I Amናሙና

Jesus’ fourth and fifth I Am statements go hand in hand. He told his followers that he was “the door of the sheep” and also “the good shepherd.” In our culture, those two things don’t really make a lot of sense, but in Jesus’ day, people would have been blown away by those metaphors. First, being the “door of the sheep” meant that Jesus is the only way that we can get to God. Sheep were held in protected, stone-walled areas at night, with just a small opening or “sheep door” that could access what went in and out. Jesus being the “sheep door” was his way of saying that he is the one deciding who is in and who is out of protection, eternity and relationship with God. It’s not up to our pastors now, it wasn’t up to the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, and it’s not something that we can decide for anyone else. We can only come to God through Jesus. The “good shepherd” was another sheep image that Jesus used to describe who he is because a shepherd took close care of sheep, knew them all individually, and would even risk his life to protect the sheep in his flock. In the same way, Jesus knows each of us uniquely, laid down his life for us, cares for us, and loves us all. Jesus will protect us, guide us to what’s best for us, and give us access to a relationship with God.

Challenge: Read and reflect on Psalm 23 today, another sheep image that is used by King David. What does the Psalm say about God that parallels Jesus’ image of the good shepherd and the sheep gate?