I Am the Door

Greetings and welcome to the Lifestream service from the auditorium of beacon Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina grateful for your joining us at this time. Grateful for God's goodness and sustaining us through another week and bringing us to this another Lord's day.

We are grateful that the Lord has brought us to our 47th anniversary of the beginning of beacon Baptist Church and also a little bit more about that in the moment, but I do want to update you just briefly on the situation in North Carolina in regard to churches and their ability to meet. We could see the movement in the direction of beginning to open up pretty pretty significantly in the last few days. I know in South Carolina. Some of the churches had indoor meeting starting last Sunday and in Virginia the same thing.

I have pastor friend in Virginia who said that their church was planning to meet indoors this coming Sunday, and again because the governor in Virginia had changed the restrictions to make it possible for that to happen in North Carolina that still had not occurred.

There had been some minor changes that took place more than a week ago and in regard to those changes. Some of the churches in North Carolina were having outdoor meetings which were specifically allowed, but still indoor meetings were being prohibited so we have some pastor friends whose churches had meetings last Lord's day.

In fact, Providence Baptist Church in Asheboro. Our sister church in that city met last Sunday in their parking lot. People brought lawn chairs and distance themselves 6 feet apart and they had a meeting outdoors in the parking lot, which they said very wet went very well and they're doing the same thing again this morning. We are still were still under restriction until late yesterday when the governors restrictions on churches were challenged in court and the court ruled in favor of the churches and so now there is a court order that's in effect for the next.

I think 14 days. The churches in North Carolina are now allowed to begin meeting indoors and with that in mind, your pastors will be meeting probably Monday afternoon to talk about the specifics and I fully expected next Lord's day. We will have a meeting with the assembly of the saints in our building. No, I do not expected to be a full schedule. I don't expect will start with Sunday school and Sunday morning and Sunday night.

I don't think we can do that.

I don't think will probably have any children's gatherings, no nursery. I think there can be a lot of things that we will not have what will start with what we might call a soft opening and in the very careful one. We were were mindful of the fact that even though we are looking forward to opening again that the dangers not passed over 19 is still around still need to be careful. We still need to maintain appropriate cautions and we will certainly do that but it's good to anticipate beginning to meet together again a lot of reasons we like to meet together again. Of course, just to be obedient to our Lord's design to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, we haven't forsaken it because we have a deliberately State Department, we have been forced by circumstances to not meet together but that we trust is coming to a close, we will prayerfully begin assembling as we are able.

One of the things I miss among others is joining our voices together in song. This very morning I was looking through a number of hymns looking for particular one that I wanted to use in my message today and I never did find it, but in going through a bunch of others looking for it. I was just reminded of these many many many many rich hymns that were not singing now because were not meeting together and that is such a great loss and we hope to regain that aspect of our worship together as we edify one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. While this is our 47th anniversary first one we've ever had where we didn't have a significant congregational celebration that is our custom, but this year we could not do it and so we will just make mention of it will thank the Lord for bringing our church into existence in 1973 the history of our church and beginning is on our our website. If you go there and look for the right places to click you can find it if I took time to do all that today I'm afraid I would take too much time away from the ministry of the word however I do want to give praise to God for the 29 charter members of the Lord used to begin this church on the third Sunday in May 1973 and 10 of which are now with the Lord and I would like to read those names honor of them in memory of them and most of all, in praise to God for their lives in the way God used them of the beginning of this church and many of them for many years. Some of them up until very recently when the Lord called him home but an alphabetical order. Those who are now with the Lord our general counts. Robert counts Agnes Edwards, Ralph Fawcett, Margie Holland, Otis Holland, Randy Holland, brunette Robberson Allen Vestal and Betty Vestal. We have 10 of our charter members who are inactive in one way or another by several of which have moved out of state and are active in congregations and in other states, others of which are involved in other churches in our area.

