[0:00] Seeking the Lord's help and blessing, let us turn back to the portion of scripture that we read together in the New Testament in the Gospel of John, chapter 10, and we'll read verse 9.
[0:16] I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.
[0:28] This expression, I am the door, is one of seven similar expressions that are to be found only in the Gospel of John.
[0:40] The other six are, I am the light of the world, I am the gate, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way and the truth and the life, and I am the true vine.
[0:56] The expression, I am, that Jesus uses to introduce himself to the people is interesting. We read in John, chapter 8, where Jesus is speaking to the Jewish leaders who claim that they were descendants of Abraham, and he says to them that if they were the children of Abraham, they would believe on him.
[1:20] And then Jesus makes this remarkable statement, where he claims to have existed before Abraham, for he said, before Abraham was, I am.
[1:33] In other words, he is saying to them, I existed before Abraham, and I continue to exist after Abraham. Jesus, by identifying himself as the I am, he is identifying himself with the way in which God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush in the wilderness, when he commissioned him to the task of taking the children of Israel out of Egypt.
[2:06] Moses asked, what is your name? And God told him to say that I am sent you. Now this, John, Jesus applies this self-same designation to himself.
[2:22] I am the door. What Jesus wants the crowd to focus upon is to know who he is.
[2:33] He is the great I am, who is from everlasting to everlasting. In other words, to use a Pauline phrase, he is God manifest in the flesh.
[2:51] That is, in simple words, what he is telling them when he says, I am. I am the door, or I am the good shepherd, or the I am's expressions.
[3:03] I am. I am God manifest in the flesh. Now we shall look at the context a wee bit more.
[3:16] Jesus uses images that people could grasp and hold on to as he speaks of himself here as the door. In the context of the story brought before us, in the previous chapter, in the treatment of the Pharisees towards the man who was born blind, whom Jesus healed.
[3:37] In the previous chapter, we find that Jesus had given sight to one born blind, which aroused the jealousy and the enmity of the Pharisees, so that when the man confessed that it was Jesus who had opened his eyes, they cast the man out of the synagogue.
[3:56] When Jesus heard of this, he had once sought the man, and when he had found him, he said to him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
[4:10] And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is see that talketh with thee. And the man who had received his sight said, Lord, I believe.
[4:23] And he worshipped him. The man not only received physical sight, but obviously he also received spiritual sight. And he became a great witness for Jesus Christ.
[4:35] He not only confessed Jesus, but he came to defend Jesus. He spoke of him openly and unashamedly, and told of what Jesus had done for them.
[4:47] One thing, he says, I know that whereas I was blind, now I see. Then Jesus began to speak to the Pharisees and the religious leaders of his day, directly and exposing their wickedness and their dealing with a man who had just been healed.
[5:09] In this passage that we have tonight, we find one of the most beloved pictures that we have of Jesus as the good shepherd. Shepherds and sheep are inseparably woven into the language and imagery of the Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.
[5:29] In the Old Testament, the prophets often describe God as the shepherd and the people of Israel as his flock. Many references are to be found in the book of Psalms.
[5:43] Probably the most famous is Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd. Psalm 77, thou didst lead thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
[5:56] Psalm 100, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. And this imagery also flows into the New Testament as Jesus often has pity upon the people because he sees them as sheep without a shepherd.
[6:14] And very often we find that in the Bible, in the Gospels, that Jesus calls his disciples a little flock. This imagery was also given to remind the church of their duty towards their fellow man.
[6:29] The leaders of the church are called shepherds and the people are the flock. In fact, the word pastor is the Latin word for shepherd.
[6:41] Christ's last command to Peter was that he should feed his lambs and his sheep. Paul urges the elders of Ephesus, Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.
[7:02] For I know that this after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Now in the days of Jesus a shepherd's life was extremely hard.
[7:17] No flock ever grazed without a shepherd for there was always the danger of wild animals especially wolves and ropers who were always keen to steal the sheep.
