GATE


Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. (Psalm 118:19, NIV)


[A gate] was a massive wooden door in a city wall through which traffic passed. Often reinforced with brass or iron for greater security, these gates were opened during the day to allow the city's citizens to come and go. But they were generally closed at night as a safety measure. In the event of attack, the gates were closed and barred to keep out the enemy.

Goods were often bought and sold and important legal matters were discussed just inside the city gate (Ruth 4:11). Because of their central location, gates were often spoken of in the Bible as symbols of power and authority. God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22:17).

The Bible mentions numerous gates in the city wall of Jerusalem and the Temple area by specific names. But keeping these names straight is complicated by the fact that as the walls of Jerusalem expanded to incorporate new areas, or were destroyed and rebuilt, different names were used for the same gate (or gate site). Unless the Bible gives a clear indication, as in the case of "the Beautiful Gate of the Temple" (Acts 3:10), it is difficult to distinguish between gates of the Temple and gates of the city wall.

Exactly how many gates the city of Jerusalem had is unknown. The number of gates probably varied from century to century. In John's vision of the New Jerusalem, the holy city had 12 gates -- three gates on each of its four sides (east, north, south, and west). Each of these gates was inscribed with the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12-13).

Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary

I'm interested to see where this subject is going to go.

JESUS: THE GATE


I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10:9, NIV)


Does God use our prayers for the lost? Jesus underscores the importance of our prayers for the lost, when He identifies Himself in these words: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep . . . I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:7,9)

Jesus is The Gate through whom we enter the body of Christ, the family of God. A gate can be open or closed, locked or unlocked. Jesus says, "The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice." (John 10:3)

Doesn't that remind you of Isaiah's words, "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest." (Isaiah 62:6)? "Watchman" here is sometimes translated "intercessor" (The Living Bible). This is a call to intercession.

God calls us to intercede for the lost, to be watchmen, acknowledging Jesus as the Gate through which they can enter His Kingdom. We, through our prayers, ask God to draw them, to enable them to enter through the Gate. He will never override a person's freedom to choose or reject His salvation, but God calls us to pray that He will do His saving work, that through our prayers His Holy Spirit will set up the circumstances and people surrounding the lost, helping them to recognize our precious Savior as that loving Gate.

A prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Gate, Who swings wide that all who will, may enter the kingdom of heaven. Give us your sensitivity to pray for the lost, as we do in Your name, amen.

Kaye Johns
(www.learntopray.org)

GATEKEEPERS


The temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:17, NKJ)

And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter. He also stationed doorkeepers at the gates of the Lord's temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter. (2 Chronicles 23:19, NIV)


In journalism, the term gatekeeper refers to reporters, editors, and publishers who consider various news items and determine which stories are newsworthy. Some long-time news professionals warn that the Internet allows information to get through without being checked at the gate.

In Old Testament times, gatekeepers guarded the temple to prevent those who were unclean from entering (2 Chronicles 23:19). In ad 70, the temple was destroyed by the Roman armies of Emperor Titus. But the destruction began years earlier when the Levites assigned to guard it failed to do so after coming under the corrupt influence of the Syrian king Antiochus IV.

Paul called our bodies God's "temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17), and many forces are at work to assault God's new dwelling. Evil may gain a foothold through unfortified areas of our spiritual life -- places where envy, strife, or divisions may undermine us (3:3). Each of us must be on guard against the enemy of our souls and never give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).

The criteria for what may enter is found in Philippians 4:8 -- whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. The resulting peace will guard the gate of our hearts and minds.

Julie Ackerman Link
(www.rbc.org)

NARROW GATE


I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10:9, NIV)

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14, NIV)


I stand at the crossroads, looking right, then looking left. Which way should I choose?

In one direction I see the wide gate beckoning me. Tacked onto every available inch are alluring advertisements promising wealth, power, and happiness. It appears simple. There doesn't seem to be a toll, and the road is wide enough to maneuver with ease. This road looks enticing. Along the way there are hordes of people, places, and things that presume to offer everything that makes life comfortable, uncomplicated and appealing.

It must be okay. Look at all the masses of people wandering there. There's only one thing. Although all appear to be laughing and enjoying themselves, I can't see beyond the bend. I wonder . . . what happens once they have entered the wide gate and move beyond the initial entry?

Another choice

The unknown sets off a silent alarm in my mind. I turn to examine my other choice.

The gate is not nearly as large. In fact, it is quite small. The gate has not become a billboard for every whim of society, but simply stands open. One word is branded into the structure: LIFE.

