I Am the Door

Lesson #164

With this lesson we will cover the second section of chapter 10, defined by John 10:7 – 10, where Jesus refers to himself as the door: “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. 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 ESV).

Jesus is the door through which lost sheep, who have been given authority by the Father, gain entrance to the sheepfold. Those lost sheep had their names recorded in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world and were chosen by the Father and presented as gifts to his Son who will give to each eternal life as the Father causes them to be born again. These who enter through the door of Jesus as the only way to God, are promised two things: they will be saved and they will go in and out and find pasture. Jesus will repeat this in John 14:6: “Jesus said [. . .], “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”” (John 14:6 ESV). Jesus is the only way to the Father, but that way passes through Jesus as the door. You must accept that Jesus is the only way and then you have to accept Jesus as the Son of God clothed in flesh and pass through him as the door. I do not believe anyone can possibly pass through these two filters without the selection of the Father, the work of the Spirit, and the acceptance of the Son. God makes it possible for a person to want to believe and accept and embrace the terms of eternal life.

What will the sheep that pass through the door be saved from? They will be saved from the thief who comes only to steal and kill and destroy. But just being safe is not enough; the human heart wants and needs more. We do want protection from that which can destroy us; we want more than just life; we want abundant life with its love, peace and joy. The sheepfold is seen as a place of safety and protection, but to experience the fullness of life, the abundant life, we are given the promise of being able to freely go out to green pastures and still waters and safely return. This does not mean we will not suffer in this life; Jesus tells us we will, but in the next life, how this plays out is beyond our imagination. In the midst of horrible suffering here, it sure gives us a living hope as we look ahead. Yes, we live in the now where life can be difficult, but we live with our focus to the future and its promises.

For further information on the “I AM” statements of Jesus see Lesson #137.

Prayer

Father, I pray that these lessons are a blessing to those who consistently return for the next one. I pray that the word that goes forth with each lesson will not return empty, but will accomplish what God desires and achieves the purpose for which it was sent. I pray that I am an obedient servant between God and my readers. I pray that one day we can rejoice together over how God used these lessons to grow each one of us. Until then I pray for strength and insight to continue writing and the continued interest of a growing number of readers.