I Am the Gate - A Children’s Talk
We heard Jesus say today “I Am the Gate for the sheep” - That seems a bit silly doesn’t it? It’s like saying I am a door. I am not a door, I am not wooden, I don’t have a handle, though that might be fun to pretend. Except, I can be a door in the way I block someone’s path or let someone by.
Jesus is trying to tell us that he is the ultimate and most important kind of door or gate. So let's think: why are doors important to a house? Or why is a gate important to a fenced-in area with sheep?
They help people go in
They stop animals and people that shouldn’t go in
They keep out bad weather, or other outside things
They give a way for those to leave
They keep those from getting out when it is unsafe
They create a single point of entry that can be controlled
Jesus does all of these things and more. He wants to create a safe and loving place called his Kingdom. Jesus becomes the only door or gate to get into that wonderful place. So we have to seek him if we ever want to enter. Jesus is also the gate in the way that he makes sure to keep anything bad out: wild animals, robbers, and storms - He wants his kingdom to be a place of endless peace and love, so we know that there are things that wouldn’t belong in that. Including aspects of ourselves. Jesus helps us to become the kind of sheep that belong in His fold.
Now if someone or something tries to climb in a window or jump the fence, but doesn’t use the door which is right there, what does that tell us? They are likely not where they are supposed to be. They are likely trying to cause havoc or hurt. So, we must make sure that if we are seeking a world of peace and love we seek Jesus first - who is the gate, the way in and the creator of this beautiful kingdom - Jesus is the way in.
