INTRODUCTION
Pope Francis’ visit to the United States ended last Sunday. During the duration of his visit (and a little afterward), the media seemed to be flooded with Francis and his actions. In one of my classes, it seemed like we discussed Francis every time we met. Often when you read articles online, it will provide a suggested article to read that is related to the subject you are reading. One of these caught my attention.
In our age of the internet, anyone can write and publish whatever they want online. This particular article twisted some of Francis’ words from a Vatican radio show in 2013. The way the Huffington Post article interpreted Francis’ statements was that all people who do good works, including atheists, are going to heaven.
I was skeptical about the Huffington Post article, and did some research. The Pope was actually saying that Jesus died for all of us, even atheists, and that we have a duty to do good. He also stated that doing good is not a matter of faith. “It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us because we are made in His image and likeness.”
But people will distort our words. In this case, the author of the Huffington Post article did, and it seemed that many, who like what they read because it agreed with their lifestyle, believed that this is what the Pope actually said.
They believed that Francis was saying that there was other ways to get to heaven. They believed that he was saying that any religion, or even a lack thereof, can get you to heaven, as long as you do good works. The Pope did not say this, but even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.
The important thing would be to look to see what Jesus says on this subject. Therefore, let us look today at what He said in John 14:1-6.
I. JESUS IS THE WAY
A. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD
Jesus says that He is the Way. He is the only Way to the Father. He is the only path to heaven. He is not a way to get to heaven. He is the only Way to get to heaven.
Nor does He point the way. He, the person of Christ, is the Way. There is no church, no ceremony, and no religion that can bring you to God. Only the person of Jesus can bring you to God.
The world today says that this cannot be correct. There has to be more than one path to get to God. That all religions are essentially the same. I had a professor this past week say this to me, and I am sure many of you have heard this as well: “We are all on our way to the same place, we are just taking different paths to get there.”
Jesus says in John 14:6 that this is not true. He says He is the only way to get to God. He says that “no one comes to the Father except through Me.” He clearly claims that He is the only Way to God.
Peter would later proclaim this as well. In Acts 4
8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders:[c] 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man—by what means he was healed— 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is
the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone.[d][e]
12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”
This is not politically correct, but Jesus states it nonetheless, and there is no logical way around it.
B. HOW JESUS IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER
1. JESUS IS GOD
This only makes sense with what Jesus has already said. Keep in mind what Jesus has already said in this passage. He has already explicitly called God His Father. So obviously He claims some kind of divinity. But if we analyze His use of the phrase “I am,” we notice that there is something deeper happening here. The Greek word used in this passage is egō eimi, which has a timeless implication. Jesus is saying that I am, I was, and I always will be. It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word for Yahweh. So Jesus is claiming at the beginning of this statement that He is God. But He doesn’t just say it here. If we look at the verses following verse 6, we see He is a little more overt in claiming that He is God. Remember that He had already made a similar assertion in John 12:44-45:
44 Then Jesus cried out, “The one who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. 45 And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.”
Jesus claims that He is God. To say that there is a way to get to Him other than Himself makes no sense.
2. JESUS OPENED THE WAY TO THE FATHER
Hebrews 10:19-20
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh),
Notice how the writer of Hebrews says that we can come into the presence of God. It is by the blood of Jesus. With Jesus’ death on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn. This indicated that the way to God was open. We are able to enter the holy of holies only by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our right to enter is gained through the death of Jesus. Jesus opened the way for us to connect with God in a new and living way through His crucifixion. No longer must we rely upon sacrifices, for Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice.
3. JESUS SERVES AS OUR HIGH PRIEST
17 Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service[a] to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.
-Hebrews 2:17-18
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Another theme from the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is our high priest. Jesus came to earth and became a man like us so that He is able to sympathize with us. He knows you and understands you – not just because He is God, but because He became a man. He has been where we have been. He has walked in our shoes. He has been there. He knows what it like is to be human. For this reason, Jesus can be a merciful and faithful High Priest. By becoming one of us, He can represent us in the Father’s presence. As our High Priest, Jesus intercedes on our behalf.
a. Jesus is our Advocate
My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One.
