Passport to HeavenSample

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture…I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:9, 11).

I love the analogy Jesus gives us in John 10 where He refers to Himself as the “door of the sheep” and the “good shepherd”. In His day, sheep were sometimes kept safe at night in sheepfolds with walls made from piled stone. The shepherd would stay at the entrance, literally functioning as a door to guard his sheep against predators and thieves. The only way in and out was through the shepherd. He would call his sheep, even by name, to follow him as he led them out to pastures and streams for provision. Not only was he their provider, but he was also their protector and would fight to the death to keep them safe. The sheep knew the voice of their shepherd and only responded to him, ignoring the voices of strangers.

Jesus calling Himself the Door means He is the only way to salvation. We have all sinned against God but He offers us a way to be made righteous through the free gift of Jesus’ blood. We enter the Door by hearing and then believing in Jesus as our justification.

Once we have entered the sheepfold through justification, we are reborn and belong to Him. He sends us the Holy Spirit in our hearts with the promise of eternal life and begins to sanctify us. We learn to recognize His voice and eagerly follow Him. He leads us and faces everything we will ever face before us. He protects us from our enemies and gives us security that no one can snatch us out of His hand. He uses His rod to discipline us when we stray and leaves even the ninety-nine if just one of His sheep gets lost—rejoicing when He has found it. He leads us to the green pastures and still waters of the Kingdom of Heaven, and because of His immeasurable love He laid down His life for us.

We enter salvation through faith in Jesus and then He leads us to God and provides all we need. Jesus is enough!

Have you entered the Door by faith? Are you recognizing and following the voice of the Good Shepherd?

We hope you have found this YouVersion plan to be helpful! You can learn more about Micah Wilder and his latest book, Passport to Heaven, here.