John 10:1-21
The Gate to God
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
John 14:5-7
No One Comes to God Except Through Jesus
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
The Ladder to heaven...The Window to God...The Door to God...The Gate to the Father...No one gets to our Father in heaven except through Jesus...For those who believe they believe that Jesus is this Door to heaven and our Door to God...
Jesus teaches us that no one that enters by the Door into His sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is the same as a thief and a robber...We must go through Him, we must go through His Door to meet God...Those who enter His Door are His sheep and He is our Shepherd...He is the gatekeeper to God...And we as His sheep listen to Him and to His voice...We follow Him...Jesus knows us each by name, and He leads us with His teachings and the Holy Spirit...Believers follow Him because they believe in Him, and they have faith in Him...His followers follow no others...Jesus spoke this parable to those around Him one day, but they didn’t understand what He was telling them...
So Jesus repeated what He had said to them again that He is our Door to God...The others who came before Him were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them...He is the Door to heaven...If anyone enters His Door, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and we will find pasture...The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy...Jesus came that we might have life, and may have it abundantly...Jesus came to earth so that we may have life to the fullest...He is the Good Shepherd...The Good Shepherd soon would lay down His life for His sheep...Jesus would die for the sins of mankind...But he who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees...The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them in all directions...Their lives are thrown about like a boat on a windy seas...The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep...Jesus is the Good Shepherd...He knows who believe in Him, and He is known by those who have faith...Jesus is thus our Mediator to His Father...His Father knows Him, and He knows the Father...He would lay down His life for mankind....He has other sheep, which are not of this fold...And He would bring them also, and they will also hear His voice...They will become one flock with One Shepherd in heaven...Therefore, the Father LOVES Him, because He will lay down His life and die...But He will take it up again, even after His death...No one takes His life from Him but Himself, but He will lay it down by Himself...Jesus has the power to lay His life down and die, and He has the power to take become alive again...He has received this commandment from His Father...He would resurrect and come back to life...
So He is our Mediator with God...Jesus is the Door to heaven, the Gate to God...