- 1 John 2:1
b. Jesus is at the right hand of God
“Who is the one who condemns?
Christ Jesus is the One who died,
but even more, has been raised;
He also is at the right hand of God
and intercedes for us.”
- Romans 8:34
c. Jesus is the Mediator between God and Man
For there is one God
and one mediator between God and humanity,
Christ Jesus, Himself human
- 1 Timothy 2:5
d. Jesus ever lives to intercede for us
24 But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore, He is always able to save[a] those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Hebrews 7:24-25
Jesus’ virtuous life on earth, His death on the cross, and now His service in at the Father’s side means He is the only one able to provide a way to the Father. He is the one and only Way to God. Any other claim that is not true. It is a lie. Jesus said, “I am the Way… No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
II. JESUS IS THE TRUTH
A. WHAT IS TRUTH?
In John 18:38, Pontius Pilate asks this very question. “What is truth?” I have written beside this verse in my Bible “This is a question that many are asking today.” This is very true. Society today does not believe in an absolute truth. For many today, truth is relative. There can be no absolute truth because everyone has a different perspective. All religions must be true because it is true to the people that practice that religion. Who are you to say that one way is right and the other wrong, what is true and what is false.
There are certain things in life that are true, no matter how you try to get around them. I had several of the most bigoted, narrow-minded teachers in the world. No matter how open-minded I tried to be, they would insist that 2+2 must equal 4. Why did they hold to this intolerant view? Because it is truth. No matter what you do, 2+2 always equals 4.
The word Jesus used in this verse is derived from the Greek aléthés. This word can be translated as “truth,” as used in this verse; however, it also means “unconcealed” or “what cannot be hidden.” I find that part very interesting. “What cannot be hidden.” Truth cannot be hidden. No matter what you try to do to get around it, the truth is there.
The actual Greek word used is alētheia. This particular word conveys a factuality or reality. Jesus says that He is what is real. Therefore anything else is not real. When Jesus speaks of truth, He is describing truth that responds to reality. It is factual and absolute. It is not relative.
B. HOW JESUS IS THE TRUTH
1. JESUS SAYS THAT TRUTH IS REAL AND ABLE TO BE KNOWN
30 As He was saying these things, many believed in Him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word,[a] you really are My disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- John 8:30-32
2. JESUS SAYS THAT THIS TRUTH CAN SET ONE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN
The truth is that Jesus is the Savior of the world. He is the Truth. First, we come to know Him as our Savior. Then as we continue in our relationship with Him, we know by what we experience that we are free. We are free from the penalty of sin. We don’t have to lie awake at night worrying about our future. We don’t have to worry that every sin that we commit is going to be weighed against our good deeds to determine whether we get to paradise or not. We can know the Truth, and it will set us free. Jesus says that He is the Truth. He is the one that has set us free.
3. JESUS’ DOCTRINE IS THE WAY TO TRUTH THAT FREES US FROM SIN
33 “We are descendants[a] of Abraham,” they answered Him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.
John 8:33-36
The Pharisees and scribes here either were notorious liars or they misunderstood their history and current situation. They had been in bondage is Egypt, in Babylon, and were currently under the Romans. They were not free physically. They were also not free spiritually. Jesus said that whomever is committed to sin is the servant of sin in the present tense. The follower of Jesus confesses and repents of his or her sin daily, but the servant of sin lives in sin.
Jesus draws a comparison between a servant and a son. A servant will come in and work, then at the end of the day will go home. The son will come in, sit down, and relax. The son is at home. Jesus is telling these religious leaders that they are not children of God.
But whom the Son sets free is free indeed. We do not have to be servants of sin. We don’t have to accept defeat and failure. That is not the way God intended for us to live. He intends for us to live in freedom and power. Jesus frees us from the bondage of sin.
4. JESUS FAITHFULLY PROCLAIMED HIS FATHER’S WORD, WHICH IS TRUTH
I have given them Your word.
The world hated them
because they are not of the world,
as I am not of the world.
Sanctify[a] them by the truth;
Your word is truth.
