Jesus - The Way Series

Jesus, a.k.a.

The Way

A Hebrew teacher stood in front of his classroom and said, "The Jewish people have observed their 5,759th year as a people. Consider that the Chinese, for example, have only observed their 4,692nd year as a people. What does that mean to you?" After a moment of silence, one student raised his hand. "Yes, David," the teacher said. "What does that mean?" "It means that the Jews had to do without Chinese food for 1,063 years."

We typically get our names from one of four sources:

1. Locality – Appleby (By the apple tree) West, Woods

2. Occupation – Cook, Baker, Smith, Farmer, Bowman

3. Father’s given name – John’s Son = Johnson, Smithson

4. Personal Characteristics – James Strong, Little, Stout,

Jesus was a fairly common name in the culture of the New Testament. To distinguish him from others, he is spoken of as "Jesus of Nazareth" (John 18:7), and "Jesus the son of Joseph" (John 6:42). There is another Jesus mentioned in the New Testament – Jesus (Colossians 4:11)

This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (Num 13:8,16), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Num 13:16; 1 Chron 7:27), or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua, whence the Greek form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, to save (Matt 1:21).

My goal in the next four weeks is simple – To turn our thoughts toward Jesus. His 350 names and descriptions reveal diverse dimensions of his power, love, grace, glory and goodness. Each of these names helps us to comprehend and appreciate Him and they reassure us of his love.

John 14:6 NLT

“Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

• The most controversial 19 words ever spoken.

• Either of these statements is profound enough to stagger any one, but here all three together can be overwhelming.

John 14:6 (Literally)

"I am the way that leads to the truth (about God) and to the life (that God gives)."

He is answering three questions that the human race has asked for centuries. They are questions that all of us have asked.

1. How can I know God?

• Six times in the Book of Acts, following Jesus was described as the Way.

Acts 4:11-12 NLT

“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ’The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them."

John 10 – “I am the door …”

There is a popular teaching today that proclaims that all people will eventually be saved and that no one goes to the fiery-hell to suffer for their sins. It means that everyone is saved, whether or not they have accepted or openly rejected Jesus’ atonement.

The “many roads lead to God” doctrine is paramount to the postmodern mindset because in that mindset, all opinions must be counted as equal.

• The enemy wants us to believe that God created an unfair system of redemption and has made it extremely difficult to make it to heaven.

Jesus is the Way - that is true. But 5 out of 6 people on the Earth believe there are other avenues to God.

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way

which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

• It is not narrow or difficult because of the requirements for entry. Salvation by grace is the easiest possible requirement God can offer to us.

• It is not narrow because God does not want a crowded heaven.

• It is not narrow because God is difficult to find.

• It is narrow, because the enemy has offered so many other false choices that seem easier and more convenient. It is narrow only by comparison.

• God did not offer salvation to the entire world and then forget to make a highway big enough for the entire world. God planned to make room in heaven for every human.

• You are headed in the right direction. You have made the right choice.

2. What is absolute truth?

Truth is a representation of things as they are. The life, the purity, and the teaching of Jesus Christ was the most complete and perfect representation of the things of the eternal world that can be presented to man.