John 10:1-10
“Very 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. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
In Jesus’ day, sheep were put into a stone walled pen at night with a single opening. The shepherd would sleep in that opening, literally becoming the gate. In Jesus day they also made lists with the most important bit at the very bottom. With those two things in mind we can see that Jesus' goal for us is to have an abundant life (it's at the bottom so it's the most important thing) and the way to that life was through the Jesus gate. Living, day in and day out by way of Jesus… in other words, with kindness, compassion, love, and giving of ourselves.
But Jesus wasn’t the only one peddling a way of living back then. Some preached religious fundamentalism. Others said the way to win at life was to die with the most stuff. Still others said it was might that was right to have abundant life . Jesus, however, thought those ways were being sold by thieves and bandits.
Thieves and Bandits continue their cons and Ponzi schemes even to this day. The might makes right guys sell their con these days in the form of a little “G” god called “The Gun.” “The Gun” they say, “will give you safety, security, and stability in your life. Not feeling it yet? Then clearly you need more guns!” But this path to abundant life doesn’t come free. “The Gun” like other false gods, demands the lives of the innocent as payment. “Just a small price to pay," it says.
Sounds insane, right? But we need to understand they are holding onto their god as tightly as we hold onto what Jesus was preaching. Gun violence is theological… not logical. To fight that false god we need to follow Jesus’ lead and ask people to notice what is happening around them and then ask them the question, “Is your god really bringing life into the world? Or does it only steal, kill and destroy?”
Religious fundamentalism also remains in our day demanding a slavish following of the rules without regard for the cost to the living, breathing humans it commands. The rise in anti-semitism, trans phobia and violence challenges us to ask the Jesus question again. Does this way really lead to abundant life? Or does this way too only steal, kill and destroy? Then there’s the idea that the one who dies with the most toys wins. Pastors with private jets still pound the pulpit preaching this way to abundant life, but Jesus would ask again, “How is that way working for the least, last and lost? Is it working at all or are you just one more thief out to steal and destroy?
Of all the ways to walk toward abundant life, I’m going to have to continue to recommend going in and going out by way of Jesus. Building people up, feeding the hungry in whatever way they hunger, being generous with our kindness, and advocating for justice... THAT is the way to go in and out of this life… with an abundance of peace, dignity, kindness, love and compassion.
Now, don’t think you have to do it perfectly all at once. God knows it’s a process... like roadwork in New England. Let me give you an example: There are a number of people in my life... folks whom I love... that have preferred pronouns that do not follow the old, hardwired, pronoun pathways that were laid down in my brain box half a century ago. But living my life going in and out of life through the Jesus Gate means doing the work, including digging though decades of old brain matter... it's like concrete in there sometimes... and slowing replacing the old wiring with new. It’s hard. It takes time. It is at times even maddening because inevitably just when I think I’m done with the re-wiring, something else short circuits and I’m back to breaking brain concrete and laying in another a whole new circuit!
I do it though, because doing that kindness, giving that dignity, honoring who God has created that person to be to be IS walking in and out of this life by the Jesus Gate... and THAT is the way we will move ourselves and those around us toward the experience of abundant life God created all of creation to live. To refuse to do it, I would become just another thief... stealing from them their dignity and robbing them of the kindness, and love God has given to me to share with the world.
Going in and out of this life by the Jesus Way, regardless of what people might call it, is a life long exercise. None of us do it all perfectly... ever. The Good News however is that Jesus, who lies there as the gate, welcomes us in regardless of the progress or setbacks of the day. Jesus welcomes us in and then sends us out again in the morning to do our best for that day. I believe it is that practice of going in and out through the Jesus Gate that will not only lead ME to abundant life, but will transform the world into a place where everyone can share in that life.
We make the road to an abundant life by walking through life as Jesus did; day in through the gate and day out through the gate. So may the LORD will bless your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. Amen.
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