I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; John 14:6
In John 13 Jesus spoke to His disciples about His departure. Many times before He had told them of His death and His resurrection. This was the last Passover He would spend with His disciples. He had washed their feet, and broke bread with them, and He revealed His betrayer. He was letting them know that He’s time had come.
They were filled with sorrow, and so Jesus spoke these words of comfort them, John 14:1-4. But Thomas questioned Him and said vs.5. This is a question that had been asked many times before in different ways; Nicodemus came to Jesus in the evening because he wanted to know how he could be saved. The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to have eternal life.”
With all the different religions, beliefs and teachings around the world every person needs to ask, “How can we now which is the right way to Heaven?” Many answers have been given, but only one is sufficient, and it must come from the word of God, not the lips of men - vs.6.
What did Jesus mean by these words?
I. Jesus is the Way to Heaven
Jesus didn’t say, “I will show you the way” “I will guide you in the way” “I am a way” He said, “I am the way.” In a world that is filled with many different religions and a society that wants us to believe that all are equal, it’s difficult for some to believe that there is only one way.
After all there is Buddhism, Hinduism, Mormonism, Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity & a host of others. And, we are being told by society that we must be tolerant of others religions, beliefs, and practices. The new definition for tolerance is “to accept as equal.”
Are all religions equal; do all roads lead to eternal life in heaven even though they all teach different things? Why would Christ come and suffer such a horrible death if there were many other ways? And if there are other ways how could Jesus claim to be the only way and still be consider equal with other religions? His words were either truth and lead to Heaven or His words were and lie and lead to destruction.
Many other religions say that Jesus was a good teacher but not God. How could He be a good teacher when He claimed to be God? C.S. Lewis said, “He is either Lord, a lunatic, or a liar.”
Jesus said, “I am the way.” Some in society have said, “Jesus was arrogant, intolerant and His words were exclusive.” Jesus was not arrogant, or intolerant, but in a sense His words are exclusive. They exclude other religious beliefs & practices, but they do not exclude any person – John 3:16.
God has provided the way so that every man, women, and child can be saved. How can society say that God is arrogant, & intolerant, and His words are exclusive? I praise God that He gave us the way, we deserve death, but He provided the way to life & Heaven. Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
You can choose to follow the way that the almighty God, creator of the universe has provide and gives as a free gift or you can choose to believe and follow some other religion that promises you can earn your own way. But only one way is sufficient.
There was a missionary who lost his way in an African jungle. He couldn’t find any landmarks and the trail vanished. Eventually, he stumbled upon a small hut, he asked the native living there if he could lead him out. The native nodded. Rising to his feet, he walked directly into the bush. The missionary followed on his heels. For more than an hour they hacked their way through a dense wall of vines and grasses. The missionary became worried: “Are you sure this is the way? I don’t see any path.” The African chuckled and said over his shoulder, “Bwana, I am the path.”
Jesus said, “I am the way.” Peter said in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” You cannot be saved by name Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Joseph Smith, your name or any other name. Look at what Paul said in (Philippians 2:5-11).
But these claims anger people; they say Christians are narrow-minded for believing these claims. But remember Jesus said, “Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few there be that find it” He said that He is the door to the sheepfold, and if a man sought to come in any other way, they are thieves and a robbers.
That means that you cannot be saved by doing good works, or by keeping the law - Paul said, “if righteousness could come by the law then Christ died in vain.” He also said, “By the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified.”
You cannot be saved by being religious - You cannot be saved by being sincere - You cannot buy your salvation. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean of Jesus name.”
I believe that the Cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest evidence that there is only one way by which a man can be saved. When Jesus went into the garden of Gethsemane and prayed, He said, “Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” If what is possible? The redemption of mankind…
If there were any other way Jesus would not have suffered the pain He did, The beatings, scourging, the ridicule, the thorns upon His brow, the nails in His hands and in His feet, the death of…
The fact that Jesus went to the cross indicates that there was no other way for the redemption of man, no other way to be saved from the punishment for sin. In the book of Hebrews we read for “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin.”
Peter said, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
It never occurred to the early Christians to affirm other false religions; they were filled with a passion to bring the truth of a universal Savior to the whole world. It was their passion because, out of love for other people, they understood that Christ is the only way to Heaven.
This is why we ought to be concerned about missions. This is why we ought to be concerned for our neighbors, family, friends, and coworkers…
Conclusion: 1 John 5:12, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life”
