THE “I AM” SERIES I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP J ohn (a.k.a. “the Beloved Disciple” and “the Evangelist”), a fisherman turned apostle and pillar of the church, wrote the Gospel of John. In it, he presents seven meta- phoric “I Am” statements to prove the deity of Jesus Christ. In these statements, the Greek expression ego eimi refers to the God of the Old Testament, who revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14). They were written so we may believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). I Am the Door of the Sheep Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” —John 10:7 NKJV Throughout Israel’s history, bad shepherds plagued God’s people (Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34). And things didn’t get much better in Jesus’s day when the scribes and Pharisees prevented themselves and the people from entering the door to the kingdom (Matthew 23:13). Nevertheless, whoever enters (believes in) the door of the sheep, Jesus, will be saved from the bad shepherds and the wrath to come. As Jesus was passing by the people, He caused a blind beggar to see (John 9:1–12). Afterward, he was brought to the Pharisees for further examination (John 9:13–17; 24–34). But they were divided about whether the man’s testimony was true because Jesus had healed him on the Sabbath (John 9:16). So they asked his parents, who affirmed he had indeed been born blind; yet, for fear of the Jews, they did not confess that Jesus was the Christ (John 9:18–23; cf. Matthew 10:32–33). Unlike his parents and the Pharisees, however, the one-time blind beggar believed in Jesus and worshipped Him (John 9:35–38). The spiritually blind Pharisees (John 9:39–41), who were the same as thieves and robbers, entered the sheepfold (“stone wall”) another way (John 10:1, 8). [Note that all Scriptures taken from John 10 —beginning with this one—will be identified by chapter and verse only.] But the one who enters the door of the sheepfold is a good shepherd, who knows his sheep by name. The sheep hear his voice and follow him (10:2–4). However, they will not listen to or follow a stranger (10:5). Unfortunately, they did not fully understand (10:6). Jesus is “the door” (10:9). And more specifically, He said, “I am the door of the sheep” (10:7). The bad shepherds of old, the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’s day, and the bad pastors and evangelists of our day are nothing more than thieves, robbers, and ravenous wolves, who seek to steal, kill, and destroy men and women (10:8, 10; cf. Matthew 7:15–20). Not to worry, though. The sheep (elect Jews and Gentiles) will not hear them (10:5, 8). Whoever then enters the door of the sheep and believes that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31) will be saved from the bad shepherds and the wrath to come (like the blind beggar) and led by the Good Shepherd to tender green pastures of abundant provisions and safety (10:10; cf. Psalm 23:2). Amen!

THE “I AM” SERIES I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP · 2020-01-10 · THE “I AM” SERIES I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP J ohn (a.k.a. “the Beloved Disciple” and “the Evangelist”),

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THE “I AM” SERIES

I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP

John (a.k.a. “the Beloved Disciple” and “the Evangelist”), a fisherman turned apostle and pillar of the church,

wrote the Gospel of John. In it, he presents seven meta-phoric “I Am” statements to prove the deity of Jesus Christ. In these statements, the Greek expression ego eimi refers to the God of the Old Testament, who revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14). They were written so we may believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31).

I Am the Door of the SheepThen Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

—John 10:7 NKJV

Throughout Israel’s history, bad shepherds plagued God’s people (Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34). And things didn’t get much better in Jesus’s day when the scribes and Pharisees prevented themselves and the people from entering the door to the kingdom (Matthew 23:13). Nevertheless, whoever enters (believes in) the door of the sheep, Jesus, will be saved from the bad shepherds and the wrath to come.

As Jesus was passing by the people, He caused a blind beggar to see (John 9:1–12). Afterward, he was brought to the Pharisees for further examination (John 9:13–17; 24–34). But they were divided about whether the man’s testimony was true because Jesus had healed him on the Sabbath (John 9:16). So they asked his par-ents, who affirmed he had indeed been born blind; yet, for fear of the Jews, they did not confess that Jesus was the Christ (John 9:18–23; cf. Matthew 10:32–33). Unlike his parents and the Pharisees, however, the one-time blind beggar believed in Jesus and worshipped Him (John 9:35–38).

The spiritually blind Pharisees (John 9:39–41), who were the same as thieves and robbers, entered the sheepfold (“stone wall”) another way (John 10:1, 8). [Note that all Scriptures taken from John 10 —beginning with this one—will be identified by chapter and verse only.] But the one who enters the door of the sheepfold is a good shepherd, who knows his sheep by name. The sheep hear his voice and follow him (10:2–4). However, they will not listen to or follow a stranger (10:5). Unfortunately, they did not fully understand (10:6).

Jesus is “the door” (10:9). And more specifically, He said, “I am the door of the sheep” (10:7). The bad shepherds of old, the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’s day, and the bad pastors and evangelists of our day are nothing more than thieves, robbers, and ravenous wolves, who seek to steal, kill, and destroy men and women (10:8, 10; cf. Matthew 7:15–20). Not to worry, though. The sheep (elect Jews and Gentiles) will not hear them (10:5, 8). Whoever then enters the door of the sheep and believes that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31) will be saved from the bad shepherds and the wrath to come (like the blind beggar) and led by the Good Shepherd to tender green pastures of abundant provisions and safety (10:10; cf. Psalm 23:2). Amen!