The Gate

John 10:1-21

I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. (John 10:9)

JESUS TOLD HIS FOLLOWERS that the gateway into the life of God’s Kingdom was very narrow, and only a few would ever find it (Matthew 7:14). And it’s true; our entrance into the Kingdom is as narrow as a single Savior. But many people throughout the centuries have assumed that the narrow way leads to a narrow life, with hardly any room to enjoy the journey. But Jesus was just as clear that as the gateway for his sheep, he leads to good pastures—pleasant spaces with plenty of greenery and scenery and openness. He encloses us in safety but frees us to enjoy his fields. He is the entryway into a life of fruitfulness and joy.

A lot of people don’t know that. Some think they can only experience freedom by entering the gate and then keeping their distance from him. Others who are used to following principles enter willfully into a new captivity just as confining as the old one, but call it freedom just to line up with Scripture. The truth is something else—a realization that freedom comes simply by entering the gate, by drawing close to the Son who sets us free and keeps us safe. There is no other way to enter into good pastures.

Make sure you represent that picture in your relationships with others. Don’t offer alternative ways to freedom because there aren’t any. But don’t disguise the freedom you’ve been given with false restrictions and demands. Jesus doesn’t give you a list of requirements to fulfill; he empowers you to overcome the things that weigh you down. While much of the world has sought its freedom independently of God—and gotten further enslaved to their own passions in the process—you seek your freedom in him. Demonstrate the unexpected paradox that freedom from God leads to captivity, but captivity to God leads to freedom. You’ve found the narrow gate; make it as inviting as you can by pointing to it as the source of your wide-open adventure.

{Jesus, you led me to the end of my own fruitless life, guiding me through your narrow opening into eternity. Show me how to make the most of it. You have set me free; use me to lead many more captives into your spacious Kingdom. Amen.