I am the Door

John 10:9 ESV,
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

“I am the Door”, or “I am the Gate”, is one of the 7 I am of Jesus in the Gospel of John . Interestingly, for this one, the original translation, Koinonia Greek, for the word door itself comes from a word that means more as a portal. The door has a meaning as a way or access to a different room. But portal, as introduced by the pop culture films, is an access a different world dimension. So when God says that He is the Door, it doesn’t just mean that through Him we can find a different living space, but because of Him, we can find a different dimension, a completely different state or condition, a new season full of His supplies, His Provision.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. His promise in John 10:9 is that if we enter through Him, we will find salvation, protection, solution, provision. And when we go out and in through that door (Jesus), we will find pastures. Pasture or grasslands speak of sufficient food, adequate supply of what we need. Very interesting.

Of course, we all enjoy these things but notice from verse 1, before Jesus got to His words in verse 9. Actually chapter 10 of the Gospel of John talks about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. From verse 1 He has shown that He is the True Shepherd of these sheep, His people. And because He is the True Shepherd, He will certainly enter through the door, verse 2. He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber, verse 1. To a shepherd, the doorkeeper must open the door, or gate, of the fence of the sheepfold, verse 3. The sheep will recognize the voice of the Shepherd, answer His call according to their respective names, verse 3. These sheep will be led and follow Him the Great Shepherd, verse 4. The Lord also further explained that the sheep will not follow a strange voice that they do not know, verse 5.

But before He revealed Himself as the Good Shepherd, verse 11, He first revealed Himself as the Door, Gate, or Portal. Yes, He is that Portal, access to a new dimension of the believer’s life. Dimension of blessings, not curses. Dimension of divine provision, not lack. Dimension of covering, not left alone. Especially, the dimension of salvation, anyone enters by me, he will be saved. Saved, in the meaning of being helped, released, or protected (either literal or implied): healed, preserved, restored, made good, made whole! And it doesn’t just stop there, verse 10 said that Jesus, who is the Door, came, so that they (the sheep) might have life, and have it in all abundance. A providence that is not only for when it is needed but in the form of a blessing that continues to increase over time, a progressive providence.

Jesus is the Door, both for shepherds to enter into the sheepfold, also for the sheep to go out to be shepherded, following the Shepherd. The door has two states or conditions. The door can be open or closed. Revelation 3:7 said, And to the angel of the church at Philadelphia write:

The words of the Holy One, the True One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. So He is not only the Door, John 10:9, but He is also the One who holds the key of David, Revelation 3:7.

If God opens the door, no one or nothing can shut it down again. Whatever the conditions, whatever the circumstances, what God opens will not be able to be closed again. So do not be afraid, because even death has been defeated by Him on the Cross, let alone human efforts to shut the door which He has opened.

But if He has shut the door, don’t try to open it back again. Or even try to force open that closed door. What God shuts, no one can open it back again. Read the following carefully, if God wants to give us a new beginning, a new season, He usually begins by shutting the door that was open to us. If we could just be grateful for this situation: when the door is closed, then we could learn to surrender to His guidance to lead us to the right door to be opened for us. So don’t be despair, a shut door often only means God is opening another one for us: the right door. Yes, many times we pray for the door to open, but we forget that we also need to pray for the right door, open for us! That is more important!

Matthew 7:7, the popular verse for prayer, has a final, a third part which reads like this, knock, and the door will be opened to you. Yes, prayer is like those who knock on a door. To knock and to wait for the door to open for him. Not banging, and trying to force open the door. Not kicking the door and screaming loud to be opened. Because those who are mature in the Lord, know what it means to wait until God opens the door for them. Only children who don’t want to be patient, or those who refuse to grow up and remain childish would not want to wait for the right time for them.

To wait is not known by how long we are able to wait, but how we behave while waiting. This is the character of a mature man in God. Those who can keep a grateful heart, full of joy, while waiting, are those who give themselves to the peace of God to rule their hearts and minds. As Hebrews 4:3 says, whoever believes, they enter into a period of rest. Yes, those who believe in His Word, don’t become restless in waiting for His promises to be fulfilled but instead find peace because they know that God DEFINITELY will fulfill His promises in His better time for us.

Abraham waited for 25 years before Isaac was born. Joseph waited for approximately 13 years since he was cast into a well by his brothers until he was appointed as a Prime Minister of Egypt by Pharaoh himself. Even a night before, he had still found himself in the dungeon, the underground prison of Pharaoh’s palace, in the same state just as in the well the first time. Moses thought, when he was 40 years old, he was ready to become a deliverer for his people when he killed the Egyptian officer but instead found himself fleeing to Midian and lived there another 40 years before God’s real calling came to him. Yes, He only started his ministry after he was 80 years old. Joshua also followed Moses and became his servant for 40 years before he himself was used by God to seize the land of Canaan. There are many other examples in God’s Word that tell how God deliberately takes a long time, a very long-long time, preparing His servants to be used extraordinarily. The longer the wait, the more extraordinary His use would be upon us. Jesus, Himself was prepared for 30 years, before appearing for only 3.5 years. He was not born then the next day He was already the great Savior of mankind! He was waiting, waiting for the right time according to His Father in Heaven.

Isaiah 40:31 said,
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

This verse is popular among many of us. But do we also know that God is also waiting for the time to show His mercy to us?

Isaiah 30:18 said,
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.

He is the Door, He is also holding the key of David. Wait for Him, and when He opens the door, do not hesitate, do not be afraid. Hurry in and find the meadow as we go in and out.

John 10:7-10,
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the Door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Amen.