Speaker 1: 0:01

Hello friends and welcome to the Rooted and Grounded podcast from 109 Church of Christ in. Lebanon, Tennessee. We don't say this very often, but if you are listening and do not come to church at 109, come visit us.

Speaker 2: 0:20

Oh, we'd love for you to.

Speaker 1: 0:21

I mean, we certainly hope the reach of this podcast is far beyond middle Tennessee, but if you're here, come say hello.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Yeah, man, for sure We'd love it, wouldn't we? Yeah?

Speaker 3: 0:32

I'd love to hear somebody say hey, we came here because we heard the podcast.

Speaker 2: 0:36

Exactly.

Speaker 3: 0:37

Exactly right. I'm hugging them, holy kiss. Possible? It's possible. You're going to hug him regardless. Exactly right.

Speaker 2: 0:45

Exactly right.

Speaker 1: 0:47

If you don't understand, listen to the Christmas episode.

Speaker 3: 0:50

Exactly, go back and just listen, okay.

Speaker 1: 0:55

So trivia question for you guys what is the most common way that a thief breaks into a home? Very sneaky.

Speaker 2: 1:07

In the dark.

Speaker 3: 1:15

Credit card.

Speaker 2: 1:16

That's one Through the window.

Speaker 1: 1:19

Yeah, both of those are incorrect. Ding ding, ding, ding. So around 34% of the time it is through an unlocked front door.

Speaker 2: 1:30

Unlocked yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:31

Unlocked front doors are the most common way that burglars break into homes.

Speaker 2: 1:35

That's 34%. The other percent they use a credit card.

Speaker 3: 1:40

They just wiggle that thing right. Yeah, how about that?

Speaker 2: 1:44

Find the friendly dog that can do the doorknob, find those creative ways.

Speaker 1: 1:50

But all that to say, doors are really important and they have a lot of different functions for a home.

Speaker 2: 1:56

I think on one hand.

Speaker 1: 1:57

It's a symbol. It's the initial impression of. Does this house look like Halloween in the middle of June? Like a house to avoid? Is it welcoming? Is it welcoming?

Speaker 2: 2:06

Is it?

Speaker 1: 2:06

inviting. It's also protection from elements, from animals, from all sorts of things, and it's a filter, I mean you can control who you open and close the door to and let in your home, both from a people standpoint and from just a content life in general standpoint. And we bring all this up because today we're going to focus on Jesus saying that he is the door, and so as we look at his I am statements before we begin. John 10 is kind of unique in that we have two I am statements in the same passage.

Speaker 1: 2:41

And so view this as kind of part one in a way, because we're going to look at I am the door today and then the next episode we'll look at I'm the good shepherd from the same passage. But the door is the setup. And so let's spend our time looking at the door and read John, chapter 10, verses one through six. Jesus says truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out when he has brought out all his own. That's a big surprise, yeah, shock, shock. He's kind of like me, huh, what he was saying to them. And so before Jesus? That's a big surprise, shock, shock.

Speaker 3: 3:49

It's kind of like me, huh.

Speaker 1: 3:51

And so before Jesus says that he is the door. He gives us this stark example in verse one, that those who do not join the sheep through the door are not welcome. There's no climbing over the gate, there's no sneaking in. The only way to get in is through the door are not welcome. There's no climbing over the gate, there's no sneaking in. The only way to get in is through the door. And Jesus says those that don't are thieves and robbers. But the shepherd has done it the right way. So, Matt, talk to us about what Jesus is teaching that there's only one way to join his sheep. Why is it so important that we go through the door?

Speaker 3: 4:24

So me and Wayne were talking about this and just kind of gathering our thoughts and I've heard lessons on this and you know, people have talked about this and given examples in the PowerPoint slides and shown all of these different ways to corral the sheep. And one of the things that I think is interesting with what Jesus is doing is he's using terminology While they don't understand it in that moment. That's the beauty of what Jesus does he sets out that idea for you to think about and it's not impossible to figure out, because they understand shepherding. And if you've got, let's just say, your property, whatever it was 40 acres and you've got that sheep, the sheep that are they're going to, you know, roam around these pastures or whatever.

Speaker 3: 5:21

There are certain locations where they have built or made a place for those sheep to be corralled in for the night, and whether it's stone, whether it's, you know, the thorny bushes, whatever they're using to connect it around with it, all leads to one place and that's that door.

