Continuing with our series on the “I AM” statements of Christ, this week’s coloring page is based on John 10:7-9. Here Jesus proclaims, “I AM the Gate.”
In its entirety, this passage reads:
Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.’
I AM the Gate
When some folks hear the word “sheepfold”, they picture a modern day pen. A sheep pen is a small, fenced, often portable enclosure, like this:
If this is the mental image you get reading this verse, you are missing much of the meaning behind Christ’s calling Himself the Gate and the Good Shepherd. After all, I can see lots of ways to get into the pen above without going through the gate. One could climb over the fence, or tunnel under it, or slip between the rails on any side.
But this modern pen bears little resemblance to the sheepfolds of Jesus’s day. These were normally stone-walled structures, often built in front of caves or crowned with thorny brambles to deter anyone or anything from climbing over. They looked more like this:
And since there was not an abundance of wooden or metal gates in those days, the shepherd would station himself at the entrance to the sheepfold to act as the doorkeeper. Nothing got in or out apart from his knowledge and consent.
And this sets up Christ’s next “I AM” statement: “I am the Way… no one comes to the father except through me.” Watch for the coloring page for that verse next week.
Print the Whole Series
If you’re interested in printing or coloring the other “I AM” statements in this series, you’ll find the ones I’ve already posted linked below:
- I AM the Bread of Life. A coloring page based on John 6:35.
- I AM the Light of the World. A coloring page based on John 8:12.
- I AM the Gate. A coloring page based on John 10:7.
- I AM the Good Shepherd. A coloring page based on John 10:11
- I AM the Resurrection. A coloring page based on John 11:25.
- I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A coloring page based on John 14:6.
- I AM the True Vine. A coloring page based on John 15:1-2.
More Scripture to Color
Want still more free printable coloring pages? You can access all my past “Scripture Sunday” posts by following this link. If you’d prefer a bound collection, check out my Color the Word coloring books below.
Or, if you enjoy writing as much or more than you enjoy coloring, take a peek at my devotional journals:
Until next week, happy coloring!
PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links through which Flanders Family Home Life may receive a small compensation — at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here.
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