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Chapter 10, John chapter 10 for 
our sermon this evening. I would have preached this last 
Lord's Day morning, but it is fitting to preach this evening 
concerning, as it accompanies the Lord's Supper. John chapter 
10, we're going to look at the saying, I am the gate, I am the 
door in John 10 verses 7 through 10. As we look at verses 7-10, that's 
what we're looking at this evening, but I will begin reading in chapter 
9, verse 35, to set the context, and we will read all the way 
to 10-21. So begin reading in John 9, verse 
35. Now Jesus heard that they had 
cast him out. And when he had found him, he said to him, Do 
you believe in the Son of God? And he answered and said, Who 
is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? And Jesus said to him, 
You have both seen Him, and it is He who is talking with you. 
Then he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him. And Jesus 
said, For judgment I have come into this world, that those who 
do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind. 
Then some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words 
and said to him, Are we blind also? And Jesus said to them, 
If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, 
We see, therefore your sin remains. Most assuredly, I say to you, 
He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some 
other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters 
by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper 
opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep 
by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own 
sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they 
know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow 
a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the 
voice of strangers. Now Jesus used this illustration, 
but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. 
Then Jesus said to them again, Most assuredly I say to you, 
I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are 
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am 
the door. If anyone enters by me, he will 
be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does 
not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have 
come that they may have life, that they may have it more abundantly. 
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life 
for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not 
the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf 
coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf catches the 
sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he 
is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep. But I am the 
good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known by my own. As the father knows me, even 
so I know the father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And 
other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I 
must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one 
flock and one shepherd. Therefore, my father loves me 
because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes 
it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay 
it down. I have power to take it again. 
This command I have received from my father. Therefore, there 
was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 
And many of them said, he has a demon and is mad. Why do you 
listen to him? Others said, these are not the 
words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of 
the blind? Amen. Well, let us go toward 
God in prayer once again. Lord God Almighty, we know that 
there is only one way of salvation. There's only one entrance into 
heaven, and that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is 
the gate for his sheep. Father God, we thank you that 
those who know Christ, those who are Christ, those who are 
Christ's sheep, who have faith, who believe, who look to the 
Lord, enter in through the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is that one, 
that entrance into heaven? There is no other way, O Lord 
God Almighty. The world may say that there 
are many loads that lead to Rome, O God, that lead all into heaven, 
but that is not the case as it is found in Scripture. There 
is one way, it is the narrow way, it is the way found in the 
Lord Christ. We thank you, O God, for many 
who you have shown the narrow way by your word and by your 
Spirit, for many who have shown their sin and the need for the 
Lord Jesus Christ, that they are liars, that they are thieves, 
that they have sinned against the God Almighty, that they have 
transgressed your law. We thank you, O God, for your 
law and your gospel. We thank you that the law shows 
people their need for the Lord Christ, that they might look 
on Him and live, that they might enter in through the gate, through 
the Lord Christ Jesus. And for those that know Christ, 
who are His sheep, we have security, we have hope, we have everlasting 
life, we have food, we have abundant life and pasturage, O God. We 
thank you for these truths. We thank you for these realities. 
We thank you for even the foretastes we get to experience here in 
your house on your Lord's Day. We get to experience as we partake 
of the Lord's Supper. We thank you for these glimpses, 
O God, as we long for heaven, as we long for that time where 
all the people of God, all the sheep, will gather for the marriage 
supper of the Lamb, O God, where we will feast together, praising 
God Almighty, who is the great Good Shepherd, who saved His 
people, who laid down his life for his sheep, that his sheep 
might enter in through him. And Father God, we pray for those 
that do not know the Lord, that are outside the Lord Christ. 
They may try to enter in another way, O God, but there is no other 
way. May you show them Christ. May you show them the gate. May 
you show them the way in which they can enter into heaven. Show 
them true theology, true Christology, the true and living Savior, the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man. He is the 
only one who can save them from their sins. This good shepherd 
who lays down his life for the sheep. We pray that you give 
us all illumination by your Spirit as we understand the things found 
in your Word, O God, for we need your Spirit. For these are divine 
things, and they are for our good as we understand these things. 
