|
Disclaimer
No claims of absolute
originality are made for this material. As one man said, "I milk
a lot of cows, but I churn my own butter." Please use these sermons
as the Lord leads, but nothing on this site may be used for profit without
my expressed, written permission!
|
|
|
John 10:9-10 KNOCKING ON HEAVENS DOOR
Intro: Imagine yourself following a long never-ending wall. You are on
the outside of that wall and you can here what is going on inside. You can hear happy
people. Some are laughing, some are shouting for joy, but all of them are very happy. More
than anything, you want to get in there where they are and see what it is they are so
happy about. As you continue to follow this wall, eventually, you find yourself at a door.
This door is unlocked. All you have to do is go through it and you will be admitted to the
place where all those happy people are. What would you do when you reached that door?
You may say, "Preacher, thats a foolish way to start a
message!" Maybe so, but have you noticed that millions of people all around us seem
to be searching for something? I remember the days before I got saved. I was around
Christians who were excited and happy. All I knew was that I was miserable and that I
wanted just a little of what those people had in their lives. So, I spent a lot of time
following this imaginary wall, hearing their happiness and wanting to get in there where
they were. Then one day, I came face to face with the Door. When I did, I had a decision
to make. I could either go in and be with the others, or I could go on searching and
remain outside. Ill tell you, that when I came to that Door, I wanted in so bad that
I wasnt about to walk away. When I entered the Door, I was forever saved and I knew
what all the excitement was about.
Now, it may be that some here today are still wandering around outside
that wall looking for the Door. Well, I have come this way today to tell you where to find
Him. Before you leave here this morning, you will have the opportunity to come through
that Door and enter into that place of happiness that every child of God enjoys.
In these 2 verses, Jesus reveals plainly who, what and where the Door
is and He tells us who can come in. Lets look at these verses today and think
together on the thought, "Knocking On Heavens Door."
I. v. 9a THIS DOOR IS A PERSON
A. In bold language, Jesus declare Himself to be the door of the sheep.(Ill. The
sheepfold was usually a circular enclosure surrounded by stone walls. There was only one
opening in this wall allowing access into this enclosure and at night, when the sheep were
all gathered in, the shepherd would lay himself in that opening and in effect, he would
become the door. Nothing could get in or out without passing through the shepherd.)
B. Jesus is saying that He is the Door! No one gets into Gods flock without going
through Him. Verse 1 reminds us that to attempt entry any other way marks one as a thief
and a robber!
C. Simply stated, there is only one way to the Father and that is through the Lord
Jesus Christ John 14:6.
(Ill. Salvation only comes about through faith in Jesus. Baptism wont do it,
church membership wont do it, ritual and religious activity wont get the job
done. There is only one plan for mans salvation and that is through faith in the
finished work of Christ at Calvary. Salvation is simple, it is just very exclusive
Rom. 10:9-10; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:13!)
D. The big question is this, "Have you ever been through the Door?"
II. v. 9b THIS DOOR IS A PROPOSAL
(Ill. In this statement from the lips of Jesus, we find a tremendous offer
given to sinners. In these words, Jesus offers hope to everyone who is wandering in a life
of sin. While Jesus wants to save you, He will never force Himself upon you! However, He
gives you opportunities to come to Him. Notices what He proposes to fallen men this
morning.)
A. The Scope Of It "any man" Salvation is not a
club for an elite few saints, but it is an offer of God to every man. No person alive
today is beyond the reach of Gods saving love! (Ill. Rev. 22:17; John 6:37!) Many
feel that there is no hope for them, yet the Bible is clear that God loves all men, John
3:16, and offers them salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can be saved today if you
are lost in sin!
B. The Scheme Of It "If any man enter in" (Ill. A
door serves one of two purposes. It can be a barrier designed to keep people out, or it
can be a means of access allowing people in.)(Ill. Salvation is Gods gift to a
fallen race! However, before this gift can be realized, it must be received! No one will
ever be saved unless they personally and consciously come to Jesus and receive Him into
their heart and life. What I am saying is this, God offers you salvation and He means it,
but you will not be saved until you come to Him by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!)
C. The Supply Of It "he shall be saved." When a
person comes to Jesus for salvation, they find themselves completely transformed and
eternally saved! They are instantly liberated and made new in Jesus.
