The Open Door

Yesterday we were able to continue our series on the I AM's of Christ entitled He's All We Need, with an exposition of the fourth expression of Jesus in John 10:1-10 when Jesus said to the Pharisees I AM the door. For this statement from Jesus was birthed in chapter 9 of this book, for he has just healed a blind man who had been taken to the Pharisees who condemned the man and excommunicated him the city because they believed that his condition is caused by a sin on his part. Jesus tells the people that the Pharisees are not their masters nor should they allow themselves to fall under their influence. In order for them to understand what he is trying to say, Jesus uses the imagery of shepherds and sheep to get them to grasp this concept. In verses 7-10, Jesus deals with illustration that when shepherds wanted to a place to keep their sheep at night, they would put them in a low walled enclosure that had a small entrance and in order to keep thieves and robbers out and the sheep from wandering, the shepherd would lay across the entrance and literally become the gate for the sheepfold. That's what Jesus has done for us, he has literally become our gate that keeps us protected in and keeps the robbers out. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: in a world that is spiraling into darkness and degradation, and we as believers are looking for a way out, Jesus Christ offers himself as our entrance into a better life.

I. Gate of Salvation - verse 9

a. Exclusive Declaration
b. Inclusive Invitation

II. Gate of Security - verse 9

III. Gate of Satisfaction - verse 10

Light in the Midst of Darkness

We continued our series on the seven I AM's of Christ, which is our study of those accounts housed in the book of John. We examined the second I AM that is found in John 8:12, when Jesus said I AM the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of fire. For the Israel people were in celebration during what is called the Feast of the Tabernacles, which was a celebration of their exodus out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. They would take four Jewish candelabras and place them upon the four corners at the highest point on the walls, and this would illuminate the entire temple. At the end of the celebration, they would turn out the lights which made the temple dark because they were still awaiting the coming of the messiah. The next morning Jesus was teaching in the temple, and the scribes and pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus rebukes them by saying he that is without sin let them cast the first stone. It was this that Jesus tells them that they highlighted this woman's sins and neglected their own sins, and just like the darkness of the temple without light, so is this world dark without the light of Christ. Here is the sermon outline:

Thesis: in a world stumbling in darkness, Jesus Christ offers himself to us as our guiding light

I. Ransom of the Light

-whoever follows me

II. Reason of the Light

-will not walk in darkness

III. Reward of the Light

-but will have the light of life

The Living Bread

We continued our series on the 7 I AM's of Jesus Christ this past Sunday during our 10:00 AM worship service as we looked at the first I AM that our Lord's Gospel According to John records in John 5:35-40 when Jesus says that I AM the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. We dealt with the fact that the Jews challenges Jesus to provide them manna from heaven just as Moses did in the wilderness. Jesus replies to them that manna is not a food but it is a person, the same person who provides life to humanity. His name is Jesus. For he is our living bread. Here is the sermon outline, I pray that it is as much a blessing to you as it was to our church.

Thesis: Jesus Christ is the universal and fundamental source that sustains us day by day in our spiritual lives.

I. Desires Will Be Satisfied - verse 35

II. Destiny Will Be Secured - verse 37

III. Deity's Will is Supreme - verses 38-40

a. Origin of His Will - verse 38
b. Objective of His Will - verse 39
c. Outcome of His Will - verse 40