Submitted by Rob on March 20, 2008 - 12:42pm.

Spirit Garage the church with the Really Big Door, believes in a very narrow gate – Jesus. Today we read the statements where Jesus claims “I am the gate.”

Jesus said, "I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice." Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant. So Jesus said again, "I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in abundance. (John 10:1-10). Thankfully even those in the presence of Jesus as he said this “did not understand what he meant.” To hear my thoughts, read more. . .

Many people go to Jesus’ statements in the Gospel of Matthew to explain the statement “I am the gate.”

"Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.

I like to say many people only know enough of the Bible to be dangerous. People who take these two verses out of context are described by the very next verse, "Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves.” Matthew 7:15.

Too many people quote Jesus to kill, steal from, and destroy others. Using scripture to judge and condemn others by determining who is goes through the narrow gate is not knowing a whole lot of scripture. The opening verses in Matthew Chapter 7, Jesus declares, “"Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? How dare you say to your brother, "Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,' when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5. And the verse right before the statement concerning the narrow gate is "Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.

Today many people are celebrating Maundy Thursday, a time to remember Jesus’ "Last Supper" with his disciples.  --  Communion -- and the mandate to serve one another in love; the day before Good Friday, when Jesus walks the talk. Remember who was with him at the last supper? Peter who would deny him, the other disciples who would run away and hide to save their mortal lives, and in the Gospel of Luke – even Judas is given the bread before he goes to betray Jesus and in the Gospel of John, Jesus washes Judas' feet.

When Jesus says, “I am the gate.” and we connect it to “the gate to life is narrow.” what this means is we are to follow Jesus and only Jesus. That road is hard, because it even includes, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” - in doing so, you offer life. So do not let anyone ever kill, steal, or destroy the promise Jesus made, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in abundance.” To live in such abundance, there needs to be a Really Big Door!

Meditations