Аз съм… вратата

Йоан 10:7-10

Introduction

I few months ago the lock (бравата) on the door of our apartment broke… and I had one of the “Oh no!” moments.

Have you ever had one of those? An “Oh no!” moment?

I thought that I was never going to be able to open this door.

Lydia is on the inside… I am on the outside and we will never see each other again.

We will just look at each other through the little hole in the door.

Finally, I got the door open… and then I had other thoughts.

I can’t close the door because then I will never be able to open it again and Lydia and I will eventually die of starvation after a few weeks when our food runs out.

So… I took out the lock to the door… problem solved… but… now there is no lock. I can’t even close the door fully and anyone can come into our house.

And… now I’m thinking about money… how much will it cost to fix this door? The lock is old. Do they make it anymore? Will I need to get a whole new door? Will they need to tear out the whole door?... “Oh no!”

At the end of the day, I found out that all my problems and worries were caused by one little spring about “this” big.

We go in and out of our apartments every day, through the front door, and don’t think much about it until there is a problem.

We are continuing our series about Jesus where He says “I AM.”

I AM… the light of the world…

I AM… the way, the truth and the life…

I AM… the good pastor… says Jesus.

And today… “Аз съм… вратата”

Why is this such an important statement from Jesus? Today we will find out.

Turn with me to the Gospel of John 10:7

The Sheep

[Slide 2] “Тогава Исус пак каза: Истина, истина ви казвам: Аз съм вратата на овцете.” Йоан 10:7

I cannot read this passage and not think about one of the first theological conversations I had with Baba Danche.

If you get the opportunity, discuss theology with her. It’s an amazing experience.

In our conversation she made it clear that she did not like anyone calling her a sheep.

And… I have to agree with her. In our day if someone calls you a sheep… it’s usually not a compliment.

In the Bible there is a dual understanding of the Bible calling us sheep.

[Slide 3] On the one hand… yes, sheep do dumb things. For example…

(1) A little defenseless sheep wanders off from the flock. It has no way to defend itself from the wolves. Someone else has to defend a sheep.

(2) Sheep cannot get up without help if they roll over on their backs. Someone else has to roll them back upright.

(3) Sheep cannot care for their own wounds like a cat or dog. Cannot reach back to lick their wounds. Someone else has to care for their wounds.

(4) … and a Sheep will follow the crowd… even to their own death.

Shepherd in Turkey lost 400 sheep because they all fell over a cliff pushed from behind by the other sheep.

Do any of these things sound like someone you know… a friend or relative?

They are attacked by the wolves in our society, and they can’t defend themselves.

Those of you who work at CPS or as teachers see this all too often.

Those who are wounded emotionally or physically and need someone to help with their wounds.

Have you ever seen someone you know follow the crowd… right over a cliff?

[Slide 4] This is why the prophet Isaiah says, “Всички ние се заблудихме като овце, отбихме се всеки в своя път; и Господ възложи на Него беззаконието на всички ни.” Исая 53:6

Sometimes we do dumb things like sheep.

[Slide 5] And this is why the Bible describes Jesus as our good shepherd (добрият пастир)… and as the gate (вратата).

“Господ е Пастир мой; няма да остана в нужда. На зелени пасбища ме успокоява; при тихи води ме завежда. Освежава душата ми; води ме през прави пътеки заради името Си.” Псалми 23:1-3

Yes, we are often like sheep, that is why we need a safe place where there is protection.

Because outside in the world there are wolves - крадци и разбойници.

Look at what Jesus says in the next verse.

Thieves

[Slide 6] “Всички, които са дошли преди Мене, са крадци и разбойници; но овцете не ги послушаха.” Йоан 10:8

We are like defenseless (беззащитни) sheep, so we need a protected space where we can be safe.

Jesus is the gate through which we can enter that protected space, because outside of the sheep pen there are “крадци и разбойници”.

[Slide 7] There are those that want to steal the sheep and take the sheep for themselves. They are the thieves (крадци и разбойници)… wolves (вълци).

These include heresies in the past and modern-day crooks (мошеници)

1st century heresy – Gnosticism. Only the spiritual is important, not the physical. So, you can worship Jesus, cosmic energy, the sun, but still cheat on your wife because only the spiritual is important… not the physical (modern day Dunovism).

