Jesus Unfiltered - Week 3 - St. Peter - Pastor Michael Ewart

Although a sheep pen might have a circumference of dozens, if not hundreds, of feet, the door into it is small and exclusive. Jesus’ image reminds us that he is the exclusive way to find life to the full, and all other options will steal, kill, and destroy us spiritually.

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Jesus Unfiltered
Week 3 - St Peter
Pastor Michael Ewart

So I've really enjoyed the sermon series so far. I hope that you have too. Jesus Unfiltered. So, what is a filter for? Well, a filter takes something the way it is and makes it what you want it to be, whether you have a oil filter on your car, takes out the impurities that you've got the clean oil, you want or a coffee filter? If you have some coffee today, you probably noticed. Hopefully there weren't any grounds in. It's because we use a coffee filter, takes out what you don't want that, it makes you what you want it to be. Some people do that with Jesus. You take Jesus and you take out what you don't want when it comes to Jesus and you're left with the Jesus that you want that, you want him to be, but that's not the Jesus of the Bible. So in this series we're taking the filter away and we're showing you Jesus the way he really was Jesus with all this challenging statements and we're especially focusing on this series. On the I am statements of Jesus from John's gospel, who is Jesus? Really he tells Us who he is. By saying I am, and today, we're talking about, I am the door, the gauge. Jesus is the gate never going to see what that means. Now, these unfiltered truths about Jesus. They are for some people offensively. And that's okay if somebody is offended at Jesus, because of how he reveals himself, that's, that's an offense that we will let stand because that's the real Jesus. But there are things about the Christian Church, the Christian faith, that our it's called him false offenses. People are offended for various reasons, but it's not because that's the real Jesus. And I bet you know people like this who are offended about Christianity who would never become a Christian because and they have reasons.

I bet you know people like that or maybe you are one of those people. Maybe there's this one part of the Christian faith that you're still not comfortable with or somebody dragged you to church today and you're here because they made you come, but you don't there's something inside of you that's a little bit tense, right now, maybe. Your arms are crossed because something offends you about the Christian faith. And to be honest, I can understand that some people have had bad experiences with the Christian church and I'm sorry about that. Some people see the Christian churches, judgment Christian, just judge other people, they don't seek to understand, they don't seek to empathize. They just judge people. And that's “I can't be a Christian because of that”. Maybe you've heard that or maybe that's, that's run through your mind at some point. There's an offense there. But I'm hoping to be able to show you that that's not actually true. That's not what Jesus preached. There are some who think that the church discriminates