I'm simply going to read the names of those who have moved out of state and most of these we continue to to maintain contact with. They are Randy counts in Florida. James and Brenda Donna Tennessee where the Lord used them to begin a new Baptist Church little bit north of Chattanooga and they been pastoring there faithfully. All of these years, and then Sissy Fawcett Griffin, also in Tennessee in the Chattanooga area. Her husband is a music director in a Baptist Church. There, now there are 929 who are still active summer getting feeble, but in our is active as they like to be able to denigrate. We thank the Lord for the following, and again in alphabetical order. They are Gregory Barkman, Marty Barkman may counts Gail Davis, Joe Davis, Donna and Fawcett Betty Massey Sue Vestal and Lori Vestal, Craig thanks be to God. Psalm 89 says I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations where I have said mercy shall be built up forever your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heaven and the heavens will praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness. Also in the assembly of the saints for who and the heavens can be compared to the Lord who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around him. I have brought to the public today. The song that was sung by recording at the Prelude time of our service today. I hadn't thought about that being played for you until I was sitting here waiting for the service to be given. I thought I rather suspect that Greg Phillips is chosen that song for Prelude music today and I didn't think about that. We do have a special him that for the last. I suppose 15 or 20 years or more.

We have used every year at homecoming as a special song of praise. The words were written by Charles Wesley and the music was written by John Pinkston, a dear friend of the church is been here a number of times and she wrote this tune for this him and named attunement beacon and we sing it. Always at homecoming in this and occasionally other times throughout the year.

All that I had a thousand voices to praise my God with thousand tongues. My ramps some soul and grace rejoices and grateful praise shall fill my songs I'll say wherever I might be what great things God has done for me.

All creatures that have breath and motion that thronged the earth to see the sky now join my song with hearts devotion. Help me to raise his praises hi my utmost powers can there a right declare the wonders of his might. Father hear me, I beseech the though here I list my earthly ladies a nobler strain in heaven shall reach the when I am with angels him that I pray and learn amidst their choirs to sing loud hallelujahs to my king. Shall we look to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly father to worship the to give the praise the honor the glory that is due unto thy name to affirm once again our love to you because you first loved us our trust in you and your word because of the work of your spirit in our hearts, our joy in being named among the sons of God.

Our gratitude for your dealings in our lives and faithfulness down through these many years. My thankfulness for your bringing into birth beacon Baptist Church in Alamance County in 1973 in guiding and preserving and keeping us down through these years for this, and a thousand yes 10,000 other blessings the Lord.

We continue to pray today for our dear brother Stuart why Johannesburg is a is waiting for additional medical treatment waiting on the radioactive material that will attack the cancer in his liver while he waits for suitable donor and a liver transplant. Pray Lord that you will preserve him, protect him, that you will bring him a healing and I pray that you will fill his heart with peace and joy and also his dear wife Laverne as she waits there in South Africa and is unable to visit him because of the covert, 19 want to pray today for the neighbor of Kenneth Sue Elliott LC profit issues declining and in need and we thank you that she is trusting you want to pray for the family of David Crowder neighbors to Bruce and Marseilles Councilman as he passed into eternity and is now being being mourned by his loved ones and we pray the will fill their hearts with and we pray for Jamie Henshaw and Tracy Aires uncle Max who is and why don't matter and has covert, 19 is due.

I think maybe 20 some of the residents in that facility in a number of the workers. Father, we commit all of them into your care. We thank you Lord that our church has had opportunity over these last many years to minister your word in that facility, week by week.

That of course has come to an end because of the present crisis and we pray for that time when we shall be able to return to minister your word to those residents, but how we thank you for the privilege and how important that is to us now as we recognize the crisis and the ravages of this disease and how it attacks the old in the week greater greater ferocity and father takes many of them to their grave and Lord, we thank you that we can proclaim your word to them now. Father direct our hearts to things eternal as we ask it now in Jesus name reading John chapter 10 verses one through 10 Jesus said, most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, climbs up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber, but he who enters the door is the shepherd of the sheep to him. The doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out and when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of stranger.

Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he spoke. Then Jesus said to them again.

Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear 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 does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy.

I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly couple of weeks.

We began a series on the seven iambs of the gospel of John seven times when Jesus said I am followed by a predicate by a metaphor by which he describes some aspect of his saving work his way of saving sinners, so already we have looked at the statement which says I'm the bread of life and also the one I am the light of the world. Following that there is the statement I am the door. I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life I am the way, I am the vine. Today were going to take up number three I am of the door which is intertwined with number four I am the good shepherd these intermixed together in John chapter 10 because of that mixing together of these two statements of Christ. I am the door. I am the good shepherd.

Some have been perplexing trying to trace the message of Christ in John chapter 10 because it seems like the figures do not follow through consistently and indeed, if consistency is the main object. I suppose that is a correct observation, but the understanding of truth as ministered by the Lord Jesus Christ is the main purpose, and he has with purpose taken the same figures that deal with. She and Shepherdson sheepfold send and fall Shepherdson and he has used them to teach important truth that in some cases has used the same figure into different direction as he does when he says, first of all, I am the door and then later I am good shepherd. The shepherd who calls his sheep through that door and so when we look at this passage carefully, we can see very very clearly the distinction between these and it does not need to be perplexing to us and to that end, therefore I'm going to address the first statement because the one about the door does come first before the second claim were Jesus says I am the great Shepherd of the good Shepherd others quite a bit of setting I think that needs to be understood before we will understand this passage right somebody to quite a bit of time with the setting today because the setting will be helpful both for this statement. I am the door as well is the one which we intend to take up next Lord's day. I am the good shepherd and their three things that I think we ought to be aware of in regard to the setting there is first of all the Jewish sheep keeping practices that we need to know something about their secondly Old Testament references to shepherds and sheep. The Jesus is obviously referring to here and passages that his listeners would've been very familiar with. And then there is, thirdly, the healing of the blind man in John chapter 9 that also has a very direct bearing upon what Jesus says in John chapter 10.

So in regard to the setting. First of all some of the Jewish sheep keeping practices which we understand that will help us to understand the message of Christ. It was common throughout Israel for villages which were rural and agricultural and very very active in sheep keeping it was very common for villages to get together and build one large strong sheepfold outside the village which would be used for several flocks. Basically, for all of the flocks that were owned by residents of that particular billing these sheepfold's were generally square. I've seen them portrayed as being circular but I think they were more accurately, generally square with stone walls and according to one commentator stonewalls that were as high as 10 or 12 feet so you can see these are no small enclosures, they are a very substantial defense to protect the sheep against intruders. Whether human or animal and normally along the top of that sturdy wall brambles would be planted so that there would be these thorns around the top of the sheepfold which would add additional protection in our day.

We generally put barbed wire across the top of walls like this, but in that day they planted brambles so wasn't easy to get into the sheepfold in any other way except by the door and the sheepfold's would have one door, one opening which would be secured by a wooden gate and that gate would be guarded during the night by a porter or a doorkeeper hired by all of the shepherds so that he would keep watch over the over the flock by night to keep them safe so that the shepherds could get some sleep and then they would relieve him when they removed their flocks in the morning and he could go home and get some sleep and return the next night to be on guard duty through the night. It was the porters responsibility to open the gate to authorize shepherds only, whom he would know well, it would probably only be at the most a half-dozen of them and maybe not even that many and eyes. They came one by one to claim their flocks in the mobile morning. The porter would open the door to the authorized shepherd who would stand at that open door and call out to his sheep, and I've heard this described many times he really is a a an amazing phenomena, but a very real one that even goes on today and has been demonstrated over and over today, namely that she really do recognize the voice of their shepherd and they will respond to his voice and to none other. One that shepherd calls out to that massive sheep inside is larger and closer.

You will see the shape separating themselves and the ones that belong to him will hear his voice and will follow him right on out the door right through the gate and he will take them out to pasture all throughout the day and then will bring them back before before nightfall and return them to the safety of the fold. Once again, that's the sheep keeping practices. That is the background of John chapter 10 Don regard to the Old Testament. I'm simply going to summarize very quickly the fact that there are a number of references to sheep and shepherds of the Old Testament, the most extensive of which is found in Ezekiel chapter 34 for the prophet Ezekiel speaking for God chastises false shepherds who are only interested in taking care of themselves.

