I Am the Door

Please, shall we be seated? Good morning, everybody.

! Good morning, Chef. Let me first of all start by sincerely appreciating God and my brother, your rector, and my brother, the bishop, and most of all the Bishop Julian Dorff, who is my friend.

We used to say that he is my brother of another mother. Praise God. I was telling Caleb this morning, I said, you are a risk taker.

You've never known me, you've never heard me, and you just decided I should come and preach in your church. That is a great risk. What if I come and I messed up the whole place?

He said, no. Praise the Lord. Thank you so much for allowing me to share your pulpit. Lord, I want to thank you so much for the care, the hospitality, the practical show of Christian love.

We appreciate. We thank everyone of you. I think I will have the opportunity to tell you more about ourselves, particularly myself and my wife later on.

But we came from Nigeria, and I am the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kafanchan. Kafanchan. Kafanchan is in the northern part of Nigeria, and that is where we work.

And incidentally, our cathedral is the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity. Yes. Yes. It's been an old cathedral, and we're trying to build a bigger one.

Our church has grown and expanded that we have to break the cathedral into nine churches. Because we can no longer have service in one place.

So, one night building another church has a capacity of about 3,000 sitting capacity. It's a very huge project. We are trusting that God will do it for us. But all around the area within Kafanchan, we have to split into nine churches, and the churches are fast growing.

In fact, there is one of the churches very close to my house. It's growing bigger than the cathedral. Because in less than six months, about 29 families moved into the church.

And that church is breaking into three. Between last week and this week, we have to split it into three. Now, that's what God is doing all over the place. And when we came to your synod, we saw that happening here.

And I'm saying that some of you don't believe that in less than a few years, you will take over the United States of America. The rate at which you are going, you are going to take over. I thought you said amen to that.

Praise the Lord. For this morning, Jesus said, I am the door.

If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. And we'll go in and out and find pasture. Shall we bow down our head as we pray?

God of all grace and power, we thank you for this morning. We ask, Lord, as we look into your word, the perfect law of liberty.

We ask that you speak grace into our life. We ask that this morning that the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts will be perfect and acceptable before you.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord. You have to say amen. We say a lot of praise the Lord in Nigeria. If you want to make me comfortable, you have to keep on answering amen.

Amen means so let it be. Praise the Lord. Amen. Now, Jesus was addressing the people.

And he said so many things to them. And part of these things Jesus was saying to them causes him a lot of trouble.

A lot of trouble. Because they couldn't understand the context to which he's talking to them. Whatever he said will make them to be more grieved than what he said.

He said one thing, they become grieved and become more grieved and more grievous like that. And these are the things that culminate and that led to his total rejection by the Jews that also led to his persecution.

In the other hand, is God working out his perfect plan for humanity. Many times my wife and I used to just sit down and begin to appreciate God.

We also appreciate Christianity. She came from a Muslim background. And sometimes she would say, she called me daddy. She said daddy, thank you.

Thank you for my life as a Christian. Because she can cast her mind back and look at where she's coming from. Look at what happened in Islam.

Look at the life that is lived in darkness. She said, if not for Christ, I would have been like one of those ones. No, Christianity is a living religion. Christianity is light and life.

Those who are not privileged to come to know Jesus Christ, you may have money. You may be well connected. But you are living in darkness. There is so much you don't know.

And that was like the position of the people in Jesus' day. And I also know that throughout history, from creation, human beings have a kind of an empty, a vacuum position in their heart.

That there is a God that exists somewhere and they want to access him. And that is what led to so many different religions today in the world. You know, Christianity and Islam is one of the ways.

I mean, it's one of the religions that is looking for the way to God. In Islam, you can't access God until you give yourself a total submission to Allah. There is nothing like grace in Islam.

There is nothing like salvation in Islam. There is nothing like life in Islam. All that you have in Islam is that total submission to Allah. You must submit to Him.

Whatever Allah said, that is a standard for life. Whatever the Prophet does, that is what Allah said. I remember my professor, he is a professor of world religion.

And he made me some few months ago to read the Quran, more than I read it before. In one of the hadiths, a man came to see the Prophet. He said, I am married.