As I stand there pondering the one-word invitation, I realize that the road beyond the gate is also narrow. I can see people beyond the entrance, but not nearly as many. They too wear the expression of happiness. No, perhaps it looks more like contentment. The people there are not dickering and panhandling goods along the tight byway. Instead they are leaning close to one another, sharing each other's burdens, and conferring in joyous tones about something I can't detect from here.

Crossroads

I stand at the crossroads. Which way will I go?

Today we live in a world of easy answers. There is a spiritual guru on every corner, TV station, and bookshelf peddling answers to life's greatest questions. In their opinion, the road to spiritual awareness is wide -- extremely wide. They advise us to look within to find our center. They suggest it is there we will find truth. It is there we will find morality. It is there we will find happiness. These proposers of truth tell us to fill our existence with goodness, which, defined by our own self, leads us to "life."

And of course, they inform us that there is a Higher Power. He/she lives not only in that wildflower on the hillside, in that cloud overhead, or in that clod of dirt beneath your foot, but also within you -- if you are tuned in enough to find it. The gate is wide. Everyone is welcome and everything is permissible, as long as it is from your own moral center.

What about the other gate? It is narrow. Without apologies Jesus said, "I am the gate -- the small gate." He also said that no one could find life except by traveling through Him. Now that's narrow! Jesus on several occasions claimed that He knew God the Father and that He was the only way to Him. It wouldn't matter how long I meditated on goodness, it couldn't matter how much ethical correctness I might conjure up in my mind, and it doesn't matter how I try to find God within myself. Jesus says He is the gate by which I must pass to know God.

The wide gate is tempting. It promises that I can be my own god, directing my own affairs, and living my own conscience.

Inner desire

However, deep within my spirit I am drawn to the narrow gate. I am drawn to the one Man who lived a completely moral life, knows intimately the authentic Higher Power, and always speaks the truth. The narrow gate. There is something comforting about relying on Him to take me to the Father. I can't get there on my own merit.

Jesus said that many will choose the wide gate, the easy life, the life full of self. Yet He also said that road always leads to personal destruction and ultimately eternal destruction.

I believe Him. Many have proudly traveled through the wide gate, down the wide road. All have found that life without Jesus is meaningless. The wide road is littered with those who have tried to find peace, goodness, and truth within themselves and have realized that self could not fulfill.

Fewer have chosen the narrow path.

But they have found that Jesus gives truthful answers to life's most relevant questions. They have found that truth is narrow. And that the truth, when entered into, liberates.

Personal choice

I stand at the crossroads. Which way will I choose?

Without reservation, I will choose the narrow gate that simply promises LIFE.

Oh, by the way: The cost of taking this narrow road is clearly understood. I can see the cross down the lane, just before the first bend.

Tami Rudkin

GATEWAY CITY


Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty -- he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:9-10, NIV)

Think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are. (1 Cor 1:26-28, NIV)


China changed more in the past year than in its entire history. Two events have been the main causes of that change -- the Sichuan earthquake and the Beijing Olympics.

The Sichuan earthquake created a staggering amount of human suffering. But it also ignited an unprecedented outpouring of volunteerism and charitable giving, particularly among the young, and strengthened links with international relief agencies and volunteers from around the world.

The Beijing Olympics was China's grand international media debut. The world had never seen anything like it. And Chinese people came together as never before to serve as gracious hosts for the rest of the world.

Both events shared a common feature -- hearts in China connected with the rest of the world.

And at this same time, isn't it amazing that a tiny speck of land called Hong Kong -- a place enjoying possibly the greatest religious freedom in the world, where Alpha courses are permitted to be given in the public schools -- is inside China!.

And isn't it amazing that Hong Kong was chosen to host and coordinate last month's Global Day of Prayer, when an unprecedented 265 million people in every nation on earch gathered to pray. Isn't it also amazing that earlier this month, Hong Kong was chosen to host Call2All, the largest number of representative mission groups ever convened. They met together in Hong Kong to make concrete plans to reach every person on earth with the Gospel.

Hong Kong has the privilege and the responsibility of being a gatekeeper with the keys to the Kingdom. Hong Kong is a spiritual gate to China and the world.

And we in Hong Kong can open the gate to the Kingdom by:

1. Opening our hearts to the Kingdom;

2. Opening our hearts in unity with others;

3. Opening the gates of our city; and

4. Opening the gates to our hearts and city to join with the nations to serve here and in China.

And that is why I say that Hong Kong's destiny name is: "Hong Kong, Gateway to China and the World."

Hong Kong is joining together with both the nations and generations for the purpose of making God known to everyone and preparing the nations for His return.

We should not just focus on a better job, apartment, etc. We are here for a purpose. Move forward from prayer and planning and do it!

Take the land!


Dale Kaufman
(excerpts from a sermon given
at The Vine Christian Fellowship,
Hong Kong)