I AM THE DOOR John 10.1-12 Gordon Dabbs, PhD John 10.1-9 (ESV) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. Jesus chose to say something offensive: John 10.9 (ESV) I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The Pharisees’ conclusions about Jesus: • John 9.16 (ESV) “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” • John 9.17 (ESV) “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” In a world where sheep were common, everyone knew how shepherds would lie down across the doorway/opening of the sheep’s pen at night. Nothing went in our out unless it went through the shepherd. John 10.9 (ESV) I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The door doesn’t trap sheep in their pen, it protects them. 1 Timothy 2.5 (ESV) For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… John 14.6 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Acts 4.11-12 (ESV) This Jesus… there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Jesus is the door. This means: • Evaluate what enters your life. • Stop trying to be your own gatekeeper. • Practice boundary holiness. • When anxious, return to the door. He stands in the opening and says, “I am the door.” The door that guards. The door that holds. The door that leads to life. Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise