We come across doors every day, and knowing which door to go through can be very important. When we go into an office building for an appointment, we should double check the suite number before going through the door. A mistake can be embarrassing. On some game shows, choosing the wrong door can make the difference from winning an expensive prize or getting something worthless. Sometimes choosing the wrong door can be a matter of life or death. There is a tale about the lady or the tiger, where a king often decided legal cases by having the prisoner choose one of two doors. Behind one was a lady who he could marry, and behind the other was a ferocious tiger. There is one door that we each need to make a decision about whether we go through it or not, and that decision will have eternal consequences for us. Let’s learn about this door.
Our Scripture for today comes from the Gospel of John, and gives the third of seven “I am” sayings of Jesus. Here in our passage Jesus says that He is the Door through which all must enter in order to be saved and come to God (vs. 9). In this passage, Jesus speaks about how a shepherd guards and protects their sheep, keeping them safe within the sheepfold (vs. 1-6). As Jesus describes this scenario, He tells us of those who try to get into the sheepfold through illicit and unlawful ways. They aren’t the shepherd, but are ones who are trying to steal the sheep, and to cause them harm. As Jesus said, they are thieves and robbers.
Those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior are part of His flock. We are His sheep. Just like literal sheep quickly learn the voice of their shepherd, and will only respond to his or her voice, so too we can learn to respond to the voice of our Shepherd. We learn His voice through the Scriptures. True sheep hear the voice of the true Shepherd. The one who truly wants to know the Word of God will be led into all truth (John 16:13).
There are other voices out there, voices that try to lure us away from God’s truth. Just like scammers who sound very convincing, and try to lure unsuspecting buyers to purchase their junk, these religious scammers try to lead us astray. We need discernment, and to only listen to Jesus as He speaks through the words of Scripture. Sheep won’t follow just any voice. They only perk up, listen, and follow the voice of their shepherd. We need to listen to the voice of Jesus, and follow Him (vs. 3-5). The true sheep will know Jesus’ voice, but the false sheep will follow others.
Jesus continues on by proclaiming He is the Door, just like the gateway to the sheepfold (vs. 7-10). The true shepherd of the sheep will only go in and out of the sheepfold through the gateway, not by climbing through some other way. There is only one Door, and that Door is Jesus. Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the sole means to approach God and receive salvation. One cannot find salvation through some other way, or by some other false shepherd. Jesus is the only true source for knowledge of God, and the only basis for spiritual security. Any who claim to have the way of salvation without Jesus Christ are thieves and robbers.
We often hear that just as there are many paths that lead to the top of a mountain, so thus there are many paths that lead to God and heaven. As we clearly see in our Scripture today, this is false. There is only one door to heaven. Jesus is not one route among several to a saving relationship with God. Jesus is the only way.
Satan and his emissaries are there to steal, to kill, and to destroy (vs. 10). They try to peddle a false way of salvation. We need to understand that Satan wants to destroy us. Jesus came to set us free. We can encourage our faith and discourage our doubts by keeping our mind fixed on what God’s Word, the Bible says.
In closing, we need to select the correct door before we pass from this life. However, unlike the fable with the lady and the tiger, or unlike on a game show, we know which door is which. God’s Word, the Bible, states the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Door that will lead one to heaven. All other ones will lead to eternal death and destruction. Select the correct door, which is Jesus. Blessed is the one who rests his hope of admission to glory upon the Crucified Redeemer.
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