Speaker 3: 5:44

And you know, when you think about the setup of that, and I think that this is, you know, getting into this, thieves and robbers coming on the outside the reason why they have that corral set up and the door being where the shepherd sits, is three things safety, security and to save them.

Speaker 3: 6:04

I mean the safety is, you know they're kind of out of the elements then Maybe not necessarily the rain or all those things, but you know they can kind of corral together and come together to be protected from, you know, the cold or whatever it is. But also there's these animals that if they're going to try and get in, they've got to make an effort to get into it, and so I think that what Jesus is trying to set up is something that if they looked at, they would understand. Okay, he's saying that he's the door, he's the one that keeps people from coming in and coming out, and the only way that you can get in is through him. It's this elevation of who he is and I don't even want to really talk about it. But if he's saying he's the door, then he's also saying that I'm a sheep, exactly, and I don't really love where he's trying to take me on that I get it.

Speaker 2: 7:10

But you know, when it says I am the door, I think it's important. It's not just that, hey, I'm one of many doors. You know I'm not one of many paths. Yeah, I'm not one of many options, he is the option, you know. He is the path, he is the door. And it's significant to me that when I read that that I am the door, he doesn't leave any doubt about it. You know, it's not like well, hey, let's talk about this and let me convince you. No, he just, he just states the fact am I am. I mean, that's it okay, pretty clear.

Speaker 1: 7:46

Yeah, well, and I think a lot about when he says I'm the way, the truth and the line it's like I'm the way, I'm the door, if you want to join me. There's no getting in your own way. There's no shortcuts. That's right. Here's how you do it.

Speaker 2: 8:01

There's no sneaking in like we were, you know, like we said a while ago, like a thief was trying to sneak in. He's not going to call you and tell you hey, you ought to be ready about 1230 today, because I'm going to kind of come in and rob you.

Speaker 1: 8:12

Right.

Speaker 2: 8:13

He's going to do it underhandedly and backhandedly. And so Jesus says here's the way in, there's no other sneaking in, you're not going to climb in any other way sneaking in.

Speaker 3: 8:26

You're not going to climb in any other way. Well, and that shepherd, when he's at that door, he's paying attention to the things that are outside of it too, I mean, and he knows if things are going to, he's paying attention to the things that are climbing over. It's like you can't get in here, you can't, you can't come in this place, and the only way that you can is through this front door.

Speaker 2: 8:44

That's the only that's the only opening this you can is through this front door. That's the only way. That's the only opening.

Speaker 3: 8:46

That's the only opening you got.

Speaker 2: 8:47

You know and I you know, I've read that when shepherds, true shepherds, what they would do is in that opening at night. That's where they hung out, that's where they slept.

Speaker 3: 8:57

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:58

And that way there's no would know if a woman's trying to come in or if a sheep's trying to wander away. So that goes back to that security, you know, and he provide them safety because that's that was what his role was. So he was the door to provide that protection for them and that security yeah, there was that.

Speaker 3: 9:19

The one example I was looking at was sometimes they would go into like caves and when they would go into that cave, you know, all of the sheep would be in there. And who's right at the front door is the shepherd, you know, and he's on watch, um, because he cares about the sheep, you know, and I know we're going to kind of get into that as we move forward in these passages in particular, but I mean he is saying I'm the one, I'm the one.

Speaker 2: 9:51

And you say that they know him. It goes back to verse 4 and 5, matt, that you read about the sheep. Follow him, because Not that she's just out there wandering around and he may have some food, no, it's because they know, yep, his voice. Yeah, you know, and we understand that with identification voices you know. A lot of times somebody call you on the phone you don't say I have to say who is this you know how you know you can't see them.

Speaker 2: 10:17

Yep, you know that voice, yeah you know exactly who it is you're making the notification and those sheep, as we all know, probably not the smartest animals. That's ever Easy, okay.

Speaker 1: 10:29

Easy.

Speaker 2: 10:30

Easy, easy. But they're smart enough to know. They know that voice, they know him.

Speaker 1: 10:36

Yeah, well, I think this is a perfect passage on the simplicity of Scripture.

Speaker 2: 10:42

We've even done episodes on this.

Speaker 1: 10:44

I think it was the John 3 scene where we looked at the simple and the complex, and scripture is perfect for every situation in life. But if you want to follow Jesus, just do what the Bible says. Exactly I mean and people make it so complicated and they try to have other things. But if you want the peace, if you want to be a sheep, you want the shepherd follow jesus follow the bible?

Speaker 2: 11:08

yeah, because you know acts 412 talks about there's no other name given among men. No other none. Yeah.

