The simple fact that you are here today, that you have all gathered on a Sunday morning in this place to receive the gifts of God, is a bold and counter-cultural move. No one is forcing you to be here. In fact, there is minimal support from the outside world to encourage this gathering. Yet, here we are. We come with the recognition that there is more to this life than political arguments, social media trends, financial independence, or even family obligations. We come seeking a place where the true voice of the Good Shepherd can be heard, a place where we can find security and peace amid a world of chaos and confusion. We long to rest in mysteries which are beyond our ability to completely grasp, to be in a place where we do not have to fight for control but find love and compassion that speaks to our deepest desires.

In John chapter 10, our Lord describes such a place as a sheepfold. It is a gathering of the people of God who hear and know the voice of their Shepherd. He is the one who calls them by name. He leads them out. He cares for His sheep. It is to Him that the gatekeeper opens so the sheep will hear His voice. Now, the gatekeeper, I tend to see that as my job. It is, at least, a big part of my responsibility. I remember years ago being at a pastor’s conference where someone was lamenting that too many pastors were acting as gatekeepers. That is, they were the filter through which information from these outside groups was transmitted to the congregation’s members. To which I replied, of course, I am a gatekeeper. I have been entrusted with this duty, not you. I remember one Sunday morning in Georgia, about an hour before service was to begin, this guy walked in off the street and said that the Lord had laid on his heart a message for my church. To which I replied, “No, He did not. You can preach on the street corner if you want, but here, we are only interested in the voice of the Good Shepherd, not some dream or vision that you have.”

So, Jesus gives us an image of His Church. It is a place where the sheep can escape the mayhem of society, a place where they can gather to hear the Words and promises of God. It is a place where the truth of what is spoken is measured by the Word that has been revealed in Scripture. Yet, it is a place where thieves and robbers are actively trying to get in, to twist the Word and undo the unity of the sheepfold. They regularly seek to sow seeds of doubt and division among us.

But our Lord declares, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep… If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” The entrance to His sheepfold, the entrance to the place of rest, and the security of the flock are only through Christ. Anyone who does not enter through this door, any who would seek to lead the sheep by climbing over the wall or sneaking in through some other entry point is, by definition, false. This true door is the defining mark of the Church, and entrance through it is the source of your salvation.

We notice here that the true Door is both exclusive and inclusive. It is exclusive with regard to the point of entry. There is no other way, no option for salvation outside of Christ. Christ alone is the eternal Son of God who comes to seek and save the lost. Christ alone is the means by which you are given eternal life. Through His life, death, and resurrection, the gates of Paradise stand open to all who believe. As Scripture says, “There is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Yet, this Door opens wide for all who believe. It does not matter where you come from or what your past experiences are. It does not matter if you have lived a life of decadent sinfulness. The Door opens to all repentant sinners. All who have tried to gain security and peace by their own works and wisdom and have failed can find solace in Christ.

In fact, there is this line in the Church’s baptismal liturgy which speaks of this entry through Jesus. We watched Tom go through it this morning after he received the sign of the cross on his forehead and his heart, marking him as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. Then I said this strange blessing that perhaps often gets overlooked. I do not think we usually consider it all that much. I said, “The Lord preserve your coming in and your going out from this time forth and even forevermore.” This echoes what our Lord said, “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” To be baptized is to enter through the true Door. To be baptized is to enter into the sheepfold of our Lord’s flock.

Saint Paul famously said, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried, therefore, with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Baptism binds you to the death and resurrection of Christ. Here, you learn to long for and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd. Here, you are invited to come in and go out and find good pasture. Here, you are promised a life of great abundance.

The confusion and chaos of our age are no longer the defining reality of life. They remain, of course, trying to lead you this way and that. But now, you have access to the true Word. You are invited into the sheepfold for respite and peace. You come with your doubts and struggles, you come with your fears and anxiety, you come with the painful reality of the sins you have continued to commit, and here your Lord speaks. He says, “Stop! Stop running and worrying. Stop the anger and pride. Just stop, and receive My peace, My love, and My compassion for you. For I know you. I know you by name. I know your sins and failures. I know it all. I know them because I died for them. I paid that price. You are forgiven. You are welcome here. You will live not just today, but beyond the grave itself. You shall have an abundant life.”

All glory be to God who has washed us, cleansed us, and carried us through the true Door.