There is an 'I' in the 'I AM' (Part 3)

Doors and gates come in all shapes and sizes and all kind of material would iron and metal high low why narrow doors and gates while they're very important. We seldom think about them.

Just think about how many times you go in and out of doors without even thinking.

How many times your lock and unlock doors in these days of course locks are not enough when we need along so we alarm doors and make sure that we are safe and secure.

Did you set the alarm. Did you forget to set the alarm did your dreaded alarm went off at night and woke up her neighbors and so the question is what are the doors in the gates and the alarms in the locks are for the offer safety. They are for our protection. All these doors and gates and locks in the offer are security. Therefore, our sheltering of the fraud provision.

Therefore, our peace of mind what Lisa thinks of after all we live in a dangerous world which we live in an insecure world we live in. In a hazardous world and we need these doors and locks in an alarms and security guards and all the rest of it and that is why we have high fences and have gates using these doors are designed to keep intruders out there designed to keep drivers out of the house of the that there designed to keep people out who were trying to disturb our peace that there designed to keep people who seek to harm us out, and so when Jesus said in John chapter 10 verses 7 to 10.

I am the door some translation said I am the gate. It's the same word and when he said I am the door. He is communicating to us something far deeper than even what doors represent to us today. Remember, Jesus was speaking at a time into a culture who understood what is talking about but for Austin the 21st century have to explain it to you shepherds back then did not have solid mahogany doors. They did not have iron gates says shepherds back then they did not have electronic alarms so that it alerts them that there is a wall for a Robert coming in that they did not have any of this. So what normally happens is the shepherd himself at night time to bring the sheep into an enclosure. Sometimes the surrounding culture sometimes is square, but as an enclosure is been flimsy not really something solid but but nonetheless it keeps the sheep in an protection.

But then there was an opening where the gate supposed to go to the California gate. So what does the shepherd do. He basically night time he lays his body at that opening he becomes the door he becomes. That gate and you see that's what Jesus his hearers understood him to be saying they understood exactly what is talking about here saying that that opening of that enclosure is covered by me, for I am the door on the gate in that opening with the gate normally goes the shepherd's as a door is a gate all night long all night long. He lies down her between the she and anything that could harm them. He puts his body between the she and the robbers he puts his body between the sheep and wild animals. He puts his body between the she and the wolves that are trying to harm and steal the lands and no one could protect the sheep. No gate, no door to protect the sheep better than the shepherd himself. He is the one to whom the sheep look to for safety.

He's the one to whom the sheep look to for security.

He is the one in whom the sheep find peace of mind and they can rest. So when Jesus said I am the door of the gate of the sheep.

Every one of his listeners knew exactly what is talking about. No sheep can enter Lynn to the fold without his say-so. No sheep can be harmed, as long as the shepherd lays down his body and that opening of the sheepfold and there are three things that the door does Jesus first of all, he is the door to the truth when we come to Christ. We know the truth and the truth sets us what Jesus probably and I am not I'm speculating I'm not saying that he did but he's probably because of the context of the passage. He was probably looking at these Pharisees when he talked about robbers when he talked about sleeves those people who rob people of the truth of what the Sabbath is all about.

These religious leaders of false teachers and preachers who rob people of understanding what grace is all about.

These religious people who rob and steal by teaching things that are contrary to the word of God. That sounds so good that it's false. These teachers and preachers who rob the sheep by getting them to follow them instead of following Jesus and the Bible said Satan, the enemy of your soul has one goal in mind and that is he's forever trying to steal enter Rob and to kill, and often Satan uses wicked people to do his dirty work. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 2313 he said, what do you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites, you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces you yourself don't go in and talk with others getting in beloved, listen to me.

We can protect the physical homes, but we are not protecting the inside of the home of families. You've heard me say this before because I am convinced that in this generation. And in this time almost desperate need is for discernment is for discernment discernment to distinguish between truth shepherds to feed the flock on the word of God and for shepherds who feed them on their emotions and on veterans of culture.

What we need today is discernment more than ever to protect our children to teach them how to discern. They need to know that there are rules out there they might be dressed in sheep's clothing, but they're out there. Their aim is to steal, and to destroy our children.