(Ill. This is a very descriptive word and was used to describe a person who had
recovered from a serious illness, one who had survived a war, one who had come safely
through a bad storm or someone who had won at court. What is means for us is that we have,
in a spiritual sense, dome all of the above and now, we are rescued from all harm and
danger. This one little word is a glorious declaration of the security we enjoy in the
Lord Jesus Christ John 10:28!)
(Ill. Why fight eternal security? To me, its easier to believe that God saves and
keeps that it is to believe that He saves, loses, saves, loses, saves, loses
ad
infinitum, ad nauseum. I know we dont deserve it, but we are eternally saved from
the very instant of our salvation!)
We are liberated from:
1. The Penalty Of Sin Ill. Rom. 6:23. However, in Jesus, the curse
of death is removed and we are set free from the awful wrath of God, Rom. 5:9
(Ill. The Prodigal Son When he returned home, the Father ran out to meet him and
fell upon him, Luke 15:20. There are probably several reasons why the father did this.
However, there is one Biblical reason that we can be absolutely certain of, Deut.
21:18-21. In these verses, the townspeople were instructed to stone a child who had
disobeyed and dishonored his parents. When this father ran and fell upon his sons
neck, he was placing himself between his son and anyone who would want to kill him.
This is exactly what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross. He placed Himself
between us and the wrath of God. We deserved to die for our sins, but Jesus absorbed
Gods wrath and paid the price for us. Now, we are all free from the penalty of our
sins! No saints of God need ever fear going to Hell!)
2. The Power Of Sin According to Rom. 6:14, Jesus breaks sins
power in the life of the saint of God. After we come to Christ, we are no longer slaves to
the whims of the flesh and the devil, Eph. 2:1-3). We are made free in Jesus and are given
the liberty to withstand temptation and to live for God! (Ill. 1 Cor. 10:13) (Ill. One of
the greatest wonders of salvation is the great change that comes into the Christians
life, 2 Cor. 5:17. It seems that we just dont want many of the things we used to
think we couldnt live without!)
3. The Presence Of Sin One day, when we leave this world, we will
forever be free from sins presence. In heaven, it will not be allowed Rev.
21:27. Not only that, but we will receive new flesh and we will no longer have any desire
toward sin 1 Cor. 15:54; 1 Jn. 3:1-3.)
III. v.9c-10 THIS DOOR IS A PROMISE
A. A Promise Of Pasture In this "Pasture" we find:
1. Rest No longer are we searching for what we needed. We have
found what our heart was longing for and His name is Jesus. Now, we are permitted to rest
in His grace and anticipate our heavenly homecoming! (Ill. Im not trying to be
saved! Are you? Im just resting on grace. It was grace that sought me, grace that
bought me and grace that will lead me home! After all, what did Jesus say? Matt. 11:28!)
2. Refreshment In Jesus, the saint of God finds all that his or
her heart needs for absolute and perfect contentment, Psa. 107:9. When we taste and find
that the "Lord is good", Psa. 34:8, we loose our appetite for other things!
3. Rejoicing In Jesus, we find that fullness of joy that was
lacking when we wandered out in sin. He has promised us "fullness of joy", 1
Pet. 1:8; Psa. 16:11. Yes, the child of God has ample reason to rejoice this morning
Luke 10:20. In His pasture, there is "fullness of joy."
(Ill. When we think of the Lords pasture, it reminds us that He is "The
Sustainer", Psa. 23:2 and that He is "The Satisfier", Psa. 107:9. If you
dont believe me, just come to Jesus and give Him a try for yourself!) (Ill. John
4:29; Ill. John 9:25)
B. Of Plenty (Ill. The false shepherd or the thief seeks nothing
but his own selfish interests. He will refrain from nothing, even the killing of the sheep
to get his way. Jesus, on the other hand, did not come to get, but to give! He came so
that you and I might be delivered from sin in all its evil and experience the best
possible life imaginable. That life is simply His life lived through us day by day. It is
a new, eternal life lived in us, for Him and by Him. It is an abundant life."
(Ill. Child of God, we have eternal life right now, John 6:47. How abundant that life
is depends on the depth of your relationship to Jesus. Be sure that you are as close to
Him as you can be.)
Conc: Where do you find yourself today? Are you wandering around
outside the blessings and family of God, but want to come inside where
the blessings are? If that describes you, if you feel a lack of something
in your life, or if you know for sure that you are unsaved, then I invite
you to come to Jesus right now. If you will come to Him and confess
yourself a sinner and receive Him as your Savior, then He will save
you right now and forever. Will you do what you need to do this morning?
|
|