Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I invite you to open your Bibles
with me to John chapter 10. John chapter 10, we're gonna
read three verses of scripture. We're gonna read verses seven
to nine. John chapter 10, verses seven
to nine. Those verses say, 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. Now, our Lord created all things. All things. Our Lord created
language. the language I'm using right
now. Our Lord created every language. Our Lord's knowledge surpasses
any and everything that can be comprehended or described on
this earth. Nothing can come close to understanding
His knowledge. But our Lord, amazingly, amazingly,
Our Lord has loved and received common people. Common people. The scripture
says, he saveth the simple. It says that he will save a few
mighty, a few noble, But our Lord has said in his
word that he has revealed his glorious gospel to babes. Babes. And of all the ways, and
of all the high and lofty words that he could have used to describe
his own person, his own self to us, This is what he lovingly
and very simply said to his people. Look at verse seven. Then said
Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am
the door. I'm the door. How clear is that? How plain is that? A child can understand that. A little child, a babe. In John
6 he said, I am the bread. The bread, what does bread do for
us? Bread is the staff of life. We must have food to live, to
be nourished, to be satisfied. In John 8, he said, I am the
light. I'm the light. What does light
do for us? We couldn't live without it.
We could not live without the sun shining. It's how we see,
it's how we are warmed, and it's how our fruit grows. The common
people heard him gladly. Gladly. The gospel that our Lord
has given us is the most wonderful news that could ever be heard.
It truly is the most wonderful news that could ever be heard.
Now here's the truth of the matter. Here's the truth for every single
one of us. Here's the truth. Our sin has
shut us out from the presence of God. Adam sinned and God shut him
out of the garden. And spiritually speaking, in
Adam, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And
because of that sin, we have all been shut out from the presence
of God. The God who dwells in his glorious
kingdom. The beautiful city of God, the
song says. Scripture says it's a walled
city. And inside those walls, Righteousness
is there. Righteousness Himself. Inside
those walls, holiness reigns. Inside those walls, happy saints
of God cry, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Worthy is the
Lamb. The Lamb whose brightness outshines
the sun. It's a place of beauty. It's
a place of joy. It's a place of peace. Scripture
says it's a place of harpers harping with their harps. Now, could you imagine going
all the way around that city, that glorious city, going all
the way around that wall, searching that wall, going around that
wall, going around that wall, searching that wall, looking
for any way in. and they're not being one. Oh,
I've got to find some way in. All the way around, all the way
around it, there's just not one way. Well, Christ said, I am
the door. I am the door. If it were not for Jesus Christ,
there would be no door. What glorious news that is. What
glorious news that is. He said, I am the door. He said, I am the door. There's no other door. When he said, I am the way, what
he was saying was, there's no other way. When he said, I am
the living water, what he was saying was, there is no other
fount. What can wash away my sins? Nothing
but the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is none other name
under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Thank
God there's one. There's one. That's the glorious
news of the gospel. There's one. Thank God there's
one name. Thank God there's one way. Thank
God there's one door. There is one door. Tell all the sinners you can.
Go tell the good news unto all the world. Sinners, I found a
door. I found a door. There's only
one. One way in. One way in. Verse seven right here in John
10 says, Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Now back in Exodus,
God said, I'm gonna come through the land and I'm gonna kill the
firstborn of every household. But he said, if you take a sheep
and if you kill it, and if you put his blood on your door, when
I see the blood, I will pass over you. Can you imagine how
many sheep had to die because of sin? Because of sin. Well, he says
right here in verse seven, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am
the door of the sheep. There's blood on this door. Run
to me, little sheep. Run to me. Enter in, little sheep,
to this door, and no more blood will be shed. There's already
blood on this door. I am the door of the sheep. I
am the door for the sheep. Verse eight says, all that ever
came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not
hear them. He's not talking about the prophets
of the Old Testament, those that came before him. He's not talking
about John the Baptist who was sent to prepare the way of the
Lord. He's talking about all who said they were a door. John
didn't say that. John said, I am not the Christ. They said, are you the Christ?
No, I'm not the Christ. They said, are you that prophet?
