OPEN THE DOOR

TEXT: John 10:1-9 “I am the door: by me any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (10:9).

INTRODUCTION: When our Lord Jesus uttered these words, He was looking beyond Calvary to resurrection life. Having suffered the wounds of battle and risen triumphantly, He stands in the doorway of God’s Sheepfold and says, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (10:9). Here, then, we have:

I.          THE DOOR OF PROTECTION

“By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (or “safe,” 10:9)

A.        Protection from Severe Elements

“By me if any man enter in, he shall be safe” (10:9).

1.      Outside there may be wind, snow, rain or fire.

a)      Many a time, when the lightning had flashed and the prairie had caught fire, the shepherd had lost his sheep as the conflagration spread over the pasture land.

b)      Outside there was danger, death and doom; but inside the door, safety.

2.      “What relevance has that to today?” you ask.

a)      If I am to declare to you the whole counsel of God I must remind you that this world is still under the abiding wrath of God.

b)      This sin-stained, stubborn, defiant world is moving on to its hour of judgment.

c)      God “hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained” Acts 17:31

d)      And “because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee” Job 36:18 And again:

e)      “Our God is a consuming fire” Hebrews 12:29

B.        Protection from Savage Enemies

“By me if any man enter in, he shall be safe” (10:9).

1.      What if the lion, the wolf, the bear, and the hireling are all outside the sheepfold?

2.      What relevance has that to this hour?

3.      What stories we could tell today of young and old who are up against savage enemies! They intend to be pure and upright, but are constantly bruised and battered by the Enemy.

a)      The Bible reminds us that “the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” 1 Peter 5:8

b)      And Paul adds, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Ephesians 6:12

C.        Protection from Subtle Enticements

“By me if any man enter in, he shall be safe” (10:9).

1.      Outside the sheepfold there are many enticements that would lead a sheep into danger, and even destruction, but for the watchful eye and loving care of the shepherd.

2.      In a similar way, apart from our heavenly Shepherd, we are at the mercy ofa cunning and cruel world.

a)      John says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love ofthe Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride oflife, is not ofthe Father, but is of the world” 1 John 2:15-16

b)      The apostle emphasizes here the attractions or enticements of a sinful life.

c)      Notice the appearance of a sinful life- “the lust of the eyes”; the appetites of a sinful life—”the lust of the flesh”; and the ambitions of a sinfril life—”the pride of life.”

II.       THE DOOR OF PURPOSe

“He shall go in and out, and find pasture” (10:9)

The sheep does not fulfill the purpose of the shepherd until it has entered the sheepfold. Until we have entered the door of purpose we do not fulfill the plan for which we were created Paul reminds us that Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God has a plan for every life, and that plan is so ordered that every believer may find it, follow it and finish it to the glory of God The great tragedy of modem life is that many men and women are so purposeless, aimless, and thoroughly frustrated But God promises a door of purpose to:

A.        A Life of Liberty in Christ

The words “in and out” (10:9) suggest a liberated life—“the glorious liberty of the children of God” Romans 8:21

1.      It is the liberty which operates only within the realm of God’s purpose. It is inseparably related to the leadership of the shepherd—”He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out” (10:3).

B.        A Life of Loyalty to Christ

                     The phrase “in and out” (10:9) further suggests an integrated life.

1.      Psychologists are agreed that one of the secrets of an integrated personality is loyalty

a)      And who can establish loyalty like the Sheep-door of our chapter? He says, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep”; and again: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (10:14, 11).

b)      It is well known that the eastern shepherd knows his sheep and loves his sheep.

c)      It has been said that such shepherds can often be blindfolded and yet distinguish the individual sheep by following the features of each animal with his fingers.

d)      In addition to this, the shepherd of the East will engage in deadly conflict in order to save them from destruction.

III.    THE DOOR OF PROVISION

“He. . . shall go in and out, and find pasture” (10:9).

To know Christ as the Door is to enter into all the divine resources and provisions which He has prepared for them that love Him. When Jesus said ‘pasture “ or “abundant pasture “ He was undoubtedly thinking of Psalm 23, for nothing could better illustrate the thought of abundant pasture than those two expressions in the opening of the psalm—green pastures” and “still waters” (v. 2). Here is the door of provision to

A.        Spiritual Nourishment

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” or “pastures of tender grass” (Ps. 23:2).

1.      You will never find a hungry sheep lying down.

2.      The animal will wander even into danger and death in order to satisfy itself.

3.      But the pastures of the shepherd’s provision are so plentiful that the sheep never has to wander.

4.      It finds its fill and nourishment within the provision of the shepherd.

5.      So true is this that He makes His sheep to lie down in green pastures.

B.        Spiritual Refreshment

“He leadeth me beside the still waters” (Ps. 23 :2).

1.      Those clear waters quench thirst, cleanse defilement, refresh from weariness, and calm fears.

2.      In a word, they represent the renewing work of the Holy Spirit What a door of provision is this

3.      All the secrets of a cleansed and settled life are to be found inside that door

4.      No wonder the psalmist says elsewhere, “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” Psalm 84:11

5.      Now comes the question of entering this door of protection, purpose and provision Jesus says, “I am the door by me if any man enter in” (10 9)

6.      What is “entering in”? It is a definite act of faith in which you take the Lord Jesus at His word and step into the fold.

7.      The Word of God reminds us that “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53 :6). Why should you remain a wandering sheep outside the fold? It is important to realize that you are either in or out of the fold. On which side are you? As the chorus puts it:

                                      One door, and only one,

                                      And yet its sides are two;

                                      I’m on the inside,

                                      On which side are you?

CONCLUSION: Tell the Lord Jesus in simple terms that you are outside the door of protection, purpose and provision, but that you now want to enter into that eternal sheepfold, claiming Him as the Door of your life.

Only a step to Jesus

Then why not take it now?

Come, and thy sin confessing;

To Him, thy Saviour, bow.

Only a step! Only a step!

Come, He waits for thee;

Come, and thy sin confessing,

Thou shalt receive a blessing:

Do not reject the mercy

He freely offers thee.

Fanny J. Crosby