Narnia: Doorway to a Better Life
John 10:1-10
The classic novel by CS Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells of four London children who are sent to a professor’s country home in for protection during World War II. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical land called Narnia, which is being ruled by an evil witch. To defeat the Witch, they must join forces with Aslan, the lion God of Narnia, and the great battle between good and evil. Eventually, after the defeat of these evil forces, this wardrobe becomes a doorway to a better life.
The Bible declares that Jesus is the door–the door to salvation, to forgiveness, to heaven, to peace, to joy, to an abundant life in the here and now. John 10:7-10: “Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
In his first Chronicle, The Magician’s Nephew, Lewis wrote of a magical tree from which the wardrobe was built. There was another tree, not magical, but wonderful in the sense that from it was fashioned a cruel Roman cross. And it is was this cross that opened the way to to a better world and a better life.
How would you describe life? We know it when we see it and yet have trouble describing it. We look at a city and see traffic moving and people hurrying to and fro and we say, “Now there’s a city that is full of life.” Or we look at a young child at play and we notice him running and jumping and just having a great time and we say that he is “full of life!” Or we may visit a church on our vacation and come away saying, “There was no life there.” We can visualize it, but so often we can’t define exactly what it is that we mean by this term, “life.”
Jesus said in verse 10 that He had come to give us life and that more abundantly. One of the best examples of life lived to the maximum was that of Dr. J.C. McPheeters, past president of Asbury Theological Seminary. When I was a student there he was in his mid 80’s. I remember how impressed and inspired I was when observing how he lived life. His faith was contagious, his conduct was stirring. He was water-skiing at age 75. He walked a brisk pace for thirty minutes each day. His smile was winsome. His preached with conviction and enthusiasm. Everything he did was done with excellence. Now, to me, that spells life! Life with a capital “L.” He made it a practice to live until he died.
Have you ever noticed some folks who confuse life with death? That is to say, they act half dead! They’re the type of people who get up in the morning, grap the newspaper, turn immediately to the obituary column, and check to see if their name is there. If they don’t find it, they get dressed.
When Jesus made that statement in John 10:10, He was saying in effect, “I came to give you something more than just mere existence. I came that you might really live.”
Recently, H. Ruskins & Associates, a research firm sent out a questionnaire and one of the questions they asked was this: “State the best thing that has happened to you in the last five years.” Twelve per cent of those who replied said, “Nothing.” Can you imagine that? Well, Jesus came to take your nothing and make it something!
If there is one word that sums up the Gospel it is the word “life.” You might say, “What about faith?” What is faith if it is not touched by that which is alive? Or you might say, “What about love? Didn’t Paul say it was the greatest gift?” Yes, but what good is it if it is not intermingled with life?
The Bible is saturated with this word. It appears in some form some 1548 times. The writers seem almost to be obsessed with it. There are only 1198 chapters in the Bible. That means if this word were distributed evenly throughout, it would appear 1 ½ times for each chapter. Study the teaching of Jesus in the gospels and you will find Him using the word “life” 130 times.
Write the word life on a piece of paper. Then circle the two middle letters. You see, the door of life swings on the hinges of that word “if.” Jesus said that you can have life at its best IF you walk through the door.
1. JESUS IS THE DOOR OF SALVATION
In John chapter 10, Jesus spoke about two kinds of sheep-folds. In the villages and towns there were communal sheep-folds where all the village flocks were sheltered when they returned home at night. They were protected by a strong door of which only the guardian of the door held the key. Its to that kind of fold that Jesus refers in verses 2 and 3.
But when the sheep were out on the hills in the warm season, when they didn’t come home at night to the village, they were led into sheep-folds out on the hillside. They were just open spaces enclosed by a wall. There was an opening, but no door of any kind. At night the shepherd himself lay down across the opening and no sheep could get out or in except over his body. In the most literal sense, the shepherd was the door! There was no access to the sheep-fold except through him.
That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the door.” Through Him, and through Him alone, people find access to God. Notice the words, “any man” in verse 9. That simply means that no one is kept out if they come by way of the Door.
But there are those who try to climb in some other way–through ritualism, birthright, works, church membership, moralism, and philanthropy.
Illus.: “Trouble With the Door”
The renowned magician and escape artist, Houdini, could get out of any set of handcuffs, or any straight jacket that was ever put on him. In fact, he could usually do it in less than a minute. Only once did he fail. He was in a small town in Britain when it happened. He agreed to exhibit his ability by escaping from the local jail. The cell door was so ordinary looking that he smiled when he saw it. On the given signal he began to use all the terrific speed and dexterity he possessed. But to his great surprise, he couldn’t pick the lock. He tried everything. Finally, after 2 hours, he gave up, completely exhausted. He fell against the door and it sprang open. You see, it had never been locked at all!
Satan has deluded poor sinners who are seeking to find a way to open the door of salvation. He tells them they must work, cry fret, pray every way possible to bring release to their captive souls. Yet, it is only when they fall exhausted from their own efforts and rest their all against the “Door”—the Lord Jesus Christ--that they find the release that they’ve been searching for.
Jesus is the door through which we enter the kingdom of God and He is the door through which our souls are released from sin’s captivity.
2. HE IS THE DOOR TO SERVICE
In verse 9, He says that the sheep of His fold “go in and go out.” They come in to receive and go out to give. They go in to be equipped and go out to minister. Life’s highest purpose is to do good to everyone and to bring souls to Christ. E.A. “Papa” Seamands discovered the secret of an abundant life–serving others. At age 91, after a lifetime of missionary service to India, he continued to travel to that land as a “shuttle missionary.” After each trip he would bring back many requests for hrlp to aid Indian believers in building churches and schools. In addition to raising funds, he also drew the prints and designs for the buildings.
Here’s a good motto to live by: YOU’LL NEVER FIND YOURSELF UNTIL YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO SOMETHING THAT IS BIGGER THAN YOURSELF. Jesus wants us to become doors—doors of service and love, through which others can find Christ.
3. HE IS THE DOOR TO SERENITY
There is something else that we need to see here in this phrase, “shall go in and out.” To be able to come and go unmolested was the Jewish way of describing a life that is absolutely safe and secure. Worries and fears vanish away in the light of God’s promises. Jesus is our door to serenity–peace of mind and heart. As we go out to serve Him, we can assured of His presence to protect us and to meet our needs. There is a certain sense of well-being that comes over us and it is all of faith!
Steps for Dealing With Anxiety
• Put God first. Don’t be eccentric (away from the center)
• Seek His kingdom by asking for His will in all we do
• Remember, what God guides, He provides
• Expect a surprise
• Exchange your impotence for the Spirit’s imminence
• Let God love you
4. HE IS THE DOOR TO ABUNDANT LIVING
In the last part of verse 9, Jesus tells us that when we establish a relationship with Him, He will lead us to pastures where our souls can be fed spiritually and emotionally until we are wholesome individuals. Then in verse 10 He tells us that He has reserved the best pastureland available–not just life, but abundant life. What exactly is abundant life?
• Life with a surplus, a plus
• The life that moves beyond easy believism and into a life of surrender, consecration and whole-hearted commitment.
• The life of victory
It’s there for the taking. Jesus is the door. Faith is the key. How do you know when you have it?
• Possess peace in life’s pressures
• Have power to share your faith
• Possess a burden for the lost and hurting
• Joy and excitement that will motivate you to serve Him
• Possess a compassion that is not native to you
To be a Christian is one thing. To have Christ in us in abundance is much more. Don’t settle for the half-blessed life. Move on in and experience Christ in all His fullness. He is the door to a better life.
