I am the Door, the Shepherd, the Bread of Life — Larry Perkins

Welcome you to the gospel meeting tonight and before we look into the Word of God and preach the gospel let's pray. Our Father we thank you for our Lord Jesus this one of whom we've been singing the spotless victim and Lord there's many here tonight and many throughout the world who can say he gave himself for me and Father if there are any here that have never had a time in their life when they've understood the sufficiency of the death of Christ for them to take away all their sins once and for all Lord we pray that tonight would be the night that they would come into the good of the gospel message and just rest where God rests and know what it is to have peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord we thank you for the Savior we thank you for his sufferings we thank you for his death and Lord we thank that he's alive forevermore and we pray would be honored as a result of the gospel being preached here and to the ends of the in his name amen.

Jesus as the Door, Shepherd, and Bread of Life

I'd like to read with you in the gospel of John please chapter 10. John chapter 10 and verse 9. I want to read a few verses and they'll all be the words of the Lord Jesus when he that he spoke when he was here on earth and they're as relevant tonight as when he spoke them almost 2 ,000 years ago.

First of all in verse 9 of John 10 the Lord Jesus says I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. 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. I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. And one further reading please in chapter 6. Chapter 6 and verse 35 and Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life.

He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Now where we've been reading tonight the Lord basically made three statements he says I am the door I am the good shepherd and I am the bread of life and to me it's amazing that the Lord Jesus the one who is the creator of all things the creator of the universe would compare himself to things like a door and a shepherd and a bread but you know I just want to tell you tonight that what the Lord Jesus said here these different things that he is it's just what we need because as human beings because of our sin we're on a broad road that leads to destruction.

We need a way off we need an exit and so he says I'm the door and God makes it very clear again because of our sins that we're sheep that have gone astray we're lost. We need a shepherd a good shepherd.

But finally mankind is empty inside the world can't satisfy the longing of the human heart because of our distance from God but the Lord Jesus says I'm the bread bread of life. I like to look first of all in John 10 where the Lord Jesus said that he's the door now a door.

Christ the Only Door of Escape

Nothing too fancy about a door. I mean people often have very nice things in their home but the door isn't one of the most prominent features likely. Why would the Lord compare himself to a door. Well I want to tell you and you probably know this if there were a fire in this building and may the Lord spare us there'd be one thing that would be important the door a way out an exit.

I remember it was back in 2003 I was out in British Columbia and I heard or read that it was a tragedy at a nightclub in in Chicago. Now that was before we knew we'd ever move to the Chicago area. But since I used to spend so much time in nightclubs unfortunately it caught my ear.

And what happened. There's a restaurant. There was a restaurant called the epitome restaurant in Chicago and on the second floor above it there was a nightclub called the E2 and one night in February some estimate that there were around 1500 people up there was the wee hours of the morning and I'm not sure anybody knows the exact details but some say there was a bit of an altercation a fight and some of the security guards used pepper spray and people got a whiff of that and somebody said some about terrorists and everybody panicked.

Everybody panicked and started heading for the door. Now that would have been fine except that there was one narrow stairway for all those 1500 people. One narrow stairway leading down to the ground floor.

But here's the thing at the ground floor there were a pair of doors but unfortunately they opened inward. And when people went down there they're trying to get away from whatever they thought. The trouble was they got down there.

They tried to open the doors but the crowd was pressing on them so much they couldn't and the people kept well. They said the bodies were stacked six feet high. People were looking for a door that night they were desperate but the door was closed.

They couldn't get out. My friend God wants you to know that there's a door tonight for you. The Lord Jesus made it very clear when he says there's a broad road that leads to destruction. I was on that for many years didn't know it that didn't change the fact that I was on it because of my sin.

I wasn't on my way to heaven. I was on my way to hell and I would deserve to be there. And I'm so thankful that God brought me in touch with a lady who spoke the gospel to me. And at first I tried to change my lifestyle to get off that road and I found that was a hopeless case.

And then I found out there's a way off this road and it's not through anything I do. It's through what Christ did. My friend he died for our sins so we could get off that broad road. He died to deliver us from danger.

And tonight he's saying to you I'm the door and through me if you enter in you can be saved. Listen it's not hard to go through a door. But you may not go through a door unless you realize you can't stay where you are.

And for many years I didn't think I needed Christ. Now I never heard the gospel but I'd heard about him but I didn't want him. I didn't want Christianity. I didn't think I needed it but I'll tell you when I started reading the Bible and found out how God saw me in all my sin and that I couldn't take away my sin and that my sin deserved eternal judgment.

I'll tell you I started to see things differently. I needed a door. I needed a way out. Let me let me ask you kindly has there ever been a time in your life when you realized you're on the wrong road you need to get off that road.

