"I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." John 10:9-10 (The Message)
Jesus is speaking to a crowd not totally sure of who He really was, I mean, they know He's different and they attribute excellence to His teachings. They also reason to themselves that no one before Him has been able to accomplish the incredible miracles He's been able to do, but they are still not sold. They still have a little more to grasp, so with a full understanding of His audience Jesus lowers the boom, and gives them a revelation of Him that would totally blow their minds.
I would guess that a majority of the listeners in the crowd had a grasp for the agrarian lifestyle and how shepherds took care of their flock letting them graze and literally live without a care in the world. Jesus likens that life to what He offers those who enter "the Gate," namely safety and security beyond measure. More Importantly, He offers protection from the thief that only wants to come in and steal, kill, and destroy. What a masterful way to put in simple terms the offer of eternal life and salvation.
As I look at this passage, I see that this message though intended for a particular audience in His day still is relevant to this generation. How many people out there would pay insane amounts of money for the safety and security Jesus offers us for free? It is our responsibility as believers to relay this message to them. Make it plain and simple like Jesus did to the audience He spoke to that day so that they could have real and eternal life, far greater than they ever dreamed of. The world awaits... are we ready to share this "real life" with them? I certainly hope so.
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