John 10:1-10.                     Jesus Christ - only gate to life!!                                  11/5/14

 1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They 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.

 This morning we are given a picture to help us understand a very important message – an essential message to us in our day and age. But perhaps we need to modernise this picture to some extent firstly, for us to be able to comprehend more fully the seriousness of the point.

 The picture for us today would be the suburban house or apartment. This would be a good example because of the danger of crime and violence that we recognise is ever present there today. There is no way that we would want to leave our doors and windows wide open day and night. We know the dangers that are ever present in our suburbs these days.

 So we are fully aware of the fact that if someone is trying to sneak in through a window or the back door they are up to no good. They are most likely there to steal, kill, rape or destroy. So we are ever so aware of the need to take every precaution necessary to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones: Rightly so; because of the widespread dangers that are thereabouts.

 There is only one way that we let someone into our homes and that is through the front door. And even there we have our locks, security alarms and chain, and all the rest. We only allow the person in or go with them if we know who they are: if we know their voice and what they are like as people.

 This understanding and attitude is a very important thing for people living in suburbia to keep in mind. To live in this environment means one has to be very wary and careful. For us this picture is very clear and understandable. Essentially the door becomes central to the safety and security for one’s life and wellbeing. It is through the door that all the comings and goings must go. Anyone who tries to come through some other way is up to no good.

 Now just as importantly, and in fact, of greater concern, should this thinking be with regard to our spiritual lives. But sadly it seems, for many, here their doors and windows are wide open. Or perhaps more to the point, there many have locked and bolted the front door but have left every other access open for the perverted to enter freely. At the same time they are prepared to sit back in the lounge suite of their thinking and reason that all is well; we will never get caught out. Here I don't just need to point to those out there; for so often it seems that we ourselves do much the same thing. I mean, how safety conscious are we when it comes to our spiritual lives. How much thought do we put into our spiritual security.

 This reading reminds us very clearly that Jesus is the only gate – the only door to life. There is no other way. Nothing else is as important. Now this is a vital message for us today in our pluralistic and tolerant society: A society where it is considered that there are many and various ways to find peace, happiness and eternal life. Christianity is only one of many ways to find God. And even within Christianity there are different aspects that are important in our gaining eternal life.

 Here however it is again clearly stressed that there is only one way. If anyone tries get to us with anything else - any other thinking - other than that which centred on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, watch out. They are nothing but thieves and robbers who are out to destroy us. Sure on the surface they may seem quite innocent and harmless; but so do many a burglar and rapist.

 Here, let us look to how many have been caught out by opening their door to all kinds of movements that promise us health, wealth and prosperity. Even much that comes from within ‘Christianity’ itself, seemingly quite innocently. We only need to read books like the "Power of positive thinking" written by a so-called Christian – the importance of inner meditation – Ten steps to this that or the other, and many others.  Many of them seem to mix a little eastern philosophy, medicine, business and the like thinking, and suddenly we find ourselves in the soup.

 These days there is a great emphasis on an individual’s experience of Christianity and feelings   that lead innumerable numbers of people to despair because they don’t have those feelings. Also there is this thinking that if you think something is true then it is true for you, even if God’s word says otherwise. In fact this is probably one of the biggest concerns today. We have many saying, even in our own church, that the Bible is no longer God’s Word, but only contains God’s word. Therefore we have to decide what is and what isn’t God’s Word: despite the fact that the LCA says that it upholds the Bible as God’s divinely inspired and inerrant Word.

                                                    
Another area that danger abounds is the unlocking of the window that focuses excessively on good living and charity and on comparing ourselves with those around; and as a result of this thinking, that it is how good we are that will make us acceptable and get us to heaven.

 But for most of us, it is the leaving of the back door of apathy ajar that we run into our greatest danger. Our focus and commitment to our work, sport and leisure comes way before any thought of our Lord Jesus; and then we wonder why we run into so many difficulties and hassles in life and faith is stolen away from us.

 Jesus makes it quite clear that these are not the way to go. Any of these philosophies, thoughts and ideas and those who promote them, if they do not enter through the right door – Jesus Christ and his death on the cross - then watch out. They are not there for the good of our spiritual health: they are thieves and robbers that are out to steal, kill, rape or destroy. God’s Word is quite clear that if we do not believe in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, then we are going to hell. That is how important and serious this is.

 Jesus Christ alone is the way to a true and good life and salvation: His death on the cross for the sin of the world; everything that you and I are and have done wrong, is threshold of the door that we have to pass through. Only those thoughts, philosophies and works that can stand up to the test of Jesus Christ and the centrality of his death has any true basis for our spirituality.

 When someone comes to you then and says that you must have this or that experience and feeling within you in order to be acceptable: in order to be a true Christian – beware. When you feel like skipping church and spending time reading and praying, but instead go off and do something else instead:        quick lock the windows before you start losing something that is most valuable. When we do not hear of the seriousness of sin, then Jesus death on the cross is a nonsense, and our Christian faith will quickly become simply a feel good, do good religion.  Check everything that you hear of a spiritual nature to see that it is the voice of Jesus and that it leads you through him and his death and resurrection, to life.

 Here also remember that just because some quotes to you a verse or two from the bible doesn't mean that it is God speaking. Satan knows the Scriptures better than you and I; and he is the master of deception and lies.

 But as we constantly and vigilantly look to our Lord Jesus Christ and trust in him as the way of salvation – the door to life - as we continually go back to him we find the assurance that we are safe and secure, and that eternal life is ours. As we listen to him we find that he has already saved us and given us life in all of its fullness: everything that we really need for this life and the next.

That is very much the encouragement and warning that comes to us here today. At no other time in history is this message more important than it is to us today. There are many who unwaringly are being caught out by thieves and robbers, who often come as wolves in sheep’s clothing: who come looking very appealing on surface. If they do not hold Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection as central – beware.

 On the other hand, with the Lord Jesus and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins as the centre and focus of life then can have the security of knowing that we are safe and that true life and salvation is ours. As we continue to come and go with him, we will find that he is the door that leads to pastures and nourishments that we need to give us the fullness of life that he says is there for us. Remember at all times that Jesus is the only gate to this life.  To him then be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN

 Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish