JESUS, THE DOOR
By Denny Deihl
Jesus described Himself as "the door." "I am
the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:9). Jesus
teaches this lesson in the context of caring for sheep. The
religious teachers of the day (scribes and Pharisees) were
destructive thieves and robbers (vv. 1,10). Yet, Jesus is
different. He is the exclusive passageway in and out of God's
secure sheep fold. He is the key to spiritual security and
satisfaction. He proved His ability to fulfill this promise by
His loving willingness to lay down His life for us and His
divine power to take it back up again (John 10:17-18).
Talking about doors, years ago there was a TV game
show called "Let's Make A Deal." Monty Hall would sometimes
offer the participants the choice of two doors, and, depending
on the choice made, the player would receive either a valued
prize or be "zonked." Our lives are very much like that game
show: life is made up of choices, and, depending on which door
to life that we choose, we will either receive a blessing or be
"zonked."
JESUS IS THE ONLY DIVINELY AUTHORIZED DOOR
Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father, but
through Me" (John 14:6). The one who enters through Jesus, "he
shall be saved" (John 10:9). Then, it is Jesus who sets the
divine standard that determines who is saved. Monty Hall would
give a player some money which he could trade for a door. To
get the door, the player would have to follow Monty Hall's
instructions. We all recognized that to get the door, the
instructions would have to be followed. In the same way, Jesus
said, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be
saved" (Mark 16:16). Therefore, to choose the door which leads
to salvation, Jesus' instructions will have to be followed,
because "he who does the will of My Father who is in
heaven...will enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7:21)..
OFFERING JESUS' DOOR TO OTHERS
After Paul's first evangelistic journey, "they
began to report all things that God had done with them and how
He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27).
Paul, during his third journey while at Ephesus, noted, "for a
wide door for effective service has opened to me" (1
Corinthians 16:9). Jesus opens the door of opportunity to speak
to someone in His name. We need to constantly watch for that
open door. First, we need to be "praying...that God may open up
to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the
mystery of Christ" (Colossians 4:3). After praying for the door
to open in someone's life, we need to watch for it to open.
Typically, in anyone's life, there are certain times when the
door opens to Christ (perhaps marriage, birth, death, moving,
etc.). When I first started preaching at about age 27, an
insurance man tried to get me to take out health insurance.
Even at the grand sum of $35 a month, that door wasn't open
then; but now with a family, I wouldn't dream of being without
it. My situation changed. Constantly watch for the door to open
in someone's life.
Yet, to take advantage of that open door, we must
not be distracted with other things. Our job, money, family,
hobbies, etc., can distract us from taking the opportunity. We
need to be ever vigilant. Even Paul was once distracted. He
"came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was
opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, not
finding Titus" (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
THE DOOR OF BLESSINGS
Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and
might have it abundantly" (John 10:10). This is the greatest
quality of life known to man. It is life at its best. The beer,
"Miller High Life" offers no real life at all, only a temporary
diversion from the grind of life. Yet, the Lord has wonderful
blessings for us in store, as we follow Him. "Every good thing
bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father" (James 1: 17).
Even for Israel, God "rained down manna upon them
to eat, and He gave them food from heaven" (Psalm 78:24). Yet
they complained about that blessing (Numbers 11 :6). Would we
really be thankful for the blessing of many conversions? New
people could bring potential problems associated with growing
pains. Or, brethren are intended to be a blessing to one
another. Do we frequently "complain against one another" (James
5 :9) because of some trivial thing that we don't like?
"We know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). Are we
looking for those things that "work together for good," or are
our eyes fixed on something else? What makes the following
quote so powerful is not only what it says, but who said it:
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we
look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which
has been opened for us" (Helen Keller).
THE DOOR OF ESCAPE FROM TEMPTATION
In following Jesus, we may need to turn to Him and
flee through His way of escape from temptation. We need to
always know where that exit is located. "No temptation has
overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you
are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of
escape also" (1 Corinthians 10:13). Some consider themselves
very strong, not in danger to falling to certain types of
temptation. We are actually strong when we recognize the source
of strength in our weaknesses. The man who will not ask
directions because that supposedly makes him look weak is
almost a proverb. In Genesis 39, Joseph was strong because he
knew where the door of escape was located. When Potiphar's wife
"caught him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me!,'" he left
his garment in her hand and fled.
THE OPEN DOOR TO HEAVEN
If we miss this door, then we've really been
"zonked." John looked and saw "a door standing open in heaven"
(Revelation 4:1). John saw ultimate spiritual reality, God on
His throne in absolute control. John's eyes were opened to see
the beauty of heaven, where the 12 pearl gates (doors) to the
city "shall never be closed" (Rev. 21:25). There is no fear of
invasion from evil there.
We need to always be spiritually looking for this
door. Our crucified and risen Lord Jesus is that door. He shows
us the right way to lasting peace, purpose and joy. We will only
be able to enter in on that Last Day unless we hear, "Well
done, good and faithful slave . . . enter into the joy of your
master" (Matthew 25:21).
--slightly adapted, WFW
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