Your Access Has Been Granted

Jan 29, 2023    Dr. Delman Coates

As followers of Christ, we have an all-access pass to the presence and power of God. The image of a door or gate that is described in today’s key verse is not the same as a door in your house with hinges and a handle to open and close them and lock them for security. No, this door is a stone enclosure or gate that provided access to the entrance of a stockade where sheep were kept. A shepherd would sit at the opening of the entrance to allow sheep to come in and go out. Jesus here is appropriating that metaphor to describe the way that His care and constant devotion to those who belong to Him gives them access to greater things in life. Jesus is saying that in order to experience the blessings and benefits that are available from the shepherd, His sheep must go through Him as the door. It is an invitation to experience something that they could not experience any place else: comfort in a world of discomfort, peace in a world at war. So as we dive into this message, let’s look at what happens when we walk through the door Jesus is talking about.