I have a wife and some few children. But I am poor. I can't take care of them. The Prophet said, go on, add one more wife. He went and married one more.

And he came back after some month. He said, how far? He said, the situation is worse. I can't feed them. He said, go on, add one more. He went back and added a third wife.

And came back after some month. He said, how far? He said, Prophet of Allah. I am getting worse and worse. He said, go on, add a fourth one. And when the man came back, the fourth wife said, this one came with a lot of blessing.

I am telling you, we are getting better. We can take care of them. He said, now that was a standard that made every Muslim to marry four wives. That was where it happened. So every Muslim has the right to marry four wives.

That every woman you marry comes with her riches. This one may come with poverty. The other with poverty. One of them will come with riches. Praise God. It is one way of trying to access God.

I don't know much about Buddhism. But I also know that in Buddhism, they talk about the four noble truths. That there is suffering.

That suffering can be cured. That suffering, there are about four of them.

I can't really remember all of them. But he is talking about suffering and how man can come out of suffering. Then when you know these four noble truths, then you move forward to access the truth through knowing the eighth noble facts.

When you are able to access the four noble facts, they say you become a Navidad. You are free. You are sanctified. You have access to God. All these are methods and ways in which people are trying to access God.

But that is about other religion. But let's look at what Jesus Christ was saying. Jesus Christ came and was speaking to the people. And this is what he said. He said in John Gospel chapter 10, we have read the story already, but let me read just verse.

Okay, from verse 6. He says, These parables speak Jesus unto them, but they understand not what things they were which he speak unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

I am the door of the sheep. The first one he told them, they didn't understand. In fact, it started in chapter 6.

Jesus Christ made about seven claims. In theology we said, the claims that Jesus made about himself. They were like a kind of dangerous statement he made.

Because the Jews could not understand him. When you look at chapter 6 of John, he said, I am the bread of life. You say what? Bread?

They say he's mad. They were trying to negotiate that. He didn't allow them. He brought in another thing again. In fact, at the point he said, I am the bread of life.

Many of the disciples, they left you. He turned to the twelve. He said, will you also go? He said, how can we go? You have the word of eternal life.

What is he here with you? But the one I just couldn't understand. He said, I am the bread of life. He said, if you eat of me, you will not be hungry again. He said, this man is mad.

And now, when you move to chapter 8, verse 12, he said, I am the light of the world. He said, light? When you talk about light, you will talk about electricity.

You talk about your solar energy. You know, in Africa, we don't have light. We don't have light. And sometimes you can stay off. You may be in darkness for months.

You may not appreciate what Jesus Christ was saying. But he said, I am the light of the world. And all these things keep on offending them. Because they couldn't understand.

And Jesus went further again. In chapter 10, verse 9, he said, I am the door. When we came in this morning, I was with the Chancellor, Dirk.

Then we came out of the car and he said, let me see if the door is the door. Let me see if the front door is open. And I said, wow. He was looking for a way through which we are going to enter the church.

He said, let me see if the front door is open. Because there must be a door through which we can enter. Won't it be a surprise to you? That when you come to church this morning, some people will try to push through the window, knocking they want to enter the church.

Would that look normal? To be as if they are insane. You look for the door. The door is very important. Now, when Jesus Christ was taking this thing to them, He is speaking within a context.

That there is a way, only one way to the Father. There is a door through which the only door you can access the Father. And He said, I am the door.

He was talking about, I am the shepherd. They couldn't understand. He spoke another parable and said, okay now, I am the door. See, I am the door. If you want to have access to the Father, you have to pass through me.

There are so many others that I told you. Some people try to access the door through Islam. But they couldn't have access to the Father. I was so discouraged. So, a few years back, I was in Houston, Texas.

It was not long when Larry King, that great journalist, put Joel Austin under a terrible test and he asked him in an interview, is Jesus the way? You know, Joel Austin couldn't answer.

And many Americans were angry. He said, well, only Jesus knew. No. He couldn't give up sir. And I remember, when the hills were saying, tell him to drop the Bible.