They fleeced the sheep. They abused the sheep they get what they can out of the shape for themselves they are not concerned about the welfare of the sheep. They are only concerned about themselves they do not feed the sheep but they take advantage of them and they are excoriated in Ezekiel 34 and other places and that's in the background of what is spoken in John chapter 10. Thirdly, you must understand the healing of the blind man in the preceding chapter, which is all part of the context John chapter 9 that is an intriguing account and worthy of careful examination which we don't have time for today, but a common search on chapter 9 I would have us note 33 particular areas we have. First of all, a blind man is healed. Secondly, the miracle of his ceiling is questioned. Thirdly, the lost sheep is found a blind man is healed in John chapter 9 man. We are told at the beginning of the chapter was blind from birth and the disciples of Jesus asked him who send this man or his parents that he should be born blind in some ways a rather puzzling question, but it's very revealing as well.

It shows how that in that day there was the strong connection in the minds of people which Jesus corrects with a strong connection between a problem or a calamity and infirmity such as blindness being linked directly to some particular sin.

They wanted to know who who committed that Cindy parents, which resulted in their having a child born blind as punishment for their sins, or the man himself which case it would've had to been a sin he had committed yet. That's a rather interesting aspect, and we certainly want to explore that. But Jesus answered them, neither neither this man nor his parents said, but he was born blind in order to reveal the works of God in him. In other words, in his healing from blindness. The glory of God would be saying truth about God would be proclaimed. The saving work of Jesus Christ would be manifested.

And that is the reason not sin on his part or his parents that caused him to be born blind and then after declaring this Jesus made clay stew. God made clay made a clay mixture out of the dust of the ground and anointed applied it to the eyes of this blind man that had never seen a day in his life and told him to go wash in the pool of sigh loan. We talked about the pool silo last Lord's day. You may recall, during the feast of Tabernacles that procession every morning from the temple during the golden picture out to the pool of silo with a filled the picture and brought it back to the temple and poured that water out beside the brazen altar during the morning sacrifice 9 AM and so this man must have been close to the temple, maybe even was begging at the temple and Jesus told him, go wash in the pool of silo and he obeyed and he washed and he returned see where to pause and let that sink in. A man grown man.

We don't know his age.

Probably a young adult, but a grown man who is never seen a day in his life. Let's say 25 years old comes back after this anointing by Jesus comes back from the spool of silo that he can see you cannot mansion the extent of his joy is rejoicing. It would've been exuberant. I'm sure in the fashion of the personality of the people in that culture, and all around him would have become aware of this miracle that had taken place with him a blind man is healed, but no sooner had he been healed until the miracle of the ceiling is questioned over and over and over and over again that actually takes up the bulk of the chapter. First, his own neighbors have questions about him. Is this our neighbor. Sure looks like him but we can be sure he's been blind all of his life. This man can see is that the same water.

Somebody looks like him and they debated back and forth among themselves as to whether this was actually the man they knew or not they were divided in their opinion the Pharisees became aware of this healing and they were indignant again because it took place about you know what day of the week it took place on nearly all of Christ's miracles. Not all of them but nearly all of particularly the healing miracles took place on the Sabbath.

Clearly a deliberate act by Jesus Christ to bring false teaching to a head that it might be exposed and dealt with. So once again, this healing took place on the Sabbath and the Pharisees are indignant as they have been.

Every time, and they begin to question the man about his healing who did it. He was and he knew the name Jesus. He did know he was said he must be a prophet have this kind of power he must have the kind of power that a prophet like Elijah had in order to be able to do this so they question him and they're not satisfied with his answers the want him to denounce Jesus, but of course, though he doesn't know much about Jesus all he can do is give him praise and glory because of the miracle that is transpired in his life.

The Pharisees question the parents of the man is this really your son. Was he really born blind. They obviously didn't know him personally. They didn't always family personally. Now he was a member of the synagogue of one or more of these religious leaders because they wanted tells us they cast them out. That means they excommunicated him from the synagogue, which tells us that he was a member of one of their synagogues, and yet they don't even seem to know him personally, do you see how they are very much like those faithless shepherds of the Old Testament who were only concerned about themselves and not about the sheep in their flock but the parents are questioned and they are afraid they know the answer but they also know the mindset of the religious leaders like they want to be cast out.

