INTRODUCTION
• Last week I started us out on the first of a four-part series on Jesus. Last week we looked at whether or not Jesus is the Son of God. The answer to that is a resounding YES.
• It is one thing to admit that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, but since that is true, what are some of the implications of that? We are going to spend some time today looking at one of the implications of Jesus being God.
• Jesus taught many things that go against the flow of society. Things like turning the other cheek, treating your enemies in a good way, putting others first.
• In our society one of the most controversial statements Jesus made is found in John 14:6.
• In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
• The thing we do not like about this statement is the fact that Jesus is making an ABSOLUTE statement; He is stating an ABSOLUTE truth.
• Is Jesus the only way or path to God? Is He the only truth? Is He the only way to eternal life?
• The answer to the question, “Is Jesus the only way to God”, will more difficult for people to swallow than acknowledging the fact that Jesus is God.
• In our society we do not like to be told there are absolute truths. We are accustomed to saying that what is true for you is not necessarily true for me. We do not like someone confronting us with truth because we like to try to make up our own. We like to think we can all blaze our own path to heaven that we can make up the rules as we go!
• As author Lee Strobel states concerning Jesus’ claim in John 14:6, “So why is this statement so controversial? One Reason is that it strikes at the core of three great myths about religion.” (Passion Sermon, Jesus is the Son of God. True or False?)
• Going back to the movie, The Passion of The Christ, it has to make one wonder why did that ever have to happen? Why did God allow His Son to suffer like that? Why did Jesus allow that to happen?
• Today we are going to examine the three great myths about religion that Jesus statement contradicts. As we see the contradictions, it will become evident that Jesus is the only way to God!
• Let’s read Matthew 26:26-36 and John 14:6.
• JOHN 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
SERMON
I. MYTH ONE- ALL RELIGIONS ARE THE SAME- I AM THE WAY
• Have you ever heard people say that all religions are the same? Have you heard people say that ultimately all religions lead to the same place?
• This sounds very nice and inclusive doesn’t it. I mean who wants to tell their friendly Mormon or Muslim that their religion will profit them nothing? Don’t all religions teach more or less the same thing?
• It is true there are some similarities in morality that are taught. When you see the commercials the Mormons have or when you see those nice young men on bikes peddling to your home, are they not on equal standing with God as those “Christians”?
• If all the spiritual paths lead to the same end, what does it matter which one you follow? I have a friend of mine whose son left his Christian faith to marry a Jewish girl. Aren’t Judaism and Christianity the same?
• When Jesus says, “HE” is the way, He must mean something else that does not exclude those who take a different path. A loving God would not exclude people would He?
• All religions are not the same. The difference is in the person of Jesus. When you look at other religions, they will claim to lead you to truth. Jesus says I am the truth. Some claim to be a door to heaven. Jesus says, “I am the door.” (John 10:9).
• Buddhism will lead you to enlightenment, Jesus says, “I am the light.” (John 9:5)
• Many religions are all about you doing something to earn something from God. Even Judaism has become about following rules. IF you do the right things, you will be accepted by God. In the faith I was raised in, to be forgiven, I had to repeat statements that bought God’s forgiveness.
• For the Muslim if he follows the five pillars of Islam he MIGHT be accepted by his God. The Hindu has to keep reliving life until he gets it right.
• Jesus is unique because He says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Last week we looked at some of the claims He made about Himself, claims that He could and did back-up!
• I want us to take note of three verses in our text today that back the claim that Jesus is the only way to God.
• Look at verses 39, 42, and 44. Jesus is telling the Father, IF there is another way, let us do that. Jesus knows there is on other way. Since there is no other way, He is the way.
• All religions are not the same; they do not lead to the same place. Jesus makes Christianity unique and exclusive.
• 1 PETER 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
• EPH 2:18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
• We can say all religions are the same; we can try to make them all fit together in harmony, but because of Jesus, that is not possible.
• If there is or was another way, why did Jesus have to go through the ordeal He went through? In the garden, when God was asked if there was any other way, the answer was no!
• All are religions are not the same, some will offer some wise sayings, but none of their leaders offered themselves up as a payment for our sins. Only Jesus did that, only Jesus is the perfect son of God!
