“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 10:9-10)
What kind
of person would say such things? Jesus’
claims of exclusivity called for a decision from those who heard Him declare, “I am the bread of life”, and “I am the light of the world”, and “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am”. In John 10 Jesus will again
make the same kind of exclusive claims: “I
am the door of the sheep”, and “I am
the good shepherd”. Finally He will
say, “I lay down my life that I may take
it up again. I have authority to lay it
down, and I have authority to take it up again.” (Jn 10:17-18)
As we
come to John 10 we find the same responses to Jesus that have been previously
seen: “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is
insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is
oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open
the eyes of the blind?” (Jn
10:19-21) The claims of Jesus cause some
to dismiss him as insane and cause some to worship him as God.
In this familiar statement C.S.
Lewis wrote, “A man who was merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He
would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached
egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either
this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You
can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you
can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any
patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left
that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Carefully and prayerfully consider
your response to Jesus as you prepare for worship this week. I would guess no one who will be at Westwood
this Sunday comes thinking Jesus to be a lunatic. Yet to come to him in any way other than
faith and humble worship is to dismiss him by ignoring him or taking lightly
his claims and teachings.
As you prepare for worship this
Sunday pray that God will open our eyes to the majesty and glory of Christ, and
open the minds to comprehend the great love Jesus has for his people, his
sheep. In his love for us Christ
promises to provide for us a life that is abundant. This abundant life includes salvation, safety and
satisfaction.
First,
Jesus says that anyone who enters in will be saved, saved from sin’s penalty, power, and
presence. Sin’s penalty (death) was paid
by Christ on the cross for those who trust in Him, sin’s power was destroyed in the resurrection
and is being destroyed in us as we grow in Christ. Sin’s presence will be gone forever when
Christ returns or we go to him through death.
This is cause for thanksgiving and worship.
Second,
Jesus promises that anyone who enters in will be safe (going “in and
out”). In ancient times when danger threatened, the people were shut up in the
cities under siege and could not move about in security. Jesus promises safety for those who trust
him.
Third,
he also promised that they would be satisfied. Those
who belong to Christ are able to go in and out and “find pasture.” This is what David wrote about when he said,
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he
restores my soul” (Ps. 23:2–3). It is the promise that the one who enters in by
Christ will not lack any good thing.
As
you prepare for worship I would encourage you to spend some time reading Psalm
23 and John 10. Everything David writes
about in this familiar psalm is found in Christ alone.
Jesus
says those who are his “hear his voice,
and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Jn 10:3) This week we will sing the great hymn of
faith Before the Throne
of God Above. The first verse speaks
of the salvation, safety and satisfaction that is ours in Christ. As you think about these truths ask God to
give us all attentive ears to hear the voice of Jesus. Ask God to give us all affectionate hearts to
love him and follow him.
Before
the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect
plea;
A great High Priest whose name is Love
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands,
No tongue can bid me thence
depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
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