The Shepherd, His Sheep and the Gate

You will recognize yourselves, independent believers, in the following text: in Revelation 3,6-8 Jesus reveals that He alone holds the Key that opens and closes, and that He opens a Door to His sheep which no one can close. This Door is open to Heaven (Revelation 4,1).

Our Brother Savior had already spoken to us of this Door in John 10: He Himself is this Door: “I am the Gate of the sheepfold” (John 10,7). “Anyone who enters through Me will be safe: he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture” (John 10,9). We have entered by the Gospel for 2000 years. They say: “Outside the Church, no salvation!” But since then, the situation has deteriorated and we find everywhere, “cesspools of impurity”: Today, in churches and religions, we no longer find salvation. To them also applies this urgent call of the Apocalypse: “Come out, my people, away from her, so that you do not share in her crimes and have the same plagues to bear. Her sins have reached up to Heaven, and God has her crimes in mind” (Revelation 18,4-5).

So the Shepherd of the sheep came again to open a way out for his sheep, an escape which nobody can close. Not only has He brought them in to feed them, but now “He brings them out so that they could find pasture”, which is no longer found in the inside where everything is dangerously rotten.

What is marvelous about the words of Jesus is that this Good Shepherd, who jealously watches over his sheep along the centuries, who not only brings them in, but also out in order to find their food. Humanly speaking, we should say: ‘make them leave, then make them enter’. Now that the churches and religions have sunk down into infidelity, the sheep’s substantial Sustenance is lacking. To save them from famine, Jesus opens to them this new heavenly door.

However, only the real sheep recognize the Shepherd’s Voice and follow Him to the outside without ever turning back and dying like Lot’s wife (Genesis 19,17-26). It takes faith and courage because it is not easy to break the chains of traditions. The lukewarm will be afraid and God will vomit them out (Revelation 3,16).

You know well “the Pasture” that the sheep will find on the outside: Yes, it is in fact the Body, the Blood and the Spirit of the Messiah, the Shepherd who gives Himself, Body and Soul to his followers, and “gives His life for His sheep” (John 10,11). And this Divine Life which He gives them, is not in traditional edifices, but inside their homes, outside of these buildings which have become cursed:

“If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him.” (Revelation 3,20 / Luke 12,35-38)

“The sheep hear His voice; one by one he calls His own sheep and leads them out. When He has brought out His flock, He goes ahead of them and the sheep follow because they know His Voice. They never follow a stranger…” (John 10,3-5)

This Good Shepherd of whom Jesus speaks, is the One prophesied by Ezekiel, God Himself:

“… I am going to call the shepherds to account. I am going to take my flock back from them… I am going to look after my flock Myself… I shall feed them in good pasturage… I myself will pasture my sheep, I myself will show them where to rest—it is the Lord Yahweh who speaks… I shall be a true Shepherd to them.” (Ezekiel 34,1-16)

Happy are those who recognize the Apocalyptic Voice of the Good Shepherd. They will dine with Him and He with them, face to face. Amen!