July 22, 2012
Scripture:
Hymn 351 - One door and only one
Prayer
We have been looking at incidents where Jesus dealt with individuals. The last individual that we read about was the blind man who was made to see. This time, instead of reading about an individual, we are going to look at couple of verses in John 10.
John 10:1, 7, & 9
In this chapter, we have the door mentioned a few times. What is a door? A door is an object that allows you to enter or leave a room. Interestingly, there is more than one type of door. One is the type we are all used to using, but another is unseen: the door to our hearts.
The door Jesus was talking about in v. 1 was the door into Judaism. When Jesus was born, he was born into Judaism, the Jewish religion. Then in v. 9, Jesus calls Himself a door. I don’t think it would be very nice if someone were to call me a door, but Jesus called Himself a door right here. Throughout the gospels, Jesus called Himself many things, “I am the door,” “I am the vine,” and so on. He does this to explain a concept to his disciples. As we said before, a door can be an entrance to a place. Jesus must be saying that he is an entrance to something, but to what? Jesus is the entrance to salvation.
Jesus said that He is the door. What is the difference between a door and the door? In the meeting room there are many chairs, but there is the chair in which Auntie Marje sits. Jesus isn’t any old door; He is a specific door. Jesus is the only door to Heaven. There are people who say that there are many ways to heaven, but that isn’t true. There is only one door to heaven and that is Jesus.
We know that there is a door to Heaven and we know that Jesus is that door, but who is the door for? The door is for everyone. And it isn’t something that we need to wait for. It is for whosoever will come, and for right now. It only takes one step to go through a door and it only takes one step to come to Jesus. Each one of us has to do this; nobody starts on the inside.
Interestingly, v. 9 says we can go in and out. Does this mean we can become unsaved? No, I believe that it means that we can be close to the Lord and worship Him, but then go out and serve Him at the right times.
In this one verse there is so much instruction! I hope we are all on the inside. Next time, we will talk about the other I am in this chapter: “I am the good shepherd.”
Luke 13:23-35
The Lord didn’t answer this man’s question. He answered the questioner. Even though the Lord hadn’t died on the cross yet, there was still the issue of salvation. You could repent of your sins and believe in Jesus. Christ told this man, “Don’t worry about others. Strive to enter into the narrow way yourself.” Being saved to us means having repented of your sins and put faith and trust in Christ; but this man was referring to the “saved” as those in the remnant when the Lord comes to rule.
It’s easy to get on the broad road to destruction. Striving to enter the narrow road doesn’t mean that we have to work for our salvation, but rather that we should be in earnest to get on the narrow road. The importance of entering is the issue. Notice, also, that Jesus didn’t promote the law or the sacrifices as the way to enter; grace had come in with repentance and faith that lead to Himself.
Jesus also reminded the Jews that there is a time limit for entering. Right then was the time that they could enter the kingdom; there would be a time when they would want to enter but couldn’t. The door of salvation is open to all right now. Many try to enter the narrow path by other ways; but, as we had with the children, there’s only one door: Jesus.
The shutting of the door is the rapture for us. There will be no second chances at salvation after that. In the Jewish view, the door was open when Jesus was here on Earth (when He ascended into heaven, the evangelical aspects of this passage started). When Christ rules, many Gentiles will come from the East, West, North, and South and sit down in the kingdom. They were last but will be first; and many of the Jews themselves, who were first, will be last.
That same day the Pharisees told Jesus, “Go away; Herod will kill you.” (Not mentioning that they would, too.) Jesus, however, didn’t need to fear anyone. He told them to tell “that fox” (because Herod was crafty) that He would be perfected on the third day. Vv.32-33. Jesus knew that the cross was before Him.
We can see the Lord’s heart and pathos for His people in these last two verses. God loves Jerusalem (even though you might not think so by what happens to it) and He loves the Jews. One day Jerusalem will be the center of the reign of the Prince of Peace, and it is then that people from the East, West, North, and South will come to be part of the kingdom.
The prophets were special people that carried God’s message; and yet they were persecuted - even killed - if the people didn’t like what they said. Jesus was the last of these. As Matthew 21:37 says, “Last of all he sent unto them his son.” We see here Jesus’ tears for His people. He wanted to gather and protect them under His wings like a hen gathers and protects her chicks; but they would not. If you are not saved it’s not God’s fault, it’s because “ye would not”. Think of what Isaiah said in his fifth chapter, “What more could I have done for my vineyard?” God had done so much for Israel (the vineyard) and yet when Jesus came seeking fruit, He found wild grapes. The keepers of the vineyard cast Him out, and now He is the true vine and we are the branches that have been grafted in. God has done all for us, and now looks for fruit from us as He did from Israel. One day they will be brought back, but for now they are where they have put themselves.
It’s interesting to see the Lord pictured as a humble, protective hen; and Herod, the enemy, as a sly, crafty fox.
Hymn 113 - Only a step to Jesus
Prayer