I Am “The Only Door”
Notes
Transcript
John 10:1-10
John 10:1-10
Introduction:
Introduction:
Jesus remains in Jerusalem. He has departed from the synagogue after healing a blind man. The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) is approaching its conclusion. The Jews celebrated this holiday in remembrance of God's guidance in leading them out of bondage in Egypt. Jesus led them by a cloud during the day and by fire at night. The irony is that only Christ could weave together: here He is again, guiding the people from the bondage of sin, yet once more, Israel is complaining.
If you recall, He told the Jews in the treasury of the synagogue that, “Before Abraham was, I Am.” They picked up stones to try to kill Him, but He slipped past them. As He departed, He saw a blind man, and His disciples asked Him who sinned, whether it was the man’s parents or the man himself. Jesus replied, “It was not that this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (9:3).
Jesus's healing of the blind man in John 9 illustrates the profound transformation that can occur when we encounter His grace. This man, who once sat in darkness, receives the gift of sight—both physically and spiritually. He boldly proclaims, 'One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.' This moment challenges us to reflect on what 'sight' means in our lives and how we can experience enlightenment through Christ's intervention.
At the end of chapter 9, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees, who ask Him if He is blind. Jesus rebukes them and shares a paroimia, which is a proverb. He clarifies that the Only Way into the sheepfold, pasture, or being led by Him is through the Door, which means coming to Him as Lord and Savior.
Sheepfold:
Sheepfold:
During winter, sheepfolds were holding pens where the shepherd placed his sheep. They could be a cave with only one entrance, as mentioned in 1 Samuel 24:3, or a courtyard with a single entrance near their homes. In the fields, they would build makeshift holding pens by stacking rocks and laying thorn bushes on top to deter predators from climbing over them. These holding pens allowed the shepherd to watch the sheep and prevented them from scattering. Some pens would hold multiple shepherd sheep.
And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
Shepherds face three main threats. First, thieves target easy prey, such as sheep, which can easily slip through a hole in the pen. If necessary, robbers may resort to violence, much like in Western movies, where cattle rustlers shoot to claim livestock. Think of the Good Samaritan parable in Luke 10:30 “Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.”
Lastly, wolves are dangerous. They can jump over low walls to grab a sheep, especially if the pen is not well guarded.
In ancient times, shepherds shared a unique bond with their sheep, especially at night when they gathered their flock into a sheepfold for safety. A shepherd would often lie across the entrance, acting as the door that protected them from predators. This deep commitment and care reflect how Jesus selflessly guards and nurtures us, keeping our souls safe from harm. We can find peace in our struggles knowing He watches over us like a shepherd over his flock.
We are in the sheepfold while the Shepherd gathers other sheep to bring into the fold. He has appointed a gatekeeper (under-shepherd) to protect and feed the sheep until Christ returns. The Greek word for gatekeeper is “thyrorus,” which means to guard, care for, and keep a watchful eye out.
To be able to go in and out to find pasture, they would go through the Only Way, the Door.
Pasture:
Pasture:
Pastures serve multiple purposes. First, it was a place where sheep would eat. Second, a pasture is a great place to relax and sunbathe. Lastly, it was a place to play and run around.
In Psalm 23, David talks about being led to green pastures and still waters. Imagine if he were writing this today, he might mention being led to a cozy coffee shop where the aroma of fresh brews puts your mind at ease. God leads us to places where we find rest and refreshment, reminding us that we can find peace in His presence. They will discover satisfying pastures as the Lord feeds them (cf. Psalm 23:1–3; Ezekiel 34:15) on His Word (cf. Acts 20:32).
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
To the hearers of Jesus’ words, they would understand that
pasture meant refreshment, relaxation, calmness, and peace.
The Only Way we hear His voice is by going through the Door.
Voice:
Voice:
His voice guides us. Sheep are obedient animals to their
shepherd and will follow only their shepherd. Flocks from different shepherds often mingle together, but shepherds can easily separate their own sheep—whether to put them in their pen, lead them out, or guide them elsewhere. They can do this because the sheep recognize their shepherd’s voice; it is said that some even train sheep to respond to specific flute melodies.
Jesus calls His own sheep by name because they belong to Him. Their names were “written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Revelation 13:8; Philippians 4:3), given to Him by the Father (John 6:37). In the Near East, the shepherd would go ahead of his flock, alert to potential dangers, ensuring the path was safe and passable, and leading the sheep to graze in the green pastures he had already scouted.
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
The reason the sheep follow the shepherd is that they know his voice. Actual sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and will not respond to that of another. Philip Keller writes,
The relationship that rapidly develops between a
shepherd and the sheep under his care is to a certain degree dependent on the use of the shepherd’s voice. Sheep quickly become accustomed to their owner’s distinct voice. They recognize its unique tone and can identify its particular sounds and inflections. They can distinguish it from that of anyone else.
If a stranger were to come among them, they would neither recognize nor respond to his voice as they would to that of the shepherd. Even if the visitor used the same words and phrases as their rightful owner, they would not react similarly. This illustrates how they become conditioned to the familiar nuances and personal accent of their shepherd’s call.
If anyone is trying to lead you any other way but through the Door of Christ, flee from them. Recognize their false teaching and call it out. John writes in his first letter that we are to test every spirit. 1 John 4:1-6.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Application:
Application:
1. Recognize who the Door is. Without you walking through the Door of Christ, there is no sheepfold, pasture, or voice of Christ leading you.
