I Am the Door of the Sheep.

Text

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They 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.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Introduction

Introduction

Illustration/humour. I have been warned regarding talking about Sheep in a farming community.......

Literary Context

Literary Context

The question that dominated chapter 9 was: is Jesus from God or not? Is he a prophet or not? Is he the Messiah or not, the one whom God will set as judge over the world? Jesus has Just healed a blind man, the Irony is that this blind man had eyes to see who Jesus was, so much so that he worships him, rather than listening to the voice of the Pharisees who do not love him or care for him, he decides to follows Jesus. The Pharisees, who claimed they knew God, could not see who Jesus was, they were in fact Blind and they ridicule this man for wanting to follow Jesus!

in the Bible the picture of the shepherd with his sheep is frequently used to refer to the king and his people

The Pharisees are not only blind and willingly ignorant to the light of the world, they are also spiritually deaf. They are unable to hear God’s voice, not because their physical ears are broken, but their spiritual ears are dead. Consequently, they do not understand the parable Jesus tells in about thieves, robbers and sheep. Israel’s leaders it seems are deaf and blind even though they claim they can see.

Cultural Context

Historical Context

Historical Context

The setting of Jesus engagement with the pharisees in chapter 10 is another religious festival of light. This time, it’s the Festival of Dedication, Usually referred to today as Hanukah. Hanakuh looks back and celebrates a time when Mattathias (a Jewish priest) and his five sons (known as the maccabees) led a rebellion against the occupying Greeks (Seleucid empire) and cleansed the temple. So you can just imagine the festivals atmosphere, it was characterised and charged by a-lot of jewish nationalistic zeal and pride.

The people of Israel where just like you and I in many ways, They had longings and hopes of living peaceably and dwelling in safety and security. They wanted the blessings of God on their people and nation and land, they wanted Gods security and protection. But Various groups had different Ideas about how to acquire Gods blessing.

Israel where just like you and me in many ways, They had longings and hopes of living peaceably and dwelling in safety and security, they wanted the blessings of God on their people and land. Various groups had different Ideas about how to acquire it. For the zealots the way to Gods shelter and protection was through, nationalistic zeal and to drive out the occupying forces, For the Pharisees the the way to God’s shelter and protection was found by adherence to, Torah, obedience to Gods law, This was what the Pharisees where teaching, they were hoping to lead Isreal into a Golden age by bringing them into external obedience to the Torah. (God had said in )

For a group known as the the zealots the way to Gods shelter and protection was to do what the maccabeas had done before them, to drive out the occupying Foreign power from the land, only then could Isreal dwell in safety and Security. For the Pharisees the the way to God’s shelter, protection and blessing was found by strict adherence to, Torah, obedience to Gods law, they feared the present occupation was on account of Gods Judgment, Gods curse for disobedience (In some ways it was). The Pharisees were afraid of another exile and were hoping to lead Israel into a Golden age of blessing and prosperity by bringing them into external obedience to the Torah, it was their political and spiritual mandate. (God had promised in ):

(God had said in

Deuteronomy 28:1–3 NIV

1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

The New International Version Chapter 28

28 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

...........For you and I the answer is often..........

this might have been thought of as the peace of Pasture...... For them them the way to Gods pasture was found by adherence to, Torah, obedience to Gods law, nationalistic zeal, freedom from Roman Occupation. For you and I the answer is often..........

They (The Pharisees) very much saw themselves as the spiritual shepherds of Israel and had hoped when the Messiah came, he would be one of them. But, they had also become self appointing gatekeepers, determining who was in and who was out of Gods Fold.

They despised this blind man for wanting to follow Jesus as a sheep follows a shepherd, but this man knew that Jesus loved him and they did not, this man knew that the safest place to be was with Jesus. Jesus criticises them not just because they are poor gatekeepers and poor shepherds, but because they are actually thieves and robbers. They want the blessings of God, but they don’t want God nor are they really interested in caring for God’s sheep.

Cultural

The Problem was that no one kept Gods law, it wasn't the blessings. You and I have never kept Gods laws but one King has....One Israelite was perfectly obedient to the

Yet Jesus describes them as thieves and Robbers.

Cultural Context

Do you and I not have the same aspirations in life dont we? To live peaceably in security, with no need or want for anything? The pharisees wanted the shelter and blessings of God alright but in their rejection of Jesus it seems that they do not want God.

Cultural

Some people try to acquire peace and protection via

The Following information is from William Barclay. “In the villages and towns themselves, there were communal sheepfolds where all the village flocks were sheltered when they returned home at night. These folds were protected by a strong door of which only the guardian of the door held the key. It was to that kind of fold Jesus referred in verses 2 and 3. But when the sheep were out on the hills in the warm season and did not return at night to the village at all, they were collected into sheepfolds on the hillside. These hillside sheepfolds were just open spaces enclosed by a wall. In them, there was an opening by which the sheep came in and went out; but there was no door of any kind. What happened was that at night the shepherd himself lay down across the opening, and no sheep could get out or in except over his body. In the most literal sense, the shepherd was the door.”

