1Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the
gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who
enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the
gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of
them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not
follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the
voice of strangers." 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they
did not understand what he was saying to them. 7So again Jesus said to
them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came
before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them.
9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and
go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
Step 1 - Initial Diagnosis: Hearing the Voices of Thieves and Bandits
Voices abound, speaking about abundance in the lives of the world's sheep,
even Jesus' sheep. Everywhere we turn another voice is calling to us,
offering us a way, a gate into that life for which the voice knows we have
been longing. "Here is the way to financial security. Of course you know
how important it is to assure your future and the future of your family,
don't you?" "No, no it's much more important to climb the ladder, to get
above the fuss and bother of the daily grind, to the rarefied air which
only top executives are able to breathe. This is the door." "Why bother
with the rat race? Let go of the stress. See the palm trees through this
gate? Feel the breeze? Just step through into another world." Voices
abound and the sheep are listening.
Step 2 - Advanced Diagnosis: Tell Me More
But the sheep have a hearing problem. Though no one has "ear lids," the
very fact that the sheep are listening to other voices, considering other
gates signals a deeper malady, a faithless struggle in the heart of each
one who listens and ponders what they have heard. Even, or maybe
especially, those who have heard Jesus' voice again and again, stop and
listen to a new voice that offers another way into the pasture. Though
Jesus offers abundant life, we tend to wish for a quicker, less strenuous
way into the pasture. After all, that other voice doesn't sound like a
thief, she seems very sincere. He doesn't sound like a bandit, he said
he's only concerned with our spiritual welfare. How can we turn down such
offers?
Step 3 - Final Diagnosis: The Voice Speaks
Having listened to other voices and following false shepherds through other
gates, we are climbing into the sheepfold other ways. Yet God will not let
such deal-making go unnoticed, "Why have you listened to other voices?
Sheep need a true shepherd to guide them to the gate into pasture and
abundant life. Yet you have turned from my ways." And so it is little
wonder that God, in his judgment, leaves us to our choices: to our ripped
clothes from climbing the fence rather than entering through his gates; to
the emptiness of discovering the other voice lied and could not make good
on its promise; to the silence in the midst of the myriad voices which have
enticed us and drawn us far from our God and his fold.
Step 4 - Initial Prognosis: The Voice that Acts on our behalf
John begins his gospel with the Word, the living Word sent into the world
by God because of the vast love which God has for each of us and for all
creation. This Word is not only the message, not only a Voice that speaks
to us through his life, death on the cross and resurrection: "I am the
gate for the sheep." It is Voice in Jesus that acts on our behalf, "going
out ahead of us" even to the point of laying down his own life - his own
credit, if you will - to give to the sheep. The Voice, which is Jesus,
loves his sheep. Through his own actions of love and laying down his life,
he guides them through the gateway to eternal life - a gateway which had
been shut between us and God, a severed tie which we were unable to heal
(and which we even had trouble understanding as severely broken). Because
of him, we who have strayed in so many ways, can enter through the
Cross-shaped Gate into the Father's arms.
Step 5 - Advanced Prognosis: Voice Over
Over the din rises his call to his sheep and it is now Jesus' Voice to
which our ears dare to listen. Though other voices still abound, we tune
to his Voice that calls us to enter into the Gate, to go in and out and
find pasture. The sheep will not follow a stranger because they do not
know the stranger's voice. We will hear the other voices, we can't avoid
them, but once we have gone through the Cross-shaped Gate into the true
Shepherd's arms, we can distinguish His Voice from all the rest. Our ears
are receptive to his call. His Voice reaches into the lonely places of our
hearts where the worldly din has never soothed or nurtured. And what is it
about his Voice that is so distinguishable? It is a Voice that knows us
each by name, and calls us each by name, for it is for each of us - by name
- that he lives, dies, and rises. Our names are woven into the identity of
the Shepherd.
Step 6 - Final Prognosis: Look Who's Talking Now
In fact, now that we can hear his Voice even through the continuous chatter
of everyday life, we get the high and holy privilege of being shepherds
ourselves. We point to the Gate; we help others navigate the airwaves to
the only true Voice who love continues to make a way to the Father where
there had been no way. We are, through our Shepherd, shepherds in sheep's
clothing - not hustling, nor shouting, but offering ourselves in service to
others who are stumbling through the din. We know what it's like to wonder
if we can really hope to find the Gate into abundant life. So when we see
another struggling to find her way, we can speak. "Listen, do you hear
Him? He knows your name. He's saying 'I am the gate.' Take my hand, and
we'll go together."