THE LIFE-CHANGING DOOR

The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
The Life-Changing Door

An Amish boy and his father went to the big city for the very first time. They were amazed by everything they saw. Having grown up and lived all their lives on a rural farm everything was completely new to them. The Father and son left Ma in the horse buggy and went into this huge skyscraper. As the boy and father entered the building, something caught their eye. They saw two shinny doors slide apart and back together again and it left them spellbound. They stood watching these doors until the son asked his father, “What is this, Father?” The father, never having seen an elevator before, responded, “Son, I have never seen anything like this in my life, I don’t know what it is.”

While the boy and his father were watching wide-eyed, an old lady in a wheelchair rolled up to the moving doors and pressed a button. The doors opened and the lady rolled through them into a small room. The doors closed and the boy and his father watched small circles with numbers in them light up above the doors. They continued to watch the circles light up in the reverse direction. The doors opened up again and a beautiful 24-year-old woman stepped out. The father said to his son, “Boy, go get your mother!”

Jesus said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” – John 10:9.

While our big city newcomers may have been a little confused about the powers of that elevator door, Scripture teaches us that there is a door that leads to salvation and abundant life. That door is Jesus Christ. He is the miraculous door that everyone must choose. And when we choose him and gain that miracle, we need to go and get others who can also enter that door too.

Here’s a great example of a similar door. There is a small metal door painted white in the side of a tiny mission church in Johannesburg South Africa. This door is changing lives. On it are painted the words “door of hope.” That is exactly what it is for various babies within the city. On average some forty to fifty babies were being abandoned on the streets to die of exposure or starvation a month. That was before the mission installed their door to a baby bin allowing mothers to anonymously deposit their unwanted babies and have someone love them and care for them. Now the mission is saving over 100 babies a year. What an incredible door.

There is another incredible door that takes in the unwanted, saves lives and brings hope. That door is one who inspired the door in that church. His name is Jesus. If you have not entered through that door, you must do so today. If you have entered through that door, you must know someone who needs the transformation God can give them there. Invite them to join you inside that miraculous door.

This Sunday we will continue our series of messages titled The Good Shepherd and His Flock, Follow the Leader. We will share a powerful life changing message that I call, The Gateway to Life based on John 10:7-10. I want to encourage you to be with us and to invite others, especially people who need to find abundant life in Christ to come with you. You’ll be glad you did.

Standing inside the door,
Jon