He has no faith. He doesn't know what he's saying. Who is that he's afraid of? Let him tell them the truth. Jesus Christ is the only way. But Joel Austin couldn't say it.

Let me tell you this morning, some people try to access God through different means. You know, some people think that the moment they are baptized, they have entered through the door. You can't be baptized and still end up in hell.

Am I right? Yes. Some people say, when I become a communicant, when I take Holy Communion, then already I'm there. Taking Holy Communion is a good thing.

But you must be able to enter through the door. When you enter through the door, something happens to your life. You become regenerated. You become transformed. You become a different person.

You become like God. You are inside of him. He said, abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot do without abiding with the mentoring.

Jesus, he said, I am the door. In recent times, we see a lot of compromise in Christianity. Sometimes we call it ecognism.

People come from different religious backgrounds. With different understanding of the Bible. And they said, let's sit down together and discuss about one God.

In fact, there is a project in Africa. We call it Progmura. Bishop, have you heard about it? Bishop Ido Ferran champions it. It is a project for Christian and Muslim relationships in Africa.

Now, the whole idea about Progmura is that we are all serving one God. Are we serving one God? Is your God the same with Allah? It is a terrible compromiser.

Until we are able to tell the world the truth. All this position of compromise is weakening our faith. And it is not taking anybody anywhere. And that is why today you see so many people in church.

They have been in church for so many years. But they have not been regenerated. Why? Why? Because they have not been able to access the door. Why?

Because they were being religion, not Christianity. There are two differences. There is different between religion. And there is different between Christianity. In Christianity, you become like Jesus.

You are a little Christ. Remember, it was mentioned in Antioch. When they saw their lifestyle. They saw the way they were talking. They saw the things they were saying. And they said, these are little Jesus.

Little Christ. And they called them Christians. Now, when we begin to call people for dialogue. That we serve the same God. We are doing this and that and that.

May not give the answer to the problem we have in the world today. But when Jesus Christ was speaking to the people. He said, I am the door. He was so objective about it.

He is not saying, I am one of the door. He is saying, I am the door. The door is one. We can't compare it to what we have here today. Because it is possible here in this room we have so many doors.

Leading to so many different places. There are doors all over in the world. And today we have a very bad language from the ICT. You called, you said, you have windows.

You called some computer program. You said, windows 7, windows 10. I hope they are going to have door 1, door 6, door 2.

The world has gone ICT. But there are so many doors. That people are trying to access God.

But why is Jesus Christ speaking to them in this manner? He said, I am the good shepherd earlier. And he said, the good shepherd laid down his life for the sheep.

Now, you need to understand the context to which Jesus Christ is speaking. The sheep generally has no homing instinct. It doesn't hurt. In fact, when you leave it there, it will graze and graze and graze until it gets lost.

The sheep doesn't know how to conduct itself and go back to where it is supposed to sleep. If you allow it there, it will remain there. I am saying this because we have sheep.

My wife rear sheep at home. So, when you don't go every day and begin to gather them and send them back to the peeing, they will sleep wherever they find themselves. So, Jesus said, I am the door. I am the good shepherd.

And he said, I am the door that every sheep can pass through. And because the sheep has no control over itself. It cannot lead itself.

The sheep is helpless. It can be in danger in the presence of wolves. They don't know. They can continue grazing and continue grazing until the wolf will come and pick them away and eat them off.

The sheep depend on the shepherd. Without the shepherd, it cannot lead itself. So, when Jesus was saying all this, the Pharisees could not understand. Because they were the leaders of the people.

They are supposed to be the shepherd of the people. But they are robbers and they are thieves. Many times, Jesus Christ called them Pharisees. Wicked people. You lay upon the people bodies which you know you cannot carry and ask them to carry by force.

And you know in the Old Testament, God was lamenting over the shepherd of Israel in the days of Ezekiel. He said, look at what you have done. You have not tanned my sheep. You have, you have carried the fat ones.

You have eaten them up. You have carried their hair. Make wool for yourself. But the weak, the sick, you don't care for them. So, the Pharisees saw it. I mean the Jew saw as if Jezreel was directly challenging and abusing their position.

