Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 20 Issue 6 April 11, 2010
The “I ams” of Christ.
John 8:12 I am the light of the world:
John 6:35 I am the bread of life:
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd:
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, the life:
John 15:1 I am the true vine
Then there is John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in,he shall be saved.
Jesus compares Himself to a door….. Even a child knows what a door is.
Privacy Doors, Security Doors, Safety Doors and Fire Control Doors. There are Trap Doors, Garden Doors, Doggy Doors, re Dutch, French and Australian Doors. There are Stable Doors, Saloon Doors, Blind Doors as well as Disguised Doors, Barn Doors, Garage Doors, Single and Double Doors,. Some doors are Louvered, Flush or Molded. There are Wicket Doors, Bypass and Bi-fold Doors, Glass Doors, Wooden Doors, Hinged Doors, Sliding, Swing and Pocket Doors. There are Folding Doors aka Accordion Doors, Rotating Doors or Revolving Doors. Not to be confused with The Doors led by Jim Morrison selling over 75 million albums worldwide. There are Butterfly Doors, and Up-and-over Doors There are Car Doors, House Doors, Store Doors and Door Stores. Door Knobs, Door Hinges, Door Locks, Door Stops, and Door Latches. There are Exterior and Interior Doors, Patio Doors, Pocket Doors and the very useful Refrigerator Door.
A door can be open or closed, let us in or keep us out. It is said that behind closed doors we find shelter, security and rest.
When Jesus says, “I am the Door” He means an entrance.
An entrance to what? The Kingdom of God. By going through Him, we are brought into shelter, security and rest.
Lets look at few important doors in scripture.
· Door on the ark. This was a door of judgement. A door that God Himself shut. Revelation 3:7 ... Jesus opens and no man can shut, He closes and no man can open....
The ark Noah was commanded to build is a type of salvation and shelter. It is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. The way into the ark was a door; there was only one door.
To be saved people had to enter through that door. There was no other way! Impossible to pull a B&E
That door was kept open along time
I Peter 3:20
While God kept the door open, Noah preached II Peter 2:5
Those who believed and entered were kept safe (8).
The Lord God shut the door! They also were spared seeing the judgement scene, one window far above eye level.
Those who didn’t enter were shut out, no amount of weeping, begging, pleading or knocking could open the Door.
So God provided a place of salvation in the ark, all they had to do was go in through the one door! It was their choice.
Only those who have entered in through Christ will be saved.
There is also a door of deliverance. The death angel was to pass through Eygpt, slaying every first born. Exodus 12
God however provided a plan of redemption; the Children of God were required to kill a spotless lamb. The head of the family took the blood of that lamb and marked the top and two side posts of that door.
The door was to be blood marked!
The night came, death was everywhere, the horror and the wailing must have been incredible! But behind each blood marked door was deliverance!
He who said He is the Door died for our sins and it is His blood that marks the door of our redemtion!
The Door of the Tabernacle: The place of Israel’s worship was enclosed in fine white linen. The white linen wall shut the people out, however there was a door in that white linen wall. It was a hanging of blue, purple scarlet and fine twined linen. This door too speaks of Christ...
When hanging on the cross Jesus cried “It is finished!” that heavy veil was ripped in two...an entrance was made!
Christ being the door now became the veil through which we must pass into the holy of holies!
Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
“By me if any man enter in he shall be saved!” Did you hear that? “Anyone”
That’s you; that’s me! “Anyone!”
The door will not always remain open.
Matthew 25:1-13...they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: the door was shut.
Then came the other bridesmaids, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he said, I don’t know you.
The Bridegroom is coming sooner than you think. Only those having entered in by the blood marked door will be ready.
Luke 13:23-28 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When the master has shut the door. You begin knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he will say, I do not know you.. Then you will say, We ate and drank in your presence, you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I don’t know you....
The word “Know” here refers to intimatcy.
BE WARNED
Don’t waste your oppurtunity to enter!
How awful to know that you could’ve gone in but neglected to enter.. dare you neglect so great a salvation!
Jesus according to Ephesians 2:18 is our only means of access!
Those in Noah’s day must have knocked - they must have cried, “Open up, save us!”
Think of the near future when thousands will again find themselves shut out! Having neglected the only Door which for such a long time has stood open to them.
Then it will be shut, they will be forever outside, lost!
If you have not yet done so - enter while the Door is still open before you..... who knows how soon for you that door will be shut?
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