Their aim is to take them away from the fold of God. Their aim is to mess with their heads and with their emotions. Their aim is to confuse them. Their aim is to make them distrust the God of mom and dad are aim is to take them out of the sheepfold.

Jesus said on the gate on the door. This can be no truth apart from him, and that is why more than any time in history.

Please listen to me more than any time in history we need to know how to intercede on behalf of our families. We need to know how to intercede on behalf of our children and on behalf of other believers we need to strengthen the wall of the sheepfold. We need to be vigilant, especially when they are at the tender age for when we teach them the truth about Jesus whom arrived when we teach them the fact that he is the door and there is no other door that he is enough that they must put their whole trust in him the door that they must place their complete confidence in him. The door that they must learn to recognize his sweet voice and distinguish his voice from the voices of imitators, only then will we begin to experience the protection of the door.

Look at the verse again verse nine chapter 10 verse nine. John's Gospel, whoever enters through me will be say saved or safe. Either way, it can be translated either way whoever enters through me will be safe or be saved and that's it. It makes no difference whether you live in a mansion or in the heart that makes no difference with the original poor, it makes no difference if you live behind high walls on the walls of all you can only find safety in Jesus outside they might be blowing wind and snow and rain on fire outside the make-believe lightning outside. There may be doom and gloom and death, but only inside the door. The Lord Jesus Christ. Can we find safety in his truth outside. In this scene stricken world is still abundant and defiant world which moving speedily toward judgment, but only inside the door. Jesus, that can be inexplicable peace of mind they cannot explain it. Jesus said when you come to him. No one no one no one can snatch out of his hand.

That is our security door.

That's our security door. A member was reading.

One time about a sign in the front of a big house in Sussex, England that went something like this. Beware of the owner. Nevermind the dog on how true that is. Nothing is going to keep shaking better than to have a sign on your home among your loved ones in the family that says owned and operated by Jesus, his truth is our real security becoming a security away from Jesus.

In fact, I was thinking about this and I thought of this incident that took place back in the year 1900 and the city of Galveston, Texas. It was hit on that year by a huge hurricane is probably as strong as Katrina that we now saw. Of course we know in real life. And when that hurricane hit the city of Galveston. It destroyed many alive. It destroyed many a property in the fathers of the city were determined that this should not happen again. So they brought in a brilliant engineer and they asked him can you build a wall to protect the city so no hurricane can ever touch it and the man said absolutely broader team and he began to design this wall that he was absolutely certain, no tidal wave can ever overcome it.

In fact, the first phase of the project ended in the year 1904 the first there was a barricade of 3 mile long and 17 feet above the top and later on eventually was built to be 10 miles in that engineer was so confident that nothing can penetrate the wall and then a few years later he was over in Alaska working on another project and while he was working on the project in Alaska. He gets a telegram telegraph says the wall has been penetrated and destroyed by a tidal wave parity. He turned his associate and he said it is impossible. It is absolutely impossible. It cannot happen.

I designed it to stand.

Nothing could penetrate that wall and sure enough, the telegraph was an error in that wall still standing today but The rock of Gibraltar. Beloved, when Jesus said I am the door of the sheep he was saying that my sheep can only be safe and secure in no one can touch my sheep as long as they are in the sheepfold they are safe until I take them all the way home to my father's house.

No enemy can steal the sheep when there inside the sheepfold. No wolf can devour the sheep as long as there inside the sheepfold.

I know and you know that life can veterans that circumstances can bring us up. I know that Satan prowls like a hungry lion's roar sometimes scare a lot of people. I know that temptation can suck a sin. I know that the fire of sin is trying to burn is Medicare. I know the disease is attacking us. But our eternal Savior is the door. Jesus is our protection. His truth is the door of our safety. This truth is a door for our protection and Jesus promised, I am the door. Whoever enters me will be safe or saved. Stay in the sheepfold people wander away from the sheepfold only to their detriments and I've seen enough in my years of ministry where sheep wander away from the sheepfold and then when they get into trouble is that why, what, where is God. Not only that there is safety.

When you come to God and his truth, his son Jesus.

But secondly, there is an abundant life inside the door. Jesus that I can to give your life and give it to what more abundantly. Those who come to God through the only door Jesus will experience life will experience it in abundance.