I grew up in a church and I know that they did not treat women the same as men. That's still bothers you or you know, somebody who says something like that or they discriminate, they're all for this political party in there against that political party and the church should not be involved in politics. I'm offended about the church. I will not become a Christian or this is what troubles me about the Christian faith. Maybe maybe, that's maybe that's what sticks and somebody's craw. Other people. They think that the church is all about control. The church is just trying to manipulate people, trying to control people. All they want is your money and everything they say. There's trying to make you feel guilty, so you give more. So you do more. And that's not for me. Nope, I'm not going to, I would never be a Christian because the church is just trying to control people. Maybe you've heard that. What does? Troll, when you take it to an extreme, Don't we call that abuse? Yeah, I've heard about the Christian church. I've heard what priests have done. I've heard about that Pastor. You made it in the news cycle for several days. I've heard about that church leader did and how he had to resign. Church is all about abuse so I would never be a Christian. And you've heard that one. If you somehow haven't heard any of these, I know you've heard this one church is full of hypocrites. You heard that they say one thing. They preach one thing they put on their, their, their advice church clothes and they sit very nice in the pew. But then they go and live a very different life. The church is full of hypocrites. I'd be a Christian but I know too many of them. And so, because of the offense of these things, people don't even consider Christianity. They think that that maybe somehow represents the teachings of Jesus. What I hope to show you today is that that's not the real Jesus. None of those things flow from the teachings of Jesus. These are things that have happened because of broken people in a broken world. Who don't follow the teachings of Jesus as he teaches them. So, we're gonna take a look at the unfiltered Jesus. Today, as we find out that Jesus is the door, and by the way, there is that one thing that is offensive through. Today's message, that Jesus is the only way that Jesus is the Dora, I pray that that is the only thing that will offend something somebody about the Christian faith. So we're gonna be looking at John chapter 10 and we're going to take a look at the first 10 verses next week. We'll be looking at the rest of the chapter Pastor Bill will be leading next Sunday, talking about the Good Shepherd. He's talked a little bit. Jesus calls himself, the Good Shepherd, a little bit. Then the reading we’re about to hear, but I'm going to kind of keep it more to the gate part, the door part, because we don't want those to surmise to overlap too much. But before we get into reading these verses, there's something new, some background that you really need to know. Because if you don't know your Bible very well. Before John chapter 10, comes John chapter 9. So, now you've learned something about scripture today and in John, chapter 9, we hear this fascinating story that go home today and read it in detail. One of the most important stories in the Bible. About a man who was born? Blind didn't become blind later through some tragic accident or some kind of virus or something. He was born blind, never had seen in his life and this man was a well-known figure in town. He was always in the public space begging because that's the only way he could survive. So, everybody knew the beggar, who is blind the whole town knew him well. On a Sabbath day. Jesus came along. He sees this man, he does something unusual. Jesus, on this sabbath day. as he gets near the man, spits on the ground. And with his saliva makes a little bit of mud. He picks up some of that mud and walks over to the man, smears some some on each one of his eyes. So he says to the man, don't know go and wash in the pool man. Has to wonder what in the world is going on, but I got mud on my face, I guess I will, he goes over to the pool washes, the mud out of his eyes opens them.

John says it in these with these words. So the man went and washed and came home seeing Very factual, very brief, very almost dry. He reports the facts of exactly what happened. So people begin to ask questions. This man who is blind walking around town, clearly. He can see and people start to argue about it. Like, did you see the blind man? He's, you can see he's walking around going. Oh, come on that can't, that can't be him. It's just somebody that looks like him. He had to look a little bit different if it ever, you saw him. His whole life feeling his way around, maybe he's got one of those tapping sticks. I don't know if it's in that now. You see him? And he's just walking freely and his eyes are, he's looking at people in the eyes, he's enjoying everything around him. He's gonna look different, doesn't he? So put some people say, no, that that's not him. That's just his twin brother. Somebody looks like him, his doppelganger. It's not him though. He's in the guy says, no way. It really is me. So people start asking what happened, how can you see? I don't know. This guy's came up to me and put some mud on my eyes told me to go wash. I washed and my psyche. Back and people kept asking and he kept telling the story and there's just this buzz in town and finally, the Pharisees, their Jewish religious leaders. The people who are supposed to be representing God, they catch wind of this. And they have the man come in, like what happened. He tells the story, the whole story. Once again, they say, come on. This can't be right. Right? Tell us again what happened. So the story of second time. Now, we really don't believe this. If we, this can't be true. Bring the guy's parents. Somebody sent for his parents. Bring them in here. His parents come in, his parents are intimidated. They're afraid. They very briefly confirm the story and then they pass the buck. They threw their son under the bus. Let's just talk to him. He's of age. He can answer your questions. Just talk to him and they hightail it out of there. So once again, they say you're lying, aren't you? What happened? And he says what, what? This guy named, Jesus, I told you, what happened. You want me to tell you again because you want to become a follower of him that made them mad? We don't follow this man. We followed Moses. He is an imposter, that's an imposter it on. Here's what I can tell you, I couldn't see. Now I can see you tell me who he is, is he from God or not, and then they just get furious at him. They had sold him. They call him a sinner because he was born, blind. Oh, by the way, I'm not blind anymore, but he was born blind. And therefore, they call him a sinner, they take him out of the synagogue. And they don't want to have anything more to do with him and then there's the story continues, Jesus finds him, Jesus tells him who You and it's a beautiful story, you got to read John chapter 9. I'm from those religious leaders. From those church people from those Pharisees. What did the man and his parents experience?

