Jesus is the Gate

In John 10:9 the Lord Jesus said, "I am the Gate". If you want to truly understand what He meant by that, hang with me through this short story.

In Jerusalem, in the wall of the old city, is a gate called Zion. I wish I could prattle on about how I know the history of that gate, and impress you with my historical knowledge, but the sad truth is, I honestly don't remember a word the tour guide said about it. While he was explaining its amazing historical significance—pausing every third word to translate Hebrew to English in his head—I found myself staring in wonder at the size of the vehicles that could fit through such a small opening. I know you are amazed by me right now, aren't you? What can I say? I notice things other people don't notice. I'm a writer of speculative fiction. My brain never stops.

While our group was carefully absorbing the rich history of the old city, I noticed chipped rock on the edge of the gate wall and evidence of past collisions on some of the bumpers passing by. This gave me a reason to be concerned for the hundreds of pedestrians squeezing through the gate along side men with such notably questionable driving records. It was a recipe for disaster, and I was unable to look away. It was then that something miraculous happened. The tour guide's voice grabbed my ear, and four words screamed for my attention. “Jesus is the gate.”

I turned a blank stare toward him, as though he had bugs on his face, and it was as if a switch flicked. The last five minutes of dialog, which I had considered too inane to focus on, played back in my head like a vintage reel-to-reel tape deck. As my mind pieced together tour guide talking points (I didn't even realize I heard), I discovered something profound.

As it turns out, a gate today is not what it once was. In the days of King David, Zion gate would have been the only way in and out of the city. It was the central point of entrance and, therefore, the prime place to be if one wanted to know what was happening outside the walls of the city. Travelers coming into the city would tell men sitting at the gate, what dangers they had seen on the road. Travelers leaving the city would speak to the same men and find out what the latest news was—to protect themselves from thieves, marauders, and armies on the march. The gate wasn't just an entrance, it was the focal point of knowledge. A man who chose not to stop at the gate was considered a fool because the information he obtained at the gate was current, relevant, and able to save one's life.

Did you catch that? Jesus is the gate. He is the only way. He is the source of knowledge to protect us from danger. To not stop and see Jesus before going on a journey is foolish. He has current and relevant information to keep us safe. But more than that, the knowledge that comes from Jesus is able to save us.

Are you planning anything: a job change, a big purchase, or marriage? Consider this lesson of “The Gate” and make sure to talk with Jesus, before you head out on your journey. You'd be a fool not to.



Grace and Peace
John Michael Hileman

May, 2024: Want to see what I'm working on now? THEMILLENNIUMPROJECT.COM