JESUS IS THE DOOR FOR HIS SHEEP
John 10:1-10 - May 2, 2004 – EASTER 4
JOHN 10:1-10
1"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. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
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Dear Christian Friends and fellow saints in the Lord:
We live in a great nation that is diverse. There are many different cultures, many different religions. In the midst of this diversity and manifold differences believers realize there is only one way to heaven. We know some of those Scripture verses that remind us of this fact. In the Gospel, John writes Jesus’ words: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Later on Luke pens the Apostles’ words as they were put in prison and let out, they remind the people that: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (ACTS 4:12). Time and time again the Lord reminds us that it is only through Him and through Christ alone there is salvation. Yet, as we look at the different religions in this world, they often try to point people in different directions.
On this Sunday and in our text we find that the Lord reminds us again that He is the good shepherd. In these ten verses Jesus is the door or gate for His shape. This is what we want to look at. No matter what other religions might combine with the simple message of salvation, there is only one way
JESUS IS THE DOOR FOR HIS SHEEP.
I. Jesus’ sheep listen to His voice.
II. Jesus’ sheep follow His footsteps.
I. Jesus’ sheep listen to his voice.
The words in this chapter of John were spoken to the disciples, and they were also spoken to the leaders of the day. The church leaders of Jesus’ day had become false prophets; because they were combining many things that were not needed for salvation. They were described here by Jesus in the very first verse: 1"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. Jesus, as He lived on earth, went into the temple and drove out the moneychangers. Jesus, as He lived on earth, told the scribes and Pharisees that they were making the Lord’s religion a religion of rules taught by men. They were the thieves and robbers who were trying to steal salvation from God’s people, from His sheep. Later on in our text Jesus repeats: 7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. The true sheep of God’s flock were not going to listen to the scribes and Pharisees. The true sheep of God’s flock realized that keeping all of God’s Law was not enough to save them. After all, no one can keep all of God’s Laws.
The beautiful description we have here is that Jesus is concerned about His flock and His sheep: and the sheep listen to his voice, even though there are those who come in and tries to climb inside other than through the door and try to steal those sheep. Jesus says: 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. The Lord Jesus as the Good Shepherd enters through the door. Jesus also calls Himself the Door (or gate). He says, I am the gate for the sheep. The sheep listen to His voice, because it is a familiar voice. What does He say? He says: The sheep will never follow a stranger. In fact they will run away from him, because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. For those who are trying to mislead the sheep, Jesus’ true sheep will stay put and not follow and even run away. Jesus continues: 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. Over and over the Lord reminds us that He is the Good Shepherd and also the Gate.
Jesus speaks to His sheep and His sheep listen to His voice. You and I have gathered here this morning to hear the voice of Jesus speaking to us. We have gathered here to be reminded of the fact that the Lord is our Shepherd and the Lord is our Gate. The Lord is our only way of salvation. Yet, what has happened throughout the years? We see that there is not one church here on earth. There are many visible churches. There is only one invisible church--the Holy Christian Church. There are many visible churches with all different kinds of beliefs, with all different kinds of teachings. Sadly, some have mixed teachings of men just like during the time of Jesus. Some false prophets come in sheep’s clothing and try to lead astray God’s sheep. The assurance that we have is that the true sheep are going to listen to God’s voice. They are going to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Mark tells us in the last days what happens: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect--if that were possible" (MARK 13:22).
Still it happens that there are those who are deceived. Those deceived are not the true sheep and they are not listening to God’s voice. We know some of those throughout the years who had been cult leaders and led people astray. There was David Koresh in Texas and many people died, and also Jones in South America and people followed and died. They were led astray, and that list goes on. They were not listening to the voice of Jesus. Throughout the years it changes--different names but the same kind of people who forget that Jesus is the only way to salvation. It will not get any better, will it? Paul describes this very accurately in Timothy when he describes the attitude of men and the attitude of our sinful nature: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 TIMOTHY 4:3). That attitude appeals to our sinful nature. Our sinful nature does not want to hear God’s law that condemns our sin. Our sinful nature does not want to hear God’s law that says we deserve only a place with Satan in hell itself. But everyone needs to hear that.
We also need to hear that voice of Jesus saying, "Yes, our sins stand as condemnation for each one of us." Because in hearing those words, we realize that we cannot save ourselves. In hearing those words of the law, we realize that Christ is our only Good Shepherd. Jesus is our only Door of salvation. We listen to His voice that says, "Sinners, your sins are forgiven." Jesus is the Door for His sheep; and we, as His sheep, listen to His voice. Jesus’ voice says to each true sheep, "Come. I have forgiven your sins." In the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper Jesus says, "Come, eat my body and drink my blood, and be reminded how much I have done for you." The Lord tells us in John: "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood" (1 JOHN 4:6). We have God’s Word. As we listen to God’s voice, we know what is true and right. As we understand what is true we also recognize what is wrong and false.
Jesus is the Door for His sheep. We as sheep listen to His voice, and we as His sheep follow Him in His footsteps. That is the next comparison that Jesus uses for us this morning.
II. Jesus’ sheep follow his footsteps.
Jesus talks about the sheep pen and the door that is there and how the doorkeeper opens the door for the shepherd. The sheep listen to his voice, and what happens? He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Actually, the original gives us the picture that as he calls them and leads them out; at times he has to get in and push them out the door that they might leave. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. So the sheep come out of that enclosure through the door. The sheep listen to the shepherd and follow him in his footsteps because they know his voice.
