7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

This teaching by Jesus follows the episode of the one born blind being excommunicated (kicked out) from the synagogue is not coincidental.  Jesus showed Himself to the man and that man became a believer in the Christ. Jesus’ response was to say - They can throw you out of a synagogue, but they cannot throw you out of the Kingdom of Heaven because I am the door. They are not.  Only the door can shut you out and I am it. No church, no pastor, no denomination, no pope or priest is the door, only Christ.  He opens and closes it. No man can do that.

  Out in the fields, the sheepfolds were usually an enclosure made of rocks with an opening for the door.  The shepherd would guard the flock at night by laying across the opening.   Quite literally he was the door or gate keeping sheep in while he slept, blocking out thieves and protecting them from beasts. This is the type of figure that Jesus used when He called Himself the door.

Iit was not unusual for several flocks to be sheltered together in the same fold in a small town or village.  Sometimes there would be a paid guard or porter who would make the shepherd identify himself if he was to get into the sheep fold.  In the morning the shepherds would come, call their sheep and assemble their own flocks.  The thieves and robbers could never enter through, so they would have to climb over the wall and enter the fold through deception. Such protection was needed to keep the flock safe from wild animals and evil men. 

Jesus tells the truth. There are evil people out to divide, spoil and steal believers. Satan seeks to destroy churches and cause newer Christians to give up their faith.  The church is always liable to attack from outside, like the wolves and the robbers. It is always susceptible to trouble from the in inside by a false shepherd.  The church risks double danger.  If the shepherd is faithful and good, there is strong defense from the attack from the outside, but if the shepherd is faithless, the foes from outside can penetrate and steal the flock.

There are cults that will twist Scripture and prey on people's ignorance of the Bible.  There are people who will show you another way to salvation and use human reasoning to deceive you.  There is a tact of Satan to take a flock and divide it through dissension.  There are plenty of churches that split due to attitudes of pride, power, selfishness, and immaturity.  How different is the spirit of Jesus.

The church's first essential protection is a leadership based on the example of Jesus Christ. A good shepherd protects his sheep.  There is protection for you and me in the security of the sheep fold, under the protection of our Master. Keep in the Word of God.  Keep in prayer. Keep in the fellowship of believers. Keep active in your spiritual faith and walk.  Flee sin and temptation. These are the instructions from our Shepherd.

Dale