So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:7-9
Jesus spends much time explaining His Kingdom. He is the Door of the Kingdom, of course, but we enter through this Door through the reality of humility. Let’s take a look at part of this woven thread!
When Jesus spoke His “sermon on the mountain” (which we are sure He spoke many times) He outlined what it meant to be connected with God. Matthew 5 expresses:
Verse 3 How we own the Kingdom of heaven
Verse 4 How we find comfort for our mourning
Verse 5 What will cause us to inherit the earth
Verse 6 What will bring us satisfaction
Verse 7 How we receive mercy for our condition
Verse 8 How we may see God
Verse 9 How we can be called the sons of God
Verse 10 The reward of being persecuted
Verse 11,12 Our continuation in the lie of those who live for God
Verse 13 How our lives become salt
Verse 14 How we become lights in this dark world
This is the flow of His amazing declarative remarks. But let’s return to verses 3 and 4 to understand His context. Each of these 14 verses has their core in His opening: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Each flows from the roots of these first words. Let’s take a closer look. While being poor in spirit can certainly include lacking the opulence of others, it appears that Jesus is going deeper. The words poor in spirit could easily be translated “those who know we are beggars in spirit.” Spiritual beggars. He is describing our common human condition of having nothing apart from God. When viewed properly this is very humbling. It lines up with the thread of humility found from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22. It provides the core of finding a purified heart (v 8).
If we know we are spiritual beggars it will cause us to mourn our condition (blessed are those who mourn). Of course God cares about our losses and pains, but Jesus is specifically addressing the very humbling reality that we have no good in and of ourselves. When we are transparent before God and men and angels, we open the Door to humility, and consequently, to spiritual living. (verses 5-13). Does this make sense? It fits with every teaching and encounter Jesus had with the oppressed or the oppressors. Can you see how huge this is to spiritual living?
Solomon previewed it.
“When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
James nailed it.
“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4)
Paul fully articulated it.
“Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:13-19)
And Peter amplifies it.
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble…Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time…” (1 Peter 5)
Living in and with personal humility is the key to going in and out of the Door. This is why we have Psalm 23. He is our good Shepherd, and if we submit to His shepherding we are blessed and our spiritual footprint multiplies.
Bending with you,
Dave and Burnadette