[7:29] No shepherd was ever of duty and also with little grass and no fences sheep were bound to wander and get lost and so they had constantly to be watched.
[7:43] So constant vigilance, fearless courage and patient love for his flock were the necessary characteristics of the shepherd.
[7:55] Now in this parable that we have here in chapter 10 Jesus speaks about two kinds of sheepfolds. There was in the villages and towns what they would known as communal sheepfolds perhaps six to twelve feet high where all the village flocks would come and be sheltered at night.
[8:16] These sheepfolds were protected by a strong door of which only the guardian of the door here called the porter held the key.
[8:28] In the morning the shepherds would come and the porter opened the door and the shepherds would call their sheep and to be assembled to assemble their own flock because the sheep would recognise the shepherd's voice.
[8:42] It was to this kind of fold that Jesus refers to at the beginning of this chapter. But when the sheep were out on the hills in the warm season and did not return home at night to the village at all they would be collected into sheepfolds on the hillside.
[9:00] Now these hillside sheepfolds were just open spaces enclosed by a wall and in them there would be no opening by which the sheep came in and out but there would be no door of any kind.
[9:16] What happened was at night the shepherd himself lay down across the opening and no sheep could get out or in except over his body.
[9:27] In the most literal sense the shepherd was the door. And that is what Jesus was thinking of when he said here I am the door for it is through him and through him alone that men have access to God that people have access to God.
[9:50] By me if any man enter in he shall be saved. This is a door that God by his sovereign grace has given to us.
[10:02] So the imagery here is of the sheepfold that was out on the hillside not the one that was in the village. Now you will have noticed that from verse 1 to 9 there are four references to a door.
[10:19] Verse 1 2 speaks of the door of the sheepfold. Verse 7 the door of the sheep and here verse 9 I am the door. Now A.W. Pink has an interesting thing to say about all these references.
[10:34] He claims that in verse 1 to 8 that Jesus is making a reference to Judaism and to those who came out of Judaism. Verily verily I say unto you he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same as a thief and a robber but he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
[10:58] Here Jesus presents himself as the shepherd of the sheep the one who has entered lawfully and in accordance with scripture into the sheepfold of Judaism and out of there he has called his own sheep he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out.
[11:21] Then in verse 7 we read this parable spake Jesus unto them that's the Pharisees but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them then said Jesus unto them again verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep all that ever came before me are thieves and rubbish but the sheep did not hear them he calls his sheep his own sheep out of Judaism and he calls them unto himself as the door of the sheep he was the door by which the sheep passed out from Judaism he had not come to restore Judaism but to lead his own sheep unto himself the door of verse one was God's appointed way for the shepherd unto Judaism and the door of verse seven was the way out of Judaism by Christ leading his own sheep to himself now I think there can be some merit there in what
[12:24] A.W. Pink is saying we can see that in verse one and two he gives us a picture of the shepherd as his servant who lawfully enters into the sheepfold and calls out his sheep and in verse seven he gives a picture of the shepherd who cares for his sheep however the door in our text this evening speaks of a door of salvation and that's what we're going to focus on a door of salvation which brings us access into to the presence of God I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture we read there in Genesis chapter 3 therefore the Lord God sent him forth as Adam from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken so he drove out the man and he placed at the east of the garden of
[13:32] Eden cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life the life of paradise the life of fellowship and communion with God was lost and entrance was impossible for mankind man had become alienated from God sin was a barrier that came between man and God how could man ever draw near to God again how could man ever enter into fellowship and communion with God again if there is no door there is no access but here Jesus says to us that a way has been provided in him into God that we can have access into God that communion and fellowship with God that was broken by sin can be restored in him that in him we can have salvation so as we look upon
[14:44] Jesus as the door our focus is going to be especially upon him as the door that provides entrance for us unto God and to salvation salvation now the thing about this door or any door is that it is necessary it's necessary for us to have doors to this building so the thing about doors is that it is necessary and if we are going to get entrance into a place we have to have a way in so it was necessary that a door be found for us to enter and to have access to God and access to fellowship and communion with God to have access to salvation and using this figure of a door Jesus is telling us what he is to needy sinners to needy sinners he is the door he is bringing before us what is necessary for a sinner to enter into salvation he is telling us that there is one thing that we need if we are going to be brought near to
