I am the Door, the Good Shepherd

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TEXT STYLES 1 JOHN 10:1–8 “TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WHO DOES NOT ENTER BY THE DOOR INTO THE FOLD OF THE SHEEP, BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY, HE IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. 2 “BUT HE WHO ENTERS BY THE DOOR IS A SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. “TO HIM THE DOORKEEPER OPENS, AND THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE, AND HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM OUT. 3 “WHEN HE PUTS FORTH ALL HIS OWN, HE GOES AHEAD OF THEM, AND THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. 4 “A STRANGER THEY SIMPLY WILL NOT FOLLOW, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW THE VOICE OF STRANGERS.” THIS FIGURE OF SPEECH JESUS SPOKE TO THEM, 5 BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE THINGS WERE WHICH HE HAD BEEN SAYING TO THEM. SO JESUS SAID TO THEM AGAIN, 6 “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 HEAR THEM. 7 A GENTLEMAN FOLLOWED BY A ROUGH-LOOKING DOG WALKED DOWN THE STREET OF A SMALL TOWN. THE DOG FOLLOWED THE MAN IN THE FACE OF MANY OBSTACLES. 8 ANOTHER DOG CAME UP, SET ON A FIGHT. THE DOG PAID HIM NO MIND AND FOLLOWED HIS MASTER. SOON A CHILD CAME UP AND TRIED TO PLAY WITH THE ROUGH LOOKING LITTLE DOG. 9 THE DOG KEPT HIS EYES FOCUSED ON HIS MASTER AND FOLLOWED AFTER HIM. NEXT A SHOP KEEP STANDING THE DOORWAY OF HIS SHOP OFFERED THE DOG SOME TASTY TREAT. 10 THE ROUGH LITTLE DOG WAS NOT INTERESTED HE KEPT RIGHT ON FOLLOWING HIS MASTER. WHAT A LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS ROUGH LOOKING LITTLE DOG. 11 IF SOMETHING DID NOT COME BY WAY OF OUR MASTER. NO MATTER HOW IT MIGHT TRY TO GET OUR ATTENTION. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES ON OUR MASTER. 12 AND KEEP RIGHT ON FOLLOWING HIM. THERE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION CELEBRITIES, PHILOSOPHERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS 13 ALL TRYING TO TELL US THEY HAVE THE ANSWERS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ANYONE SAYING THEY HAVE THE WAY TO GOD 14 WHO DID NOT COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIS IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER WHO HAS ONLY COME TO STEAL KILL AND DESTROY WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHO WE LISTEN TO 15 WE NEED TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ANOTHER OF THE “I AM”S TURN TO JOHN 10:9 16 AT THE END OF CH 9 JESUS HAD TOLD THE PHARISEES THEY WERE BLIND CH 10 BEGINS WITH JESUS TELLING A PARABLE THOSE WHO DO NOT ENTER BY THE GATE ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS 17 THOSE WHO ENTER THE GATE ARE TRUE SHEPHERDS AND THE SHEEP KNOW HIS VOICE THOSE LISTENING TO JESUS SPEAK DID NOT UNDERSTAND SO JESUS EXPLAINS THE PARABLE 18 JOHN 10:9 “I AM THE DOOR; IF ANYONE ENTERS THROUGH ME, HE WILL BE SAVED, AND WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE. 19 ONLY DOOR TO HEAVEN “I AM THE DOOR” THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN IS THROUGH JESUS HE IS THE DOOR, TO HEAVEN 20 THIS IS A GREAT AND POWERFUL TRUTH JESUS MAKES THIS STATEMENT HERE BECAUSE ANY RELIGIOUS LEADER, ANY TEACHER 21 WHO IS LEADING PEOPLE THROUGH ANY OTHER DOOR IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER 22 JESUS IS THE CLOSED DOOR TO KEEP OUT THIEVES AND ROBBERS HE IS THE OPEN DOOR FOR THOSE SEEKING GOD 23 JOHN 14:6 JESUS SAID TO HIM, “I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME. 24 A MAN VISITING THE MIDDLE EAST SAW A SHEPHERD LEADING HIS FLOCK UP THE HILL. HE LED THEM INTO THE FOLD AND MADE THEM COMFORTABLE, THE MAN ASKED THE SHEPHERD, 25 “DO YOU LEAVE THE SHEEP IN THIS FOLD ALL NIGHT?” “YES.” REPLIED THE SHEPHERD “BUT AREN’T THERE WILD BEASTS AROUND?” ASKED THE MAN “YES.” ANSWERED THE SHEPHERD 26 “WON’T THEY TRY TO GET THE SHEEP?” “YES.” THE SHEPHERD SAID ONE MORE TIME. “BUT, YOU HAVE NO DOOR HOW CAN YOU KEEP THE WILD BEASTS OUT?” 27 THE SHEPHERD LAY DOWN ON HIS SIDE, AND AS HE SETTLED HIMSELF IN