John 10:7-10

Last week we talked about Christ calling out the false religious teachers of Judaism. We talked about how the False Teachers were nothing more than thieves and robbers.

They got into their leadership position some other way…they didn’t come through the door like Christ, the Good Shepherd.

We read where Christ goes to the sheepfold of Israel and He calls His OWN sheep out by name. When Christ sheep hear his voice, they come and follow Him.

If you missed it…Jeremy has it on our Facebook page and our website.

So, after Jesus tells them this we read this last week and it leads us into this weeks text:

John 10:6 ESV

This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

How did they not understand? Because they are spiritually blinded. The False Teachers, the False Shepherds “believed” they knew the Word of God but the fact is they didn’t. They twisted God’s Word to make it say what they wanted it to say. They used God’s Word to put a heavy burden on the people under them.

So, Jesus tells them this allegorical story but they still don’t understand what He is saying…AND THAT brings us to our text this morning.

Now, if I can, or when I can, I love finding where this is in the Old Testament.

Don’t think that God was frustrated with His plan in the Old Testament because everyone just kept messing up so in the Old Testament you see a “mean, judging, jealous God”.

God is Sovereign…in complete control of everything.

God truly has A PLAN…not millions of plans just waiting to see how we are going to respond. NO, God has A PLAN and His plans CANNOT and WILL NOT be thwarted!

So, let me show you Gods plan…and then we will read our text

Numbers 27:16–17 (ESV)

“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”

Remember that as we read our text this morning:

John 10:7–10 (ESV)

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 abundantly.

Is that amazing? LET’S PRAY

There is something very important that we can learn about Christ in this first verse we are going over this morning. The FIRST 6 WORDS...

“So Jesus again said to them,...”

Ya’ll…let me tell you. I have been talking to this guy in Arizona so much the last couple of weeks I about lost my voice from it.

I have texted him so much, I really think I have written a 387 page book with my thumbs on my phone just texting him. He has some issues with my beliefs…and I have some with his. It stems from this little podcast thing I did about a month ago.

He throws out a Scripture and says, “what about that one”…so I’ll either talk to him or text him a dissertation with the context and explanation of the verse and he…he just texts back “what about this verse?” Im starting to think its a joke and he just wants my thumbs to fall off or something because I scratch my head so many times and Im like “how do you not see that” or “understand that?”.

Ok…I’ll tell you one instance...

So…this guy believes that you cannot be saved unless you are baptized in water.

So, I was trying to make the point that he doesn’t really believe what is written in the Bible and he obviously takes offense to such an accusation. So, I asked him if I could prove it to him. He said he would love for me to try to prove that to him.

I read him this:

John 20:30–31 ESV

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I told him that this was literally written at least 50 years after the resurrection of Jesus and just in its narrative form it is still post resurrection. So, I asked if he believed that...

And he said “absolutely not because it doesn’t say anything about baptism”.

Now, you would think I would just stop right? I mean…you know?

But he continues to text me Scriptures, his proof texts and I continue to answer him.

In John 8, these false religious teachers questioned Jesus and I love how he answered...

John 8:25–26 (ESV)

So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say ...”

When people ask…just stand there and tell them again. Let them know you have “much to say”.

Now…there does come a point when you walk away, don’t get me wrong…but I digress...

Lets look at the rest of verse 7:

John 10:7 (ESV)

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Now, this time Christ says that He is “The Door of THE SHEEP”.

The last time he was trying to explain to them He said that He was the Shepherd of His Sheep. Now He calls Himself “THE DOOR”.

Jesus is now talking about His OWN sheepfold that He had called out by name…these are His sheep.

And notice this…CHRIST SAYS HE IS THE DOOR…NOT A DOOR.

There is one of Christ’s sheep here that started an open door bible study up at the office on Friday’s. We try to do it on Friday’s from 10-12…but the people who come are just sooo long winded you cant stop them once they get going. Its not me, I promise! Im sorry…I just lied to you. Anyway this guy is just eating up the Words of Christ and he is a young wipper snapper too…he is knocking on 90’s door these days…Ole Tom Williams. This Friday we were talking about the new study that came out where 70% of professing born again Christians believe there are many many ways to get to Heaven. 70% of professing born again Christians DO NOT BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is THE DOOR…they believe that He is A DOOR.

