I Am The Door.

I AM THE DOOR.

John 10:1-10.

JOHN 10:1. In every age of the Church there have been false shepherds, whose very entrance into the Ministry is suspect. The same are “thieves and robbers” who have entered the sheepfold by some way other than by the Lord’s appointing.

JOHN 10:2. Jesus claims that His commission is from the Father, and as such He is the true shepherd of the sheep.

JOHN 10:3a. Those who are the Lord’s will most certainly hear His voice. He called Lazarus by name, and the dead man emerged from his tomb. Jesus identified Himself to Mary after His own resurrection simply by speaking her name.

JOHN 10:3b. The shepherd calls His own sheep by name, and He “leads them out.” Thus we can personally sing, ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1). He leads us beside the still waters, and into the paths of righteousness.

JOHN 10:4. Those who hear the voice of Jesus will follow Him. ‘Follow me’ is the call at the beginning of John’s Gospel (cf. John 1:43); and ‘Follow thou me’ is at the end (cf. John 21:22). Following Jesus is ongoing.

JOHN 10:5. Those who set themselves up as leaders in their own right will find that true believers will be unresponsive to them. Even sheep know not to follow strangers!

JOHN 10:6. In their pride of office, the Pharisees could not see that Jesus was talking about them. These were the same Pharisees who had just excommunicated the man born blind whom Jesus had healed. It was they, after all, who were blind, and who were failing to hear the application of the picture to themselves!

JOHN 10:7. In the third significant “I am” saying of John’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims Himself to be “the door of the sheep.” He is the only one who, as Mediator, can give mere men an entrance into the presence of the Divine.

JOHN 10:8. As such, He is the door by which the true sheep enter; but also the door through which those who would benefit the sheep (as under-shepherds) should also pass. Unconverted Ministers are a disgrace to their profession!

JOHN 10:9. There is only one door to the sheepfold. Only one way into the kingdom of God. Only one way to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way!

JOHN 10:10a. “The thief” is in the singular number, indicating the arch-thief who lurks behind all who would take advantage of and deceive God’s flock. Those who want to ‘fleece’ God’s flock for their own financial gain are included here. Also, those who teach wrong things, thus destroying men’s souls. And remember, too, that Jesus identified the devil as ‘a murderer from the beginning’ (cf. John 8:44) – and these same Pharisees desired to kill Jesus!

JOHN 10:10b. By contrast, Jesus brings life in all its abundance: a fullness of life just now, and eternal life beginning from now.