So again, we pray that you would help us by your Spirit to understand 
these things. We pray that your Spirit would 
be with the preacher. He would be with me. Strengthen me and 
strengthen the teaching. Bless the preaching as it goes 
forth. and be with the hearers as well, that we might hear the 
things concerning the great Savior, the great Lord, the great gate 
of the sheep, and the blessings that the sheep have. And Father 
God, we pray ultimately that you would be glorified in all 
things, and we pray this in the name of Christ. Amen. Well, as 
we looked at in the Gospel of John, thankfully John writes 
his purpose in John 31. You see, the blessedness of Scripture 
is that we see the purpose of Scripture even highlighted in 
John 31. See, the Bible is not like any 
other book of literature, but it's written, it's living, it's 
the hope that those who read it, that those who hear the preaching 
of it, might come to saving knowledge in Jesus Christ. John says this 
in John 31, 20-31. He records these things that 
those who do not know Christ, that those who read concerning 
Christ, might believe and have everlasting life. And thus, throughout 
John, we see him further describe the one they need to believe 
in with these I Am statements, these I Ams with the predicate. 
We saw, I am the bread of life. We saw, I am the light of the 
world. And this evening, we're looking at, I am the gate, or 
I am the door of the sheep. Now, it's probably one of the 
ones that's perhaps thought about the least when we think about 
all those I am statements, isn't it? It's important, it's helpful, 
I'm not belittling all those other ones, we should understand 
them, but I am the gate is unique, and it's certainly coupled with 
I am the good shepherd, but they mean different things even though 
they work together. So we were looking at this phrase, 
I am the gate, I am the door of the sheep this evening. And 
the primary problem that Jesus is dealing with when he speaks 
of the gate is the false way of salvation. And he characterizes 
those who try to enter into the sheepfold, who try to climb in 
another way, as thieves and imposters. He classifies those who teach, 
who try to strive to enter into heaven in another way other than 
the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as thieves and imposters trying 
to enter and force their way into heaven. So the main theme, 
the main thrust is this view of salvation. Perhaps we can 
ask the question, how does one enter into heaven? Or even as 
it's tied to the text, how does one enter into the sheepfold? What gate must one cross to enter 
in? And that's the question we're 
going to look to answer, although it's very clear what that answer 
is. But we're going to look and seek 
to answer this under two headings this evening. First of all, false 
entrance into heaven. And secondly, right entrance 
into heaven. So, false entrance into heaven 
and right entrance into heaven. Now, with respect to the structure, 
we saw in 1 John how many times he... it's not quite the flow 
of the verses. He's using certain literary techniques 
to highlight certain points, and the same is true here in 
verses 7 through 10. There's A-B, A-B-A pattern. And we see this with the A's. 
I am the door in verse 7. I am the door in verse 9. And 
in verse 10, I have come that they may have life, describing 
something concerning the Lord Christ. And then we see the B's, 
verse 8 and 10. All who ever came before me are 
thieves and robbers. Verse 10a, the thief does not 
come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. And that's the 
structure. We're looking at false entrance 
into heaven, verses 8 and 10a. But we need to set the context 
for us. Now, we saw this context several weeks ago when we preached 
on, I am the light of the world. And it's with respect to this 
blind man who has given sight. A man who had been blind from 
birth now sees. Now sees not only with his eyes, 
with physically, but he sees spiritually the Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ and looks to him and lives. And as we saw in chapter 
9, it's contrasting with the Pharisees, who though they are 
supposed to be the religious leaders, they're supposed to 
know the truth, they're supposed to see, yet they do not see. And Jesus is going to further 
drive that point home. But notice in 9.41, if you were 
blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, we see, therefore 
your sin remains. And then Christ goes in to describe 
this illustration in verses 1 through 5, describing sheep and the sheepfold, 
describing thieves and robbers. And what happens, what he describes 
in 1 through 5 is then fleshed out and explained in verses 7 
and following. I am the good gate, and I am 
the good shepherd. But notice in verses 1 and 2 
of chapter 10, most assuredly I say to you, He who does not 
enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, 
this same is a thief and a robber. The thief climbs in a different 
way than through the gate. He tries to enter in a way that 
is not true, and he is classified as a thief and a robber. But 
then in verse 2, but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of 