Sounds mean to some people doesn’t it? To say that there is ONLY ONE way to receive forgiveness of your sins…To say that there is only ONE WAY that you can be reconciled to God Almighty

But think about this...

If you were dying of a heart attack would anyone be upset if there was only one hospital to go to in the town they were in?

If you were dying of hunger and you came to someone who had only one meal to offer you....would you be angry and refuse it?

If you were dying of thirst and you came to one puddle of water in the desert…would you be angry and offended that there weren’t other options to choose from?

See, lets be honest…people who find themselves in a desperate need for something do not mind if there is only ONE option

Having ONE OPTION IS NOT THE PROBLEM.

The problem is This ONE WAY…This DOOR…requires to acknowledge that you admit that you are a broken sinner…This DOOR requires that you fall on your face, and accept the verdict that God has rendered on you…a sinner, a wretched sinful person that deserves the wrath of God…deserves NOTHING from a Holy Eternal God…that you can do nothing in and of yourself to make things right with Him.

THAT IS THE PROBLEM…its not that there is ONLY ONE WAY…its the simple fact that THEY HATE THAT DOOR...

Look at verse 8 real quick...

John 10:7–8 (ESV)

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.

This is not talking the shepherds like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, etc.

Look CLOSELY at what He says here, “All who came before me ARE thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them”

He’s talking to these false religious leaders...

Remember where these people (these sheep) were before Christ called them out by name

They were in the sheepfold of Judaism.

Those who came before Christ, acting as if they were true shepherds never really cared for them. They should have never been in the position of “shepherd” anyway…they came to their position some other way because they didn’t come in by THE DOOR.

Think of the BLIND MAN in Chapter 9.

These false religious leaders keep asking him questions, trying to intimidate him…one of Christ’s Sheep.

In verse 28 it says, “they reviled him” << reviled: to use foul or abusive language towards or about someone/something >>

But He didn’t listen...

When Christ set him free....he did not listen, he did not back down from the “thieves and robbers when they tried to intimidate him.

Look at verse 9:

John 10:9 (ESV)

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

So…according to Jesus Christ… WHO CAN ENTER into this sheepfold?

IN VERSE 3: we talked about Jesus calling His OWN sheep out by name…He didn’t call ALL THE SHEEP…He CALLED HIS OWN SHEEP.

Again in VERSE 4 it says He brought HIS OWN SHEEP out and they followed Him because they know their shepherds voice.

Now, someone might say, “How can election be true if this verse says ‘anyone’ can enter?”

It is a fair question.

I have described the gospel being like a diamond to you before. Think of a diamond sitting on a black piece of velvet and the ceiling light is hitting it. Its nice isn’t it? But that is not how a diamond should be admired.

Grab the tweezers pick up that diamond.

Turn the lamp on that is connected to your desk and hold it close to the light and twist it and turn it and watch the light reflect off of it in all different directions!

See, the more ways you can see the gospel…like the more ways you can see a diamond in the light…the more beautiful it is.

PUT JOHN 9 UP ON THE SCREEN AGAIN....

This is not contradicting the Doctrine of Election and Predestination.

You’re seeing the gospel lifted up and seeing another side of it...

Earlier in verses 1-6 we see The DIVINE DECREE of the gospel…

but we turn this diamond (the good news, this gospel) in the

light of Gods Word (not the light on our desk) and we see it

from a DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE....from mans opportunity to

come through the door.

I hear of some people WORRYING IF they are truly elected unto salvation or not…DON’T! When you read of this doctrine in Scripture it is not fearful but joyful!

Don’t worry if you are elected unto salvation....

Respond to the call of the gospel!

Here is what I can promise you…IF YOU COME TO CHRIST…AND ENTER BY HIM…YOU WILL BE SAVED.

ANYONE

I looked up the Greek definition of the word “ANYONE” found in verse 9 and here is what it actually means....

You know what that means?

It doesn’t matter what you have done IT IS FOR ANYONE who hears His Voice

It doesn’t matter how bad it was or how bad it is…if you hear His voice…Come to Christ

GUESS WHO ELSE IT IS FOR?