[15:56] God and obtain salvation and that is a door we need a means of entrance into God's salvation and he says to us I am that door imagine being in a building that is on fire with no fire exits no door to escape what panic there would be and yet spiritually we can fall into such a state of which the rich man in Luke 16 says send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame he sees no way of escape but here this evening we have a way of escape in the person who says to me and to you I am the door remember the words of the writer to the
[17:01] Hebrews who says how shall we escape if we neglect so create a salvation the door is necessary there is a necessity for Christ to be the door of salvation because there is a barrier between the sinner and God a barrier that we have erected ourselves Isaiah says your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear and the only way through that barrier is in Christ in the one who says tonight to you and to me I am the door there is no other entrance into heaven but through him there is no other entrance into salvation but to Christ reject the door reject
[18:04] Christ despise Christ and you are lost you are lost there is no way that we can climb over this barrier there is no way that we can get beneath it there is no way that we can get round it to get through this barrier that stands between me and God for salvation I need a door and Jesus is saying to me and to you tonight in regards to our salvation I am the door there is no other way whereby I or you can be saved but by going through this door which is Jesus Christ notice not only the necessity of the door but the singularity of the door it doesn't say here I am one of the doors there are not many doors just one door I am the door it is fashionable in our day to speak of many ways of access to
[19:11] God but here Jesus raised down the exclusive claim that he is the only access to God in our day of tolerance many many want to say that all religious roads end up in the same place people can claim that Buddhism Islam Mormonism are all spiritual journeys that sincere seekers may travel to find God but that is false that is wrong Jesus here lays down the exclusive claim it is an exclusive claim that he is the only door to salvation and to make the exclusive claim that Jesus is the only way of access to God is seen today and our day has been intolerant and narrow minded and his claim to have no place in post modern age yet this is precisely what
[20:19] Jesus claims here he is not just a better way but he is the only way of access to God he is the only way to heaven he is the only way by which a sinner can be justified in the presence of God he is the only way whereby a sinner like me and you can be saved from the wrath and the condemnation that our sins deserve from God this is the only way Jesus Christ is the only way he is the only door of salvation to try and climb up any other way we are only thieves and robbers Jesus is the only door that opens to us salvation in 1st Timothy chapter 2 we read for there is one God and one mediator between
[21:19] God and men the man Christ Jesus a door is that which leads you from one point to another point takes you from one instance from one room to another room now we are in a room where we are the enemies of God we are estranged from God we are alienated from God we are separate from God because of our sin and if we are going to go into a room where we are the friends of God where we are reconciled to God where we are at peace with God then we need a door and that is the door that is spoken of there in Timothy for there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus this man Christ this man
[22:20] Jesus is the door to another point in our relationship with God if you desire to be saved there is only one way and that is through this door which is Jesus Christ the necessity of the door the singularity of the door but let us look thirdly at the suitability of this door this is a suitable door it is a suitable door for providing entrance for us into God and salvation as a door has two sides so Jesus has two natures a divine agent and a human nature which makes him suitable to be the door of salvation as we have already noted this evening he is God manifest in the flesh he is a suitable door for our salvation way back again in
[23:26] Genesis God was telling man that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood there is no remission and in Hebrews chapter 10 we read regarding all the rituals of the Old Testament that it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins their insufficiency was laid out in the fact that they had to be repeated time after time after time but the writer of the Hebrew goes on to say where for when he cometh into the world that is Jesus when he cometh into the world he said sacrifice an offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me and again in the same book we read for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same for verily he took not on him the nature of angels but he took on him the seed of
