Easter 2016: Not My Will But Thine Be Done

I have researched several major world religions throughout the years and you would be surprised at some of the overlaps between them. I want to share with you some of the thoughts and beliefs that other major religions of the world have about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As you listen to what I will share, listen for the theme that they share.

II. Jesus Christ – World Religions View Of Him!

Islam. I was In Springfield watching the news this week of the terrorist bombing in Brussels. Immediately people began to cry out against all Muslims. Some think all Muslims are terrorists and should be watched. Do you know that they are also children of God? Do you know that God wants them saved? Do you know that His desire is that no one goes to hell and end up in the lake of fire for all eternity? Christianity is not the only religion that believes in Jesus Christ, but we are the only one that believes that He is the way to eternal life. Islam teaches that Jesus (commonly translated as Isa in Islam texts) is one of God’s highest-ranked and most-beloved prophets and that He was born of a virgin. Islam considers Jesus to be neither the incarnation nor the Son of God as it teaches a notion of monotheism and forbid the association of partners with God which would be idolatry. They do not believe that He was truly killed during the crucifixion. They believe that He will return during the end times, but as a man who denounces the idea of a Trinity. I am sharing this so that you understand that it’s not that they do not believe that Jesus existed, they just do not believe in Him the way we do. Now, since they do not believe He is the way, even though they are serving God the Father (Allah-Arabic word for God), Jesus is not the way for them and therefore according to what we believe, they will not make it into heaven. Please understand that this is not a judgment about an individual person or group of people, but a statement of fact based on what we believe as Christians. Jesus is either the only way or He is not. Jesus said in John 14:6 “…..I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” This is what He said about Himself. So if we believe that He is the Son of God and that He helped with creation and that He died for the sins of the world, why are we concerned about stating the fact that He is the only way? We can’t pick and choose which parts of His teachings are correct and acceptable. He said no one comes to the Father except through Him. Those who practice Islam worship God the Father but reject His Son and therein lies the problem.

Judaism. Judaism rejects the idea of Jesus being God, or a person of the Trinity, or a mediator to God. Judaism also holds that Jesus is not the Messiah, arguing that He had not fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh (from the Torah, Prophets, and other Writings) nor embodied the personal qualifications of the Messiah. According to Jewish traditions, there were no more prophets after Malachi. According to Conservative Judaism, Jews who actually believe that Jesus is the Messiah have “crossed the line out of the Jewish community.” Reform Judaism, the modern progressive movement, states “For us in the Jewish community, anyone who claims that Jesus is their Savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate (someone who denounced their beliefs.)” Although Judaism existed prior to Christ’s birth, death and resurrection, they have had over two-thousand years (as a group) to consider and respond to Him. Ancient Jewish writings, while they outright deny His resurrection, do acknowledge two important facts. The first is that the earliest disciples of Jesus claimed that He had risen from the grave and the second was that initially Jesus tomb was found empty. They too believe in and worship God the Father, but they reject His Son!