the sheep. He is the true shepherd. And so Christ explains this, 
and then we see in verse 6, Pharisees don't understand. Jesus used 
this illustration, but they did not understand the things which 
He had spoken. You see, Christ is describing 
who He is. As we saw in John 9, He's describing 
how He is the Messiah. And these men were supposed to 
know that He is the Messiah, yet they did not see that. And 
He even highlights further how they could not understand these 
things. So He then explains it further 
in verses 7 through 10. And then He begins to drive home 
the point of Who these men actually are, as impostors, as thieves. So we see the identity of impostors 
to true religion, to true theology in verse 8. Notice in verse 8, 
he says, all whoever came before me. Verses 7 and 8 are contrasting 
the identities. Identity of the right way of 
salvation, verse 8, the false way of salvation. All whoever 
came before me. Now some interpret this as patriarchs 
and prophets, but that is just not the case in the text. I think 
the text is very clear. Because he says, all who ever 
came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not 
hear them. Now it's true the people of Israel 
did not hear the prophets, but the remnant certainly did hear 
the prophets. But all who ever came before 
me certainly refers to the Pharisees and the religious leaders, all 
who ever came before me. If you remember Redemptive History 
in Malachi, The prophet Malachi prophesies that there's going 
to be a time of silence, 400 years, yet there were still religious 
leaders who were meant to shepherd, meant to act as leaders, except 
they fail miserably. They do not do what is right. 
And I think John is alluding to, in verse 8, back to the prophet 
Ezekiel, in Ezekiel chapter 34. You see, the language of sheep, 
and shepherd, and sheepfold, and all those things would have 
been familiar with those from a Graeco-Roman background. But 
I think more importantly, I think there's a lot of Old Testament 
allusions. And if you've been paying attention in John and 
1 John, we see that John alludes to them quite often. But 1 Ezekiel 
34. Notice the word of the Lord came 
to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. 
Prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God to shepherds, 
Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not 
the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves 
with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings, but 
you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, 
nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, 
nor brought back what is driven away, nor sought what was lost. 
But with force and cruelty you have ruled them. Now the language 
of gate isn't used here, but it's still describing what a 
gate does, namely providing security for the people. Verse 5. So they 
were scattered because there was no shepherd. They became 
food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. 
My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every hill. 
Yes, my flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, 
and no one was seeking or searching for them. So Ezekiel 34, and 
he goes on to further chastise the shepherds of Israel. But 
also in Jeremiah 23 as well. Verse 1. Woe to the shepherds who destroy 
and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord. Therefore, thus 
says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people. 
You have scattered my flock, you've driven them away and not 
attended to them. Behold, I will tend to you for 
the evil of your doing, says the Lord. But I will gather the 
remnant of my flock out of all countries where I have driven 
them and will bring them back to their folds and they shall 
be fruitful and increase. And then he says, So God Almighty 
chastises the people, the leaders of Israel in Ezekiel 23 and 34, 
and Christ is doing the same here in John 10, verses 7 through 
10. These leaders are the religious leaders. And the irony is, these 
are the men who are supposed to be leaders. You see, theology matters, brothers 
and sisters. True theology actually determines 
heaven and hell, doesn't it? What we think concerning the 
Savior and who He is has eternal ramifications. And that's certainly 
true with salvation. These false teachers taught salvation 
by works. They taught that some adherence 
to the law would gain or merit eternal reward, immortal reward, 
for their virtuous living. They could enter in by not breaking 
the Sabbath, which is what they were reaming this blind man out 
in John 9, even though they would break it all the time. These 
men taught false ways and even perhaps more heinous as they 
think concerning the Messiah, the Messiah is right before them 
and they do not see. They deny that Jesus is the Christ. You see, we have to know who 
the true Lord is. We have to know who the Savior 
is because eternal life depends on it. These men were teaching 
false ways of salvation, and they are rightly classified. All who ever came before me are 
thieves and robbers." And that's even highlighted further in 10.1. 
