The Only Way

In life we often complicate things, we often try to make things harder on ourselves. When we are in debt, it is amazing, but our first inclination is to get some more credit to pay for the bills that we have.

When we are in traffic we try to find a new shortcut, and it never works. Or we try to change lanes, and hustle through traffic to end up farther back in traffic.

The funny thing is we do the same thing with the Bible. We complicate it by putting human reasoning in it or making excuses for it or even . The way to keep from complicating is to simply by faith believe it.

But not only the Bible, but the way of salvation. This passage is a simple discourse where Jesus illustrates salvation and how to attain it. It is attainable for you today my friend. It is not complicated, but you are going to have to do a couple of things. You are going to have to humble yourself and you are going to have to believe this book.

I. Warning against false ways to heaven

Man is always looking for an easier way. He is always looking for a faster way.

So he tries a couple of ways:

A. Man want to dictate his way to heaven

Why do people want to climb their way to heaven

1. They don’t want to be seen walking in the door because of their pride

This is talking about those who do not want to use to the door, for whatever reason, and try to find another way in.

Perhaps they don’t want to say they had to use the door, I can do it myself, I’ll make my own way!

2. They don’t like the door

They don’t like what the door represents

3. They don’t don’t understand how to use the door

Maybe they are sincerely confused and don’t know how to use the door, so they go looking for whatever way they can devise to get in.

4. They don’t think the door is open to them

Maybe they want to do things there own way, by their own power. Maybe they don’t think they could ever be good enough so this is not something for them.

B. Christ calls such thieves and robbers

It simple, in the United States, there are a lot of people that shoot first and ask questions later, you come climbing over a wall, or through a window, you are going to meet up with a double-barreled shotgun or a .357 magnum.

You are a thief, you are a robber says the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are not my harsh words, they are His. He is trying to warn and wake us up. As if someone on there way to hell doesn’t have it bad enough - the Lord says i you are trying to get to heaven in any other way, you are a thief or robber.

You can come up with whatever excuse you want, but the smart thing to do and the safe thing to do would be to come in the way all must come.

II. The only way into heaven is through the door

It says in verse 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

There are many names that are used to Illustrate who Jesus is.

One of the greatest ones is this,

A. Christ is the Door

One of the most wonderful things that illustrates Jesus is Jesus as the door. The door represents the way into heaven. There are many facets to this door that is Him and that is another sermon in itself.

Jesus is the doorway to many things,

It is the doorway to the abundant life

It is the doorway to contentment

It is the doorway to forgiveness of sin

It is the doorway to heaven

Matthew 7:13–14 AV

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

B. Christ is the only one that can bid the door open to us

V.3 To him the porter openeth;

The Porter is John the Baptist. He was the forerunner o Christ, sent to announce his coming, to validate his credentials to the nation and introduce him to the people.

But it is the Lord who purchased our salvation, it is He that gained the access, for us.

By his own blood that he shed on the cross and giving His life there.

It was His precious sacrifice as the perfect lamb of God, that’s how we have access.

We didn’t earn our access into heaven, we did not pay the price

We are not good enough the Bible says, our only way into heaven is by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, putting our faith in that for salvation

It is not in any church, but its only by Jesus Christ.

The gate will open only at the Lord Jesus Christ’s bidding.

It is not according to Pastor Sage – It is not my job to tell you who goes and who stays

It is not the Baptist’s Church’s job to say who goes to heaven and who does not

It is not the Catholic church’s or the Popes right to give you passage to heaven or to keep it from you if they so choose,

Nor is it the ability of anyone on this earth to get you in or to keep you out, rather it is only by Jesus Christ

III. The Shepherd leads us

In verses 4 and 5 we see the fact that the Shepherd leads his sheep in the way, he goes before them.

He is always looking for smoother paths

He is always looking for where more abundant grazing lands are

He is looking out for the welfare of the sheep by looking for pitfalls and steering clear of them

He is also protecting the sheep from danger, from the attacker

Good leadership is always out in front in the battle.

You can’t tell the troops by say okay lets go and then sitting there, but rather you lead them into battle by saying follow me, I’ll show you the way.

Jesus always shows the way by example

A. He is always out in front

Isaiah 45:2 AV

I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

B. He will give us the strength to endure life’s toughest trials

Isaiah 41:10 AV

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

C. He is our protector

Psalm 46:7 AV

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

D. He bares our burdens

1 Peter 5:7 AV

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

E. He is with us always

– even unto the end of the earth according

Matthew 28:20b (AV)

...and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

He is our shepherd, or at least he ought to be. Listen friend, is he your shepherd today, you might well say that you have put your faith in him, but you really are not

IV. Jesus makes the way clear

It is made plain since some that were there weren’t understanding

he said in verse 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

He is saying friend if you will put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ he will save you.

There is no one else you can put your faith into for your salvation, it is only in him.

Salvation is simple, but if you come today with a proud heart, unwilling to yield to the Lord, you will have a problems with this,

But if you are humble and simply will repent and turn to the Lord, you can be saved today.

Jesus is telling us that it is simple, believe in me, I am the doorway unto eternal life.

Do you realize how much he has done for you:

In verse 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

In verse 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And in verse 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

John 15:13 says greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friend. Jesus Christ laid down his life, the shepherd gave his life for the sheep. He gave it for you and me.

John 15:13 AV

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

He did it so that we would not have to go to hell, though we deserve it, and our sin sends us there. But God is not willing that you should go there, he wants you to come and humble yourself, repent and trust in him.

John Dyer, a Welsh poet and pastor from the 1700s once wrote, “A man may go to Heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, without friends; but he can never go there without Christ.” Today our world is filled with people who are seeking some other way to God than the one found in the blood of Jesus and His precious name, but all such efforts are doomed to failure. Jesus is the only Way to Heaven.

Source: Forty Thousand Quotations, Charles Noel Douglas

The Only Way

John 10:1-18

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