Speaker 3: 11:16

Except Jesus. And I mean he's starting. He is starting out on this and he's you know John 9 is such a beautiful story in itself because you know he heals this blind man. And you remember, at the tail end of it, in verse 41, john 9, 41, if you were blind you would have no sin. But you say we see, therefore your sin remains. He's talking to Pharisees, who say that they can truly see. And the very first statement that he makes to the Pharisees is I'm the door. And they're like what are you talking about? They have no idea. Of course these things are going to come. Of course these things are going to come. And he's beginning this description of, ultimately, what the head of the church no doubt. But he is making a pretty bold statement. While they don't understand this illustration for the moment, they're eventually going to get it and be like it's just like I mean you talked about in Exodus 3. What does Moses hear? God say? That his name was and who he was I am. It's the same. This is Jesus.

Speaker 1: 12:28

I am, I am Well, and I think like as we're man I love that Like, as we're kind of halfway through the I am statements this is a perfect time to think about the completeness of them, because he says I am the bread, so he is our nourishment.

Speaker 1: 12:41

To think about the completeness of them because he says I am the bread, yep, so he, he is our nourishment, he's our kind of, our source of life, he is the light, he, he is our, our way that we see the door, he's the protection, he's the shepherd, he's the caretaker, he's the vine, he's he's the drink. He is everything and as he goes through the Gospel of John. That's what we see. He says if you need something in life, whether it be this life or the life to come, it's me, I am, I am.

Speaker 2: 13:08

You know? And the other thing about the door, that kind of goes with your trivial question at the beginning 34% enter through unlocked doors. One of the things, guys, is Christ being the door, it's always open yeah it's always open for people, yeah, to be able to enter into his fold.

Speaker 2: 13:28

It's always there, he's beckoning us, desires for us to enter and become a follower, to come a sheep, to know his voice. And that, to me, is just tremendous, because you know, you think about. The blessing of that is that it's always open, it's always unlocked.

Speaker 3: 13:45

You think about the quality of a door too. You know, you think about a cheap door and how it, I mean, just falls apart. But, man, you get a good wood door, man, it's like that thing is nice man, it's sturdy, it's strong, it's like that thing is nice man, it's sturdy, it's strong and that's the thing it almost. You know the beauty of a real solid, heavy door. It carries a different feel than a cheap door.

Speaker 3: 14:13

you just you know push around, and I think what Wayne's talking about brings out a pretty strong point as powerful as Jesus is, it's always available and open. Where you would think you know there could be a hesitation because of who he is and how exalted he truly is, but he's like no, I want you to be a part of this family. Come on in here and I'll protect you and give you that salvation.

Speaker 1: 14:40

Yeah. So let's get to the actual I am statement. Let's read verses 7 through 10. So Jesus again said to them truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal. And so, Wayne, I think the second thing that stands out in this passage is both the condemnation and the proclamation.

Speaker 1: 15:15

And so the condemnation is that the thieves bring death and the proclamation is that those who enter through Christ will have the abundant life. So, Wayne, talk to us about Jesus, how he tells us that he is the door to life abundant, and then kind of contrast that with the consequences of those who try to enter another way, you know, when I think about this passage, I cannot keep from thinking about what he said earlier in the book of Matthew 7.

Speaker 2: 15:44

Okay, when he says that there's a broad way many enter in and there's a real narrow way. You know, doors are pretty narrow in comparison to the big house, right, okay, so there's a narrow way, one of those a broad way leads to destruction, um, and condemnation. But there is a way that's narrow, takes a little more effort to get in, uh, and not everybody's doing it, few be there that find it. And when I think about these passages, seven through ten, uh, it just kind of stands out to me that that here is jesus saying want you to come in. We've talked about that. I want you to enter. And then he says when you do, I want you to see the blessings of it.

Speaker 2: 16:27

Okay, thinking about the contrast of what you have in Christ, the door. And if you don't enter in through the door and that's what you see here, that on the outside, if you you enter the door verse nine there's salvation, you will be saved and you'll go out and there's that nourishment. You go in and you go out and you find pastor, and you know that's the role of a shepherd. But then he talks about a contrast. The thief has a purpose, just like cross has a purpose. He wants to give us nourishment. He wants to give us nourishment, he wants to give us safety, he wants to give us security.

Speaker 2: 17:02

A thief is quite the opposite of that. They're going to come and take, they're going to remove, not give. And he says the thief comes to steal and to kill. But I am come that you can have something. But, guys, I just love this word At the end of verse 10, what we can have in Christ is abundantly.