In this parable, Jesus spoke about two kinds of sheepfolds. William Barclay (an old Church of Scotland minister) writing on this passage said:

In the villages and towns themselves, there were communal sheepfolds where all the village flocks were sheltered when they returned home at night. These folds were protected by a strong door of which only the guardian of the door held the key. It was to that kind of fold Jesus referred in verses 2 and 3. But when the sheep were out on the hills in the warm season and did not return at night to the village at all, they were collected into sheepfolds on the hillside. These hillside sheepfolds were just open spaces enclosed by a wall. In them, there was an opening by which the sheep came in and went out; but there was no door of any kind. What happened was that at night the shepherd himself lay down across the opening, and no sheep could get out or in except over his body. In the most literal sense, the shepherd was the door.

The Problem was that no one kept Gods law, it wasn't the blessings. You and I have never kept Gods laws but one King has....One Israelite was perfectly obedient to the

2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice

“In the villages and towns themselves, there were communal sheepfolds where all the village flocks were sheltered when they returned home at night. These folds were protected by a strong door of which only the guardian of the door held the key. It was to that kind of fold Jesus referred in verses 2 and 3, when he says “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.

“But when the sheep were out on the hills in the warm season and did not return at night to the village at all, they were collected into sheepfolds on the hillside. These hillside sheepfolds were just open spaces enclosed by a wall. In them, there was an opening by which the sheep came in and went out; but there was no door of any kind. What happened was that at night the shepherd himself lay down across the opening, and no sheep could get out or in except over his body. In the most literal sense, the shepherd was the door.”

William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: Edinburgh, 2001), 67–68.

William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: Edinburgh, 2001), 67–68.

That is what Jesus was thinking of when he said: ‘I am the door.’

Why should you care?

Big Idea

Big Idea

Through Jesus, and through him alone, we find access to Gods sheep-fold where we come under the shelter and protection and blessing of God. Jesus is the door through whom alone entrance to God’s sheep fold (Israel) becomes possible.. and even better than this ‘Through Jesus, John’s Gospel tells us we have access to God the Father (; ) and the right to become Children of God, a name that was usually only reserved for true Israelites.

said Paul, we ‘have access to … the Father’ (). The writer to the Hebrews calls him ‘the new and living way’ (). Jesus opens the way to God.

Why you should care?

Why Should I care, you might ask, whats it got to do with me? We are all seeking Sanctuary, Jesus is the way to sanctuary,

Why you should care?

Firstly, No matter who you are are where you come from, The bible teaches that our single greatest need is to be reconciled to God and brought into his fold, we all like sheep have gone astray each one of us to our own way (Isiah 53:6).

Secondly No matter who you are are where you come from we are all looking for the following three things, that ultimately, only God can provide.

If you truly want sanctuary, if you want sustenance and you want survival that comes from being in Gods sheep-pen you must come through the gate.

we are all looking for the following three things:

1)Sanctuary,(Protection security).

The promise of full life, full to overflowing, is as relevant for us today as it was then. (Dont mistake this for some empty prosperity Gospel that focusses on materialism) The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond. Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

2)Sustenance (Provision for our needs).

3) Survival. (there is something in us that says, I dont want to die)

All these things are to be found in God. The trouble with most of us is that we want the blessings of God, but we don’t want God. Jesus came to reconcile us to God, to bring us into Gods sheep fold he also came to bring us salvation.

We can only find these things in God but first must face up to the fact that we all like sheep have gone astray each one of us to our own way (Isiah 53:6). The trouble with most of us is that we want the blessings of God, but we don’t want God. Jesus came to reconcile us to God, to bring us into Gods sheep fold he also came to bring us 4) salvation.

The trouble with most of us is that we want these blessings of God, but we don’t want God so we try to acquire these things through other means, we try to enter his shelter enter some other way.............

Jesus says there is only one way, one gate, one door, to acquire the blessings of God and I am that door.

Have congregation turn to text.

Secondly you should care because there are many Gates offered to you in this life promising the way to safety.

The promise of full life, full to overflowing, is as relevant for us today as it was then. The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond. Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

Tom Wright, John for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-10 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 150.

In What ways is Jesus the Door? I have 4 Ss this morning.

In what ways is Jesus the door?

“Very truly I tell you pharisees, I am the gate for the sheep.”

The Door leads

1)The door to Sanctuary.

The sheepfold

We all want

The sheep pen was a picture of God’s Sanctuary and Protection and security.

