John 10:1-9
The Only Gate
1"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Matthew 7:13-14
The Gate of Jesus
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
John 14:6
The Only Gate
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
1 John 2:23
The Only Gate
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Acts 4:12
The Only Gate
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Jesus is the gate, the true gate...He is the Only Gate...His gate is narrow...Those who want to enter the pasture by any other way or method is a thief and robber...They will not make it to pasture...They are on the road to destruction...His followers know He is the Only Gate and they know Him and they will follow Him...All who came before Him were thieves and robbers (some past Jewish leaders and now some Pharisee leaders), but His sheep did not listen to them...Whoever, enters through His gate will be saved...His followers will come in and go out, and find pasture...We are given free will...We can choose to believe Him or we can choose not to...The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy...Jesus has come to give us life, and to have life in the full...
There are no other ways to heaven...There is only One Mediator...There is only One Savior...Other things get in the way in our lives with the One Redeemer...These obstacles can be our busy life, it can be our desire for material things, or it can be divisions and disagreements among believers...
Christ is our Gate, our Only Gate...If we deny Jesus then we deny His Father...He is the gate we must go through to get to the Father...He is the gate for communication to the Father...All must come through Him to receive this grace of Christ...There are trials and tribulations outside His pasture...Outside the pen is the road that leads to our destruction...In His pasture and through His grace we find peace, protection, joy, a full life, and are saved...