I AM - The Door -

Haunted House

We live in a scary world

PS

We serve a God who knows all that. He knows where all the struggles and trials are. He knows about every boogie man around every corner. And he knows how to get us through. The question is, are we blind to what He would have us see. Can we hear His voice or are we distracted by the different voices trying to drown His out?

Prelude

Man born blind

Point - All things good and bad are put in place to bring glory to God.

In the message we have tremendous hope

That no matter how dark it gets he will help us to see what is really important.

Pharisees

The teachers of the people - sometimes with good motive, most of the time wanting authority and power

After the healing of the man born blind their desire to “be right” cause them to miss the point. Jesus worked on the Sabbath by healing the blind man.

This caused great argument .. Is Jesus a demon or a prophet..

The Pharisees Issue - they were entrusted with the responsibility of teaching and applying the word of God to the people of Israel while also keeping the peace between them and Rome. They were walking a fine line and believed they had the truth.

John 9:39–41 ESV

Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 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.

jn 9:39-41

Note.

Jesus is currently talking to the pharisees

often the pharisees are seen in opposition to Christ but note 2 things

They ask and I believe at least some of them genuinely, “Are we also blind?”

Jesus attempts to teach them.

when Jesus says I am the door, He is talking to the Pharisees in response to the question, “Are we also blind?”

Why does that matter?

Again, the Pharisees on their best day were the holders of the truth to the best of their ability. Simply doing their best to stick to the letter of the law. It was widely regarded that there were no longer any prophets except for maybe John the Baptist and maybe Jesus… but they were going to have to work hard to prove it.

I believe Jesus desperately wanted the teachers of the law to get the fact that the fulfillment of the law was standing in front of them.

The Door

Whenever sheepfold is mentioned - we are the sheep.

Psalm 23:1 ESV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 95:7 ESV

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,

Psalm 100:3 ESV

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100

Two kinds of corals for the sheep. Both have one door

There is only one way in and one way out

If you try to get in any other way, you are attempting to to take what is not yours either through trickery or by force.

This answers the question.. am I blind?

If your door is not the right door you are not part of the sheepfold. You are trying to sneak your way in and reap the benefits that are not your to reap.

Remember the Pharisees are the leaders...

When they call out the the sheep, the sheep wont have it.

The pharisees didn’t have the voice that God’s people needed to hear.

The pharisees were seen as enemies of the people put in place by a government that was not their own.

In this story Christ is demonstrating to them the fact that they were in fact.. Blind.

There would have been different flocks - therefore different sheep would respond to different voices - but there is only one shepherd that will one day gather them all.

This time more clear.

Truly (x2)

I am the door - the protector

the only door

No enemy is getting by me without His notice.

No false shepherd is going to get by without His notice.

Thieves and robbers - in the end always fail. Everyone will one day meet their maker.

I am the Door - the savior

the only way in.

He will let you in

If he lets you in, you are saved.

Conclusion

When reading the Bible we need to recognize that what was written is given to us so we can find ourselves in the passage. So in conclusion let me ask, “Who are you in the story?”

The blind man - burdened his entire life and set free in a moment so that when you are asked, you know that he is the Son of Man.

maybe you have been set free of some great burdens of maybe you have more… I ask do you believe in the Son of Man.

The Pharisees - who are torn because on one hand you thought you had all the answers but find out that you might in fact be blind.

maybe you have found that you have your act together everything it right and good, but deep down inside, you are blind and you find that you need Jesus to spit in your eye so you can see.

Thieves and Robbers - looking for a different way to get into the sheepfold. Seeking the reward without going through the only way to get there.

maybe you have been spending you life trying to get to the blessing without going through the right gate. There is only one way..

The sheep - those that reap the benefit of following the shepherd. They need Him and know it. They are provided for, they are protected. They are known by name and they know the shepherd’s voice. (THAT’S WHERE I WANT TO BE - AND SO DO YOU)

One person in the story you cannot be - THE GATE.

Jn

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

The question has been asked: Are we Blind? Well, are we?

Are we experiencing abundant life. Or abundant death.

Our attitude

Do we want things the way we want them because of course we thought of it and so it should be that way.. even at the expense of others.

Are we experiencing abundant life. Or abundant death.

does the cross give you hope.

Does the cross discourage you?

. See i lay before you a choice.. life and prosperity… death and destruction.

Let’s Pray