The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, May 13, 2026, is Part 4 of our "I Am" series - a study that looks in depth at the 7 "I Am" statements of Jesus from the Gospel of John.  This week we look at His words, "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" and, hopefully, "I Am the Resurrection and the Life."  Join us at 6:00 p.m. for some mid-week encouragement for the soul! 

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This past Wednesday night, May 6, 2026, was week 3 of our new message series on the "I AM" statements of Jesus.  There are 7 of these "I AM" statements recorded in the Gospel of John, and each one reflects separate and distinct ways Jesus impacts our lives.  One person has many different roles in life - wife, mother, sister, etc. -  and so does Jesus.  He is more than just the Savior, the one who died for us.

This week, we were in the 10th chapter of John.  There, Jesus said, "I am the gate for the sheep" (John 10:7) and "I am the good Shepherd" (John 10:11). 

Jesus makes both of these statements twice.  His repetition highlights the importance of what He was saying.

His statements were made specifically to the Pharisees, and they, of all people, should have made the connection between Jesus and God because the "I Am" statements refer back to a well known encounter between Moses and God.  When God met with Moses at the burning bush and told him to go lead His people to freedom from slavery in Egypt, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”   (Exodus 3:14).  They should have been able to make the connection that Jesus is the Son of God, but they missed it.  We should not misunderstand what Jesus meant when He said "I am the Gate."  It has 4 specific meanings for us. 

1 – Jesus said, "I am the gate for the sheep.  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers."   Jesus means that the thieves and robbers before Him were false Messiahs.  There were people before, and after Jesus, who have claimed to be the Messiah.  But only Jesus fulfilled all of the more than 300 prophecies about the Messiah.  Jesus is the one and only Son of God.  

2 – “I am the Gate” also means that Jesus is our access to God the Father.  Jesus said later in John 14:6 – “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  (More on that next week!).  What Jesus is explaining is that our salvation - eternal life with God the Father - comes through belief in Jesus and acceptance of Him as Lord of our lives.  Jesus said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”  That connects with Peter's statement in Acts 4:12 – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

3 - Jesus as the Gate also means He is the pathway to righteousness.  Psalm 118:19-20 says: “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter and give thanks to the LORD. / This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.”  And also Psalm 23:3 – “He leads me in paths of righteousness.”

The way to righteousness is in believing in the blood of Jesus Christ which washes us clean.  We are made new and can then follow the path of Jesus; that is to say - we follow His teachings and live in the example of Jesus.  That is what it means to be a Christians - to be “Christ like.”  That is the way to righteousness - accepting the redemption and cleansing of Jesus.  We must do that, because the Bible assures us, “There is no one righteous, not even one” – Romans 3:10.   We aren’t born righteous; we can’t become righteous on our own, through our own human effort.  As Isaiah 64:6 says - "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”  We are made righteous only through the blood Jesus Christ.

4 - The idea of "the Gate" also shows us that the sheep are in a place of protection.  To give this some cultural context, Jesus was speaking to Pharisees in ancient Jerusalem.  It was surrounded by sheep pasture as sheep were frequently used in religious sacrifices.  Sheepfolds of that day often had a single entrance, and the shepherd would act as the gate, protecting the sheep.  God has always been seen as the protector of His people and many scriptures convey that concept.

“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” – Psalm 91:4.   Isaiah 31:5 - "Like birds hovering overhead, so the LORD of Hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will shield it and deliver it; He will pass over it and preserve it.”  2 Thess. 3:3 - “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” 

“The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8.

Ezekiel 34:12 – “As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”

Over and over the Bible tells us that God is our protector.  A familiar way to understand how God does it is to reflect on the sheep that a shepherd cares for; this comparison gave King David much comfort.  Psalm 100:3 – “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”  The flock of God are in His pasture, protected by the Shepherd, and Jesus is the gate to that pasture.  When Jesus says “I Am the Gate,” He is saying - I am the Son of God and I am your protector.  But He goes even one step further to make this more clear.   That leads us to the 4th “I Am” statement.  John 10:11 - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." 

Throughout the Old Testament, God was seen as the shepherd of his people.  Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my Shepherd, I have all that I need.”   With Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we will never live in lack.  And Isaiah 40:11 – “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”  This shows us the tender love which God - through Jesus - shows to us.  He will be gentle with us.  Over and over, Jesus reflected the kind compassion of the Father.  He is not just a shepherd, but the Good Shepherd.    

And because He is our Good Shepherd, we, the sheep of His pasture, are under Jesus’ protection.  He is our defender.  While He guards us, nothing can harm the flock.

Because the Shepherd goes ahead of the sheep, we can always know the path to follow.  We don't have to guess at the right direction for our lives.  Jesus will lead us where we need to be, and safely home tot he Father.  Finally, this Good Shepherd laid down His life for the Sheep.  He made a willing sacrifice so the sheep could live.  His sacrifice is the ultimate act of love for us.  Live in that love; live knowing that your Shepherd has you!