IDENTIFYING JESUS
I AM THE GATE/DOOR
JOHN 10:1-11 (NIV) "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THE MAN WHO DOES NOT ENTER THE SHEEP PEN BY THE GATE, BUT CLIMBS IN BY SOME OTHER WAY, IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. 2 THE MAN WHO ENTERS BY THE GATE IS THE SHEPHERD OF HIS SHEEP. 3 THE WATCHMAN OPENS THE GATE FOR HIM, AND THE SHEEP LISTEN TO HIS VOICE. HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM OUT. 4 WHEN HE HAS BROUGHT OUT ALL HIS OWN, HE GOES ON AHEAD OF THEM, AND HIS SHEEP FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. 5 BUT THEY WILL NEVER FOLLOW A STRANGER; IN FACT, THEY WILL RUN AWAY FROM HIM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT RECOGNIZE A STRANGER'S VOICE." 6 JESUS USED THIS FIGURE OF SPEECH, BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TELLING THEM. 7 THEREFORE JESUS SAID AGAIN, "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I AM THE GATE FOR THE SHEEP. 8 ALL WHO EVER CAME BEFORE ME WERE THIEVES AND ROBBERS, BUT THE SHEEP DID NOT LISTEN TO THEM. 9 I AM THE GATE; WHOEVER ENTERS THROUGH ME WILL BE SAVED. HE WILL COME IN AND GO OUT, AND FIND PASTURE. 10 THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL. 11 "I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP.
INTRODUCTION: SOME OF US ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER AN OLD GAME SHOW CALLED “LET'S MAKE A DEAL.” ON THAT SHOW, THE HOST, MONTY HALL, WOULD TRY TO GET THE CONTESTANTS TO TRADE SOMETHING THEY HAD ALREADY WON FOR SOMETHING THEY COULD NOT SEE. SOMETHING THAT WAS HIDDEN BEHIND DOOR NUMBER ONE, DOOR NUMBER TWO OR DOOR NUMBER THREE. SOMETIMES WHEN THEY CHOSE TO TRADE WHAT THEY ALREADY HAD FOR THAT WHICH THEY COULD NOT SEE, THEY ENDED UP WITH A GAG PRIZE THAT WAS TOTALLY WORTHLESS. HOWEVER, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THEIR GAMBLE PAID OFF BIG. WHEN IT COMES TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, HE IS ASKING MEN TO TRADE THEIR OLD SIN-FILLED LIVES FOR A LIFE THAT IS BRAND NEW. HE ASKS US TO TRADE A LIFE THAT IS WORTHLESS FOR A LIFE THAT IS SPOTLESS.
TRANSITION: THERE ARE REALLY TWO POINTS THAT I THINK THE TEXT IS LEADING US TO THIS MORNING. FIRST IS WHY DO WE NEED A DOOR, AND WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOOR.
I. WHY DO WE NEED THE DOOR?
a. JUST SO WE ARE CLEAR – THE DOOR, AS ALL OF THE OTHER “I AM” STATEMENTS IS A DIRECT REFERENCE TO THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO A PARTICULAR PART OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY
i. “I AM” SAME NAME GOD USED FOR HIMSELF WHEN SPEAKING TO MOSES THROUGH THE BURNING BUSH
ii. UNDERSTOOD BY THE JEWS AS THE NAME OF GOD --
b. SO, THE MORE FOUNDATIONAL QUESTION IS WHY DO WE NEED JESUS?
c. WITHOUT THE LORD WE ARE NOMADS -- NUMBERS 27:15-17 (NIV) MOSES SAID TO THE LORD, 16 "MAY THE LORD, THE GOD OF THE SPIRITS OF ALL MANKIND, APPOINT A MAN OVER THIS COMMUNITY 17 TO GO OUT AND COME IN BEFORE THEM, ONE WHO WILL LEAD THEM OUT AND BRING THEM IN, SO THE LORD'S PEOPLE WILL NOT BE LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD."
i. IF THE NATION OF ISRAEL WAS PRONE TO THIS PHYSICALLY
ii. HOW MUCH MORE WOULD WE BE PRONE TO THIS SPIRITUALLY
1. NO ONE SEEKS GOD – WE DO NOT HAVE A NATURAL BENT TOWARDS HIM
2. WE ALL FALL SHORT – EVEN OUR BEST EFFORTS ARE NEVER ENOUGH
3. WE LIKE OUR LIVES DIM. DID YOU EVER PAUSE AND THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT TO BE SO DARK THAT WE CAN’T SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING?
d. WITHOUT THE LORD WE WILL STRAY
i. ISAIAH 53:6 (NIV) WE ALL, LIKE SHEEP, HAVE GONE ASTRAY, EACH OF US HAS TURNED TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
ii. THE ISSUE IS NOT WILL WE STRAY, BUT WHEN WE WILL STRAY
iii. THIS DOES NOT EVEN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT OUR BEST EFFORTS BEFORE STRAYING WOULD STILL FALL SHORT -- ISAIAH 64:6 (NIV)
6 ALL OF US HAVE BECOME LIKE ONE WHO IS UNCLEAN, AND ALL OUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS ARE LIKE FILTHY RAGS; WE ALL SHRIVEL UP LIKE A LEAF, AND LIKE THE WIND OUR SINS SWEEP US AWAY.
e. THE DOOR REVEALS WHO IS WHO
i. THE GATECRASHERS – THIEVES AND ROBBERS
1. THIEVES ARE THOSE WHO “STEAL BY CUNNING”
2. USED OF FALSE TEACHERS
3. ROBBERS ARE THOSE WHO STEAL BY FORCE
ii. THE GATEKEEPER
1. IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THAT THE VALUE OF THE GATEKEEPER IS IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SHEEP
2. SHEEP THAT KNOW THE GATEKEEPER/SHEPHERD WILL NOT FOLLOW THIEVES AND ROBBERS
SO WE NEED THE DOOR/JESUS TO KNOW THE THIEF/ROBBER FROM THE REAL SHEPHERD.
WITHOUT THE REAL GATE/DOOR WE ARE PRONE TO WANDER
II. THE BENEFIT OF THE DOOR
a. THERE IS LIFE BEHIND THE DOOR
i. THE BLESSING OF A PARDONED LIFE -- JOHN 10:9 (NIV) I AM THE GATE; WHOEVER ENTERS THROUGH ME WILL BE SAVED. HE WILL COME IN AND GO OUT, AND FIND PASTURE.
ii. THE BLESSING OF A PROSPEROUS LIFE -- JOHN 10:10 (NIV) THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL.
iii. THE BLESSING OF A PERPETUAL LIFE -- JOHN 10:28 (NIV) I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.
iv. THE BLESSING OF A PRESERVED LIFE -- JOHN 10:28 (NIV) I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.
b. THERE IS LIBERTY BEHIND THE DOOR
i. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD
ii. WE HAVE REAL FREEDOM -- JOHN 8:36 (NIV) SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED.
c. THERE IS LUXURY BEHIND THE DOOR
i. THERE IS PASTURE THROUGH THE DOOR
ii. THERE IS RATION THROUGH THE DOOR
iii. THERE IS REFRESHMENT THROUGH THE DOOR
iv. THERE IS REST THROUGH THE DOOR
PSALM 23:1-6 (NIV) THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT. 2 HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS, 3 HE RESTORES MY SOUL. HE GUIDES ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE. 4 EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME. 5 YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES. YOU ANOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP OVERFLOWS. 6 SURELY GOODNESS AND LOVE WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.
