The One Door Of It All Series

1. Candid Camera and Shepherd Story

The “Candid Camera” TV show went to an exclusive prep school where all of the students were well above average. The “Candid Camera” people posed as career consultants who were going to advise these brilliant young men concerning the careers that would be best suited to them, on the basis of “tests” and “interviews” that seemed quite authentic.

One young man eagerly awaited the “counselor’s” verdict. Surely the adviser would tell the boy to be a college president or a bank president, or perhaps a research scientist. But, no, the “counselor” had other ideas. You should have seen the look on the boy’s face when the “counselor” said:

“Son, after evaluating your tests and interview, I’ve decided that the best job for you is- a shepherd.”

The student did not know whether to laugh or cry. After all, who in his right mind would want to be a shepherd? Why devote your life to “stupid sheep” that do not seem to have sense enough to find their way home?

2. Sheep Characteristics

Author, Max Lucado asked the question: “Couldn’t God Have Thought Of Something Better Than Sheep? Of all God’s animals, the sheep is the least able to take care of himself. Sheep are dumb! Have you ever met a sheep trainer? Ever seen sheep tricks? Know anyone who has taught his sheep to roll over? No. Sheep are just too dumb. And they’re defenseless. They have no fangs or claws. They can’t bite you and they can’t outrun you. That’s why you never see sheep as mascots for sports teams.

We’ve heard of the St. Louis Rams and the Chicago Bulls and the Seattle Seahawks, but the New York Lambs? Who wants to be a lamb?

3. Yeshua (Jesus) compares us to sheep and himself to a shepherd – Next week we will discuss “The Good Shepherd” – this week we will note a special aspect of the shepherd-sheep relationship – “The Door”

4. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10.7-10

5. Yeshua (Jesus) as THE Door:

I. The Entrance Door

A. The Shepherd’s Role of Protector

1. Sheep-pen and door

2. Protection against predators – wolves and wolves in sheep’s clothing, etc.

3. Religious leaders trying to be the door of Torah for the people

a. “Thieves and Robbers” – one is covert, the other is overt

b. Can’t lead the sheep – can only steal them

c. Characteristics:

a. Covetous – The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. Luke 16.14

b. Crush Helpless scribes – who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Mark 12.40

c. Create Temple’s Destruction – He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21.13;

8 “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. 12 Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out all your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim. Jeremiah 7.8-15

d. Cause death of Yeshua (Jesus) out of Fear of Rome – 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. John 11.49-53