The Door

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

9 ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα· δι᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐάν τις εἰσέλθῃ σωθήσεται καὶ εἰσελεύσεται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται καὶ νομὴν εὑρήσει. 10  ὁ κλέπτης οὐκ ἔρχεται εἰ μὴ ἵνα κλέψῃ καὶ θύσῃ καὶ ἀπολέσῃ· ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχωσιν καὶ περισσὸν ἔχωσιν.

Jesus uses some interesting imagery here.  I can't really relate to what a sheepfold looks like beyond what I saw in the movie "Babe".  It seems that sheep go into a pen and they need a trustworthy shepherd to take care of them because they aren't real bright or self-sufficient.  They need to have a good shepherd and the shepherd may use a good dog to help protect the sheep and keep them together.  They can't live in the sheepfold because they need to pasture.

Jesus provides the gate for us.  We want to be in His sheepfold.  He is the good shepherd that will take care of us.  In Him is not just life, but abundant life.  His promise is that  ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχωσιν καὶ περισσὸν ἔχωσιν.  The adjective περισσὸν refers to excessiveness or abundance.  What a glorious promise!

Keep in mind that this does not necessarily refer to material wealth.  I suppose that God could do that, but that is not what this verse is about.  It is about the very foundation of our lives.  Whether you live in a palace or a cardboard box this refers to you if you know Christ.  The abundant life is within.  Plus, as we die we move on to more abundance that we can possibly imagine.

How is your life?  You may have a fine one on the outside, but how is it on the inside?  Is there abundance in your heart or is there a constant nagging for something more and something bigger?  Check out this video for a great example.  Here is someone married to a supermodel who has 3 Super Bowl rings and he knows that there is something greater out there.  The answer that he's looking for is Jesus.