THAT ENTRY WAY, HE LOOKED UP AND SMILED AND SAID, “I AM THE DOOR.” YOU SEE, NO WILD BEAST CAN ENTER WITHOUT WAKING ME 28 E.T.D. = SALVATION NOTICE THAT IT SAYS “ANYONE WHO ENTERS” NOT JUST SOME WHO ENTER NOT EVEN MOST WHO ENTER 29 BUT ANYONE WHO ENTERS AND THE RESULT IS CERTAIN IT SAYS “HE WILL BE SAVED” NOT HE MAY BE SAVED OR SHOULD BE SAVED 30 BUT WILL CERTAINLY BE SAVED NOT SAVED UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY NOT SAVED UNTIL HE MESSES UP NOT SAVED UNTIL HE GIVES UP 31 BUT SAVED. TO GET THIS ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS ENTER BUT, HOW DO WE ENTER 32 ACTS 16:31 THEY SAID, “BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS, AND YOU WILL BE SAVED, YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.” 33 EPHESIANS 2:8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; 34 JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 35 I READ 3 VERSES AND NOT 1 CAUSE THIS IS THAT IMPORTANT THERE ARE OVER 100 VERSES SAYING WE ENTER BY FAITH WE ENTER BY FAITH AND FAITH ALONE 36 ANY ONE TEACHING ANYTHING ELSE IS NOT COMING THROUGH THE DOOR OF JESUS CHRIST AND IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER 37 NOT ONLY DO WE ENTER INTO HEAVEN THROUGH THE DOOR OF JESUS WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PROVISION THROUGH THE DOOR OF JESUS 38 E.T.D. = PROVISION “WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE ” THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE PROVISION OF GOD HAVING ALL OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS TAKEN CARE OF 39 ALL OUR DAILY NEEDS ARE TAKEN CARE BY ENTERING THROUGH JESUS THE ONLY DOOR WE ARE PROVIDED FOR 40 PSALM 23 THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT. HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES; HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS. 41 HE RESTORES MY SOUL; HE GUIDES ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE. EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, 42 I FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME. YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES; 43 YOU HAVE ANOINTED MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP OVERFLOWS. SURELY GOODNESS AND LOVINGKINDNESS WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER. 44 I READ ALL OF THAT PSALM BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK IT CAN BE SAID ANY BETTER THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT WHEN JESUS SAYS 45 “WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE ” IN FACT IT IS VERY LIKELY JESUS IS REFERRING TO THAT VERY PSALM 46 ENTERING THROUGH JESUS LEADS TO PEACE AND PROVISION FROM GOD ENTERING ANY OTHER DOOR LEADS TO SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT 47 JOHN 10:10 “THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY. 48 NOT ALL E.T.D. SOME FOLKS TRY TO BRING YOU IN ANOTHER WAY JESUS HAD JUST SAID “HE WHO DOES NOT ENTER BY THE DOOR INTO THE FOLD OF THE SHEEP, BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY, HE IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER.” (JOHN 10:1) 49 NOW HE TELLS THEM ABOUT THESE THIEVES THIEVES COME ONLY TO “STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY” IF SOMEONE IS PREACHING SALVATION BY ANY WAY OTHER THAN CHRIST 50 HE IS TRYING TO STEAL YOU AWAY FROM GOD IF HE CAN CONVINCE YOU TO ENTER SOME OTHER WAY HE HAS ACHIEVED HIS GOAL 51 NOT E.T.D. = LOSS IF HE CAN’T STEAL YOU AWAY HE WILL KILL YOU IF HE CAN’T KILL YOU HE WILL DESTROY OR RUIN YOU THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY HARSH OPINION 52 SURELY EVERYONE TEACHING SOME OTHER DOORWAY IS NOT THIS EVIL THEY SEEM NICE ENOUGH, MAYBE JESUS IS JUST EXAGGERATING HERE’S THE THING, THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY BE REALLY NICE PEOPLE 53 THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING THEY MAY NOT KNOW THEY ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS DOES THAT REALLY MATTER? 