Speaker 2: 17:24

You know it just says a thief will come and take all that he can take. Christ is coming to give us all that. He can give us, just running over. If you look up that word abundantly there, it's a really interesting word. It literally means that it's something beyond, it's exceeding. And you know I have a pretty simple mind. But if you've got a 12-ounce bottle and you fill that up, then what happens when you put 14 ounces, 15 ounces, 16 ounces? It just runs over, it just gushes out. And as it does that, it just keeps pouring over and it keeps overflowing. And that's the way it is. That's what Christ says I'm coming, thief. You know, like you were saying a few months ago, those Pharisees that thought they had it figured out. He says no, you don't have it.

Speaker 3: 18:12

And they weren't even trying to allow the people to even grow in it, they were just trying to hold them. They were trying to oppress them and make them do. They were trying to oppress them and make them do. They were trying to hold them down from even growing. Right Rule keeping, rule keeping. You're not in.

Speaker 3: 18:30

I can't believe that you're healed and you're trying to be excited about it. I can't believe that you would come in here and tell people that somebody's changed your life and Jesus says, no, actually, I love what you're saying. Actually, I don't only want you to be saved and be safe, but I want you to thrive. Right, right, I want to create something in you that overflows Exactly man.

Speaker 2: 18:51

So, as I thought about that, I just kind of jotted down four things. Maybe we can just kind of think about them for a moment. When you think about condemnation, Jesus is the escape of that, he's escape of condemnation. But there's also, as you look at this whole 10 verses, the entirety of it. He's the door that allows us how peaceful god and when he talks about he is the door, he's the door of entrance into the family of God. You know, and here's the great thing, when it's all said and done, jesus is the door of giving us access into heaven. John 14, you quoted a few moments ago. He's the way, the truth and the life. Okay, there's no other way into salvation and there's no other way into heaven except through Jesus, the Christ. He's it, yeah.

Speaker 3: 19:41

You know Well the one thing. Getting back kind of to the farm illustration of these guys in the field, you know whether they're just wandering and all day here, these you know sheep are out in the pasture and they're finding brush to build this you know place to corral them. You think about it. He's setting it up in a place where they are going to be able to eat and thrive and he's not setting it up in a place where it's going to be. Oh, wait a minute, there's not even any grass over here. Yeah, this is where we need to go, like it's. It's back to what Wayne is saying. I'm just stuck on it right now. Jesus is the shepherd that takes us around to where the pasture is the best and he says this is where I want you to eat and this is where we're going to sleep tonight and I'll let you in and out, as you need to go in and out. And the sheep are like cool. I mean there's like no question about it. They just go in and out because they understand his voice.

Speaker 3: 20:47

Me and wayne talked about this. I whistle at them cows, it doesn't matter where they're at if they hear my whistle. I've heard my little nephew try to do a whistle. I've heard my mama try to do a whistle. I've heard other Libby's tried to do the whistle.

Speaker 3: 21:01

It ain't even the same Soon as I do the whistle. Here they come and I mean he is saying, I mean he is really pressing on these Pharisees and he is so smooth they don't even really know it yet. I mean they finally figured out why they kill him. But I mean he is saying I'm trying to make it abundant. You guys are trying to keep it under wraps and keep it closed when those cows I guess you're the cow whisperer, but when? When they hear everybody else exactly there it is.

Speaker 2: 21:35

Oh yeah, that's special right there that's unique okay but think about this when they hear that whistle, why do they come running? They know I'm gonna give them something exactly right, yep, that you to them here's. Here's a free gift, here's some free food. Yeah, here's something I know I'm gonna supply them. You're to give them an abundance.

Speaker 1: 22:00

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 22:00

You're not going to get them up there and trick them. So, all those things being true about Jesus.

Speaker 1: 22:05

Why do we, as sheep, try to escape the sheepfold? Why do we try to wander off?

Speaker 3: 22:11

Yeah. Well because we hardhead Exactly. I got a couple cows. I'm like you know what. They just don't want to listen. I got a couple cows. I'm like you know what they just don't want to listen.

Speaker 2: 22:22

I mean there are, when do they end up?

Speaker 3: 22:25

Yeah, they gone. But I mean that is true, like even in the herd for the cows and I know sheep and cows are a little bit different, but there are very much some similarities in that. The one thing about the cows is there is you know this. One lady told me a story. She said the cows got out one day at her house and her dad was in a wheelchair and he come wheeling out there and he said, did you get them back in? Yeah, and said which one was the first one? And looked at that one and it was one that they loved, all of them. That one was gone the next day because that one was the one who let them out and let them in.

