I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. John 10:9
Gates are pretty important, especially for those who own animals. Leave the gate open, and the untrained dog, the cattle, or the sheep will escape without you knowing.
Gates let people in and out. Entering and leaving through the gate ensures you’ve been properly vetted or paid for a ticket.
Gates left open mean people are free to come and go freely. I find that to be true about cemetery gates.
Jesus says, “I am the gate.” This metaphor evokes more questions than answers. Hang out at the “gate” and ponder it awhile.
Does this mean that the church is a “gated” community? If so, how are we leaving the gate open or closed? This is problematic because then that would mean we control Jesus.
Is Jesus referring to eternal salvation? That seems to mean that the goal would be to get in through the gate and stay there. However, Jesus’s image of movement through the gate is fluid, in and out.
If Jesus is the gate, then that gate is love. That gate is grace. That gate is life-saving (here and now as it is in heaven). I’m assuming, that the gate is always open.
If Jesus is the gate, then at the gate, we might experience transformation, whether we are coming in or going out. Jesus will never shut us out from experiencing God’s forgiveness, love and life!
What within you resists an open gate? What about your encounter with Christ has been transformational and life-giving?
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