The Great I Am – The Gate
May 9, 2004
John 10:1-10
Sunday AM
Review: A few weeks ago, we began a study on the self descriptions of Jesus found in John known as the “I am” discourses – 7 statements made by Jesus to help us to realize that He was the great “I am” of the O.T., who came to seek and to save the lost.
Read: John 10:1-10
Intro: To refresh your memory, I want to remind you that this is one of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus b/c people often miss the context. In chapter 9, Jesus had just healed a blind man who was taken to the Pharisees, but rather than rejoicing w/ the man, the Pharisees condemned and excommunicated him for being born blind claiming his sin was responsible for his condition.
This sermon grew out of our Lord’s confrontation w/ the Pharisees in their handling of this man and in their ambition to keep the masses under their influence. Jesus is speaking to the masses to help them understand that the way of the Pharisees is not the way of God – but rather that the way of God was through the grace and mercy he offered.
Trans: Jesus opened His sermon w/ a familiar illustration (shepherds and sheep) knowing that every one there would have some understanding.
In Christ’s day, sheep were kept two ways. The first way was in cities and villages. Usually there was a large holding corral where shepherds would bring their flocks to secure them at night – it was a public pen able to hold several flocks under the care of a porter whose duty was to guard the gate during the night and to admit the shepherds in the AM. The shepherds would walk into the pen, call their sheep and the sheep would respond to the voice of their shepherd who would lead them out to pasture.
The second way was how a shepherd would tend his sheep in the country. A shepherd would herd his sheep into a low walled enclosure of piled rocks w/ a small opening. At night, since there was no gate, just an opening, the shepherd would lie across the opening to keep the sheep in and the wild animals out – he would literally become the door. I believe Jesus refers to both of these in this text for two distinct reasons. First, Jesus was trying to expose the false teaching of the Pharisees while secondly, He is introducing Himself as the truth of God.
vs. 1-6: Jesus is speaking of the communal pen where shepherds were allowed entrance by permission from the porter.
Trans: Jesus is trying to help the people to understand that the Pharisees weren’t really their shepherds but false teachers and only people who attend to them like He does are actually their spiritual shepherds.
I The ALLEGATION vs. 1
Verse: 1 I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber
Note: Access to the sheep could only be granted by one of two ways. Either you had to enter by the way of the porter or you had to sneak in over the wall. Jesus made a very clear indictment concerning the teachers of the law and priests who regarded themselves as shepherds of the people – He was saying, true shepherds come by the way of the porter (God) to care for you, but the Pharisees are thieves who are trying to lead you astray.
Note: Jesus calls these men thieves (kleptes – one who steals w/ stealth) and robbers (lestes – one who takes w/ violence). The first steals by hiding it underneath his coat while the second steals it at gun point – False teachers
Point: There are those who will use cunning deception to lead others astray and there are those who will use force and manipulation to get their way. And Jesus is declaring that the Pharisees are false teachers.
II The ASSOCIATION vs. 2-4
Trans: I think it is important to understand the message here – there are many false teachers about us knowingly and unknowingly leading people astray. In fact, I dare say that the vast majority of the Pharisees thought that they were doing the right thing – yet they were dead wrong. They were religion w/out relationship – and Christianity is religion w/ relationship.
Note: It is not a coincidence that Jesus refers to us as sheep – were dumb. We’ll follow someone b/c they tickle our ears or rub our tummies not realizing that they are leading us astray. (Koresh/Manson/Space People)
Trans: It is imperative we learn how to identify a good shepherd from God.
Note: False teachers are anyone who espouse instruction for living that is contrary to the Word and will of God – philosophy, theology, musician…
A Good Shepherds are CALLED of God (God’s anointing)
Verse: 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
Trans: As we will see in a few minutes, the gate refers to Jesus – thus a good shepherd is identifiable by the call of God.
Note: He does not obtain his position by the ways of this world, but by the leading and influence of God’s Spirit.
False teachers gain their position thru legacy, politics, self declaration, and human ingenuity. (Joseph Smith)
B Good Shepherds are LED by God and LEAD their Sheep to God
Verse: 3 The doorkeeper (porter) opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4a When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them.
Note: He does not carve a path that seems right to himself but understands that he has received a divine commission from God to win people to faith, grow them up in the faith, and send them out to share the faith.
False teachers have their own agenda and have little if any interest in God’s agenda. If your pastor or teachers ever teach a message contrary to the Word and will of God then they are apostates leading you astray.
Insert: If I told you that you did not have to bring your tithes and offering to God – some of you would be elated – it would be music to your ears b/c you’ve been looking for a reason to hold on to “your” money w/out conviction. The problem is, I would be leading you astray away from God – b/c God commands and demands your faithfulness w/ all your resources asking that you bring the first 10th to the storehouse to care for the work of God.
C Good Shepherds SPEAK the Things of God
Verse: .…the sheep hear his voice… 4b The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
Note: The first sign of a Godly pastor is he speaks God’s Word and not his own words. If the truth gets watered down and you start to feel good about yourself even though you’re in sin – then you have reason to worry b/c you’ve been sucked into a lie.