Verse 7 “Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. Verse 8, All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

Said these things during the feast of dedication which harkened back to the time of the maccabean revolts. The festival is charged with alot of nationalistic Zeal.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers

We cannot enter the blessings of God without coming through the gate. Have you come through the gate?

Verse 8, All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

The people of Israel where just like you and I in many ways, They had longings and hopes of living in safety and security. They wanted the blessings of God on their people and nation and land, they wanted Gods security and protection.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Jesus is saying: ‘There have been men who claimed that they were leaders sent to you from God. They believed in war, murder, assassination. Their way only leads forever further and further away from God. My way is the way of peace and love and life; and if you will only take it, it leads ever closer and closer to God.’

For a group known as the the zealots the way to Gods shelter and protection was to do what the maccabeas had done before them, to drive out the occupying Foreign power from the land, only then could Isreal dwell in safety and Security.

William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: Edinburgh, 2001), 69.

But Various groups had different Ideas about how to acquire Gods blessing. For a group known as the the zealots the way to Gods sanctuary was to do what the Maccabeas had done before them, to drive out the occupying Foreign power from the land, only then could Isreal dwell in safety and Security.

Jesus is saying: ‘There have been men who claimed that they were leaders sent to you from God. They were insurrectionists and believed in war, murder, assassination. Their way only leads forever further and further away from God. Jesus’ way is the way of peace and love and life; and if you will follow him and go through him, it leads to Gods Sanctuary...

Application,

For some of us, we want to provide our own sanctuary, our own shelter peace and security during our time on Gods earth.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

We look to government to provide it, we look to military might and economic security, our pension plans and our Bank Balances.

Jesus is holding out to you

Our Bank Balances.

Zealots who want to take the kingdom of God by force. Those who enter. This is important to us because we try to gain Gods blessings without coming through the Gate.

Zealots who want to take the kingdom of God by force. Those who enter. This is important to us because we try to gain Gods blessings without coming through the Gate.

Zealots who want to take the kingdom of God by force. Those who enter. This is important to us because we try to gain Gods blessings without coming through the Gate.

(There is nothing wrong with these things) but apart from God they will not bring us sanctuary that is lasting and eternal. Jesus is holding out to you eternal sanctuary, shelter that lasts, that no man can ever destroy, not even death itself. But you must come through the Door, you must pass through the gate!

2) The door to Salvation

Verse 9 - I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.

For the Pharisees the the way to God’s shelter, protection and blessing was found by strict adherence to, Torah, obedience to Gods law, they feared the present occupation was on account of Gods Judgment, Gods curse for disobedience (In some ways it was). The Pharisees were afraid of another exile and were hoping to lead Israel into a Golden age of blessing and prosperity by bringing them into external obedience to the Torah, it was their political and spiritual mandate. (God had promised in ):

Deuteronomy 28:1–3 NIV

1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

But The Pharisees wanted to save their own lives through their good works.. They didn’t want a Messaih to come and die for them, for their sins. They wanted to inherit the promised blessings of God according their own righteousness, but they did not love God. Without Christ they were incapable of loving God from the heart.

Application

You and I are not so different, we try to work our way into the sheep pen by good works, we want the bleassign and favour of God through being “good people” by giving to charity, by attending church, prayer meeting, etc. But When these “good” things are used as a basis for salvation they are like filthy rags before God. ()

You and I are not so different, we try to work our way into the sheep pen by good works, we want the bleassing and favour of God through being “good people” by giving to charity, by attending church, prayer meeting, etc. But When these “good” things are used as a basis for salvation they are like filthy rags before God. ()

The only way to be forgiven and accepted into Gods sheepfold is to come through the door, to come through Jesus. There is no other name under heaven through which men must be saved. () Through him all the blessings of God, (Which the pharisees) longed for are find their yes in Jesus Christ. () Have you gone through the gate?

Acts 4:12 NIV

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

3) The door to Sustenance

Verse 9b “They will come in and go out, and find pasture”

Coming in and Going out. Was a popular phrase in Jesus’ day. It was an expression for freedom and liberty of movement. (cf. , ; ; ) But particular during the Maccabean revolts many people were prevented from going in and out of the city to trade in the country for food, many people died on account of famine.( )

Deuteronomy 28:6 NIV

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:19 NIV

19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

2 Kings 19:27 NIV

27 “ ‘But I know where you are and when you come and go and how you rage against me.

Psalm 121:8 NIV

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014), 279.

Jesus is saying Those who enter the gate will have liberty of movement and find pasture.

Pasture, in Jesus day usually referred to open grassy areas either in fields during the rainy season on on the hillsides where grass would grow and the sheep could graze plenty. It was a picture of provision for the sheep of providing for all the sheep needs.

Application

But often, we want to provide our own pasture, we don’t look to the Good shepherd to provide it.

