Go Through the Door of Christ

John 10:1-10

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:1-3)

⁴ When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them meant.

(John 10:1-6)

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

“Most village families owned a few sheep. The houses of the villagers had small walled courtyards where the sheep were kept. Because each family had only a few sheep, a shepherd for each household was not justified, so several households would have one shepherd to look after their sheep. Often the shepherding was done by a son (or two daughters) from one of these families. If such a person was not available a stranger/hireling was employed.”

Early each morning the sheep would be taken out to graze in the open country. The shepherd moved from house to house, and because he was known to the doorkeepers, they opened their courtyard doors to allow him to call out the sheep. The sheep knew his voice and eagerly followed him into the open country to feed. The walls of the courtyards could be up to six and a half feet high. One who was not the shepherd, who had ulterior motives, would have to climb over the walls because the doorkeeper would not admit him, and, of course, the sheep would not recognize his call and would flee from him.”

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COLIN G. KRUSE, JOHN: AN INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTARY

A) Sheep

“But He answered and said, �“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew 15:24

“Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Matthew 9:36

“⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”

Luke 15:4-5

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

John 10:11

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:1-3)

⁴ When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them meant.

(John 10:1-6)

Reflection

B) Thieves and Robbers/Stranger

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:1-3)

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

“Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

John 9:41

“Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you searched for the lost; but with force and with violence you have dominated them.”

Ezekiel 34:4

“In the context of Jesus’ ministry, the thieves and robbers are the religious leaders who are more interested in fleecing the sheep than in guiding, nurturing, and guarding them. They are the leaders of ch. 9, who should have had ears to hear Jesus’ claims and recognize him as the revelation from God, but who instead belittle and expel the sheep.”

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D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary 

“But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ² Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; ³ and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Peter 2:1-3)

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

Application

C) The Door

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:1-3)

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

“Thyra”�

Gate = Door

The Door That Leads to Salvation

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 1in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 1:13-14

The Door That Leads to Pasture

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

“23 The Lord is my shepherd,�I will not be in need.�² He lets me lie down in green pastures;�He leads me beside quiet waters.�³ He restores my soul;�He guides me in the paths of righteousness�For the sake of His name.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

“Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,�    or, whine, Israel, saying,�“God has lost track of me.�    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?�Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?�God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.�    He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.�He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.�    And he knows everything, inside and out.�He energizes those who get tired,�    gives fresh strength to dropouts.�For even young people tire and drop out,�    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.�But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.�    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,�They run and don’t get tired,�    they walk and don’t lag behind.” (Isaiah 40:27-31, MSG)

Application

• To the busy and overwhelmed mind, to find your pasture, rest upon this: “Stop striving and know that I am God;” (Psalm 46:10a)
• When you are angry or confused, when you feel like you are the end of yourself, look at what you are grazing on – is it the pasture found through Christ’s door or is it the noise of the world?

Application

• When you can’t sit still, it’s a good time to apply prayer in the pasture: “⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7).
• And when you feel that you can’t find your place in the world, come and feed with the body of Christ. We will show each other the pasture. We are to: �“² Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

The Door That Leads to Abundant Life

⁷ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

John 1:4; John 5:24; John 8:12; John 12:25

Jesus gives us LIFE

“The Greek word for ‘abundance,’ perissos, has a mathematical meaning and generally denotes a surplus…The abundant life is above all the contented life, in which our contentment is based upon the fact that God is equal to every emergency and is able to supply all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.” �(James Montgomery Boice)

• Abundant life isn’t an especially long life.
• Abundant life isn’t an easy, comfortable life.
• Abundant life is a life of satisfaction and contentment in Jesus.
• Abundant life sheep give honor to the shepherd. They are a credit to him.��(David Guzik)

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-37, NLT)

Application

RECAP

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