Note: God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and God’s man will never allow you to live in a perpetual state of sin w/out conviction, confrontation, and chastisement.
Verse: For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. Hb. 4:12
Verse: Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. They equip God’s servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things. 2 Tm. 3:16-17
Verse: Be instant in season and out of season – reprove, rebuke, exhort and encourage with great patience and instruction. 2 Tm. 4:2
Note: I’ve nothing to offer you but the Word of God. If you don’t like it – if it stomps on your toes – GREAT! Your problem isn’t w/ me – it’s w/ God.
Note: My job is to the best of my ability share w/ you the truth – as I recently shared, it’s not my job to convict or convert – but simply to convey.
III The ASSESSMENT vs. 5
Verse: 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.
Note: People of the Word seldom get lead astray. In fact, when they hear false teaching, they recognize it and either flee from it or confront it.
Point: If you are constantly being lead astray be the wiles of the world and the instruction of false teachers it means that you are either lost (unsaved) or else you are immature (a babe in Christ).
The only way to change the condition of your soul is to receive Christ by faith – confessing your sinfulness and need for Him and receiving His payment for you on the cross. The only way to grow up is by becoming a hearer and doer of the Word. It’s by reading and obeying its precepts.
Verse: Study to show yourself approved of God as a workman who needs not to be ashamed, but handles with accuracy the Word of Truth. 2 Tm. 2:15
IV The ANNOUNCEMENT vs. 6-10
Verse: 6 Jesus gave them this illustration, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them. 7 So Jesus said, “I assure you: I am the gate of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.
Trans: Here is where I believe Jesus transitions to refer to the shepherd who is tending his sheep in the country. Remember, the sheepfold in the country was a smaller low-walled corral w/ a single narrow entrance.
Note: Here is where it gets interesting. The corral had a narrow opening, but there was not gate. The shepherd slept in the entrance becoming the door.
Story: The great preacher G. Campbell Morgan once traveled across the Atlantic w/ the great O.T. scholar, Sir George Adam Smith. On their voyage, the two men began discussing this text and Smith shared a personal incident:
While traveling in the East, Smith came upon a shepherd w/his sheep. He initiated a conversation which led the man to show Smith the fold where he led the sheep at night – it consisted of 4-walls and a narrow opening. Smith asked, “This is where they go at night?” The shepherd replied, “Yes, and when they are in there they are perfectly safe.” Smith replied, “But there is no door.” The shepherd responded, “I am the door.”
Of course, the shepherd was not a Christian man, he was simply speaking from an Arab shepherd’s point of view.
Smith asked, “What do you mean you are the door?” The shepherd replied, “When the light has gone, and all the sheep are inside, I lie in the open space, and no sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf comes in unless he crosses my body; I am the door.”
Note: This is precisely what Jesus is saying to us here in this text. I am the door! To go into the fold, you must go through me. To go out to pasture, you must go through me.
Note: As the door, Jesus is the protector and provider of the sheep. Thus, when you come in the door, you are not only saved, but you are safe and secure. When you go out to pasture, you are nurtured and satisfied.
Verse: 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.
A The Gate of SALVATION
1 An EXCLUSIVE Declaration
Note: Jesus is the one and only gate – the sole way to God.
Note: This is a fundamental truth of Christianity – if there is no Jesus, then there is no way to God, no truth about God, and no life w/ God.
Insert: Jesus made an exclusive claim – I am God. I am the only way to God. No other religions leaders have ever made such a bold claim and were able to back it up. Why? B/c they were men – but Jesus was God in the flesh.
2 An INCLUSIVE Invitation
Trans: If anyone enters – salvation is available to anyone who will believe. It’s not based upon effort, ability, looks, or deeds – it is based solely upon the work of God. This is why it must be exclusive – b/c only Christ died. But it is inclusive, b/c Jesus died for all who would believe.
Note: Salvation is available to everyone, but it’s not automatic. You must believe and receive when the Spirit of God calls and convicts.
B The Gate of SECURITY
Note: There is a two-fold security – first there is the security of my eternal life – salvation (John 10:28) and there is the security of earthly life.
1 ETERNAL Life
2 EARTHLY Life
Note: God wants me to know that no mater how great the trial or temptation, that I am safe in His care. He tells me to trust Him, cast my cares upon Him, consider all things joy in Him, and believe that He will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory.
God wants me to know that I am His child and that I am in His care.
C The Gate of SATISFACTION
Note: Jesus came to satisfy the wrath of God and bring us into a peaceful relationship w/ the Father satisfying the God-shaped vacuum in our souls.
He also came to give us purpose on this earth. He came to leads us that we might have value in this life for His kingdom and His glory. He wants you to have joy, happiness, and fulfillment – but he wants the source to be Himself. As believers, we will never find fulfillment in the thinks of this world b/c God jealously wants us to find our satisfaction in Him alone.
