John 10:1

 John 10:1 says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Jesus spoke of the nature of a shepherd.  He first said that anyone who entered by any other method than by the gate was a thief and a robber.  If someone tells us that we as His followers, His sheep, can get into heaven by any method other than the gate of the cross of Christ, then they are as thieves and robbers.  There is only one way to heaven, and that is through the gate that Jesus leads us through.  Verse two adds, But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  Jesus said he who enters through the gate is the shepherd.  Jesus was telling the people that there was but One spiritual Shepherd, and He came openly and honestly.  God does not have to sneak into people's lives.  He calls us to enter into His fold openly.  We may hear Him as a still, small voice, but it will not be disguised as anything else.  Verse three continues, To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.  The porter opens the gate for the Shepherd, and His sheep recognize His voice, and He leads them out.  We could say that the Heavenly Father was the Porter Who opened the gate for Jesus to claim His sheep.  We, as His sheep, should recognize His voice.  There should be that close, intimate relationship between Christ and His followers.  Verse four concludes, And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.  If we have trouble recognizing His voice, we need to pray and listen.   Sheep need a shepherd to lead and protect them, and we need a Shepherd, Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, to lead and protect us.  If we ever fail to know where we are headed spiritually, then we can be sure we are not following the Shepherd.  Verse five says, And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.  The sheep will not follow a stranger but will flee because they do not recognize his voice.  When someone or something is calling us away from following Christ, we need to flee from it.  As long as we are following closely behind the Shepherd, nothing can lead us astray.  We simply have to listen to His voice and follow after Him.