They climb in another way. They seek to enter in another 
way. They don't go in through the 
proper way. This is what their works are doing. When they engage 
in salvation by works, they seek to enter in through the fold 
in a different way than through the gate. Perhaps even as we 
think about the idea of a home invasion in our time, do people 
typically break in nicely? People typically smash 
things, break things, usually perhaps through the back door 
so they can get away without being seen. That's perhaps similar 
to what these thieves were doing. This sheepfold, this one sheepfold, 
I should say, a sheepfold perhaps was made out of stone, and there's 
only one way in, and perhaps some could climb in the other 
way to try and get in. And that's exactly what they 
were doing. Climbing in, not through the door, but through 
their own means, trying to get in to the sheepfold. So that's 
what it said there, all who ever came before me are thieves and 
robbers. But notice in verse 8, but the 
sheep did not hear them. There's always been a remnant 
in Israel, brothers and sisters, who knew the truth, who knew 
the gospel, who knew the gospel promised and foretold in the 
Old Testament, who looked to the Lord and lived. Sheep, most 
assuredly, refers to those who are Christ, those who are God's, 
those whom Christ came in the world to save. The sheep hear 
God's voice. We see this in 10.27. My sheep 
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And John 
illustrates what sheep did even in ancient Near Eastern practice. Perhaps sometimes sheep nowadays, 
when people are shepherding their sheep, they usually follow behind 
with a dog. Not so in the ancient Near Eastern 
context. What would happen is the shepherd 
would go before, calling his sheep, and the sheep would follow. 
And that's what's said in 10.3. To him the doorkeeper opens, 
and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by 
name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own 
sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they 
know his voice." You see, what was quite marvelous and wonderful 
is that in the practice, shepherds would have specific calls for 
their sheep. So that perhaps there could be 
multiple flocks in one sheepfold, but when the shepherd would call 
the name of his sheep, his sheep would come out. You see the imagery 
and see what the John is doing here. Those who are Christ's 
sheep spiritually. are called by His name, are called 
by their name. They're called out of darkness 
into marvelous light. They're called to believe on 
the truth of the gospel. When we talk about Christ calling 
His sheep who hear His voice, it's referring to salvation. 
Sometimes people take 1027 as a charismatic text, as if I had 
a special word from God. My sheep hear my voice, in that 
sense. That's not what he's talking about here. It is salvation by 
grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, who is the true 
gate of the sheep. They did not heed the false teaching. They did not believe the false 
teaching. They turned from it and looked to the Lord and lived. So these men came, these men 
taught, and the sheep did not respond to them. So that's the 
identity of these impostors. But look then in 10a, the motive 
for these impostors. The thief does not come, and 
10 is comparing and contrasting Christ and the sheep, their motives. 
The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Think about a thief's motive 
for breaking into your house. Is it to do your dishes? Is it 
to clean your house? Is it to say hello, how you doing? Not at all. A thief's purpose 
for entering in is to wreak havoc for selfish gain, that they may 
grow, that they may eat and gorge on those things, that they would 
not feed the sheep, that they might do things for their own 
motives and own purposes. Is this not what the Lord chastises 
the shepherds of Israel in Ezekiel 34. They do things for their 
own selfish gain, their own purpose, their own thrust. And that's 
the same for any thief that breaks into our own homes, seeks to 
violate the things that are not his for his own selfish gain. And these scribes and Pharisees 
are exactly that. Does this not describe these 
men who do things that they might be seen by others? That they 
might be praised by others. That they might walk and parade 
around about how religious and how wonderful they are. Even 
when Christ speaks to them in Luke 16 and tells them that they 
must believe the truth, they sneer. They stick up their noses 
at Him. Because they seek to look self-righteous 
and have an appearance of salvation rather than actually believing 
on Christ, rather than actual salvation. As Ezekiel 34 highlights, 
they seek to feed themselves. And they seek to enter into heaven 
in a false way. There's true theology, but there's 
false theology as well. And this is the case with these 
men. And perhaps one text that illustrates 
how the Pharisees and scribes and Pharisees seek to enter in 
for their own gain is in Luke 16, 16. This is that difficult text when 
it talks about the idea of the gospel being preached and everyone 
presses into it. It's also in Matthew 11, verse 
12. In Matthew 11, verse 12, it says, But in Luke 16, 16, He talks about God and mammon. You cannot serve God and mammon. 