He said, no, I'm not that prophet. Behold the lamb. Behold the lamb. All who said they were a way
into heaven, a way other than this one door, our Lord said
they're thieves and robbers. They're trying to steal God's
glory. They're trying to steal men's souls. And if it were possible,
even the elect would be deceived. But thanks be to God, it's not
possible. It is not possible. Look at verse
27. Our Lord said, 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. It is not possible. Verse eight says, all that ever
came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not
hear them. Why? because they're kept by the power
of God, that's why. That's why, look at verse five.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him,
for they know not the voice of strangers, why? Because they're
kept by the power of God, that's why. So verse nine says, I am
the door, by me if any man enter in, He shall be saved and shall
go in and out in fine pasture. Now, I take very seriously the
fact that our Lord told Peter, feed my sheep. Peter, if you love me, feed my
sheep. I take very seriously the fact that he told Isaiah,
comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. But I wanna say
something right here to the unbeliever. The unbeliever. I wanna show this to the person
who doesn't quite know what to make of all this. Maybe there's somebody listening
right now who doesn't quite know what to make of all this. Maybe you have some questions
that haven't been answered yet. This is not about learning something
or not learning something like school. School doesn't matter. School doesn't matter. Now I'm
all for education. Go get an education. That's wonderful.
But man's days are numbered. And on a man's last day when
he leaves this earth and when he goes to meet God, school doesn't
matter. It doesn't matter. This is not
about having some facts right or having some facts wrong. This
is life and death. This is life and death. This
issue is life and death. And people can say what they
want about religion. They can say what they want about
religion. But I want to show you the truth about salvation. People argue religion. They state
their opinion about religion. They write books on the subject.
They can say what they want to. I want to show you the truth
about salvation. Here's the truth. Look at verse
nine with me. John chapter 10, verse nine. It says, I. That means Christ. He's the one talking. That means
Christ. Salvation begins with Jesus Christ
and it ends with Jesus Christ. You don't take the first step
and he takes the second. He doesn't take the first step
and you take the second. He takes the first step, he takes
the second step, he takes every step all the way to the end.
He is the author of it, he is the finisher of it. Isn't that
what Hebrews 12 says? That jailer said, came up to
Paul and Silas and said, what must I do? What must I do? That's religion's
question. That's the question of religion. Everyone has a different religion
because they have a different answer to the question. What
must I do? If you are right now asking the
same question, here's the answer. Nothing. Believe on Christ to do it. Look to Christ to do it. Stop looking at yourself. You are not the answer. Christ
is. Christ is. You know what faith
is? Faith looks to Christ to do it,
alone without me. True faith says, I am not a part
of this equation. Christ alone. Christ alone, that's
faith. Verse nine, he said, I am. Am, that means right now. It doesn't say I was. Now he
walked this earth 2,000 years ago. He hung on that cross 2,000
years ago. Salvation is believing that he
is. Hebrews 11 says, he that cometh
to God must believe that he is. Salvation is being absolutely
convinced that He is my present help right now. Right now. Verse nine, our Lord said, I
am the door, the one and only one way. He said, by me, if any
man enter in. Now here's the truth about salvation.
If you have your Bible open with me, you can see that you and
I both have God's word on this. Here's God's word on salvation. It's not mine. I'm not telling
you my opinion right now. We both have the word open. Here
is the truth about salvation. If any man enters in, it's only
gonna be by him. That's it. If any man enters
in to salvation, it's only gonna be because Christ did it. He said, by me, if any man enter
in. He's not only saying I am the
door, if any man comes through this one door, he's saying, if
I choose a sinner, And if my faith, if I decide
to give my faith, if I have purposed to give my faith to that sinner,
put it in that sinner, if I do the work in that sinner, if I
died for that sinner, and if I cause that sinner to enter
in, then that sinner will be saved. It will only be because
Christ put us in salvation. If any man enters in, it will
not be because you have decided to become a better person. Turn over a new leaf. I have
no idea who started that. That is not in the word of God.
It is not what God said. If that's what you believe, dear
sinner, Quit believing it. Turn from it. It's not in the
word of God. No man will enter in because
he decides anything. If any man enters in, it will
not be because you finally got the doctrine straightened out
in your mind. You know, I've been thinking
about this. I've been dwelling on this. I've been working on
this. I've been trying to get my mind around this and I'm starting
to see some of the things and put some of the pieces together
and I think I finally have it. That's not salvation. That's not salvation. If any man enters in, it will
not be because you apologized to God and asked for forgiveness. It will not be because of that.
