This will be our last post in connection with the
names of our LORD. This series has
certainly not been a complete study, but, hopefully, the thoughts presented
have stimulated your thinking in appreciation of all that these names reveal to
us about our LORD and Savior—both Father and Son.
Jesus identified Himself as both the door and the shepherd
in His teaching recorded in John 10. We
have already talked about our Shepherd, so today we will explore the concept of
Jesus as the Door.
John 10:1–9 & 14 “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that
entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep….Then said Jesus unto them
again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I
am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and
robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in
and out, and find pasture….I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
A door is an entrance that provides access to a
place. The place being referenced in
this passage is the sheepfold, a place of protection and security for the
sheep. The teaching pictures those that
place their faith in the LORD and belong to Him as the sheep. Jesus then declares that He provides the
access to that safe place; He is the door—the only means through which one can
find entrance. Not only does He provide
the access to the safe place, He also guards the sheep by controlling that
access as the Shepherd. He is pictured
protecting the sheep from the attack of the enemy—those whose purpose is to rob
the Shepherd of His sheep.
As both the divine Door and the Shepherd, Jesus is
unique; He provides the only access, protection and security for those who are
part of His flock. Note that it is
through Him that the sheep are given the freedom to go in and our and find
pasture. I can’t help but be reminded of
the words of Matthew.
Matthew 7:13–14 “Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is the
gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.”
In this
passage Jesus affirms that salvation can only be found through an entrance from
a narrow path that leads through a narrow gate.
It is beyond my understanding how anyone can call himself “Christian”
and think that there is more than one way to be saved. The scripture is very clear and
unapologetic. Salvation can only be
found through faith in Jesus. Only the
sacrifice of Jesus provides redemption for our sin. Only the resurrection of Jesus guarantees the
resurrection to life of those that choose to accept His gift of salvation and
follow Him in faith. Only Jesus serves
as the door to eternal life in the presence of the Father.
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I
am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Lastly, we look at the scripture in which Jesus
identifies Himself as the “true vine.”
John 15:1–6 “I am the true vine, and
my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he
taketh away: and every branch
that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye
are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in
you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no
more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not
in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and
cast them into the fire, and
they are burned.”
In this teaching Jesus is pictured as the vine
that produces branches that produce fruit.
The Father is pictured as the husbandman, the caretaker that works to
ensure a good harvest of fruit. The
fruit is obviously produced by the branches that find life in the vine—those
who identify themselves as “Christian,” disciples of Jesus.
Acts 11:26 “And the disciples [of
Jesus in context] were called Christians
first in Antioch.”
It’s interesting to note that Jesus calls Himself
the “true” vine. He embodies truth and,
therefore, provides a solid foundation for the growth of the branches. The Father and Son are both integral to the
fruitfulness of the branches. The Son
provides life and truth to enable the branch to produce fruit, and the Father
provides purging to ensure optimal production.
Purging is defined in the Greek as “to
cleanse.” That cleansing is said to come
“through the word which I have spoken unto you.” Jesus then goes on to explain how that
cleansing occurs; it is through abiding in Him as He abides in us. To abide with Him is a picture of dwelling in
close relationship to Him. It’s a
picture of choosing to live as He would have us live in accordance with the
truth revealed to us in His word. He
abides in us in the person of the Holy Spirit to comfort and teach us as we
seek to maintain that closeness in relationship.
John 14:23–26 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me,
he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings….But
the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.”
There is another important truth being pictured
here. Israel was often symbolized by the
vine in scripture.
Psalm
80:8-9 “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen,
and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep
root, and it filled the land.”
Isaiah
5:1&7 “Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his
vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill….For the
vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his
pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for
righteousness, but behold a cry.”
Hosea
10:1 “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according
to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the
goodness of his land they have made goodly images.”
Jesus represents the “true vine.” He
represents the Father to the world rightly—as Israel was intended to do. As part of that vine, it is the purpose of
every “true” Christian to do the same.
How do we know if we are “true?”
By our response in love to the Savior, the One who gives us life.
John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my
commandments.”
John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said
unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words….”
I want
to close by noting the security of the position of the true Christian as cared
for by Father and Son. This is one of my
favorite sections of scripture.
John 10:27–30 “My sheep hear my
voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”
Our eternal security is pictured by being firmly
held in the grip of both the Son and the Father—a grip He declares to be one
and the same. This is the ultimate power
grip!
