Tedd Pullano
John 10:1-10

Gatekeepers

John 10. I am the door. I am the door into the sheepfold.

I would like you to take you on a little guided meditation. I would like to have you put yourself outside of your house or apartment in the front yard. Inside there is a party is going on. All your favorite people are there. Family, friends, neighbors, work associate, from both the past and present are there. Everyone who is important to you is there at the party. It's a good party and you, looking in through the front window, can see everyone laughing boisterously and carrying on at the party -- just having a good time.

But...you are outside the house. It is night and it is Rochester, so of course it is cold, raining and starting to sleet. It is very cold, and it becomes colder and you of course want to be inside the house where it is warm, the fire is blazing in the fireplace and the lights inside are cascading warmth throughout the house. But you are out-side in the dark, cold, drizzling rain. All you are wearing is a shirt, shorts and shoes, and you are getting cold and colder as you stand outside the house in the freezing rain.

So you start to look for the door. You go to where the front door usually is, but much to your surprise, there is no front door. There is no front door to your house. There are windows, and they are all lit up. You can see lights on in the house. You can see people inside the house, laughing, having fun, and having important conversations. So, you back up to the edge of the front yard where you can see into the house more clearly. From there, in the cold drizzling rain, you can see the party going on, with people smiling, laughing and responding to each other happily. You see some folks sitting quietly together just enjoying being together. So, what are you thinking at this point? You are thinking, "Boy I want to get inside. Wow, I NEED to get in there!" But there is no door to get in.

And so you walk toward the house and start going around the right side, looking for maybe a side door. You study that side and realize there is no door there. And you notice that it is getting colder and colder and colder as you stand there, wearing only a shirt, shorts and shoes

So, you walk quickly around to the back of the house. There you can see in through some other windows, and sure enough, the party is still going on. Everyone appears to be having a really enjoyable time. Family, friends, neighbors, work associates, friends from your past and present: they are all there. Standing in the back yard, you decide you will shout loudly to get the attention of every-one inside the house. But the music is too loud and no one can hear you. As you stand in the back yard, the night is getting darker and wetter and colder - and so are you.

So now, exasperated, you walk around to the last side of the house, looking for a door. But there is no door on that side of the house either. By now, you are really freezing and starting to get hungry. But, you are at a loss for ideas -- you don't know what to do.

So, you sort of trudge back to the front of the house x hoping for the best -- hoping for a miracle. As you come around, you see into the front picture window again, full of light and warmth and a party which is still going on. Suddenly out of the corner of your eye, you see a space where the door should be and in that space stands someone, smiling. They beckon you to come in where it is warm and safe, and join the party. Your heart feels sudden relief, and you are excited beyond imagination, you run up to this person and burst into the party. Everybody is excited to see you and they shout: "Where have you been? We are so glad you are here." And as you suddenly enter into a celebration, a party, a wonderful way of living life, you feel warmth and peace and safety. Life is good. You have found entry into a better place. And though you are cold and wet, you know you are on the way to wholeness. Once you found the door in, the way inside, things got better.

This morning we read from the gospel of John. The gospel of John is dedicated to one thing primarily: making sure everyone knows that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. John writes this gospel in such a way, through describing miraculous things such as signs, miracles, and voices - as well as through everyday common things such as sheep and bread and doors, to tell all who will hear that Jesus is the One; that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh -- that it is in Jesus that our salvation rests -- and not salvation for when you die, but salvation for right here and right now. In John's gospel, we hear Jesus tell us repeatedly: "I am the way; I am the way the truth and the life; I am the resurrection and the life; I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly". And he tells us that he is the gate the door the entryway to that abundant life. John has this extra-ordinary passion -- he experienced Jesus in his own life and he wants everyone else to know who he is, what he brings to you and he wants you to believe and trust in Jesus-the entry point into a life of fullness.