It will only be because Christ put you in salvation, which is
himself. Christ is our salvation. And
if he does, if Christ does that, you will wanna be a better person,
you will. If Christ does that, he will
straighten out your doctrine, he will. And you will apologize to God
and you'll ask for forgiveness, you absolutely will. And with
all of that, you're gonna say, salvation is of the Lord. It's all by Him, all by Him. All right, now here's the truth
about salvation. Verse nine says, John 10 verse
nine, our Lord said, I am the door, by me if any man, any man
or woman. It does not matter how bad you
are. I know you're horrible because
I'm horrible. It does not matter how wretched. It does not matter
how wicked. God said, if any man. He didn't
say any good man. He didn't say any worthy man.
He didn't say any religious man. He said, if any man. Unbeliever, that means you. And that means me. Our Lord said,
if any man thirst, let him come unto me. He said, I'm the living bread.
If any man eat, he'll live forever. I wish I could find somebody
who was hurting, truly hurting, truly hurting and miserable over
their sin. I wish I could find somebody
who was truly lost, lost. truly hungry and thirsty for
righteousness. If they were, they would be filled.
They would be filled. Now here's the truth about salvation.
Verse nine says, by me, if any man enter in. Enter in. This is life and death. Enter
in. Enter in, this is life and death.
God told Moses, you tell the people I'm coming through with
death. If you wanna live, you better
enter into that door that has blood on it and don't come out. Whoever is outside the door will
die. Those two spies told Rahab the
same thing. Get your family, get them in
this house and you tell them don't go out of that door. God
told Noah, you tell the people the door is open. Enter in. Enter in. Here's the truth. Salvation is entering in. It's entering in. So many people
want to walk up to the door. They want to stand outside the
door. They want to be seen by everybody
else standing in the presence of the door. That's not salvation.
So many people want to ponder the door. They want to debate
the door. They want to argue the materials
and the style of the door. That's not salvation. Verse nine
says, by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. It's one thing to know how God
saves sinners. It's another thing altogether
to be a saved sinner. You know that? Enter in. How? How? If any sinner desperately desires
to, I'm gonna tell you how. Here's what you do. Seek the
door. Start seeking the door. Stop
seeking heaven and start seeking the door. You need the door.
Our Lord said, all who seek will find. He said, if you seek me,
you'll find me. Seek the door. Then, once God
reveals the door to you, knock on it. Don't be content to stand
outside the door. Don't wait around to see what
happens. That's what the people did in Noah's day. And just like
them, we're not promised tomorrow. You start knocking and don't
stop knocking until the door is opened. Jacob said, Lord,
I won't let you go until you bless me. I must be in that door. Our Lord said, the kingdom of
heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.
I must be. Our Lord said, if any man truly
knocks, the door is gonna be opened. If God causes you to
knock and if God opens the door, then you ask. You start asking
humbly, brokenly, lowly, you start begging, you start pleading,
Lord, may I please enter in. He said, if any man asked, he
will receive. That's what he said. And the
reason he's gonna receive is because he's already received. God made him ask. If he knocks,
it's because the door was already open to him. If he seeks, it's
because God already found him. He said, I am sought of them
that asked not for me. I am found of them that sought
me not. That's Isaiah 65, one. So he
says in verse nine, I am the door, by me if any man enter
in, he shall be saved. Saved from his sin, saved from
self, saved from wrath, from destruction, from death and hell,
saved from religion. Oh, what a glorious thing to
be saved from. Verse nine says, and shall go in and out. That means he'll be made free.
Life in Christ is a life of freedom. It is so funny to me how religious
people think that life with God is a life of bondage. They can't
do anything. No, here's the truth about salvation.
If any man enter in, the Lord Jesus Christ is gonna make him
free. He's gonna make him free. Verse
nine says, he'll go in and out, and he'll find pasture. He's
gonna find food in that pasture. He's gonna find liberty in that
pasture. It's not a pen, it's a pasture.
He's gonna find rest in that pasture. And he's gonna say,
oh, the Lord has made me to lie down in green pastures. It could
never be any greener than this. But by me, if any man enter in,
Lord, let us, let us we beg. Until next Sunday morning, may
the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m., and 6 o'clock
p.m. Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.