And then these Pharisees sneer at him and deride him and stick 
their noses up at him. And then he says in verse 15, 
you are those who justify yourselves before men. But God knows your 
hearts, for what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in 
the sight of God. The law and the prophets were 
until John. Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached, 
and everyone is pressing into it. I think one way we can take 
the text in verse 16, where it says everyone is pressing into 
it, add the word try there. Everyone is trying to press into 
it. Everyone is trying to enter into 
it. And that makes sense in light 
of the context. These men seek to justify themselves, 
to enter in, to have eternal life based on what they have 
done. Even though the kingdom of heaven is preached, even though 
it's proclaimed, they still try to enter in violently, like a 
thief and an imposter. And that's what John is describing 
in John 10, 7 through 10. And even in verse 10, the thief 
does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. They seek to enter into heaven. 
What's interesting is people who believe in false religion, 
false theology, still want to enter into heaven, don't they? 
They still want a place of bliss, no more pain, no more sorrow, 
no more suffering. Yet they all do it in different 
ways. And sadly, false religion does 
destroy, does bring people to destruction. And so, brothers and sisters, 
we need to beware of false ways of salvation. This is why we 
seek to study true theology, truth, divine things. We must 
know good theology or true theology, that we might recognize when 
false things are taught. And furthermore, that we might 
call others from false theology, from false ways of salvation, 
from those things into everlasting life, into the Lord Christ. You 
see, certainly the focus of 7-10 are these Pharisees, but I think 
Calvin is right that we can refer to everyone who teaches any way 
of entrance into eternal life other than through Christ. Anyone who says that you must 
try a little harder, you must work a little better, you must 
shine a little brighter, all those men, all those people are 
teaching false ways of salvation. It's really not all the roads 
lead to Rome or all the roads lead to heaven. It's actually 
all roads lead to the straight pit of hell, except Christ. And that's where we must look. 
That's where we must look on to. We must know the truth concerning 
Christ. You know what's sad too? Sadly 
professing Christian ministers. are leading people astray. False 
men who profess to be Christian preachers are preaching false 
things, leading men down this false path. Perhaps shepherds 
who are supposed to shepherd the flocks of God are leading 
many people astray. I think Calvin is right. Certainly 
in the context it refers to the Pharisees, but we can apply and 
generalize it to any One that teaches any other way of salvation 
except through the Lord Christ. So these men teach this false 
entrance into heaven, a salvation truly by works. Let us then look 
secondly at the right entrance into heaven. Verses 7, 9, and 
10b. Notice the identity. And Jesus 
said to them again, because they didn't understand. Jesus said 
to them again in verse 7, Most assuredly, I say to you, that 
is, pay attention. He said that in verse 1. He's 
saying, I'm about to say something very important. He says, Most 
assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. Perhaps 
we could even characterize the way the grammar is used here. 
I am the gate for the sheep. There's only one way to enter 
in. There's only one entrance into 
heaven. And that's what this I AM THE 
GATE signifies. The right and proper, true way 
to enter into heaven. It implies the way of entry. 
And it contrasts with the robbers who enter in another way. There's 
only one way to enter in, folks. just one way, and that is through 
the Lord Christ, who is God. Even as he uses the language, 
I am, refers back to Exodus 3.14, refers back to Jesus who is describing 
himself as Yahweh, who is fully God, fully man. This Christ that's 
found in one person, fully God and fully man, in one person, 
is the only Savior for his people. The only one who lived, died, 
and rose again on behalf of His people, that they might enter 
into the sheepfold. That they might enter in. That 
believers might enter in. That His people might enter in. 