You know some people fancy they hope that they're on their way to heaven but they've never realized they're on the broad road that leads to destruction. They believe about Christ but there's never been a time in their life when they've trusted him alone.

He's the door he says I'm not the big door and you're the little door. He's the door. There's only one and he's the only one who died for our sins so we can go to heaven. But you know four nights after this tragedy at the E2 nightclub where many people died many people were injured.

Four nights later I heard about another tragedy again in a nightclub this time out in Rhode Island at a nightclub called The Station. And some of you are probably familiar with what happened that night.

It's been in the news recently due to lawsuits and everything but the main band that night was a band heavy metal band called Great White and likely they had some acts first but then probably as the night went on then the main band comes on and the place was packed.

And now this band when they started playing they had some pyrotechnicians with them guys that shoot off fire and they shot off their fire. I'll tell you they were playing with fire in more ways than one.

What they didn't realize was that the soundproofing in that old nightclub was flammable and I've seen video of this. They shot off the fire. The band started playing. The crowd thought it was great but that fire ignited the ceiling and I'll tell you that flame started spreading.

Now what's ironic is there was a man there a reporter he was doing a video on nightclub safety and it'd be because of that tragedy just four nights earlier in Chicago he was doing a video on nightclub safety of all things and he says he was standing there and when the fire erupted the band started playing.

There were some people said wow isn't this great. And he thought to himself this isn't great this is dangerous. I'm getting out of here. So he went for the door and then the flame just started spreading like anything and he went back and this is what he showed it to the people get out get out get to the door get to the door.

Let me ask you was the door important that night when that old nightclub erupted in flames. But this is what he said. He told the people to get out to get to the door and this is what he said. And people just stood there.

100 people died that night. They didn't get to the door and my friend would have what a tragedy that was. Well what a tragedy will be if there's someone under the sound of our voice tonight and you don't get to the door.

My friend God sent his son and the Lord Jesus wants you to know that he's the door. There's a way out for you my friend. You don't deserve to be in heaven. Neither do I. None of us do we deserve God's judgment and the Lord Jesus spoke about the everlasting burnings.

Now I don't know how long that fire burned there at the station nightclub in Rhode Island. But there's a fire that never goes out that the Lord Jesus came into this world and gave himself on the cross to deliver you from the Lord says I am the door by me if any man if any human being man woman boy or girl by me.

If any man enter in now he doesn't say you might be saved. He doesn't say you'll feel safe. He says you will be saved my friend he has done everything that needs to be done so that you and I can have a door of escape from the judgment our sins deserve.

Hallelujah. There's a door. I remember another time being over in Russia and I've told this before. Some will have heard me say this but you know the Russians are fond of their banya so they're. It's like sauna only.

They call them call it by a different name and they're public. And a friend Pasha wanted me to go to the banya with him and at first I was busy. I didn't go but he kept on at me and so finally I said okay Pasha I'll go to the banya with you.

So we went there and they have they have the women's banya and they have the men's. And so we went into the men's and opened the door and there's these seats you know wooden seats that go up to the ceiling different benches levels and in the corner of course you get the heater with the stones and every so often somebody would turn on a tap and a saucepan and pour it on the stones.

There'd be a big and you know there'd be water vapor steam and uh it increased the heat and uh they kept doing this and it was getting hotter and hotter and hotter and I look up. I mean we're on the first level here and there's guys up at the back and I thought wow I don't know how they stand this.

Finally they kept on doing it so much that I said to Pasha Pasha I'm out of here. And I went out the door. You know what I thought about after I was glad there was a door to that banya. A door out. But here's the thing my friend in hell there's no door no exit.

You don't want to be there and God wants you to know that his son is the door. He can be your door not through any efforts of yours but just trust take take. God in his word that Christ Jesus came into the world to save a sinner like you.

Christ the Good Shepherd Who Seeks the Lost

But then the Lord mentioned that he's the shepherd. He says I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. Now I haven't met too many young people that want to be shepherds. No there probably are.

But uh I mean a shepherd. A little different than being like the CEO of Apple or from being the quarterback of the Chicago Bears. Shepherd may not seem like a very important thing. Unless you're a sheep and you've gotten lost somehow.

And you're way out in the wilderness. And there's wild animals there. Maybe lions wolves or other thing. And it's dark. Listen there's one thing you need then you need a shepherd. And I'm going to tell you there's one thing lost sinners need.

This is what I needed because I was out there I'd gone my own way. God says oh we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to our own way. I was lost sheep for so many years. I thought I had life in my hip pocket.

I thought I knew where things were at. I was lost. Took me 25 years to realize I'm lost. I needed to be found. And there's so many people that hope they're going to be in heaven. They think they're going to be in heaven.

