While continuing to teach on the Temple steps after healing the man born blind, Jesus began a “mini-sermon,” and this time He decided to focus on His true identity and upon those who follow Him. He began by talking about sheep, saying that anyone who enters the sheep pen by any other way than through the gate, is a thief and a robber. On the other hand,

“The one who enters through the gate is the true shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:2).

Jesus went on to tell His listeners that:

“The watchman opens the gate for the shepherd and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own by name, and he leads them out of the pen” (John 10:3).

If any of you have a pet such as a cat or dog in your house, you understand how they have come to know and trust your voice, but when a stranger comes to the door, they have a totally different reaction. Why, because they feel safe when they hear the voice of the one who loves and cares for them. Jesus continued by saying:

“When He has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger… because they do not recognize his voice” (John 10:4-5).

In fact, Jesus said that the sheep would actually run away from the stranger because they are not familiar with his voice. You and I should recognize the voice of our Shepherd and run away from other voices who are trying to sway us into following them or their teachings. The voice of Jesus is the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit living in every follower of Jesus, and that voice is always in line with the written Word of God. We need to run from any false  teaching that is not in line with God’s Word. And then Jesus said,

“I am the gate of the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them” (John 10:7-8).

Jesus is speaking of those in the Old Testament who listened to the true prophets of God, like Isaiah and Jeremiah, and obeyed their message of repentance, and sought justice and righteousness in their lives, and in the life of the nation. And then Jesus went on to say,

“I am the gate, and whoever enters through Me shall be saved. He will come in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).  

Jesus identified Himself as the Gate to the sheep pen, and the sheep come in and out only through this Gate. And then Jesus spoke words that many of you are familiar with:

“The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

The thief comes to steal your joy, to kill your spirit, and to destroy your inheritance. But Jesus came to give us LIFE, that is, zoe, the true spiritual life that Jesus possessed in His very being, and which He came to give each of us. And the quality of that life is that it is “abundant.” That’s what Jesus came to give us. He came to enter into our very being and give us His life, life that is abundant and free.

Keep in mind that this is a gift of the One who is the Gate of the Sheep. If you are not already one of His sheep, you can become one simply by asking Him to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness, and to enter into your life, giving you His LIFE as a gift of His grace. It’s a gift, freely given to all who come to Him by faith. If you have not experienced this life-changing gift, then you can do so today. Just ask Him and He will give it to you.

But Jesus not only identified Himself as the “Gate of the sheep,” but also as the “Good Shepherd.” Next week, we will take a look at the next portion of Jesus’ “mini-sermon.”