The sheep pen wasn’t a very big area. It was used at night as an enclosure to keep the sheep safe. The walls were high enough so that the sheep could not get out and that the wild animals could not get in. Each morning the shepherd would call to them, and they would hear that familiar voice and go out. Jesus says, I am the gate. Sounds pretty simple. Sounds easy to understand, doesn’t it? Yet, what are we told? 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. After Jesus had clearly explained all of this, they still did not understand. Then we heard in our Gospel lesson(JOHN 10:22-30) later on in this same chapter they still did not understand. They said, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Tell us who you are?" Even in our text He told them: 7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep." And in another verse: "I am the gate." Still the disciples wondered.
The sheep need to listen to His voice time and time again, before they are going to follow His footsteps. You and I as God’s sheep need to listen to His voice before we are willing to recognize Him and understand His meaning for His will in our lives. We think of last Sunday, and the disciples on the way to Emmaus. These two disciples heard Jesus speak to them but did not recognize Him. As they sat down to eat, Jesus spoke to them and did those familiar things; then they recognized Him. Jesus took the bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them. Then these two disciples recognized Jesus because they were seeing the familiar things Jesus did for them.
This is the gate. Jesus says to His sheep, "Listen to My voice that you may follow my footsteps. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. Jesus promises blessing upon blessing, not just for life, but also for eternity. He says: 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. What powerful words of encouragement these were for the disciples. It did take them awhile to understand the full depth and meaning of what Jesus said to them that they would have life to the full. Jesus spoke these words to the disciples before He was crucified on the cross, before he was laid to rest in the tomb, and came back to life. I am sure that on Easter Sunday and the days following, they may have recalled these words when Jesus said, "I am the Gate. I am the Door for the sheep. I have come that you may have life to the full."
Sometimes, in our day-to-day living, we might not think we have life to the full. It may not seem like it. The world around us says that if you don’t have money enough, how can you enjoy life? If you don’t have your health, how can you enjoy life? If you don’t have.....and that list goes on. The world often offers something different for us so that we might have a full life. Yet, the Lord says to us this morning as His sheep we already have a full life. We have the full life because Jesus has given us eternity. For in this life no matter what we have set our sights on be it wealth, prestige, honor, glory, or power, we will not be satisfied—nor will we have life to the full. Instead, when we look and listen to Jesus’ voice, we can see the things that He gives us. Then our life becomes full. Paul reminds Jesus’ sheep in Corinthians: "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" (2 CORINTHIANS 5:15).
On these Sundays after Easter we celebrate the fact that Jesus rose again from the dead. Jesus, the door, gives us a reason to follow His footsteps. We hear His voice, a voice that says, "Your sins are forgiven." We follow Him, because of what He has done for us. What does that mean in this life? In this life to take a stand as a believer, to take a stand as a Christian, is not always a popular stand. It is not always a politically correct stand. In fact if you watch the news and listen closely, the Christian stand is sometimes called a stand, which is a "far right or radical belief." This is because that is the way the media looks at Christianity and true believers. So what does that mean for us? It means that we still have to stand firm. We still have to listen to Jesus’ voice. As we listen to Jesus’ voice, we still want to follow His footsteps. That means we might have to take a stand that is not too popular. Jesus says, ’If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’" (LUKE 9:23). That means from time to time that we have to deny our sinful flesh, which says, "I am just going along with what the world says." From time to time we are going to have to deny the sinful desires of our sinful nature, and take up our cross and follow Jesus in His footsteps.
In this midst of the troubles of this world we still rejoice and are thankful. We will not follow Jesus all the way to the cross and die the death that He did, because He already did that for us. Jesus’ footsteps took Him to the cross. Jesus’ footsteps took Him to the tomb as an innocent victim, so that we will never have to face such torture. But we still have our crosses from time to time in our daily life, but the Lord says, "Hear My voice. Follow my footsteps, because you will have a full life." Peter writes: "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" (1 PETER 5:4). There is quite a jump there, quite a jump from this life into eternal life. There is quite a jump in his comparison. First of all, we are described as sheep. Sheep are to follow the Shepherd’s voice. Sheep are to go through the door and follow His footsteps. In this verse, Peter reminds us that we are more than sheep, aren’t we? We are God’s children. If we are God’s children, we are heirs of eternal life. The inheritance our loving Lord has prepared for us is to sit beside Him on thrones of glory with "crowns of glory" that will never fade away. Jesus the Good Shepherd came so that the world might have life and have it to the full. Jesus’ true sheep rejoice in this certainty of salvation.
Yes, we live in a country that is diverse, that has a plurality of religions. We live in a country where there is freedom of religion and speech and all of the other blessings that we enjoy. In the midst of all this diversity the Lord says there is only one way to heaven. This is still the simple truth for eternal salvation. This is what we are reminded of this morning when Jesus reminds us that He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus reminds us that He is the Gate for His sheep. There is only one Gate, one Door to heaven; and that is through Christ and Christ alone. Jesus is that Door for His sheep. His sheep listen to His voice, and His sheep follow His footsteps.
As we sang in our Psalm, Psalm 23, it begins and ends with that very thought of listening to Jesus’ voice and following His footsteps. It says: "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters...(The sheep listen to His voice.) Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (PSALM 23:1,2,6). The sheep follow Jesus’, the good shepherd’s, footsteps into heaven. It may not always easy, but the Lord promises a full life. The Lord is our Door. We are His sheep who listen to His voice and need to pay attention to it. We are His sheep who are anxious and excited to follow His footsteps, not just here on earth, but also right through the door into heaven itself. Jesus is that Door. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