They've never believed what God says that we're lost. The Lord Jesus says he came to seek and to save good people. He says I came to seek and to save those who are lost. Can I ask you kindly. Has there ever been a time in your life when you've realized that spiritually speak.

I'm not speaking about geographically but spiritually as far as God is concerned you're lost my friend. This is critical because if you're not lost then you can find your own way to heaven. You don't need Christ.

Listen. He came into the world to seek and to save those who are lost. And maybe I'm speaking to somebody tonight and you realize you know I can't figure this out. I believe what God says. My sin disqualifies me from heaven.

I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross. But I'm not saved. My friend if you are truly lost you cannot find your way to heaven. God is just waiting for you to depend on his son the Good Shepherd. My friend he came all the way from heaven to rescue a sheep like you and a sheep like me who are lost.

And maybe some people still having some doubts say well I don't know. Well let me bring your attention to what verse says 10. Uh what verse 10 says. The Lord Jesus spoke about a thief. He says the thief comes not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy.

I want to tell you that there's another being that's on your track. See our enemy now. For many years I didn't believe there was a devil again that didn't change anything. He had me believing so many things that were wrong.

I never read the Bible. I believed his lies. Well my friend he wants to destroy you. And he'll do it any way he can. He'll get you up and out down and out inside out. But there's a shepherd a Good Shepherd.

The Lord Jesus Christ. You know so many people they enjoy Psalm 23. Rightly. So the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. But my friend if there's never been a time in your life when you've trusted the shepherd when you've understood that he died for your sins.

I'm sorry. But he's not your shepherd. There needs to be a time in your life when you come into this relationship. Well I like to mention the third thing the Lord Jesus said. He says I'm the bread of life.

Christ the Bread of Life Who Satisfies

He that comes to me shall never hunger. You know some of us when we're young the world dazzles us with all its lights and bells and whistles. Some of us especially those of us again that aren't familiar with the word of God.

And so we go after the things in the world thinking that's going to satisfy. But it's been well said this world isn't big enough to satisfy the longing of that heart of yours. It's not big enough my friend only God can satisfy that longing.

You know bread may not seem too important to somebody if they've been eating candy all day. But you eat candy for a few days in a row. And I guarantee you're going to get sick of it. Anybody sick of what they've been feeding on in the world trying to satisfy.

Whether it's money fame pleasure whatever. Now listen I wouldn't have believed this. I had to learn the hard way that none but Christ can satisfy my friend. He's the only one that can meet that longing in your heart because he's the only one that can give us peace with God.

He made peace by the blood of his cross. God's judgment was hanging over us because of our sin. But he stepped in the breach and he did for us what nobody else could do. He died for our sins. And when a person trusts him they come out from under the judgment their sins deserve because that judgment fell on Christ.

He's the bread of life. And you know he doesn't say I'm the bread of life. And if you jump so high if you jump over this bar or jump through this hoop he says I'm the bread of life. He that comes to me shall never hunger.

Well it's not that you won't have difficulties in life that's part of in this world. But my friend he satisfies that deep longing in your soul. Do you have peace in your soul tonight. Do you know for sure that if you were to die tonight that you'd go to heaven.

Do you know for sure your sins are forgiven. Well my friend you will never have real peace until sure of this. Uh really looking back on it now I wondered how I could sleep at night not knowing where I'd be if I died.

My friend God loves you. He wants you to have peace. That's why he sent his son. That's why the Lord Jesus came again. He has made peace by the blood of his cross. And my friend God just wants you to believe what he says.

That we have a problem that we can't solve ourselves but that the Lord Jesus can. He's the door because we're on our way to destruction. He's the exit. He's a good shepherd because we're lost and can't find our way back to God.

He's the bread of life. He can satisfy that longing in your heart and mind. My friend this is what he came came for. And you know he also said there in chapter 10 he says I'm come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.

The Abundant Life Versus Satan's Deception

You know one of the things that the devil confused me with and I didn't realize it was satan at the time. Just my own thoughts. I thought that if I go God's way it's going to be the pits. It's like you know putting on a straight jacket or something.

I want to tell you the devil's a liar. A very good liar. Very convincing very cunning but very cruel. My friend he wants to keep you from all the blessing that God has for you. He wants you to think I don't need this.

I don't need Christ. I'm okay the way I am. But my friend I trust as the gospel continues to be preached that you will realize perhaps in a way you never have before that. It's Christ you need. We're not talking about religion.

We're not talking about a program of self-improvement. We're not talking even about understanding all the bible. Just understanding. I'm lost. I'm helpless. I deserve to be in hell. But thank God Jesus died for me.

He did everything that needed to be done to take away my sin. And I'm just going to rest where God rests. Christ died for my sins.