They don't want to be excommunicated from the synagogue and so they pass it off. They say our son is a vague you ask him. We don't know the answer to these questions, but you can ask him, and he continues to answer and every time he answers you see a little bit more insight and a little bit more boldness on his part. He's beginning step-by-step by step-by-step to understand truth. The truth relates to Jesus the Christ, the truth relates to the errors of the religious leaders of that day and so finally the Pharisees become so exasperated with this man that they cast him out. They excommunicated him from the synagogue, which means in effect he has been excommunicated from Jewish society because all Jews belong to a synagogue that was that was just where they found their identity and to be cast out of the synagogue is to be cast out of the community to be cast out of the covenant community to no longer be considered a member of the community under the blessings of the Abraham it covenant they cast him out. But in the last part of the chapter we find the lost sheep is found, because Jesus we read found him. Verse 35 Jesus heard that they cast him out when Jesus had found him, he said to him do you believe in the son of God, he answered and said who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him. And Jesus said, you have both seen him edit is he was talking with you. Then he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped Jesus said for judgment. I have come into this world that those who do not see may see that those who see may be made blind and some of the Pharisees were with him heard these words and said to him, are we blind also. Jesus said to them, if you're blind, you would have no sin, but now you say we see therefore your sin remains the lost sheep is found cast out cast out of Jewish society cast out so the religious leaders thought from the covenant of Abraham. Though, in fact, that turns out to be not the case at all. He was never more secure in the covenant of Abraham when he became a believer, the Lord Jesus Christ and became a true son of Abraham.

He believed it he worshiped and Jesus reveals his mission it is to give site to those who are blind it is to make blind or even more blind. Those who claim to see and will not acknowledge that they are in need of site and of healing from Christ.

Now that sets the background for the sermon in chapter 10. In the sermon actually takes up the whole chapter again. I'm going to have to just go over and review it quickly by summary and then will go back to the text were looking at today, but we can divide this good Shepherd discourse into three parts. There's the opening discourse in verses one through six. Where were told that those who bypass the door who don't come through. The one way that is been prepared and authorized those who do that are see, but he who enters by the door. The authorized way is the shepherd of the shape of the sheep follow their shepherd and they flee from strangers. We read in verse six that this figure of speech or my Bible says illustration. Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he had spoken to them. The Greek word for Roy.

Mia means figure of speech is not the word for parable but it's a broader word, a more general word and it includes several types of figures of speech and this is telling us that this whole message is highly symbolic. It is parabolic it is allegorical is metaphorical. It is all of those things. It is an extended figure of speech, but they we really did not understand.

Who are they take it to be primarily the ones referred to in the previous chapter verse 40 than some of the Pharisees were with him heard these words and said to him, are we blind also will now they show that they are Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. Yes, they were blind even though they claim to see so we got the opening discourse in verses one through six. We got what I will call the expanded discourse in verses seven through 21 we come back to verse seven then Jesus said to them again to the same people at the same time he said to them again. He's coming back to explain more fully. They don't understand so is going to come out. It one more time from a different angle. He said to them again. Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the street and now we come into this expanded discourse were Jesus says he is the door and he declares that the religious leaders are the thieves that climb up some other way, and there's a lot of contrast throughout this whole passage between the true and false shepherds the true shepherd is heard by the shape they hear him. The true shepherd gives abundant life to initiate the true shepherd gives his own life lays down his own life of the street. The true shepherd gathers other shape from other other folds. Besides the fold of Israel. The true shepherd is loved by the father, whereas false shepherds are self seeking, and they demonstrate that in this way is much as any other. They flee at the first sign of danger if the wolf comes they get out of there. They're not concerned about the welfare of the sheep. They're not concerned about carrying out the responsibility their only concerned with serving themselves and so if there's any possibility of harm coming to them. They flee that is a characteristic of full shipper. That's the expanded discourse that we got yet an additional discourse in verse 23 through 30, and that takes place at a different time to notice verse 22 now or could be translated again but now it was the feast of dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch left the previous discourse took place immediately following the feast of Tabernacles looked at last Lord's day feast of Tabernacles in the seventh Jewish month their calendar, which is different than ours. The feast of dedication that we read about here is what we call today Hanukkah it falls on the ninth month of the Jewish calendar, but it falls in our 12 month of December around Christmas time is you know this is Hanukkah. It is not one of the fees that are named in the Old Testament, but it grew up during the period of the Maccabees and it was a celebration for the re-cleansing of the temple after its desecration by anti-can eat Antiochus epiphanies when Judas Maccabeus conquered the enemies of Israel. At that time and cleansed the temple and returned it to its proper use. And that is celebrated by the feast of dedication or Hanukkah, and following that we have some additional sheet teaching, which comes obviously little more than two months later than the previous section, but it still deals with the same figures, sheep and shepherd and is part of this entire discourse as it is been put together by the spirit of God under the pen with the pen of the apostle John now that's a lot of background gives me only a little while short time to look at the actual saying one were interested in today's the saying I a.m. door.

