What is the door for?

That door, at the front of Church: what is it for? It has a lock on it: why? 

It is an interesting question as it asks whether the door is one way or two way. Who is it allowing or possibly denying entry into the church? Are we an inclusive or exclusive club? What exactly is the door for?

Prior to his passage (of John 10:1-10) we have in John 9:1-12 with the healing of a man born blind. (link). Next there is a question from the Pharisees asking whether they are so blind to what Is happening… I am not giving any spoiler alerts but if we have read this Gospel you might get an inkling.

In this passage we have a sheepfold, a place where we can keep the sheep we care for, safe. I wonder how you might imagine it. Does it have tall walls or even a roof? The sheep inside this enclosure are deemed to be safe, but not rich, or prosperous, just safe. Jesus says that he has come so they might have life and have it abundantly. Life in all its abundance – I always think of current buns dancing at this point…

Who is the Shepherd?

Now the Shepherd here enters the enclosure through the gate not over the fence or wall.  Everyone knows the voice of the Shepherd. The Shepherd leads the sheep and they follow.

It’s a figure of speech, so who is the Shepherd?

The sheep hear that voice and follow. 

Who are the sheep?

Jesus is declared as the gate, not the gatekeeper.
Many around Jesus are deemed to be thieves and bandits, but the sheep do not listen to them. Why not?

So, if the Church is the gatekeeper, with Jesus as the gate, who are we protecting? Anyone within the enclosure or just the very privileged few – the members?

We might have door stewards at the door of the Church but when the service starts the doors may be locked. Very old churches sometimes have their doors open at all times so that weary traveller can take in the ambience and solemnity of the holy space.

It was Augustine who purportedly declared that the church was a hospital for sinners – is it? How is the Church viewed by those outside of the place: a holy huddle or a gathering place of welcome? I suppose the only way to find out is to ask…

What is the role of Jesus here: to save the flock within, or to allow that gate to swing so wide that all of the world might enter: including that lost sheep? (a few Bible verses muddled together, I agree – but you get might the point)

Good behaviour permits entry then?

Note that this passage doesn’t say that some are saved and some are not. It doesn’t say that the bad sheep will be excluded. There are also no goats included here, but not mentioning them doesn’t mean that they are excluded also – that’s a whole other parable. 

Jesus is here offering abundant life. But not a ‘life of abundance’.

Many early Christians, especially in the 4^th C felt that an abundant living meant that they could be rich. The Romans had finally welcomed the Christina Church within their fold. The priests were allowed to wear toga’s, and now seen as clerical garb. The huge basilica’s which were a plenty in Rome were now available to the Church. It has also, later, brought about the prosperity gospel in the States. But what Jesus was focusing upon was “It is about life, not money“. If we have a car we might go shopping with it. But the type of car we use might suggest what we are predominantly using that car for. What does the Ferrari say about us? When people are searching for a deeper meaning in their lives, materialism gets in. 

If a Shepherd is one that leads the flock to good pastures, that is exactly what a pastor does.
Does your pastor do that? Sorry that’s a question for me.

Are we in or out, or both?

This passage can take us down a path which leads to focussing upon the enclosure and who is in or out. When in reality it is about answer that question posed by the Pharisees in Chapter 9. “Are we blind?” they said: “Are we blind to what is important in life?”

At funerals we tell of the life of the dearly departed, we speak of how loving they were and what great things they did; when we could have celebrated their life now whilst they were living? Have you ever thought of looking back over your life and reminding ourselves of the great times? We have even advocated writing your own eulogy at our death cafes.

Could we look at our own life and think what’s the most important part of it? As a workaholic for nearly all of my life, what part of my family have I deserted? And what might I do about it now? Am I blind to what I see all around me? Can I have life in all its abundance, now and currently?

Counter Cultural response

What we have heard today is so counter-cultural. It speaks of having different priorities than society. It isn’t affluence which brings happiness – we might see that on the television, with celebrities. So what might living life abundantly really mean to us – that’s not up to others, but up to us to embrace.