The Gate

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

THE GATE

John 10:7-10

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

NIV

Who were or are those thieves and robbers? Jesus could have been referring to a some men such as those who were mentioned in the book of Acts, that claimed to be somebody and gathered followers onto themselves, but were killed along with all their followers. But since Jesus was speaking directly to the Pharisees he most likely was speaking about how they dressed themselves up in righteousness pretending to be spiritual, having the way to salvation which they imposed on the common people. He may have used the distinct words thieves and robbers because of how different both exact their pain and suffering on their victims. While the thief simple steals, perhaps even when we are not aware, the robber uses force to unlawfully take what is ours. The Pharisees may have been both and we might also have some ministers today who act much in the same manner, exacting our tithes, in the name of God, but for their own benefits. Jesus simple states it is he who has the keys to heaven; he is the gate, the only way in, the only way to have life and have it to the full. If Jesus is not preached as the only source of salvation then all is to be heard are methods which thieves and robbers use. It cannot be any clearer then these words of Jesus. We cannot be forced into concentration camps of denominationalism when we have Jesus as our gatekeeper; we are free to come in and go out and find pasture. What denomination was Jesus? The Sanhedrin even had denominations, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, as well as a few other less know political, religious groups. They were supposed to be the leading body of the people, but they were thieves and robbers, taking people away from God for their own purpose, much as some, not all but some denominations do today. We cannot afford to be adherence to some form of Christianity, we must listen only to Jesus, he is our gate, he is the only way to enter in and go out and find pasture. Do we want to be killed and destroyed or do we want to have life and have it to the full? The answer is a resounding, have life and have it to the full. We enter only through the gate.