Knocking On Heaven's Door

John 10:9-10

Introduction

Imagine yourself following a long never-ending wall. You are on the outside of that wall and you can here what is going on inside. You can hear happy people. Some are laughing, some are shouting for joy, but all of them are extremely happy. More than anything, you want to get in where they are and see what they are so happy about.

As you continue to follow this wall, eventually, you find yourself at a door. The door is unlocked. All you have to do is go through it and be admitted to the place where all those happy people are. What would you do when you reached that door?

You may say, “Preacher, that's a foolish way to start a message!” Maybe so, but have you noticed that millions of people all around us seem to be searching for something? I remember the days before I got saved. I was around Christians who were excited and happy. All I knew was that I was miserable and that I wanted just a little of what those people had in their lives.

So, I spent a lot of time following this imaginary wall, hearing their happiness and wanting to get into where they were. Then one day, I came face to face with the Door. When I did, I had a decision to make. I could either go in and be with the others, or I could go on searching and remain outside. I'll tell you, that when I came to the Door, I wanted in so badly that I wasn't about to walk away. When I entered the Door, I was forever saved and I knew what all the excitement was all about.

Now, it may be that some here today are still wandering around outside the wall looking for the Door. Well, I have come this way today to tell you where to find Him. Before you leave here this morning, you will have the opportunity to come through that Door and enter into the same place of happiness that every child of God enjoys.

In these 2 verses, Jesus reveals plainly who, what and where the Door is and He tells us who can come in. Let's look at these verses today and think together on the thought, “Knocking On Heaven's Door.”

I. The Door Is a Person

(v. 9a) I am the door: by me if any man enter in,

A. In bold language, Jesus declare Himself to be the door of the sheep. The sheepfold was usually a circular enclosure surrounded by a stone walls. There was only one opening in this wall allowing access into this enclosure and at night, when the sheep were all gathered in, the shepherd would lay himself in that opening and in effect, he would become the door. Nothing could get in or out without passing through the shepherd.

B. Jesus is saying that He is the Door! No one gets into God's flock without going through Him. Verse 1 reminds us that to attempt entry any other way marks one as a thief and a robber!

C. Simply stated, there is only one way to the Father and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ John 14:6.

Salvation only comes about through faith in Jesus. Baptism won't do it, church membership won't do it, ritual and religious activity won't get the job done. There is only one plan for man's salvation and that is through faith in the finished work of Christ at Calvary. Salvation is simple, it is just very exclusive Rom. 10:9-10; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:13!

D. The big question is this, “Have you ever been through the Door?”

II. This Door Is a Proposal

(v. 9b) he shall be saved

In this statement from the lips of Jesus, we find a tremendous offer given to sinners. In these words, Jesus offers hope to everyone who is wandering in a life of sin. While Jesus wants to save you, He will never force Himself upon you! However, He gives you opportunities to come to Him. Notices what He proposes to fallen men this morning.

A. The Scope Of It is "any man” Salvation is not a club for an elite few saints, but it is an offer of God to every man. No person alive today is beyond the reach of God's saving love! (⇒ Rev. 22:17; John 6:37!) Many feel that there is no hope for them, yet the Bible is clear that God loves all men, John 3:16, and He offers them salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can be saved today if you are lost in sin!

B. The Scheme Of It states “If any man enter in” ( A door serves one of two purposes. It can be a barrier designed to keep people out, or it can be a means of access allowing people in.) ( Salvation is God's gift to a fallen race! However, before this gift can be realized, it must be received!

No one will ever be saved unless they personally and consciously come to Jesus and receive Him into their heart and life. What I am saying is this, God offers you salvation and He means it, but you will not be saved until you come to Him by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!)

C. The Supply Of It "he shall be saved.” When a person comes to Jesus for salvation, they find themselves completely transformed and eternally saved! They are instantly liberated and made new in Jesus.

The word saved is a very descriptive word and was used to describe a person who had recovered from a serious illness, one who had survived a war, one who had come safely through a bad storm or someone who had won at court. What is means for us is that we have, in a spiritual sense, done all of the above and now, we are rescued from all harm and danger. This one little word is a glorious declaration of the security we enjoy in the Lord Jesus Christ John 10:28!

We are liberated from:

1. The Penalty Of Sin ⇒ Rom. 6:23. However, in Jesus, the curse of death is removed and we are set free from the awful wrath of God, Rom. 5:9

( When The Prodigal Son returned home, his Father ran out to meet him and fell upon him, Luke 15:20. There are probably several reasons why the father did this. However, there is one Biblical reason that we can be absolutely certain of, Deut. 21:18-21.

In these verses, the townspeople were instructed to stone a child who had disobeyed and dishonored his parents. When this father ran and fell upon his son's neck, he was placing himself between his son and anyone who would want to kill him.

This is exactly what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross. He placed Himself between us and the wrath of God. We deserved to die for our sins, but Jesus absorbed God's wrath and paid the price for us. Now, we are all free from the penalty of our sins! No saints of God need ever fear going to Hell!)

2. The Power Of Sin According to Rom. 6:14, Jesus breaks sins power in the life of the saint of God. After we come to Christ, we are no longer slaves to the whims of the flesh and the devil, Eph. 2:1-3). We are made free in Jesus and are given the liberty to withstand temptation and to live for God! ( 1 Cor. 10:13) ( One of the greatest wonders of salvation is the great change that comes into the Christian's life, 2 Cor. 5:17. It seems that we just don't want many of the things we used to think we couldn't live without!)

3. The Presence Of Sin One day, when we leave this world, we will forever be free from sin's presence. In heaven, it will not be allowed Rev. 21:27. Not only that, but we will receive new flesh and we will no longer have any desire toward sin 1 Cor. 15:54; 1 Jn. 3:1-3.

III. This Door Is a Promise

(v. 9c-10)and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A. A Promise Of Pasture In this “Pasture” we find:

1. Rest No longer are we searching for what we needed. We have found what our heart was longing for and His name is Jesus. Now, we are permitted to rest in His grace and anticipate our heavenly homecoming!

( I'm not trying to be saved! Are you? I'm just resting on grace. It was grace that sought me, grace that bought me and grace that will lead me home! After all, what did Jesus say? Matt. 11:28!)

2. Refreshment In Jesus, the saint of God finds all that his or her heart needs for absolute and perfect contentment, Psa. 107:9. When we taste and find that the “Lord is good”, Psa. 34:8, we loose our appetite for other things!

3. Rejoicing In Jesus, we find that fullness of joy that was lacking when we wandered out in sin. God has promised us "fullness of joy”, 1 Pet. 1:8; Psa. 16:11. Yes, the child of God has ample reason to rejoice this morning Luke 10:20. In His pasture, there is "fullness of joy.”

( When we think of the Lord's pasture, it reminds us that He is “The Sustainer”, Psa. 23:2 and that He is “The Satisfier”, Psa. 107:9. If you don't believe me, just come to Jesus and give Him a try for yourself!) ( John 4:29; ⇒ John 9:25)

B. Of Plenty (The false shepherd or the thief seeks nothing but his own selfish interests. He will refrain from nothing, even the killing of the sheep to get his way. Jesus, on the other hand, did not come to get, but to give! He came so that you and I might be delivered from sin in all its evil and experience the best possible life imaginable. That life is simply His life lived through us day by day. It is a new, eternal life lived in us, for Him and by Him. It is an abundant life.”

( Child of God, we have eternal life right now, John 6:47. How abundant that life is depends on the depth of your relationship to Jesus. Be sure that you are as close to Him as you can be.)