We find it actually twice in verse seven Jesus said to them again. Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the shape and then verse nine, the better-known text. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

The door was introduced in that first discourse in verses one through six.

The door of the sheepfold opens to the authorized shepherd by the Porter who leads out his shape through the door. They will not follow a stranger that's very strong as a very strong negative way whatsoever. Will they follow a stranger, here's the shepherd. Interestingly, and I don't have time to elaborate on this, but he is separating true Israel from national Israel he calls his shape out of the national sheepfold of Israel. The doors introduced in verses one through six. The doors identified in verses seven and eight were Jesus is most assuredly.

Verily, verily, of greatest importance of utmost truth you need to understand. I am the door of the street door is the entrance door is the way the only true way in and out of that sheepfold. This door is an exclusive way.

There are not many doors there's one door.

Jesus says I'm at one.

I am not a dork I am the door is only one then this door metaphors extended further in verses nine and 10 were the identity is reemphasized in verse nine I am the door by May by no other. By May, so Jesus if any manner enter and he shall be saved. What Jesus is doing is described as salvation. Salvation from sin and salvation from death salvation from blind salvation from condemnation. We need to be saved. Salvation is what Jesus is doing and what he saves. He bestows freedom shape are free to go in and out and find pasture salvation involves provision of everything that is needed and indeed it involves abundant life. I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly. That was the him I was looking for. This morning I couldn't find it. Every now and then when I'm working on a message the words of a certain phrase of the him will come through my mind, but often times through the middle of the human I can immediately identify it. So some of you need to help me but where is the him that says you are the way to God. Your blood, the ransom paid by you, something we go in unafraid you are the way to God.

That's what Jesus is saying here I am the way and all that. Kim also talks about the abundant life more abundant life which you alone can give. Furthermore, the section the imposters are exposed, they, only to steal to kill to destroy. They come to take from the sheep not give to the sheep. They steal from them, they don't give them anything they come to bring death, not life.

They don't come to give life more abundantly like Jesus does know they come to kill take life they come to ruin, not to bless. They come to destroy the things the Jewish leaders who came before me. They come to steal to kill to destroy but I have come to give life and to give it more abundantly. That is a quick exposition of this great text, but there are a number of lessons that I'd like to touch upon before we bring this to a close number one very obviously Jesus is teaching the exclusive way of salvation. There is only one way this is similar to his statement in John chapter 6, it will get to eventually where he says I am the way, the truth, the life no man comes to the father. No man can come to the true God except by me using the very same thing here I am the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved. There's only one way to God. There's only one way to salvation. Do not be deceived, do not believe a lie do not follow the sinful wrong thoughts of your heart that insists that there are many ways to God and that you don't have to come to Jesus Christ you don't have to bow the knee to Jesus Christ, you can still be saved. Some other way. That is a lie that is a contradiction of the words of Jesus Christ, who in this passage emphasizes once again the exclusive way of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through him alone number two.

There's a lesson about the reality and danger of false teaching. This is a subject that I don't hear discussed very often in our day. It's not polite it's not polite to talk about people who present themselves as teachers of God's word as ministers as pastors as clergyman and yet are unfaithful, untrue. In fact, more than that their dangerous they will destroy the climbed up some other way, they would come through the door, Christ Jesus. They have not been called an authorized by the shepherd of the sheep by the head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are not committed to the word of God as their only message and they come with their messages which are designed to please the unregenerate heart, and when they are done. What have they done. They have stolen they have killed they have destroyed, you have to be aware of this danger. There are voices all around you that purport to be representatives of Christianity and if you listen to them you are in danger of eternal damnation understand the reality and danger.