3rd century heresy – Arianism, Jesus is not the Son of God, but a person who was enlightened and “became” like God’s son (Jehovah’s Witnesses are a modern example)

Modern-day crooks (мошеници)… т.н. “Prophets” – Remember when one came to Svishtov, prophesied that there was going to be a great revival, but everyone had to leave their church and come to his meetings. Only at this “prophet’s” meetings was the real spirit of God. And many young people left our church and followed after this thief. But after 6 months when there wasn’t a great revival and he couldn’t get enough money out of the students, he left them and went to another town.

These are thieves. They come to steal the sheep.

They have not built the sheep pen (построили кошара). They don’t enter through the gate, Jesus Christ. They come seeking their own advantage (облага).

Their interest is not the wellbeing (доброто) of the sheep or their protection, but only what they can get from the sheep.

How do you know if someone is a thief or robber (крадец или разбойник)?

Easy… look and see what happens to the sheep. Are the sheep protected? Does the flock of sheep grow in the faith?

This “prophet” who came to Svishtov. Most of the people who joined him left the church and today not many are in a local church.

That’s how you can tell the thieves and robbers (крадци и разбойници).

At the end of the day, these thieves and outlaws (крадци и разбойници) are only looking for what they can get from the sheep.

But the sheep don’t listen to them (но овцете не ги послушаха).

We know the voice of our Good Shepherd (добрия пастир). He is the Gate that is the entrance to our protected space.

How do you get to know someone’s voice?

You spend a lot of time listening to them.

This is why at this church we encourage you to be in one of our Bible studies.

I encourage you to come next Wednesday at 18:00 to the church in the center to discuss the Bible and learn the voice of your Shepherd.

Know the voice of your Good Shepherd (добрия пастир) and when He calls you, you will know where the gate is to the sheep pen (кошара).

The Gate

[Slide 8] “Аз съм вратата; ако някой влезе през Мене, ще бъде спасен и ще влиза, и ще излиза, и паша ще намира. Крадецът влиза само да открадне, да заколи и да погуби. Аз дойдох, за да имат живот и да го имат изобилно.” Йоан 10:9-10

Amen!!! Jesus is the gate and in Him we have abundant life!

Jesus is the gate… look what it says here.

“Аз съм вратата; ако някой влезе през Мене, ще бъде спасен и ще влиза, и ще излиза, и паша ще намира.”

When I first heard of this verse as a non-Christian, I didn’t like it.

I don’t want anyone to lock me up in a cage (клетка)! I knew that Christianity was just a way to control people. Lenin was right… opium of the masses.

I was young… stupid… and deceived.

Look at what it says here… look carefully… “ще бъде спасен и ще влиза, и ще излиза, и паша ще намира.”

Jesus says in him there is a place of safety.

And sheep can come in and out of the pen (кошара).

If there is danger you can go in the pen… and if everything is good… you can go out.

[Slide 9] Most of these old pens did not have a gate. The sheep were not locked in or locked out.

At night the shepherd would let all the sheep into the pen and then he would sleep at (пред) the entrance of the pen.

Literally, the shepherd WAS the gate. This is what Jesus says here.

“Аз съм вратата…”

If there is danger and we want in… we simply have to go to the gate which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ IS the gate.

Let me tell you this… you can look for safety in money, you can look for it in a relationship, or you can look for security in a good profession… but you will always be disappointed… always…

Some of you here have enough experience in life to say… “Yes, Tim… that’s true…”

I have tried everything, but over and over again I have been robbed and lied to by these thieves and robbers (крадци и разбойници).

And… I’m tired… I’m tired of always being disappointed….

So, for all of us who are disappointed in life… listen to the words of Jesus.

[Slide 10] “Аз дойдох, за да имат живот и да го имат изобилно.”

A full (изобилен) and life full of joy life IS possible.

You have just been looking in all the wrong places.

A full (изобилен) life IS possible, BUT the only way to have it is through the Gate… Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Listen… most of you here have seen enough of life to know that the words of Jesus are true.

(1) More than once in life we have acted like sheep… dumb sheep.

(2) More than once in life we have been robbed and deceived by these thieves and robbers (крадци и разбойници) who promise us life… but only give us emptiness.

So… if these two things that Jesus tells us we know as true… why do we not believe the last thing that He says…

(3) …that only in Him is there abundant life (изобилен живот)

Today you are at a crossroads:

(1) You can walk out that door, just like you came in, and continue on the same course. You can continue to look for something real and something honest among the thieves and robbers (крадци и разбойници) in this world. OR…

(2) You can decide to have a change in your life. Make a decision that on Wednesday at 18:00 you will come to the church by the читалище and see if in Jesus you can find this abundant life that you have always longed for.

The choice is yours. There is one gate – Jesus Christ… and He invites you to enter.