54 DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THEY ARE NICE? IF THE RESULT IS STEALING, KILLIN, AND DESTRUCTION IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF THEY KNOW THEY ARE THIEVES OR NOT 55 MATTHEW 7:13–14 “ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW GATE; FOR THE GATE IS WIDE AND THE WAY IS BROAD THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE ARE MANY WHO ENTER THROUGH IT. 56 “FOR THE GATE IS SMALL AND THE WAY IS NARROW THAT LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT. 57 THE NARROW GATE IS JESUS ANY OTHER WAY IS THE WIDE GATE THE NARROW GATE LEADS TO HEAVEN AND MUCH MORE 58 E.T.D. BRING FULLNESS OF LIFE “I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.” WHEN HE SAYS HE CAME THIS MEANS FROM HEAVEN HE TOLD YOU WHY THE THIEF CAME, TO STEAL, KILL , AND DESTROY 59 NOW HE TELLS YOU WHY HE CAME THE THIEVES COME FROM ALL OVER, ONLY JESUS COMES FROM HEAVEN THE THIEVES COME TO DO HARM JESUS COMES TO SAVE AND BLESS 60 THIS WORD “ ABUNDANTLY” IS PRETTY AMAZING IT DOES NOT MEAN MORE OF THE LIFE YOU ALREADY HAVE IT IS NOT JUST A BETTER LIFE WITH MORE STUFF 61 THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIKE.. NOT JUST MORE OF THE SAME LIFE YOU ALREADY HAD BUT A WHOLE NEW KIND OF LIFE 62 A LIFE CENTERED ON GOD, A LIFE THAT HAS EVERYTHING WE WILL EVER NEED TO LOVE AND SERVE GOD. THAT IS WHAT JESUS IS OFFERING TO THOSE WHO ENTER THROUGH HIM 63 A LITTLE BOY WHO HAD NEVER A CIRCUS. WAS SO EXCITED WHEN HE SAW THE CIRCUS POSTER THE CIRCUS WAS COMING TO TOWN ON SATURDAY 64 THAT MORNING HIS FATHER GAVE HIM MONEY FOR THE CIRCUS IT WAS MORE MONEY THAN HE HAD EVER SEEN HE WENT INTO TOWN AND SAW PEOPLE LINING THE STREETS 65 SOON THE CIRCUS CAME INTO VIEW IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING THE BOY HAD EVER SEEN CAGED ANIMALS SNARLED AS THEY PASSED, 66 BANDS BEAT THEIR RHYTHMS AND SOUNDED SHINING HORNS, PERFORMERS DID ACROBATICS WHILE FLAGS AND RIBBONS SWIRLED OVERHEAD. FINALLY, AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE HAD PASSED BY 67 THE CIRCUS CLOWN, WITH FLOPPY SHOES, BAGGY PANTS, BROUGHT UP THE REAR. AS THE CLOWN PASSED BY, THE LITTLE BOY REACHED INTO HIS POCKET HE TOOK OUT THE MONEY AND HANDED IT TO THE CLOWN 68 THE BOY TURNED AROUND AND WENT HOME. WHAT HAD HAPPENED? THE BOY THOUGHT HE HAD SEEN THE CIRCUS BUT HE HAD ONLY SEEN THE PARADE! 69 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS AN ABUNDANT LIFE A MARVELOUS ADVENTURE, AN EXCITING JOURNEY. DO YOU WANT THE ABUNDANT LIFE THAT JESUS PROMISED? 70 OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO GET BY? DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE CIRCUS OR ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE PARADE? 71 ABOUT THIS TIME THOSE PHARISEES WERE THINKING WHY ONLY THROUGH JESUS, WHAT MAKES YOU SO SPECIAL JESUS ANSWERED THAT NEXT 72 JOHN 10:11 “I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD; THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. 73 E.T.D. BECAUSE HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHEN JESUS SAYS “I AM” THE POINT IS THAT HE AND NO ONE ELSE IS HE IS NOT SAYING HE IS ONE OF MANY GOOD SHEPHERDS 74 HE IS SAYING HE AND ONLY HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD GOOD HERE IS AN IMPORTANT WORD IN GREEK YOU CAN SAY GOOD USEFUL, EFFECTIVE 75 OR YOU CAN SAY GOOD BEAUTIFUL, WORTHY, NOBLE JESUS SAYS HERE HE IS THE GOOD, BEAUTIFUL, NOBLE, WORTH, SHEPHERD AND THE WAY HE SAYS IT IS AMAZING 76 WE MIGHT THING HE IS COMPARING HIMSELF TO OTHER SHEPHERDS HE IS MORE WORTH OR MORE NOBLE OR MORE BEAUTIFUL BUT THE WAY HE SAYS IT MEANS 77 HE IS ABSOLUTELY IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF HE IS UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL, MORAL, NOBLE THIS IS THE VERY REASON WE SHOULD ONLY ENTER THROUGH HIM 78 HEBREWS 1:3 “AND HE IS THE RADIANCE OF HIS GLORY AND THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS NATURE,” NOT ONLY SHOULD WE E.T.D. BECAUSE HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD 79 E.T.D. BECAUSE HE LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE IN JESUS DAY SHEPHERDS FACED LIONS, WOLVES, AND BEARS DAVID FOUGHT WITH WILD ANIMALS AS A SHEPHERD 80 IT WAS A DANGEROUS JOB JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAID DOWN HIS LIFE 81 HE DID IT WILLINGLY NO ONE MADE HIM DO IT 82 JOHN 10:18 “NO ONE HAS TAKEN IT AWAY FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN ON MY OWN INITIATIVE. I HAVE AUTHORITY TO LAY IT DOWN, 83 AND I HAVE AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN. THIS COMMANDMENT I RECEIVED FROM MY FATHER.” 