Well, let's see. Pharisees were judgmental. They were discriminating.

They didn't like disabled people, apparently assumed that they must be Sinners. They were controlling and intimidating and threatening scared people. They were abusive toward the man and they were hypocrites. Sound familiar? Isn't this the reason for women by many people won't even consider Christianity. This is how the religious leaders of Jesus day were treating that man. Now, what's fascinating is what we learned next. What we read in John chapter 10, how does Jesus React to what the Pharisees were doing? And by hearing that we understand. Also, how does Jesus react, what does Jesus think about today? When there are churches that abuse when there are leaders, who are hypocritical when people are judgmental, when they discriminate? How does Jesus feel about that today? What would he say to leaders today? If that's what people are experiencing in churches, We're going to find out. Let's take a look in John chapter 10. Starting at verse 1, we read this very truly, I tell you Pharisees, he's singling them out, he's got something, he's got a that they've got to learn from him. Anyone who does not enter the Sheepfold by the gate. But climbs in, by some other way, is a thief and a robber, the one who enters by the gate is The Shepherd of the sheep, and let's just pause there. So, I give you a bit of the cultural context because the Pharisees, We're getting exactly the picture. He was talking about, they were understanding it immediately because it was part of their culture, but for us not so much. So there were there were these cheap pens during the day. The shepherd's would have their flocks out in the pastures. They would feed them. That's where they got their nourishment. There was water for them to drink but, but to be out in the open field at night, well, that was, that was a dangerous thing. So they would lead the Sheep back into a sheep pen, and sometimes they're even multiple flocks in one sheep pen, sometimes they were permanent structures, they would have high stone. On walls around them, or sometimes they were put together, just out of Briars and sticks. If they were too far away to get to one, but the characteristic of all of these sheep pens, was that there was always only one entrance to it. And maybe that's kind of obvious, right? If there were multiple entrances, the Sheep could wander off and leave. No, they were. And they were safe. And there was only one way, one proper way into that sheep pen, and oftentimes at that gate, there was not a physical gate but But the shepherd themselves were Porter, would be the gate. So the Sheep could pass through the shepherd, who owned the Sheep could pass through, but somebody, who did not belong could not. And if there was somebody that didn't belong in that sheep pen, who wasn't legitimate. Well, we're going to see how they got their Jesus tells us next. This is the gatekeeper opens the gate for him, the shepherd and the Sheep, listen to his voice. If he calls his own Sheep by name and leads them out, when he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and the Sheep follow him because they know his voice, but they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize the strangers voice Jesus. Used this figure of speech because the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. The Pharisees didn't understand, Jesus is trying to use a parable this little story to try to do it a little end around, because if Jesus said you Pharisees are hypocritical, you're judgmental, you're discriminating. You are abusing this man. You are not doing what God wants and they would have just been outraged, they would have been defensive, they would have attacked Jesus. So Jesus tells a little parable: to try to get around all that to try to make it sink into their hearts. And they just don't get it, they don't understand understand. Jesus was the true Shepherd. He was the one who's voiced, the, the Sheep would recognize and listen to, and he's saying that the other ones they were, they were just imposters. And the Sheep wouldn't even listen to them. And they just, they would just leave So we don't want to get into the shepherd and the Sheep are quite so much because that's going to be next Sunday Sermon in the next part though. Jesus kind of changes his metaphor just a little bit to try to make his point a little bit more clear to these Pharisees because they're not getting the gist of what he's trying to say. So, starting at verse 7 it says this therefore Jesus said again, very truly. I tell you, I am the gate where the door It can be either one. I am the gate for the door for the Sheep. All who have come before me, that I think he's referring to the Pharisees and a lot of other people. There. They are thieves and robbers but the sheep have not listened to them. If you read. John chapter 9 that Brian man who could see he wasn't listening to the Pharisees. It's kind of interesting. Jesus says, yeah, those who really know those who know, the voice of God, they don't listen to those robbers or those thieves. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me, he will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