[24:26] Abraham where for in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren he became incarnate and becoming incarnate made him suitable to be the door that would lead us to salvation he became incarnate so the writer to the Hebrews again continues and he says that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for then that he himself had been suffered been tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted here then in the book of Hebrews clearly we see the suitability of Jesus to be the door of salvation for sinners like me and you I am the door there is no other door and tonight
[25:27] I want you to leave this place convinced of that fact that there is no other door to salvation but in Jesus Christ alone it is an exclusive claim made by the son of God it is an exclusive claim made by Jesus himself I am the door by me if any man enter in there is no other way to God but through the door which is in Christ in the book of Acts we read these words neither is salvation in any other for there is not another name unto heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Jesus said no man cometh to the father but by me is it not clear that we need to go through the story we are going to be saved are you convinced of that tonight that you must go through this door and that there is no other door to salvation but through or in
[26:45] Jesus Christ Christ is clearly the door for the sinner and it is a door that offers hope it is a door that offers deliverance if you have not gone through this door then you should press through this door even now or if you are not going through this door there is no hope there is no deliverance if any man enter in by me if any man enter in this door is open to all alike for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved you come not with any goodness of your own but you come with your lord of sin trusting that he will deal with your sin trusting that he will give you access into a relationship with
[28:05] God whatever your past has been whatever horrendous sins that you have committed however unfaithful you may have been in your life however unfaithful you may have been in your marriage however unfaithful you have been in the things of God however unfaithful you have been he says here if any man enter in here is the place even for the man who is in the gutter of life here is a place that is open for him here is a door by which he can enter into salvation the person on the dung hill tonight here is a door for him or her to enter into salvation whatever your past is whatever your present is here is a door if any man enter in the door is open to all alike it is open to the oldest it is open to the youngest person here tonight the door is open to all alike if any man enter in whosoever believeth in him
[29:23] I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved if any man enter in he shall be saved the qualification for salvation is that you enter through the door which is in Christ the door which is in Jesus Christ it doesn't say make yourself better reform your life a little bit no that's not what it says it says if any man enter the qualification is that you enter through this door which is Jesus Christ and you will be saved no other qualification is required he requires that you use what he by his grace has provided for you the angels that fell from the estate were in they were created that fell there was no door open for them they are reserved to the day of judgment no door of salvation for them but man when he fell
[30:43] God in his love in his grace provided a door and the door was his own beloved son whom he sent and not only did he send him but he delivered him up to the curse of the cross of Golgotha and there he laid upon him what your sins and my sins deserved and why in order that he would become a door for me and you to be saved the graciousness of God the love of God the provision of God how can you despise such love tonight how can you reject such grace tonight how can you despise and reject such a provision tonight think of it my friend he could have left you and he could have left me he could have left mankind he could have sent us all to hell but out of his love and his grace and his mercy he says
[31:56] I'm going to provide a door for mankind and the door is my son there is no other suitable door this is the only suitable door and I am going to provide my son and I am going to send him to earth and I am going to send him and deliver him up to the cross of Golgotha and there I am going to lay upon him the sins of all those who will put their trust in him I am going to lay their sins upon and I am going to deal with them I am going to punish their sins in my darling son in the darling of heaven I'm going to punish their sins in him so that he will become a door of salvation for them what love what grace what mercy how my friend how will you stand at the judgment seat and look at the eye of Christ and say
[32:57] I despised your love I rejected your grace I dismissed every exhortation of the gospel how can you stand at the judgment seat of Christ and look in the eye for you have despised his provision notice here he says I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved he demands that you believe in his son he demands that you turn from your sin because if you don't my friend you will perish I don't want anyone here tonight to leave without knowing that if you do not have Christ you will perish you do not have
