I am the door any man who enters through me…
John 10: 1 “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
1. I am the gate for the sheep
2. There is no other gate (door) to eternal life
- Doors (gate) defined…
Gate
1 an opening in a wall or fence
2 city or castle entrance often with defensive structures (as towers)
3 a movable barrier
4 a way of entrance or exit
Starting gate (like in a race) in the course of a race
An area (as at an airport) for departure or arrival
Strong’s Greek dictionary adds metaphor: the access or entrance into any state of being.
Luke 13: 22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
Matthew 7: 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
- but (attempts to) climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber
- What we pursue we will become…
- If I pursue drugs. What will I become? Drug addict etc…
- Because I am investing my way (life’s direction), my truth, what I see is true for me and my life (what I think about, desire, invest myself in etc…)
- The choices that we make in lives will be our doors, our paths, our truth and our life.
- Doors always go some place, into another room, outside, they lead some place.
John 14: 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
· I am the way the truth and the life…to the Father
o Not the way to everything
- Other ways truths and opportunities
- Sin is a choice not a circumstance
- *How many of us constantly have opportunities to do something else than serve God?
- Recreation is a door we can choose
3. Come in and go out (John 10:9)
o This is where you live. Home, your reality, your life.
4. The thief (John 10:10)
o Who is this?
§ Devil? Yes, but other doors are also thieves too!
§ What does he want to steal, kill and destroy?
· Your path, to eternal life
· There is another door
o The door of our hearts
Revelation 3: 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
· (closing) He can come in even when your door is closed.
- Some of us have made a big mess of our lives already and we may think “My path has gone in the wrong direction for too long already, all my doors are closed.
- You may have for many different reasons closed the door of your heart.
John 20: 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
· Though the doors were locked
· Peace be with you
· Experience it yourself, “stop doubting and believe”
· “My Lord and my God!”
· Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”