[And by affirming that Jesus was everyone's entry point into this abundant life, John was trying to help this new fledgling group of believers understand their identity -- and not just who they were, but whose they were. He believed they needed to know and understand that their whole identity as individuals and as a community was centered in and flowed out of Jesus Christ -- that Jesus was the entry point into a life of fullness. He was trying to get them to understand and live out of that -- to know that whatever they did, go to work, greet folks on the streets, visit friends, whatever they did, they would do in the name and spirit of Jesus. And he was offering them direction and hope.]

And we see that in our lesson this morning. As I explained before reading the Scripture this morning, when Jesus refers to himself as the gate, he has this vivid image of himself as the shepherd who stands in the doorway of that place of peace and safety with its five foot walls of protection, himself actually being the gate or the door -- he is the door that leads to the safety and peace -- but not for sheep, for people. By saying this, Jesus tells us: "I am the door. I am the door to God's house. I am the door to God's family. I am the door to God's happiness and peace. I am the door to God's safety. I am the door to the abundant life, the door to the banquet, the door to the feast, and the door to the biggest party that you ever imagined. I am the door to peace and pasture. I am the door to the fullness of life. I am literally the door into the safety and security of the sheep pen and the door out to the green pastures and the abundant life and feasting that goes on in those pastures." You cannot get there any other way. Jesus says unmistakably, I AM the gate, the door. If you want wholeness, strength, peace, I am the way, the gate to all that.

Do you get that? Does that make sense; does it hit home, stick to your bones, lodge in your soul? Are you hearing what Jesus is saying? Jesus is issuing an invitation -- an open invitation to everyone - an opportunity to experience and be part of something incredible -- something powerful. I hope you hear it and you feel it. I hope that wherever you are, you know that Jesus stands at the door to real life, to whole life and invites you in to the place of sanctuary. And in that he offers you peace and protection. You see, we all need something -- healing of our spirits, wholeness, forgiveness, peace, strength, hope -- whatever it is for you. He says I am the door to those things because he wants you to know that some of the other things you may be trying to get that won't work. Whatever other door you are trying won't bring you the peace and healing you are looking for. Maybe you think those Manhattans or Martinis will make things better, but they won't. Maybe you think that that line of cocaine or that flat screen plasma TV or that extra bag of chips will give you rest and release and wholeness you need -- but it won't. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the gate, the door that lets you experience all the love that God has to offer. And it is real.

I have heard many people, both here and in other places talk about the difference Jesus has made in their lives. I have heard and witnessed how, through prayer, fellowship, experiencing the Bible that God lifted folks out of pain and despair and hopelessness, drug addiction, whatever the situation, to a place of peace. Perhaps those events have not been God doing miraculous physical healings or raising loved ones from the dead, but they have involved God making a way through the pain -- giving strength to endure and persevere. Jesus is the door, the gate to all that joy, strength, peace and hope. There is no other way.

And that is why we are gathered here -- today and throughout the week. We are gathered because Jesus has called each of us by name and we are trying to respond to that call. We are gathered here, not as another great social service group or a community gathering place -- but with a unique identity -- as the people of Jesus Christ. We gather as a community who takes it identity, its mission, its joy, its life from Jesus Christ the Word of God Incarnate. Everything we are and we do needs to come out of that place. That is what makes us unique and what makes us powerful.

And one of our most important tasks as followers of Jesus is to make sure everyone knows that. We need to make sure the world knows that Jesus is the way. Jesus may be the gate, but we are the gatekeepers. We are the ones charged with the task of making sure others know about the gate and are introduced to the gate. And that is a two step process. The first step involves each of us knowing and being in a relationship with Jesus. In order to bring others to the gate, you must know the gate and know what going through the gate does for you. I believe we are working pretty hard on that. Then, I believe once you know that, you will want -- need -- to bring others to the gate. Because there are a lot of people standing outside the house, in the cold and freezing rain, looking for the way in. They want to come inside, but they don't see the door. And each of you knows where the door is. It is our job to point people to the door so that God can invite them in.

So let us continue to be about the task of growing in our Christian faith as individuals and as a community. Let us continue to worship and study and grow together. And let us explore how to go out and tell others about the gate, so that they can stop wandering around the house of God in the cold and rain and come inside where it is safe and warm.