The Door and the Shepherd

Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9). Two verses later, He said, “I am the good shepherd” (verse 11). Have you ever stopped to consider how Jesus can be both the door and the shepherd? It’s so simple, and yet so profound. Jesus crucified is the door. Jesus resurrected is the shepherd. But if you want the resurrected Christ as your shepherd, you have to come by the crucified Christ, who is the door. Only those who come by the crucified Christ have the resurrected Christ as their shepherd.

“For through Him [Jesus Christ] we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access by one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18)

There are one way — Jesus — and one Spirit — the Holy Spirit—that lead us to the Father. If you do not come by Jesus, you do not have the Holy Spirit to lead you to the Father. The Holy Spirit will not honor any other approach to God than through Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

When you come through Jesus, the door, you have the supernatural testimony of the Holy Spirit. All true, God-centered religion always receives the supernatural testimony of divine approval. If it is lacking, we had better ask why, because God has promised to honor the truth with supernatural attestation, and He always has, all through the history of Scripture.