This morning Pastor D opens his second session by reading John 10:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Pastor D. explains that in today’s culture we do not like the idea of “exclusivity”. He encourages us to view this word differently as it relates to a relationship with Jesus. This passage is not meant to be exclusive it is meant to be inclusive. A relationship with Jesus is available to all people but the only way is through Jesus. Pastor D says, “God does not desire our good works he desires us to be Holy. When we believe in Jesus, we are now holy because God sees the believer covered in the righteousness of Jesus”. Once we believe in him, we don’t have to find our own way in life because he is our shepherd. All our satisfaction and fulfilment is found in him. All we need to do is trust him because he is the door and the one, we are searching for, its all found in him if we just believe.