Speaker 3: 23:10

And so I think that sometimes we feel like we know better than the shepherd and me and Wayne talked about this as well yeah, I think that the simplicity of what a sheep is they just hear and do it is just as similar as Jesus saying unless you become like a child, you won't be able to be a part of this kingdom. Because I'm just asking you to listen and to obey. That's all I'm asking.

Speaker 2: 23:43

I think in answer to that question just using biblical words stiff, neck and hard hearted.

Speaker 3: 23:48

That's right, stiff neck hard hearted. Yep neck hard-hearted. Yeah, adam and eve style we know best.

Speaker 2: 23:54

And jesus says no, you, hey, you can't even get in yeah it's a solid wall.

Speaker 1: 23:59

If I wasn't for the door yeah, well and, and you think about everyone in scripture that's good stuff except jesus experiences that wandering moment yeah and, and it always ends badly.

Speaker 2: 24:11

Yes, I mean we did those episodes on David and Bathsheba. Think about Adam and Eve, right I?

Speaker 1: 24:16

mean. Just think about anybody in scripture that has more than three verses dedicated to them.

Speaker 2: 24:22

It always ends badly.

Speaker 1: 24:23

Yes, and so maybe that's a thought for us of just be a good sheep.

Speaker 3: 24:29

Yes, yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:30

Just listen to the voice.

Speaker 2: 24:31

That's right. Follow the voice, follow it.

Speaker 1: 24:35

And so one of the things that we've been doing with the I Am episodes is really trying to focus on the identity of Jesus and what he is revealing about himself with each statement, and I know we've already talked a lot about this but as we think about Jesus saying I am the door what's he telling us?

Speaker 2: 24:53

What are?

Speaker 1: 24:53

those key messages that we can hold on to from Jesus's teaching.

Speaker 3: 24:59

I think what you say earlier. I'm the man. I mean John 941,. If you were blind you would have no sin. But now you say we see. Therefore your sin remains. They don't even recognize who he is. And I mean to me really, john does a great job. The other gospels do as well, but in a little bit of a different shape. John is actually allowing the words of Jesus to elevate who he is, and I just go back to Philippians 2. He didn't consider robbery to be equal with God. He has no problem saying this is who I am. He has no problem. But at the end of the day, every knee will bow every tongue will confess his name.

Speaker 1: 25:53

And he knows that.

Speaker 3: 25:55

I mean, you know, that to me sets a tone of just the confidence of who Jesus is, but the humility as well to care for a knucklehead like me you know a bad sheep that tries N to. You need to come back over here Lead you back.

Speaker 2: 26:13

Come on, man yeah that's right and the fact that he let us even in.

Speaker 3: 26:17

Yep, and even let us in.

Speaker 1: 26:20

Yeah. So, as we approach the end of this episode, what are the takeaways? How do we make it real Matt?

Speaker 3: 26:30

start it off for us Trust and obey, for there's no other way.

Speaker 1: 26:36

You know the podcast rule If you mention a song, you've got to sing it.

Speaker 2: 26:41

Please, please. I sat by him on Saturday mornings. You don't want that.

Speaker 1: 26:47

That's why I don't ever bring up a song. Yeah, I think that's bring up a song.

Speaker 2: 26:50

Yeah, I think that's my takeaway Exactly Trust and obey, because there's no other way.

Speaker 3: 26:55

I mean, what a great song for this moment, for that moment, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 26:59

Wayne, just the blessing it is. I just wrote down Psalm 100, verse 3. Know that the Lord himself is God. He's the man, as you just said, matt, and it is he who has made us, not we ourselves Get out of the way, wayne. God knows best and it says we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. And I love what Psalm 95 says, that we're the sheep of his hand. What a blessing that is. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 27:28

Amen, and mine is as we try to emulate Jesus, we have to be doors too, and so doors, like we said at the beginning, provide protection and filters for who can enter the house, and we have to guard the door of our life so the thief doesn't come in and that we don't have an unlocked door and that we take care of what's inside our house and we serve as the shepherd of our life and our family inside our house, and we serve as the shepherd of our life and our family's life soon.

Speaker 1: 27:53

And just serve as that sense of protection. Love it, amen. Great. All right guys Enjoyed it, as always. Appreciate it, I'll do it again in a couple of weeks. Take care, see ya. Thank you.