So instead of calling himself, the Shepherd in the section Jesus calls himself, the gate. He is the only way into the flock of God. He is the only legitimate way, the only legitimate past remember from our reading earlier and Matthew chapter 7 Jesus says, is the gate is narrow, and there's only one proper door and that is the Lord. Jesus himself through him. We go in and find protection and safety through him. We go out and find nourishment to provision Jesus though is the only proper So Jesus in the section is teaching an important truth that you wanted the Pharisees to understand. But one that he wants us to grasp as well and that truth is this our first takeaway. If you're taking notes, write this in dangerous doors, I'll put them in quotes because they're not really doors. But they pretend that they are dangerous, doors distract and Destroy dangerous doors, distract And Destroy. So dangerous doors would be the like the Pharisees, these, these false Christians, these false leaders. They distract people from Jesus, who is the only legitimate one? They destroy the faith of people. And also today, we say that we see the same thing. There are many ways we talked about that earlier as well. There's a way that seems right to a person but in the end at leads to death, there are many ways that are proposed to people, but there is only one One right way. There are many ways that are proposed, but Jesus is the only way. Have you ever seen those bumper stickers, that say coexist and the work the letters are made up of all the symbols of the major religions? What does that mean? The person who puts that up a bumper sticker on their car? As probably saying, just everybody get along with everybody. All religions are the same. All paths lead to God. It's all good.

There's a Region called the behind of you ever heard of the Baha'i faith. But their approach is every single religion of the world: Muslim, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism doesn't matter anymore. All religions of the world have a bit of the truth of God and your best bet for understanding God, the best would be to take them all together and learn from all of them. Almost like, every year we're all looking at the same Mountain, we just have a different perspective and so It doesn't matter which path you take all paths lead to God. And there's a part of us that says, that's interesting. Yeah, preacher pastor. Except that's false teaching that's the opposite of what Jesus was teaching, the others come to distract from Jesus. Jesus is the only way that's offensive. It's exclusive. It's just Jesus. What. Whoa, why does it have to be? Just Jesus? Because Jesus, you write this down, as your next takeaway? Jesus is the only true door. He is the true door that delivers Write that down the true door. Did you hear that? The way that Jesus is described.

The true door that delivers, he said the Sheep. Listen, you recognize the beauty of Jesus and you listen, he calls the Sheep by name. He leads them and they follow. Jesus knows us by name. We're not a number to Jesus were not one of billions. He knows each one of our games, he leads them and they follow Jesus doesn't drive the Sheep, He leads them and they follow him, they know his voice. He said, I am the gate. Whoever enters through me, he will be saved. Will be saved. They will find pasture. Following Jesus. There is safety. We go in. We are protected by Christ from all the dangers of this world, and he promises to give to us eternal life through Jesus, we go out into the world. We find pasture, we find nourishment for our faith. Jesus is the true Shepherd who delivers. Jesus is the one who provides If you look at the life of Jesus, study the gospels, read through all four of them in great detail and what you find is that Jesus was never judgmental. You don't find it. Jesus didn't discriminate. It's fascinating the way Jesus speaks to women values. Women, for example, didn't discriminate against them, just the opposite. He was not even so countercultural to the way. Everyone else was treating women in his day. He didn't discriminate, he didn't discriminate against people who are from a different culture or different country. In fact, he even targeted them to receive the Gospel. His ministry. Jesus never discriminated. Jesus was never controlling, he never drove people to something. He didn't lay down guilt trips. He didn't threaten people. There is nobody, who is afraid of Jesus?

Yes, Jesus was never abusive toward anybody. He didn't abuse. And Jesus was never a hypocrite. What Jesus said? Jesus did what Jesus taught. Jesus. Live, nobody ever accused him of being a hypocrite. Jesus is the son of God in human flesh. The only one who is Ever perfect in every way. Jesus is our substitute Jesus is our savior. He is the only one who went to a cross. Buddha, didn't do that. Muhammad didn't go to a cross for you.

