The Real Entrance – May 1, 2023

Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. . .I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
John 10:7,9

The Real Entrance

The first words of Psalm 23 are pretty famous: “The Lord is my shepherd.” If I take those words seriously and want to get close to the Lord, I need to enter his sheep pen and know where the gate is.

The last words of Psalm 23 are also pretty famous: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” If I take those words seriously and want to be in the mansion of the Lord forever, I need to know where the door is.

Psalm 23 was written by David, a man who started out as a shepherd and ended up as a king. At first he lived outside with sheep, but at the end of his life he lived in a palace. The words of the psalm reflect his journey.

Jesus was a descendant of David. When he was born, his mother placed him in a manger—a place where animals were fed. His life followed the pattern of his ancestor, David. Now he lives in the glory of heaven, and he invites me to join him there.

He explains how I can get to heaven. Thinking of sheep, he calls himself the gate. Thinking of a king’s palace, he calls himself the door. In either expression, he means to say that believing in him is the only way to get to heaven, to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I have approached places where it is hard to identify the real entrance, and it’s frustrating. Thankfully, that’s not the case when it comes to entering heaven. Jesus identifies himself as the only real entrance to a relationship with God and an eternity in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, guide me safely to a close relationship with you and to an eternal home in heaven. Amen.