The I Am Teachings Of Jesus
Or
Learning From Jesus – Lesson 4
Scripture To Consider:
“Most assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you, he [or she] who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he [or she] who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
“Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not [and does not] hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he [or she] will be saved [future tense], and will go in and out and find pasture.’”
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10.1-10
Something To Consider:
Jesus spoke a little more than one hundred words concerning His I am the door teaching in our above Scripture to consider. And John was forced to report in verse 6, “Jesus used this illustration, but they [those listening] did not understand the things which He [Jesus] spoke to them.”
Many modern-day religious leaders may have become discouraged at the majority of people not understanding their Sunday morning sermons. But not Jesus! Therefore, Jesus further stated, “I am the door of the sheep.” He is not the door to eternal life and a more abundant life to just the Jewish nation or a few privileged nation groups. Jesus is the door of the sheep of God to all people.
Jesus is the only entry point by which His true believing sheep of His pasture enter into. There is no other way to the Father, and no other way to eternal life and to the complete forgiveness of our sin, iniquity, and or trespasses against God! Jesus is the door, the only door of the sheep.
Something Else To Consider:
Therefore, all other ways and means being promoted in every generation, and all men and women who attempt to claim special privileges or a free pass into eternal life, according to Jesus, are thieves and or robbers or both.
And yet, many millions have and continue to follow after the many false prophets and false teachers and their lies and deceptions in every generation. I personally call them eternal as well as infernal distractions. Therefore, according to Jesus, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name [as if Christian or acting on Christ’s behalf], saying, I [Jesus] am the Christ [the Messiah], and [they] will deceive many [not a few, not some, but they will deceive many].”
And this 21st century generation is full of distractions that keep the majority of humankind chasing after rabbit holes that lead to everywhere except to the truth, which is found within the written and preserved Word of God, which is Jesus, the living Word of God come in the flesh.
So, what do we do? As believers in Christ, what should we be doing as it pertains to Jesus, the door of the sheep and the many deceiving spiritual imposters of this 21st century generation? What is it that we can do as the reflective light of Jesus? What should we be doing?
Something More To Consider:
The apostle Paul, originally named Saul, who persecuted the early 1st century church of Jesus Christ, is a most credible source to turn to when considering what we should do as it pertains to thieves, robbers, and religious but not spiritual deceiving imposters, who comfortably and casually nest within the branches of the so-called church as Jesus predicted they would.
In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul gives us three short discourses relating to walking in love, walking in the light, and walking in wisdom. He begins by reminding us as true enduring to the end believers in Jesus, by stating; “Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
In other words, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In verse 8 of Ephesians chapter 5, Paul admonishes us, by declaring; “For you were once darkness [as Paul was], but now you are light.” And finally, Paul explained in verse 11, concerning those who remain in darkness, by explaining; “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness [that is have no fellowship with liars, thieves, robbers, and deceivers], but rather expose [or publicly reveal] them.”
A Few Final Words:
Why should we expose the deceptions of darkness in this possible final 21st century generation? Because according to Jesus, “The thief [the liar, the robbers, the last days deceivers dressed in sheep’s clothing] does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”.
These religious and political pretending deceivers have come and continue to come in order to increase the darkness of Satan’s domain by distorting the light of the truth of God’s Word and to keep it hidden from the world and from the church. These void of spiritual understanding pretenders have come to kill all hope of those attempting to enter into the true door of the sheep, Jesus.
And they have come to ultimately destroy our eternal souls for all eternity, and steal any glimmer of hope of our enjoying life more abundantly in this earthly life. Therefore, Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 24.4; “Take heed that no one deceives you.” And yet, deception is at an all-time high throughout the entire world. Deception is everywhere including within the highly organized so-called church.
Therefore, of whom are we listening to? Of whom are we following? If we are grounded in the lessons of a lifetime of Jesus Christ, then the possibility of our being deceived is diminished. Let us therefore study to show ourselves approved unto God as workers of righteousness and light in the midst of so much earthly darkness in this 21st century generation.
Let’s Pray:
Our Father in heaven, may many find Jesus as the true door to the sheep and as the only entrance point into eternal life. Help us Father, to become exposers of pretending liars, thieves, robbers, and 21st century deceivers of which Jesus predicted would be many and who will lead many astray and away from the truth of the Word of God. Let us learn much from Jesus today and every day. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 