TEXT: JOHN 10:9-11,14
9 ) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 ) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Everybody, praise the Lord!
We praise the Lord for the testimony we just heard – that God can take someone apparently useless, and make him abundantly useful. Today, we will be discussing THE UNLIMITED CHRIST, THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP.
INTRODUCTION
As we talk about Christ, He is eternal, infinite, His grace is inexhaustible, and unlimited. We are talking about the aspect of His unlimited grace tonight. Whatever the situation and failure, whatever the discouragement, when you come to Christ, He takes you up and does the unlimited in your life. He refers to Himself as the Shepherd, and the word of God refers to Him as same.
John 10:9. Jesus is the door to the Kingdom of God, grace of God and presence of God. To enter any house, you must go through the door, to enter the house of God in heaven, you must go through Jesus, the door. He didn’t say “I was” or “I will be” but “I am” because He is the ever-present One. He is the Door to the Father, salvation and the fold. He is the door to all men in our nation here in India, and men in any other nation, East or West. If you want happiness, joy, a fulfilled and transformed life and one that is worth living, He is the door to the presence of the Father.
Nobody can come to the presence of the Holy God – He is too holy for sinners like you and I to come to His presence. Yet, to have a meaningful life, you must get to His presence where power, provision, and everything you need reside. Christ is the door through which every man enters in for salvation. Not all doors have salvation, forgiveness or eternal life, except Jesus Christ.
“if any man enter in…” This tells us that anyone can come. Whosoever comes to Him, He will in no wise cast out. The worst of sinners can come, the vilest and dirtiest sinner can come, they all will be saved. They will get pasture (sustenance).
vs 10. He talks about what He brought to everyone and every individual who are seeking joy, happiness, eternal life and life of God in man. All who came before and after Him could not give eternal or new life, but He did. He brought life more abundantly so that everyone could go from being happy to being happier, from being joyful to being joyful, from satisfaction to great satisfaction. The life we have on our own is ordinary and goes down and down, depreciating and losing value. The life that goes on higher and higher, greater and greater, a more abundant life.
vs 14 “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” Shepherd all over the have sheep, through which they meet their various needs of sustenance. Christ is the only Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. The good Shepherd gives His life to the sheep. No one has ever done what He did. He is the door, way, life, truth, Saviour, Substitute, good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.
and know my sheep, and am known of mine…” There is a two-way recognition here. Those who come to Him turn away from their past and surrender their lives wholeheartedly to the Shepherd. He knows all who come to Him in faith. He is also known of them.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16). He got some sheep at that time in Israel, but He is saying that His sheep go beyond the shores of Israel. Peter, James and John are from Israel, some people have thought erroneously that Jesus is Saviour only for that nation, but Jesus said No, because He has sheep in other places, India in particular.
They must be brought in. That is what He wants to be tonight, you are one of the other sheep.
… and they shall hear my voice…” He is calling today from Europe, America, Asia, Africa, “and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” So, everyone, everywhere who hears His voice should respond and come believing and accept Him as Shepherd.
The topic of the message is THE UNLIMITED CHRIST, THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. He has unlimited love, grace, and supply of everything you need. We are looking at it from three perspectives.
- THE GRACIOUS SAVIOUR OF GUILTY SINNERS (Romans 3:10-19,23-24; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 4:14-17)
Sinners are people who have gone the wrong direction, they have done wrong in their lives, and this refers to everyone. We are all guilty sinners who have gone astray. Christ does not limit Himself to only one nation, He gives salvation to the whole world. No one is righteous, not one person is righteous in their own power. No one seeks after God. That is the true nature of every man. They do not understand how to be righteous and live a proper life. And when they seek God it is to get money and blessings.
To seek God rightly, it has to be without ulterior motives. Everyone on earth is selfish. They only want to use God. They are all gone out of the way of heaven, astray, and become unprofitable. He created us but we are not giving Him joy. We are also unprofitable to ourselves and to our neighbours. None does good continuously, none is happy, joyful or helpful all the time. They are helpful now, but unprofitable the next day. If they do good today and you lean on them, they will disappoint you tomorrow.
vs 13. Their language, and words are said in anger, pride, crushing others, in the presence of heaven and the holy God, we are guilty. Cursing and bitterness on others, self love, taking revenge on others, saying hurtful and bitter words.
vs 19. Whatever the law says is said to those under the law. All those who go around claiming to be good are superficial and untrue. Before God, all men become guilty and all mouths are stopped. What are we to do? This is why Christ came, to save humanity.
vs 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Sin in our lives shorten our status. We stretch out our hands and we can’t reach God. We are not good even though we do philanthropy. You can’t do good round the year. No matter how hard you try, you just human. The only way you can see the glory of God is through Jesus. The works of your hands, the good things you do, pile them up, they are not up to raise you to heaven.
vs 24. Ideologies and philosophy cannot give salvation, you will only try and fail. But through Christ, you can be justified. He is only door and way to life everlasting. He justifies us by grace, goodness and way in Himself. As you lift, uphold the unlimited Christ, acknowledging your shortcomings, despite your good works and claims, He will help you. He will freely forgive and save you. Now you can come to Him. Guilt, condemnation and sadness do not stop us from coming.
- THE GREAT SUCCOUR OF THE GRIEVOUSLY SICK (Matthew 8:5-13; 15:22-28; Hebrews 2:14-18)
Sad conditions affect our soul, spirit and body. The mind is invisible to us. When something happens and troubles you, the poison will be oozing to other parts of the body. This is what causes disease. Disease is lack of ease in the body. Headache, stomach troubles, cancers, and others all because of guilt and condemnation. Sin came with disease into the world. Christ came and He is so unlimited and He is the succour of the soul.
Whatever our position, centurion, captain of industries and institutions, there are problems you can’t handle yourself. But Christ the Saviour, Succourer and Deliverer is here to help us. The Centurion came to Christ to seek help for his sick servant. Only Jesus can handle what any other cannot do. Appreciate and acknowledge His Lordship. When you come to Him as Healer and solution Provider and you hold to Him as Lord, He will not drive you away, He will give you the assurance and help you need.
The Centurion said Lord, You can manifest Your Lordship everywhere, either here, in my house, anywhere. But speak the word only and my servant shall be healed. When Jesus heard it, He marveled at the faith of the man, an outsider, someone outside the Commonwealth of Israel. He told him to go His way, because his servant was healed by reason of his faith. The man did not doubt, he believed solely in His authority. He went his way and his servant was healed. As you believe in the power and Lordship of Christ, the healing and ease will come.
- THE GLORIOUS SHEPHERD OF GODLY SAINTS (John 10:10-16; Hebrews 13:12-14, 20-21; 1 Peter 2:1-3,9-12,21-25)
Before we come to Him, He is the glorious Shepherd, but we were sinners. He made us righteous. He formed us, sin deformed us, but He transforms us. He is the Shepherd who changes and does everything right in our lives and we are saints.
He bears and carried our sins away in His own body on the Cross. He did this by His shed blood so we can live unto righteousness. By His stripes we are healed. After salvation, we don’t continue in sin. We live a new life. Christ is the door through which we come back to God. He is the way, the truth and life. As we come, His grace transforms and changes our lives.
Only through the name of Jesus is anyone saved. Whosoever calls on His name shall be saved. We are not doubting Him or His power. This is another
Return. Repent. Rely on Christ. This is another chance to make Him Lord of your life. Come to Him now. Heads bowed and eyes closed.
