WW: The Door to God's Provision (Jn 10:9)

John 10:9 (NASB)

I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Teaching

Previously we looked at Jesus the good Shepherd, in allusion to God the Shepherd of Psalm 23. In the context of John 10 and Jesus' teaching on the good Shepherd, He makes another remarkable saying: 'I am the door.' A door, an obvious figure of speech, is a place of entrance and access; the door leads somewhere. Jesus is the entrance point to all of God's rich provision and goodness. Jesus assumed a role of leadership and importance that transcended all previous leaders. He is the Prophet Moses said would be raised up (Dt 15:18ff; cf. Lk 9:35).

The second part of this verse is interesting, for one can find yet another allusion. The ideal leader according to Moses is one who goes out and comes back ahead of God's people, a leader who will ensure that God's people are not like sheep without a shepherd.

Numbers 27:15-17 (NASB)
Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd."

Surely, when the original audience of Jesus heard Him speak of a good shepherd and say 'if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture,' they would have not only thought of the passages discussed in the last two studies, but also of the above passage from Numbers. Moses was speaking of Joshua (Nm 27:18) who succeeded him as leader over Israel. He was the kind of leader who went ahead of God's people in order to protect and provide - the very responsibilities of a good leader.

Jesus is the kind of leader with integrity who can be trusted - He never fails, never disappoints, and never forsakes His people. Granted, sometimes we think 'God is late,' yet delay is not denial! Just because we think 'God is late,' doesn't mean He actually is late, right? Our understanding of time is not always God's! What is important here is that Jesus can be trusted to be the door to God's provision: He brings salvation and abundance, here described with the figurative 'pasture.' Sheep and shepherd was a common scene in biblical Israel and the analogy to God and His people well known. Hence the allusion.


Application

Timeless Truth: As the one giving access to God's provision, Jesus can be trusted as our Lord and Leader with the ability to provide for us at all times.

We all need guidance in life, and Jesus is the Lord and Leader for the believer. He gives access to God and His rich, abundant provision. We as His 'sheep' can trust Him to lead us out and in and provide for the life and work He has called us to. Unlike human leaders who might fail us at times, God's good Shepherd Jesus won't ever fail us. That is not to say that we shouldn't trust human leaders; the opposite is true: God works through human leaders, yet they can, on the one hand, not replace God as our ultimate guide and authority in life, yet, on the other hand, we need to be in a place of good, caring, and capable leadership through whom God works to accomplish His will. The key principle is that a good leader is one who will use His God-given gifts and position to build up the people under his care, whereas a bad leader will (mis)use people to build up his own 'ministry.' What we need to ensure is that the leader(s) above us are godly people with pure hearts, those who, like Jesus, lay down their lives for the sheep and lead by example (i.e., 'practice what they preach'). Those leaders can and should be trusted, for they are God's instruments to equip us, advise us, and protect us.


Discussion

(1) Are you in a place of trusting Jesus the good Shepherd to provide for you in all things?

(2) Are you in a good place with godly leadership who can edify, encourage and equip you?

(3) If you can answer both questions positively, you are blessed and can thank God for your leaders; if not, you should spend time this week to establish that trust with Jesus and earnestly seek a church with the kind of leadership God intends for all His people.