Jesus is described in Paul's letter to the Colossians in a beautiful way. If I could give you a little homework, assignments, assignments are read through all of Colossians in the next day or two. I know, it sounds like a big assignment that will take you about 13 minutes. If you read at an average pace and you're going to see it's all about the supremacy of Christ, the sufficiency of Christ Jesus is enough. Jesus, is it, you're going to appreciate the door the gates? Jesus even more. As you read through Colossians, let me share with you just a small portion of It this translation is called God's word. If you're looking for an alternate translation, that's more simple and my word things in a different way. To make you think about things more. Actively give God's word translation a try. See what you think of it. Here's what it says in Colossians 1, starting at verse 13. God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of his son, whom he loves. His son paid the price to free us, which means that our sins are forgiven. He, Jesus is the image of the invisible, God, the firstborn of all creation, he created all things, he created Jesus, created all things in heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether they are Kings or large rulers or Powers, everything has been created through him. And for him, He existed before everything and holds everything together, he is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, the first to come back to life, but not the last so that he would have first place in everything. God was pleased to have all of himself live in Christ. God was also pleased to bring everything on Earth and in heaven back to himself through Christ. He did this by making peace through, Christ's blood sacrificed on the cross. Could it be more? Clear, more, beautiful than that? Jesus is the gate Jesus is the door, Jesus is the way because of his perfect life because of his death on the cross because he is true, God and true man in human flesh because of all that he did for us, the way to the father, is through Jesus. And through Jesus alone. There are other Pretenders. There are others who distract their others who deceive there are others who destroyed. And and by Leading us away from Jesus by Leading us to maybe, trust in ourselves. Trust in what we're doing in order to get right with God, they are destroying faith in God there they are. Stealing sheep from the flock. They are not the way, only Jesus is Jesus, is the only true door and what does that mean for you? When you know that door when you enter through that door, what does that mean for you? At the end of our reading, we read this. Jesus says I have come that they may have life and have it to the full Jesus came so that you might have life. And have it to the full. I think. Sometimes we think as Christians know what it was, it mean to be a Christian or means that someday. I'm going to die and go to heaven. Well, that's true and that someday. But what about now? Jesus gives you an Abundant Life, a full life, a meaningful life right now to he gave life for to you and for you. So what does that mean? Well, it means that you get to live life guilt-free, you're forgiven by Jesus, no, shame. You have value. Because of Jesus, it means that in your life, your daily life, you have peace. Total peace knowing that God Smiles on you, you're good with God. Peace with him. It means that you get to live every day with joy. Doesn't matter what your circumstances are, doesn't matter what you're going through right now, doesn't matter your financial condition, doesn't matter what your health is like, you are right with God, you have peace and you have joy in your daily living. And it means that your daily life right now, has meaning. And purpose means that you have a good reason to get up every morning because you are unique, you have strengths that God only gave you, you have related, a relationship Network, that is unique to you. You can love on people that only you. You know that only you can give Christ love to pitch me. What? You have something super important to do today. Get out there and love with the love of Jesus and speak the truth and grace of God to everybody, you know that's your meeting in your purpose, in life, you have a full life, you have an Abundant Life to Live, Jesus gives it to you. So this is the unfiltered Jesus. Jesus is the only true door.

Jesus is the only true door and that's that's offensive to some But my hope and my prayer is that that's the only offense that we have here at see Peter. We're at the core that the events that we have here is that Jesus is the only way of rocking it back down from that. And my hope and my prayer is that knowing the love of Jesus, knowing Jesus, even better knowing what he has done for us at the cross, that this will be a place. Where we don't see those things. That hinder people from coming to Christ, this is not a place of discrimination. This is not a place where we control people. This is not a place of abuse. This is not a place of hypocrisy My Hope and my prayer is that that will never offend anybody that comes to this church. But that only one thing will. Jesus is the only way Jesus is the door.