John 17:14;17
J. Vernon McGee said, “The Word of God causes problems in the world today. The Bible is the most revolutionary Book in the world. It is revolutionary to teach that you cannot save yourself, that only Christ can save you. And you can’t make this world better. Only Jesus Christ can do that. That’s revolutionary, and the world does not want to hear that.”
Jesus gave us God’s Word. He verified the Old Testament. He proclaimed God’s teachings throughout the Gospels. He taught the disciples, who later wrote the rest of the New Testament.
It is the Word of God that sanctifies, or sets apart, believers from the rest of the world. The Word of God reveals the mind of God.
By abiding in Jesus’ teachings (the Scriptures), we can know the Truth and the freedom it provides!
III. JESUS IS THE LIFE
A. HE OFFERS ABUNDANT LIFE
The Greek word used here is zóé, which speaks of a life that is both physical and spiritual. It is derived from the Greek zaó, which means to “be among the living” or “source of life.”
So Jesus is saying that He is the source of life. This implies that without Him, we are not alive. We are dead.
Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins”
Without Jesus, we are separated from the very source of life. But Jesus came
And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses.
Colossians 2:13
Jesus came, He saw, and He conquered. Jesus saw our sin, He conquered it, and He gave us life. He connected us to the source of life.
It reminds me of the story in Ezekiel about the dry bones.
(IF POSSIBLE, SHOW VIDEO CLIP)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=-qZGpQz6MeM
1. JESUS PROMISED AN ABUNDANT LIFE (John 10:10)
A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
a. HE GIVES US PEACE (John 14:27; 16:33)
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world."
b. HE GIVES US HIS LOVE (John 15:10; Ephesians 3:19)
If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commands and remain in His love.
and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
c. HE GIVES US JOY (John 15:11; 1 Peter 1:8)
"I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
Peace, love, and joy. What more could a person ask for in this life?
B. HOW JESUS PROVIDES ABUNDANT LIFE
How does one get this abundant life?
1. HE GIVES US A NEW BIRTH (John 3:3-5)
3Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4“But how can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
5Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Some believe that this section is saying that Nicodemus would have to be born of the flesh and born of the Spirit. The Greek word used in this passage (hudór) is the word that represents physical water, such as that used in washing. If Jesus was speaking of physical birth, He would have more likely used the word for flesh (sárks).
I believe that Jesus was referring to the act of ceremonial washing, which would have been familiar to Nicodemus as a Pharisee. The Jews were required to go through a ceremonial washing prior to being able to enter the Temple to worship.
This ceremonial washing would be accomplished by the Word of God as applied by the Spirit of God.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he must come to a knowledge of God through the Spirit of God by the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1; 14), therefore Jesus was telling Nicodemus that Nicodemus, and consequently those who follow (us), must be born again through belief in the Word (Jesus).
2. HE GIVES US A NEW LIFE (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
Those who have trusted Jesus with their lives are granted a new life. An abundant life found in Jesus. We are no longer bound to our old ways, our old lifestyles. We are no longer identified with the world. We are able to lay claim to a new identity in Christ.
"I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.”
John 5:24
We can be assured that we have passed from death to life. We have gained an eternal life free from judgment and death. Jesus has redeemed us and we are a new creation in Him.
Jesus provides abundant life, granting us a new birth and a new life in Him.
CONCLUSION/CALL TO ACTION
Jesus is the one and only way to know and experience God as our Heavenly Father. He is the embodiment of truth that provides freedom from the guilt and bondage of sin. He is the source of life that connects us and provides us with an abundant life.
This is an exclusive gospel, but at the same time, it isn’t. It is, but it isn’t.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus says that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except by Him. Although the “path” to God is narrowed to only Jesus, it is open to any who should believe in Him. You are limited to Jesus, but there is nothing that limits you from Jesus.
Has Jesus become your way to God? Has He become your Truth? Your life?
Have you believed in Him? Have you allowed Him to cultivate a close, personal relationship with God? Have you allowed Him to deliver you from the guilt of your sin? Have you allowed Him to give you an abundant, eternal life?
Have you responded to the good news of Jesus?
