Friday, September 6, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
John 10:1–18

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away — and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” (NRSV)

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Reflection

When the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt around 445 B.C., Nehemiah documented that the priests restored and consecrated the Sheep Gate. It was the first gate that was repaired, and as many have noted, it had no bolts or bars. Through it, animals were led into the city for temple sacrifices, because under the law there was no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22 ESV). Some map renderings suggest the gate led out near Gethsemane.

I find the gospel in Jesus’ Sheep Gate metaphor beautifully unpacked in Hebrews 9:

For Christ entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:24–28)

The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29) is also the gate through whom we may enter into God’s presence, reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

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Prayer
Dear God, thank you for making us the sheep of your pasture and for Jesus, through whom we may enter your gates with thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Written by Jeanette Chung, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer© Fourth Presbyterian Church

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