeper of our Life 2 – John 10:1-10

One of the most loved passages of Scripture is where Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd.   For the people of that day and time, sheep and shepherds were very much a part of their everyday life. It would be very common in the countryside to find flocks of sheep and the enclosures where the sheep could be kept safe when not out in the fields feeding.  People would have been familiar with the role of the shepherd and they would have been aware of the necessity for the shepherd to safeguard the sheep while in their enclosures.  Sheep stealing is not a new thing but something that has ever been with us.  Even though the people had been given the instruction not to steal or to covet, it did happen.  Obedience to laws and regulations requires our willingness to follow them and we know that there are people not willing to listen to or accept the laws and regulations that are in place to protect and secure all persons in the society.

Jesus knew that being a shepherd was a full-time occupation.  At least one shepherd needed to always be awake at any hour of the day or night and that applied not only to their time out in the fields but also to the times when the sheep would be gathered near the villages.  Shepherds needed to get supplies just like anyone else.  The shepherds depended on gatekeepers of the sheepfolds – the enclosures – to provide security for their flocks until they were able to return and take the flocks out to pasture.  These shepherds may or may not have been independent contractors.  If they were working for someone else, they would have to answer to the owner of the sheep for any losses.  But – as nothing in this life is ever perfect – things happened, and sheep were stolen.  Even if the gatekeeper did his job well sheep may still go missing as bandits and thieves would climb the fences to carry off the sheep. Jesus uses this imagery to help the people begin to understand how he views his role and responsibility.  Jesus likens himself to the gate of the sheepfold. Jesus remains at the only access point to the sheepfold like a shepherd would, helping to ensure that the sheep could not leave without him knowing about it.

Now think about this in terms of our own lives.  As disciples and followers of God in Christ, we are the sheep of God. We are surrounded by a sheepfold that is not made of wood or stone or brick but one that is made of the very Word of God made known to us through the teachings of Jesus and confirmed to us through the wisdom of God’s Spirit in our lives.  We enter this invisible sanctuary by accepting the invitation of God in Christ to come and find rest.  When we pass through the gate to this sanctuary we are met by the One who was sent to reassure us that we are loved by God, forgiven by God and strengthened by God.  Whatever fears we may have, whatever pain or suffering or heartaches or disappointments we have encountered in the world, this invisible sanctuary becomes for us the place where we can feel safe and secure.

For us, the gate to the sheepfold can be the door to our own sanctuary here at Knox or the door to any community of faith that we find ourselves with. The gate can also be a place in or around our own home or a place to which we go when we want to feel the presence of God.  As we enter that place, we trust that we can feel a sense of relief and rest. We trust that God can see and hear and touch things in our lives that have caused us the most pain and the most joy.  And when we leave that place, we trust that we do so knowing that we have been refreshed and strengthened to be able to face whatever we might encounter.

But the image of Jesus as the Gatekeeper is only one of the images Jesus shows us to describe how we can find his presence in our lives. Through all the images that John records of Jesus, we are reminded that our lives are precious to him and that his desire to be with us never ends no matter what.  He shows us that he is conscious of us and ever willing to be there for us and with us no matter where life takes us.  He is for us a sanctuary in times of trouble, but he is also for us a companion on this journey of life wherever our steps may take us.

We learn from John that Jesus is not only the gate for the sheepfold, he is the sheepfold and he is the Shepherd. He seeks to guard us in thought and action both within the sanctuary and when we are outside.  But as much as he seeks to guard us, he gives us the freedom to choose.  We are free to accept his care and his guidance, to accept his love and his direction in life.

May we continue to be the people of God, the sheep of his pasture. May we continue to rely on our Lord to be the gatekeeper of our lives and may we never forget to come to our Lord for green pastures to nourish us and clear water to refresh us.

May the love of the Father who made us, the love of the Son who died for us and the love of the Spirit who dwells within us, bless us and keep us.

And do not forget that you are a child of God and that wherever you go, you go in the name of and with the companionship of the One we know as the Good Shepherd.  AMEN