The Door to the Sheep

The Door to the Sheep

“Jesus says, “I am the door to the sheep.” John 10:7.1 Jesus is not only the narrow gate—the door into God’s kingdom—He is also the door to the sheep. He who does not enter the sheepfold through this door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. You cannot climb up some other way and enter into God’s kingdom; you have to be born of water and the Spirit. John 3:5. However, you can come to the sheep in the sheepfold in two ways: either by entering through the door or by climbing up some other way.

Jesus is the same whether He is the door into God’s kingdom or the door to the sheep. He who wants to go through Him has to forsake all his own: his self-interests, his own plans, and his own ideas. The gate is always narrow. Only a lowly and bowed people are allowed to pass through. Few are those who truly find it, for self­ishness blinds the soul’s eyes.

How you come to the sheep through the door is a mystery of faith, which can be revealed only to the humble soul just as all other mysteries in God’s kingdom. He who goes to the sheep through the door brings blessings from the Lord with him. Thus Paul also writes in faith to the Romans: “When I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” Rom. 15:29. He who goes to souls through the door is being cleansed from all his own—from all his self-interests—and he comes to the soul only with his eternal well being in mind. He comes as a sacrifice, just as Paul writes to the Corinthians: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” 2 Cor. 12:15. He who goes to the sheep through the door has the mind of Christ, which means that he offers up not only what he has, but he also offers himself for the sheep, because he bears the sheep on his heart.

He who wants to go to souls driven by his self-interests—for the sake of gain, influence, or recognition (if ever so little)—will not go to them through the door, for it is too narrow for his self­ish plans; he will climb up some other way. Jesus will not let such people go through Him, for then He would have to be a servant of sin. Therefore they will climb up some other places. Jesus calls them thieves and robbers, for they do not bear the sheep on their heart. On the contrary, they have their own interests, their own reli­gious work, their religious groups, and their livelihood in mind, and they use the sheep just to further their own plans. We realize—as many as have not been fooled by sweet words—that there are many thieves and robbers in these days. They are like wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Jesus says that he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep, and He presents Himself as the great Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.

In all our work with souls—whether it is by word or by let­ter—let us therefore go through the door, because then we will come with anointing to the work, and we will always bring a bless­ing with us. The reason for so much fruitless work is that one forgets to go through the door.

You will have to go through the same door when you seek a sinner’s salvation. If an entire church would press through this door and reach souls, then there would surely be revival.

This is the secret for making progress in all spiritual work.

Not oratorical skills, not good sermons, not organizations, not publicity, but Jesus is the door to the sheep.