Because he said, those who don't come through the door, they are robbers. And they are thieves. And they are wolves. They are of no importance to you.

They are only coming so that they will take the little you have from your hand. But he said, I am the good shepherd. Not only being the good shepherd, I am the door.

If anybody wants to come to the Father, he has to come through me. He said, those who believe and come to the fold through which Jesus Christ is the door.

You see, their life gets better. He said, when you come to me, you shall find pasture. Now, the major question this morning is that, how are you assessing Jesus?

Or, how are you intending to assess God? Or, which way are you falling to come in contact with the Father?

Or, how are you thinking of living your life right here up to eternity? In Nigeria, there is gross misunderstanding of Christianity, I must be honest with you.

In Nigeria, people do so many funny things. In Nigeria, what you see, we have two positions. There are people that are extremely rich in Nigeria.

And some are extremely poor. Can you imagine that somebody would be so rich that he would give money to the Federal Government? Yes. There is one of our members in Nigeria.

He is very rich. He has more than 10 oil wells. So, three years ago, he dashed 2.5 billion nera to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He dashed.

Yesterday, I saw a young man who is just about 48 years old. I know him very well. I saw it in the news. He was arrested by the security agent that he has stolen 11 billion nera.

11 billion. I was in a synod. This young man stood up and gave the bishop 55 million nera. I was there. A young man, 48 years old.

Now, the irony here is that some of them think that by so doing, they are automatically Christians. They may be thinking they will buy God's grace.

That when they give so much money in the church, they are honored in the church. You know, in Nigerian churches, people make chips in the church. When you are made a knight, you are expected to give money to the church.

They become comfortable when they are respected by church leadership. They become comfortable if they give money and people respect them. They can go back out there and begin to live all kinds of life.

They will have wives in America, wives in England, wives in Abuja, wives in Saudi Arabia, wives all over the place. Many wives.

And you won't know until the day they die. When they die, the women will all come up with many children and say we are part of him.

Go and look into his will. We are his family. Begin to share the access with. It will happen. What are we saying this morning? You can't get to the father except through the son.

Jesus Christ is the door. He is not one of the doors. He is the only door. He said and I believe in totally.

No man comes to the father except by me. What business do you have doing here? If you don't believe the totality of the Bible.

This is the word of God. If you don't believe it, you don't have any business doing here. Why do you begin to debate and argue? You want to find meanings. It's simple English.

He simply said I am the door. Is there any grammar there? Do we need to define door? Do we need to learn what is I am? I am means I am.

He said I am the door. If we are not careful who can be carried away into terrible theology. I am beginning to theologize that portion of the scripture.

It will not do you any good. This morning I present him to you again. He is the only door. Do you know what he said? If you pass through him. If you come through the door.

You will find pasture. In Jesus Christ. The desires of your heart will be met. Do you know that in him there is healing. In him there is healing.

As I said who shall believe our report. Who shall believe our report. Upon whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. That he was wounded for our transgression. That the chastisement of our sin was laid upon him.

And that by his stripes we are healed. Do you know what he said? Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you rest.

You have no business carrying the burden upon your shoulder. All you need to do this morning. Come through the door. Come through Jesus Christ. And say here am I oh Lord.

Be merciful to me. I am telling you under God. You will obtain mercy from him this morning. The Bible says. For God so loved the world. And that he gave his only begotten son.

That is why Jesus Christ became the only door. Because he is the only begotten son. That was given by the father. He said God so loved the world. And that he gave his only begotten son.

That whosoever believe in him. Shall not perish. But have everlasting life. You can reconcile with him this morning.

You can access him this morning. Let's bow down our heads to prayer. Shall we pray. Jesus said.

I am the door. Father God we thank you for this morning. We thank you also for your word.

That you have made available. Here this morning. The Bible says that the entrance of your word. Bringeth life.

We ask Lord by knowledge and understanding. You will cause your people this morning. To enter through the door. Those who have wandered away in need of salvation.

You will redirect them to pass through the door. And as many as enter through the door. May them find pasture. In the name of Jesus. Thank you Father.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Amen.