84 NOTICE HOW JESUS MENTIONED HERE HE AS AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN THIS IS VITAL 85 THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES HIM UNIQUE MANY SHEPHERDS LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR SHEEP ONLY JESUS HAS THE AUTHORITY OR POWER TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN 86 IF THE SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP BUT CANNOT TAKE IT BACK UP AGAIN CAN HE REALLY KEEP THE SHEEP SAFE? 87 ONLY JESUS CAN KEEP US ETERNALLY SAFE BY LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE BECAUSE ONLY JESUS HAD THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT BACK UP 88 E.T.D. BECAUSE HE DID IT “FOR US” “THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP .” WE GOTTA TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THIS WORD “ FOR” SOMETIMES THE GREEK WORD MEANS ON BEHALF OF 89 OR FOR THE SAKE OF BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY THIS WORD IS USED IT CAN MEAN IN PLACE OF, OR INSTEAD OF WHAT A POWERFUL IDEA THIS IS 90 YES CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SAKE FOR OUR BEHALF WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER HE WILLINGLY DIED IN OUR PLACE 91 CYRUS, THE FOUNDER OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE, ONCE HAD CAPTURED A PRINCE AND HIS FAMILY. WHEN THEY CAME BEFORE HIM THE KING ASKED THE PRISONER, 92 "WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME IF I RELEASE YOU?" "THE HALF OF MY WEALTH," THE PRINCE REPLIED. "AND IF I RELEASE YOUR CHILDREN?" CYRUS ASKED "EVERYTHING I POSSESS." SAID THE PRINCE 93 "AND IF I RELEASE YOUR WIFE?" "YOUR MAJESTY, I WILL GIVE MYSELF." CYRUS WAS SO MOVED BY HIS DEVOTION THAT HE FREED THEM ALL. 94 AS THEY RETURNED HOME, THE PRINCE SAID TO HIS WIFE, "WASN'T CYRUS A HANDSOME MAN!" WITH A LOOK OF DEEP LOVE FOR HER HUSBAND, SHE SAID TO HIM, "I DIDN'T NOTICE. 95 I COULD ONLY KEEP MY EYES ON YOU- - THE ONE WHO WAS WILLING TO GIVE HIMSELF FOR ME." WHY WOULD WE EVER CONSIDER COMING TO GOD ANY OTHER WAY 96 ONLY BY ENTERING THROUGH CHRIST WHO DIED IN OUR PLACE CAN WE HAVE AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD 97 LIKE THE ROUGH LOOKING LITTLE DOG WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES FIXED ON OUR MASTER THE ONE AND ONLY, TRULY UNIQUE GOOD SHEPHERD BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY DOOR TO HEAVEN 98 AND ENTERING THROUGH HIM CERTAINLY LEADS TO SALVATION NOT JUST SALVATION, BUT PROVISION EVERYTHING WE NEED TO LIVE AND SERVE GOD IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT 99 LIKE ROUGH LOOKING LITTLE DOG WE NEED TO IGNORE EVERYONE TRYING TO DISTRACT US FROM CHRIST CAUSE NO MATTER HOW NICE THEY SEEM 100 THEY ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS, EVEN IF THEY DON’T KNOW IT NO MATTER WHAT PATH THEY TRY TO TAKE US DOWN IF IT IS NOT THROUGH CHRIST IT LEADS TO LOSS, DEATH, AND DESTRUCTION 101 ONLY CHRIST CAME SO THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A NEW KIND OF LIFE A LIFE OF LIVING FOR AND SERVING GOD WITH ALL HE PROVIDES FOR US HE CAN PROVIDE ALL THIS BECAUSE 102 HE AND HE ALONE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD HE AND HE ALONE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE IN OUR PLACE HE AND HE ALONE HAD THE AUTHORITY AND POWER TO PICK IT BACK UP 103 WE ENTER THROUGH THE DOOR OF JESUS CHRIST WHEN WE TRUST IN HIS WORK ON THE CROSS WHEN WE HAVE FAITH THAT HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS, GOD 104 WHEN WE TRUST THAT HE DID WHAT HE SAID HE COULD DO PAY FOR OUR SINS WHEN WE HAVE FAITH THAT THE RESULT WILL BE THE RESULT HE CLAIMED 105 ETERNAL SALVATION, ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE…. 106 107