I am The Door - John 10:1-10

Welcome/Pastor burdens

Reminder: over the next 5 weeks “what will you surrender? In order to step into a deeper relationship with YHWH?”

Pray

READ John 10:1–10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundant…”

Introduction:

FCF: When you follow the wrong voice and enter through the wrong door. You subject yourself to spiritual unrest & spiritual oppression

Context to John 10. is connected to John 9.

In John .9 Blind man healed by Jesus…The blind man who can now see was kicked out the synagogue (the building where a jewish assembly or congregation meets for religious worship & teaching)

Read John 9:34 John 9:40–41 34“They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.” 40-41“Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”

** quick moment: The goodness of God “I was blind, and now I can see!”**

Movement 1: thief & robber vs The Shepherd (READJohn 10:1-3)

Thief’s & robbers = Pharisees (religious leaders)

Jesus point is that these unauthorized people (religious leaders) enter and brutalize the sheep. By contrast, the shepherd knows his (Jesus/YHWW) sheep, is recognized by the watchman and by the sheep alike, and leads them out for their own good

In the context of Jesus’ ministry the thieves and robbers are the religious leaders who are more interested in fleecing the sheep than in guiding, nurturing and guarding them.

READ Ezekiel 34:1–8 “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a pre…”

The Shepherd enters by the gate

Sheepfold/Sheep pen: the place thats contains the sheep rather during the day/night. Metro pen: there would be many sheep from different flocks. Personal pen: there would be only one sheep flock.

v. 3 The Shepherd calls them by name & leads them out

A) v.3a The assumption is that they (sheep/people) are in some way ‘his’ before he calls them.

Jesus comes to the sheep pen of Judaism, and calls his own sheep out individually to constitute his own messianic ‘flock’. OTHER SHEEP v.16 = Gentiles

Jesus leads them out of flock of darkness into the God’s Flock.

You was God’s flock before you knew. God claimed you before you knew.

He calls them by Name

to call by names = HE knows you personally!

He knows you by name NOT by performance NOT by what you can do for him NOT by position.

Movement 2: The Shepherd led’s them, they follow HIS voice (John 10:4-5)

v.4a The shepherd led them NOT drive them away/out.

Jesus has gone ahead of you (sheep). He is leading you out of the darkness of your ways and of this world. He leads you through the troubles and hardships of life

He has been in the wilderness

Endure temptation

Knows what betrayal is

He understands the sacrifice because he IS our atoning sacrifice.

Follow the right voice - Illustration: (Play the video clip - 2 mins long)

v.4b Sheep FOLLOW the shepherd because they KNOW his VOICE

Know = deep fellowship/intimacy/discipleship

v.5 Sheep NEVER follow the voice of a stranger

Never in Grk: double negative = ou, mn = certainly not!

They RUN from the stranger

Who’s voice do you follow consistent?

Gods/Jesus (the word), Yours? others? the worlds?

READ Psalm 95:6–8 “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,”

Movement 3: Jesus is the door (gate) (Read John 10:7-9)

The door means the following:

Jesus is the ONLY way for salvation - may will claim savior but are NOT savior

Security (will be saved)

Protection (Jesus is the gate)

Freedom (in & out)

Life (in abundance )

For who?: “anyone who enters by Jesus

Be careful what door you enter through- Make sure its the RIGHT DOOR.

If the door is not Jesus, it only leads to spiritual oppression (steal, kill, and destroy)