That His elect might enter in. Sheep refers to believers, sheep 
refers to the elect, and that's certainly what we've seen in 
John in preceding texts. John 6, that is, with respect 
to, I am the bread of life, no one comes to me unless the Father 
draws him. John 8, when Christ describes 
the difference between the sons of the devil and the sons of 
God. or that you are of your father the devil in John 8. And 
then even here you see the shepherd had specific sheep who only knew 
his voice. Jew and Gentile as he speaks 
in John 10. So Christ is the door. Christ 
is the one. Christ is the one people enter 
in through that they might believe on him. But notice the motive 
for our Lord coming. Pastor Butler alluded to this 
this morning and referred to it this morning. Notice in 10b, 
contrasting with what the thief does do. Notice in 10b, I have 
come that they may have life and that they might have it more 
abundantly. You see, Christ didn't come for 
selfish gain. Christ didn't come to fill his 
own stomach. Christ didn't break, enter in 
a false way because he is truly God and truly man, the only one 
who is perfect that we might look to and live. He's the one 
who cares for his sheep that his sheep might have life, and 
have it more abundantly. Most assuredly that this refers 
to eternal life. This most assuredly refers to 
the things that are everlasting. We should set our mind on the 
things that are above, where Christ is at the right hand of 
God. Why did Christ come into the world? We've been pondering 
that often in this past season. Pastor Cam referred to that often 
this morning. John 3, 16. For God so loved 
the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes 
in Him might not perish, but have eternal life. Why did Christ 
come into the world? I have come that my sheep, or 
they, may have life, that they might have it more abundantly. and even many other passages, 
Matthew 121. Why did Christ come? To save 
his people from their sins, that we might live and have life more 
abundantly. And then we'll flesh this out 
further in verse 9. Verse 9 is the center of this 
structure. That's why I'm referring to it 
last. This is the center and the significance and the focus 
of why Christ is the door. In verse 9 he says, I am the 
door. Notice the benefits of being found in Christ, of entering 
in through the Lord. If anyone enters by me, Not by 
Buddha, not by my own works, not by Muhammad, by me. Not by 
pharisaic teaching, but by me. Not by any other means, but by 
me. He will be saved. Salvation is a great and eternal 
benefit for God's people. Isn't this the significance of 
the gate? There's only one way. As Jesus describes in Matthew 
7, there's the broad gate, the broad way, and the narrow way. 
Christ is the only legitimate way of salvation. He is the only 
one in whom sinners can find everlasting life. He is the only 
one that sinners can enter in and find pasturage. That is why 
we preach the law, as Pastor Butler spoke of this morning. 
We preach the law to show people their sinfulness. As that great 
quote from Watson tells us, You see, as we even think about, 
I am the gate, as it's with, I am the shepherd. I am the gate describes the way 
of salvation. I am the good shepherd describes 
how Christ's makes that salvation possible, doesn't it? I am the 
good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. I am the 
good shepherd who came to do what the Father would have me 
do. I lay down my life that I might take it up again. No one takes 
it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay 
it down, and I have power to take it up again. This command 
I have received from my Father. Even before the foundation of 
the world, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as Flavel says, 
contrived all our happiness that we might have everlasting life. You see, Christ is the good shepherd. Christ is the gate of his sheep. 
He lived the law in perfection. He dies as that perfect sacrifice, 
removing the guilt for his people. Not only that, but turning away 
the wrath of God and reconciling God to us. God to us, not us 
to God. God is the one who alienated 
himself from us. Certainly we could say, you know, 
us to God, that's a good thing too, but it is God who alienated 
himself from us because he is holy and we are sinful. I am 
the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. I am 
the door. If anyone enters by me, he shall 
be saved. And I think there's some, again, 
Old Testament allusions to this in Psalm 118, verses 18 through 
20. Sorry, verse 19. Psalm 118 verse 19, Notice in 22, the stone which 
the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was 
the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be 
glad in it. And it goes on to describe other 
things as well. But, sorry, let's read verse 25. Save us now, I 
pray, O Lord. Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. 
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We have blessed 
you from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord, and he has given 
us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords 
to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise 
you. You are my God, and I will extol you. Is this not our response, 
brethren, for a God who saves us? O give thanks to the Lord, 
for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. He is that gate 
that brings salvation for his people. But notice as well, notice 
he says he will be saved, but then he says, and we'll go in 
and we'll go out. This describes, brothers and 
sisters, covenant security. You see, what would happen is 
we would enter in through Christ the gate, or the sheep would 
enter into the sheepfold. But nonetheless, they need to 
be led out and back in. They need to be led to find pasturage 
and led back in for safety. And thus Christ, as the true 
shepherd, does that for his people, who go in and go out. He is the 
one who is with his people. And I think this alludes back 
to Deuteronomy 28, 6, when it describes covenant blessings. 