We fill our lives with stuff, that Doesn't satisfy in the long run

assuming that God will a come to the pen provision of

We trust completely and unwaveringly in our own self sufficiency, (the work of our own hands), (Thats a false shepherd)

Or we look to others to provide.(Friends Family (Thats a false Shepherd)

The government (Thats a false shepherd)

The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond have you gone through the gate?

The government wont die for you, your friends and family as much as they may love you may not always be there to provide for you, Your hands will grow old and they will fail you, where then will you turn for pasture, who is Going to lead you to pasture?

Some people look for their needs to be met in materialism (Aquireing more and more Stuff) But these things will not lead you to pasture. The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond have you gone through the gate?

The modern Western world has discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and is looking for something more, something beyond have you gone through the gate?

4) The door to Survival (Life)

Verse 10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, (More than Survival) and have it to the full.

Life is a major theme in Johns Gospel.

Life is a major theme in Johns Gospel. Israels leaders thought they knew the path to life but it turns out they were deaf and blind and did not recognise the very life of God in the person of Jesus.

Jesus said I am living bread (we cant live without bread)

Jesus said I am light of the world (we cant live without light)

Jesus has now said (I am the door) He is the way to Gods sheepfold he is the very life of God, we cannot live without him we cannot come to God accept through him.

To reject Jesus, is to reject life itself, its like cutting off the branch you are standing on. (Kaleb Illustration) In him was life and that life was the light of men.

Application

The promise of full life, full to overflowing, is as relevant for us today as it was then, to Have God is to have life.

(Dont mistake these blessing to reflect some empty prosperity Gospel that focusses on materialism). To follow Jesus in this life means we will suffer for his namesake, to follow Jesus means to pick up a cross. But Gods Sheepfold is the safest place to be from the gathering storm (Judgment) which is Gods Judgment on sinful humanity. I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

Jesus offers all these but more than this.

John 11:25 NIV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

Many thieves have told lies, and have deceived the sheep, stolen them and left them for dead. The call today to Jesus’ true sheep is to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life.

Do you have the peace today that comes from knowing you have entered through the gate, do you have the certainty of pasture ahead of you, are you still trying to enter the pen through other means? Are you trusting in false shepherds to lead you to pasture?

T

Landing

Challenge

There has been alot of talk about gates and doors today. Perhaps Jesus has been knocking at the door of your heart for sometime, you've been coming to church for some time, you've heard sermon after sermon and you wont let him in? What happens when Jesus stops knocking?

When the King comes to your door, looking to eat with you, let him in, he is not a begger, hes the king and he comes in peace.

One day you might find yourself of knocking on the Kings door, or the door to the sheep pen, but the door does not open to you, the shepherd does not recognise you as one of his, all because you refused to open your door to him.

Can you trust Jesus with your life? Yes you can, there is a reason he is called the Good shepherd. Next week we will look at what makes him truly Good.

Lucy Narnia Illustration. He is Good.

Psalm 100.

3 Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

Salvation - Through him all the blessings of God, Which the pharisees longed for are find their yes in Jesus Christ. The writer to the Hebrews calls him ‘the new and living way’ (). Jesus opens the way to God....

Sustenance

Survival, (Eternal Life)

(1) “The door into the sheepfold” (v. 1). The sheepfold here is not heaven but the nation of Israel (see ). Christ came to Israel through the way appointed in Scripture; the porter (John the Baptist) opened the door for Him.

(2) “The door of the sheep” (v. 7). This is the door that leads people out of their present fold; in this case, Judaism. Christ opened the way for multitudes to leave the old religious system and find new life.

(3) The door of salvation (v. 9). The sheep using this door go in and out, which speaks of liberty; they have eternal life; they enjoy the pastures of God’s Word. Satan, through his false teachers (thieves and robbers), wants to steal, kill, and destroy the sheep; but Christ gives abundant life and cares for the sheep.

Like Noah there is one door on the Ark.

We are not telling people they need to do this and that, we are telling people there is a door have you gone through it. Like Noah there is one door on the Ark.

Until Jesus came, people could think of God only as, at best, a stranger and as, at worst, an enemy. But Jesus came to show people what God is like, and to open the way to him. He is the door through whom alone entrance to God becomes possible.

....

Secondly,

Sign

Those who came before - Zealots

Kept Safe, Does not mean you will never die, but Jesus will lead you to pasture, he will not loose one of those whom the father has given.

Salvation, Coming in Going out and finding Pasture, link with our hope in Revelation.

I have come that they

I have come that they

Application

I am the Gate of the Sheep.

Application

Do you have peace today, do you have the certainty of pasture ahead of you, are you still trying to enter the pen. Landing

Landing

Lots of Talk about Knocking on Doors.