False teachers they were present in Christ day and they were the, the establishment, the established religion in Christ day and they were false teachers.

They were thieves they were robbers they were destroyers they were murderers of men's eternal soul third lesson that we learn from this passage is the mark of the election and the guy should see a mark of election. This passage really gets into election will see more of that next week when we talk about the good Shepherd and what is said in that section, but here we learn that those who are shape before they hear the voice of the shepherd, they still belong to him and they are shape that speaks of election they don't start out as goats and become shape their sheep, but there sheep that need to be found in the shepherd comes in he calls the street that already has, but he calls them by name and they hear the voice of the shepherd they hear his name and they hear the shepherd's voice and they refuse to listen to false teachers that blind man in chapter 9 was a good example of that. He recognized the voice of the shepherd of Jesus Christ. He recognized here is truth here is life, and he recognized that what is being said to be by those who have been my religious leaders.

All of my life is not true it is. I must not I will not I cannot listen to them. Those who listen to them will end up in eternal destruction, but those who listen to the Lord Jesus Christ and follow him. They will have everlasting life, and that becomes a an evidence of mark of election. Election is a mysterious doctrine to some difficult for some of there a lot of questions are raised and some people times people want to know. Well, if this is true.

How can I be sure that I'm one of the elect. Here's the answer. You listen to the voice of Jesus Christ to his words speak to your soul. You hear his word in the word of God as it comes to you the recognize the voice of your Savior, your you respond to that.

Do you turn away from false teachers. Sometimes you don't even know what is wrong, but something's wrong. I must not listen to that. I know that's not reliable but here is truth. This I will listen to. That's a mark of election.

The elect hear the voice of the Savior. Those who are not will be deceived by false teachers, but there is finally this this truth and I must close with this one. That is the invitation to come to Christ and that's verse nine I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. There are those who shy away from even using the word invitation regard to the gospel. I am not one of those I do recognize that invitation is not the only way to describe a call to Christ are called to salvation, and that it is true that more often than not it is really in terms of a command to obey. We are called to repent.

We are called to believe. To fail to do so is to disobey.

It adds yet additional sin to our long record of sinfulness. But in verse nine there is a tender tone and there is if not an explicit invitation and implied one.

I am the door.

If anyone there. There it is.

There's a whosoever will, if anyone enters by me, he will be saved will go in and out and find pasture. Dear friend, don't get hung up in false teaching. Don't get hung up and empty ceremonial religion which cannot save.

Don't get hung up in difficulties like the doctrine of election. You don't have to know that you're the elect of God in order to come to Christ. You just need to come when you come, then you'll find out you are, then you'll know the mark of election that shows that you have been chosen by him before the foundation of the world, but for now all you need to know is that you are lost that you need salvation you need to be cleansed.

You need a substitute to bear your sin.

Lord, you need a Savior. You want to save your day should come to Christ who is the door, all who will come to him will be saved. That means you, you will come. You will be saying will experience that wonderful abundant life father long before creation. You had chosen us in love and that love so deep, so moving draws us close to Christ above. Still it keeps is firmly fixed in Christ alone. The world may change in fashion, you will still remain the same. Your compassion and your covenant through all ages will remain your own children shall forever praise your name, your compassion is our story is our boasting all the day. Mercy free. A never failing moves will direct our way. God so loved us that he gave his only son, loving father.

Now before you. We shall ever sing your grace and our song will sound forever when we see you face-to-face, giving glory to the Lamb upon his throne shall we pray father you are suffering and all the world's you made yet. Father, you are a loving and gracious God, you have given your own son that those who are deserving of eternal condemnation because of our sin. They have cleansing may have pardoned may have life and have it abundantly. This you have done through the work of your son and you offer salvation in the person of your son to all come to him, Lord, draw draw hearts to him this day for these abundant blessings.

Now, Lord, we know your name shall endure forever. Your name shall continue as long as the sun and men shall be blessed, and you and all nations shall call you blessed man