For you, who knows they haven’t truly given everything to Christ

It is for the one that is scared to come to Christ…scared that people might think you have been faking it for all these years....JUST COME ON…COME TO CHRIST!

Its for the quite person here who hasn’t done anything REALLY that bad but knows in her heart....knows that in his heart....something isn’t right with you and God.

IT is for ANYONE that comes....

And look at the rest of Verse 9 ON THE SCREEN!!

Look what we…the SHEEP OF Christ receive?

SALVATION

FREEDOM

GOOD PASTURE…refreshment!

The sheep of God find all of this in Christ! We constantly live the rest of our lives with the Good Shepherd watching over us.

Free to go in and out....not bound by legalism and laws…not held by False Shepherds lording over you their authority making you feel guilty as if you are always messing up and making them upset at you.

You will be FREE to go in and out…You will be FREE to go into good pasture with the Good Shepherd LEADING you out of the sheepfold you have been in for so long....

Imagine the picture, the imagery...

You will be saved from God’s just wrath, SAVED from your sin, SAVED from your GUILT, SAVED from your SHAME…you will be set Free to go in and out and find Good PASTURE.

VERSE 10

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 thief comes only to steal kill and destroy:

THIS HAS BEEN AND IT WILL ALWASY BE…what False Teachers do.

Only Christ can promise you…COMPLETELY that if you come TO HIM…you will be:

saved

freedom

and good pasture…a place to rest

ONLY CHRIST CAN TRULY GUARANTEE YOU THAT

But Thieves and Robbers…they promise this same thing to people. And for a while, it seems so nice under their care…but give it time…

YOU WILL FIND OUT that they are nothing but thieves and robbers.

they will steal your joy

they will kill your spirit

and they will destroy your souls in the end.

a false teacher will promise you all the things of God…they will play as if they

REPRESENT HIM as one of His under-shepherds....they are cunning, they are wolves

in sheep’s clothing.

RUN FROM THEM…AND RUN TO CHRIST....LISTEN FOR HIS CALL ON YOUR HEART BECAUSE HE CAME THAT HIS PEOPLE MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY!

If you have come through THE DOOR…are you experiencing your salvation? Are you experiencing the freedom in Christ and the Good Pastures of His Word?

Are you coming to know Him deeper and because of your love for Him…do you find yourself drawn closer to those who also Love Him?

A sheep of God, a Christian grows to love the things of God and they find pleasure in the things that please their Heavenly Father

You’ll start truly loving your brothers and sisters in Christ

Father’s, you’ll start loving your family and wanting to lead them as you are the under-shepherds of that flock that Christ has put in your home.

READY FOR SOME TOES TO GET STEPPED ON?

I DON’T WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THE LIES OF ALL THE FALSE SHEPHERD’S OUT THERE!

I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO NOT SAY THIS

The world will promise you an ABUNDANT LIFE out there...

The spirit of the age is a FALSE TEACHER…A WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING....A THIEF AND A ROBBER

AND IT WILL PROMISE YOU WHAT ONLY CHIRST CAN GIVE…AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE, A REMARKABLE ONE, AN ABUNDANT ONE....

But IT WILL NOT SATISFY YOU...

Father’s…when the body of Christ is coming together to hear His HOLY WORD Preached…INSTEAD OF TAKING YOUR KIDS TO THE BALLPARK...BRING YOUR FAMILIES TO MEET WITH THE CHURCH TO WORSHIP ALMIGHTY GOD…BRING YOUR FAMILIES TO COME COMMUNE WITH THE SAINTS!

OTHERWISE…HOW ARE WE SHEPHERDING THEM?

WHAT ARE WE TEACHING THEM?

CHRIST SAID HE WAS THE DOOR…IF ANYONE ENTERS BY HIM HE WILL BE SAVED AND WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE…HE CAME…ONLY HIM…THAT WE MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY!

HE SAID HE IS THE DOOR…HE IS NOT TO BE LOOKED AT AND ADMIRED…HE IS A DOOR THAT IS TO BE ENTERED!

DON’T LOOK AT THE WONDERFUL SAVIOR…THE GOOD SHEPHERD OF HIS FLOCK…DON’T STAND THERE AND LOOK AT HIM FROM A DISTANCE…ENTER THROUGH HIM AND YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WNATED.