Should the people of Israel actually do what was required? And we 
know that they did not do that. But when Moses is describing 
the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 verse 6, he says, blessed 
shall you be when you go in and blessed shall you be when you 
go out. You see, they had to earn that 
based on their merit. Brethren, we go in and out because 
Christ earned it on behalf of us. Christ earned that on behalf 
of His people. He is the one with whom we have 
spiritual security and in whom we have spiritual sustenance, 
brothers and sisters. We have the means of grace even 
now until we wait that blessed day when we go to be with the 
Lord, when Christ returns. We have glimpses and foretastes 
and looks to heaven that we might see and partake and feast briefly 
in those moments, to look to heaven. The Lord's Supper is 
one of those things, brothers and sisters. We come together 
at the table to partake of the Lord Christ by faith as certainly 
a meal that remembers him, certainly a meal that provides nourishment, 
but a meal that points forward. to that marriage supper of the 
Lamb where every person, every sheep will be from every tribe, 
every tongue, every nation will feast together at that marriage 
supper of the Lamb as we feast together. But Christ provides 
sustenance for his people. as the Good Shepherd. We go in, 
we go out with Christ. Another passage we won't turn 
there is Numbers 27, also describes this as well. It talks about 
going in and going out. But this is covenant language, 
security for God's people. The benefits are salvation, security. But notice even further, he says 
he will go in and go out in verse 9 and find pasture. This refers to everlasting life, 
brothers and sisters. Pasturage is not used often in 
the New Testament. It's only used twice. So again, 
we go back to the Old Testament. Turn again to Ezekiel 34, but 
this time look at verse 14. As he promises the coming Good 
Shepherd, I shall read in verse 11 of Ezekiel 34. For thus says the Lord God, indeed 
I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd 
seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, 
so will I seek out my sheep and deliver them from all the places 
where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I 
will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from 
the countries, and I will bring them to their own land. I will 
feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in 
all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in 
good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains 
of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold, and feed 
in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, 
and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek 
what is lost, and bring back what was driven away, bind up 
the broken, and strengthen what was sick. But I will destroy 
the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment. But does this 
not also describe Psalm 23? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall 
not want. He leads me beside quiet waters. He leads me by green pastures. Doesn't he? This pasturage here 
refers to the reality that Christ's sheep will never go hungry. Christ's 
sheep will be provided for. Christ's sheep even now participate 
in part in everlasting life. But we will see it when it's 
consummated, when we see Christ return, when we get to partake 
in full of everlasting life, of what that looks like as we 
look forward to that. Sometimes in this weary world, 
as we trudge along sometimes, it's those moments as we look 
to heaven that can give us hope further. As we think about those 
things that Christ has purchased for his people. Now there are 
many things that can give us hope for heaven and cause us 
to continue to plod along, but one of those things we can ponder 
is that inheritance, is that pasture, is that eternal life, 
is that reality, or we can go in and go out because of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. So the gate figuratively refers 
to entrance into heaven. It figuratively refers to the 
doorway into heaven. For those that have entered in, 
Know that you have hope, you have security, you have everlasting 
life, you have a good shepherd who cares for you, who watches 
out for you, who provides security, provides a sheepfold, leads and 
guides you as you go in and go out, and even gives you eternal 
pasture. This is our Lord, this is our 
shepherd, this is the gate through which we enter in. Now, in conclusion, 
we can finish and answer that question again, or ask the question 
again, how will one enter into heaven? How will one enter into 
the sheepfold? It is through faith in Jesus 
Christ. You see, the hope is that, unbeliever, 
you will look to the Lord and live. There is no other way of 
salvation. You may try to enter in another 
way. You may try to be like these 
thieves who try to climb up over the sheepfold, up over the wall 
and enter in. That is not the case. There's only one narrow 
way to enter into that gate. There's only one way to enter 
in, and that is through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ 
is the gateway into the kingdom of God. Christ is the gateway 
in which you enter in, and you shall find pasture. For those, 
again, that know the Lord, Christ is the good shepherd who leads 
his sheep, providing security and nourishment for them. How 
might one enter into heaven? The true way to enter into heaven, 
it is through the Lord, the gate of the sheep. Well, let us pray, 
brothers and sisters.