[34:00] Christ if you have not entered in by this door you are lost you are lost well what is going to be your choice tonight how many years have you passed by this door this door has been before you in the gospel lifted up in the gospel so many years before you and what have you done with it you have passed it by tonight I exhort you to enter in by the door don't pass it by anymore you've done that for too many years remember my dear friend if you continue passing it by the time will come when you pass by it for the last time and it will be too late then oh there will be those on that day who will cry out Lord Lord open to us
[35:00] I'll be too late now is the day of salvation now is the accepted time and Jesus as the door opens for us not only assurance be saved he says here if I am adored by me if any man enter he shall be saved the assurance of salvation you will be saved but Jesus as the door opens for us not only assurance be saved but also the assurance of satisfaction he shall go in and out and find pasture that is satisfaction everyone here tonight who have passed through this door is satisfied they have found satisfaction a satisfaction that the world could never offer to them you think the world is a place where you find satisfaction
[36:01] I tell you my friend it is not that is why you day after day night after night week after week year after year you run after the same thing because you never find satisfaction but the person identified by the door by Jesus Christ finds satisfaction they go after no other means or way of salvation because they found satisfaction in Jesus Christ I am the door if by me if any man enter in he shall be saved assurance and then satisfaction he shall go in and out and find pasture it speaks of the gracious provision that has been made for the nourishment of the sheep Psalm 23 reminds us he maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters the pasture speak not only of food but also rest and I've been led beside the still waters the still waters of quietness and peace and rest or tonight you might be saying well it's okay for me to be told to come to Jesus but what about the rest of my life how can
[37:25] I stand how can I bear to be reproached for following Christ and enduring hardship well here is the answer when you come to Christ you are able to go in and out and find all that is necessary Paul could say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me saved and satisfied is what Christ does for the person who comes to him and who enters in by the door he that cometh to me he will in no wise cast my dear friend you have no excuse tonight for not coming to Christ or you build up excuses I know you will that is our fallen nature tells the gospel to come up with excuses I am too young I am too old my past
[38:25] I need to improve myself a bit I need to reform a wee bit before I come home no that is not what my Bible tells me that is not what Jesus tells me at all what Jesus tells me is this he that cometh to him he will in no wise cast out in other words he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast them out whatever their past is what even their present is I will in no wise cast that person out if that person enters by the door him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved now tonight I hear somebody say oh yes I want to be saved but but this and but that I want to be saved but my past
[39:25] I want to be saved but I fear that I will not be able to continue in the Christian pathway I want to be saved but there's something else I need to do but but but but my dear friend this that but has sent millions to hell millions who have said I want to be saved but and that but has sent thousands even from the village of North Tolstair has sent them to hell they are in a lost eternity all because of one little word but they were offered the gospel they were exalted to come they were given Christian example parents wept over them children weeping over their parents parents weeping over their children Christian community weeping over the people of this community but the but hindered them the but became a stumbling block and tonight they're in a lost eternity oh let that not be the testimony that shall be declared over you my friend yes
[40:46] I want to be saved but but but oh will you not go through this door will you not receive life and if you receive this life you receive life to the full you receive everlasting life eternal life you receive Christ and all the benefits that come from being in covenant with Christ I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and he shall go in and out and find pasture well my friend tonight are you passing by again this door why won't you not enter in you brush against the door but you will not enter in my dear friend that is solemn that is solemn if this place was on fire tonight and you run to the fire exit and you brushed against it but would not exit the building what would you say you would say something is wrong with that person that person is mad it's madness and yet here tonight
[42:13] I am telling you there is a building that's on fire and there is an exit door and it's called Jesus Christ and you're brushing against it but you will not go through it and you'd rather be destroyed you'd rather go to the place of torment than to go through the exit door what madness what foolishness you see the world says that a person who comes to Christ who believes in Christ is a fool he's mad foolishness but but the foolishness and the madness is theirs who refuse to enter in by the door which is Jesus Christ dear friend enter in tonight is the night tonight is the time that the Lord bless our thoughts let us pray a time