Look again verse nine chapter 10 whoever enters through me will be saved and then what the sheep he said they got a command and go out and find a pasture.

What is that mean what is that mean it means that in Christ and in Christ alone. You will discover true freedom to liberty to victory to joy to contentment.

When you come to God the father through Jesus.

The door you will be able to come in and you gonna find sustenance and refreshment. Then you go out and serve others.

You gonna come in be filled with the Holy Spirit and then you go out and give of yourself. You gonna come in and get loaded with blessings. Then you go out and share the blessings you gonna come in and receive joy and peace, and glory, and then go out and spread it to others.

You got a command and discover your purpose in life and then go out and show others how to discover their purpose in life. Amen. See, that's what it means to come in and draw out total freedom in Christ complete liberty no slavery to sin anymore. Before Christ.

We were in chains, we couldn't help it. We were enslaved, but after Christ broke the chains we were set free. I was thinking about this in my own life and I thought of a story that comes from those terrible terrible terrible days of the slavery is a story of a young slave woman a beautiful woman she was full for auction and the bidding started in earnest. Many people wanted to buy in the bidding tip and going higher and higher and higher until two men left bidding against each other.

One of them was a wicked man uncouth. He was cussing as he was making his bids but then on the other man was standing there quietly. A gentleman, a kind man who was determined, no matter how high the price is going to bid higher and higher until he that gentleman out with evil man on one and when this gentleman was handed over the papers that made him her owner. The young woman looked at him and stood there and discussed closing hymn with every fiber of her being, but suddenly a change came on her face with utter amazement, she watched the new owner reprints the paper, tearing it to shreds and with a smile on his face this kind man says to this now trembling woman, my dear, you are free. I have bought you to set you free. The young woman was too stunned to speak for a moment or two until her emotions overcame and she cried a cry of happiness that no words can express. And so she threw himself at the feet of the man who set her free.

She explained all master I love you are so beautiful life and beloved what ownership papers could not do that man's kindness won her over.

When the Lord Jesus Christ hung on the cross and he put his body between the sheep and the enemy. When he hung on the cross outdoor it was to become the daughter, liberty, and the door to freedom in the door to eternal life with him in heaven when he brought us from the slavery of sin and death and Satan, and he set us free. He loved us so much that he paid a hefty price that nobody could overbid him.

Nothing could be more precious in his blood that was shed on Calvary and he did this so that he might set us free from sin and Satan, and death and then he says that every one of us have come to him are no longer call your servant but a friend and I can testify to you that my attitude to the Lord Jesus for what he did for me is the same of this young woman got his feet every day and I said master. I love you I have and I am and will serve you all of my life. The door is for the truth which keep her safe. The door is for the abundant life that only Jesus can give you further the door is a door of provision. Jesus said about the sheep that they will enter in through the door. There will come in under go out and they don't find what pastor what is pastor's provision provision all of what we need can be found in Christ.

Amen.

You will find adequate supporting the time of struggle. You'll find adequate strength in the times of weakness, you will find all that you need in Jesus Christ the door.

Probably the Lord was thinking of Psalm 23 verse two he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. There are four things that would keep the sheep from resting at night inside the sheepfold for things fear will disturb the peace of the sheep and there will not lie down friction among themselves would not give peace to the sheep and disturb him and keep him awake at night flies that irritates keeps them standing in the can sit and rest and famine when they're hungry for things will steal the peace of mind of the sheep and they cannot be contented they cannot feel free with no any of those for disturbance and only the shepherd only the door can set the sheep free from those four disturbances, and when he sets us free.

He provides us with abundant provision beloved, listen to me.

Only Jesus could say, come unto me all who are weary and burdened, then I'll give you rest.

Only Jesus could say the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never thirst. Let me ask you this. Are you resting in Christ are you resting in Christ are you trusting in his provision to be sufficient for the day.

Are you confident in his love is the only Jesus the door can set us free from worry and anxiety.

Only Jesus the door can set us free from fear.

Only Jesus the door can set us free from the lives of sin and Satan. Only Jesus door can set us free from spiritual hunger. Only Jesus the door can satisfy all of our need. No one can satisfy you my Jesus, thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way.

If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.Ward