• Myth one- busted!
II. MYTH 2- YOU HAVE YOUR TRUTH, I HAVE MINE- I AM THE TRUTH
• This second myth is tied to the first one. Maybe a person will buy into the fact that Jesus is the only way to God, but then they will say that truth does not apply to them.
• Truth is relative. There are many truths and they are all valid.
• In our country all views have equal protection, but that does not make them all equal in validity.
• 1+1=2. If I believe 1+1=7, does that make it a fact? I have seen bumper stickers that say, God said it, I believe it, that’s that. It should read God said it that is that!
• I have shared the Gospel with people who would tell me that it more or less did not apply to them, that they had their own concept of what heaven was all about and how to get there.
• In the USA you have the right to believe anything you want to, but that does not make your belief valid. You can believe it is the year 1854, but that does not make it 1854.
• Jesus said He IS the TRUTH. There is no other truth than that of Jesus. Christianity is not just another philosophy, it is reality. Jesus not only claimed to be the Son of God, but He backed it up. He fulfilled all the biblical prophecies. He lived a sinless life. He demonstrated the power to back up His claims.
• Jesus performed many miracles in the presence of people, He rose from the dead and the resurrected Jesus was witnessed by over 500 people at one time. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
• There is always a question as to what is truth. Pilate himself asked Jesus the question. JOHN 18:37-38 Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. "Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him.
• Part of the mission of Jesus was to testify to the truth.
• JOHN 8:31-32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
• Jesus equates His word with the truth that will make you free!
• By Jesus saying He IS THE TRUTH, He is make an exclusive claim, He is saying there is no other truth concerning God than what He has. There is no other truth that will lead you to God. The only truth that will lead you to the path to heaven is the truth of Jesus. THERE IS NO OTHER! MYTH 2- busted!
III. MYTH 3- BELIEVING JESUS NON-INCLUSIVE CLAIMS IS NARROW-MINDED- I AM THE LIFE
• Have you ever been called narrow-minded for telling someone Jesus is the only way to get to God?
• If you are saying there is only one path and you know that one path, is that not being narrow-minded?
• If you say the only answer to the equation 1+1=2, are you being narrow-minded? NO. Why? Because the only answer to the 1+1 equation is 2. Now if there happened to be a multitude of answers to the equation, then you stating there is only one answer would be narrow-minded.
• Now let’s bring this to our point. If there are many ways to God, then saying Jesus is the only way would be narrow-minded and intolerant. But since Jesus is the only way, truth and life, then saying it or Jesus claiming it is not being narrow-minded since it is TRUE!
• When you stand on a truth, you are not being narrow-minded by standing on that truth.
• If you stand on an opinion that may or may not be true to the point you will not accept other opinions, then you would be narrow-minded. (EXAMPLE OF TAKING A TRIP WITH MANY WAYS TO GO FORM A TO B)
• When Jesus says He is THE LIFE, He is saying that HE is the only way to eternal life.
• Your ticket has been bought and paid for, you just have to accept it and receive it.
• When you stand on truth, you are not being narrow-minded.
• This is a hot topic. Last year Franklin Graham (the son of Billy Graham) got into some hot water with the media because he declared that Islam was not the way to God, but that Jesus was the only way. In an interview with National Public Radio he said: This whole notion of tolerance. They say, "Well, you Christians are narrow-minded. You say Jesus is the only way. You’re not tolerant of other religions." Well, if other religions are not tolerant of us, I’m not putting down their faith system; it’s just not what I believe. And I don’t accept their way as truth. They don’t accept my way. That’s fine. But don’t ask me to believe that their way to God is a valid way. I don’t believe that. (RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY Transcript: Show #549 August 9, 2002). (Quoted by Brian Mavis; Jesus is the Only Way To God www.sermoncentral.com)
• If Jesus is right, then it is not intolerant, it is truth!
CONCLUSION
• What now? What are you going to do with the fact that Jesus is the only Son of God and that He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life?
• Are you going to accept the truth, the truth that will set you free or will you try to hide your head under the covers and hope it just goes away?
• Once again, I pray that if nothing else, you have been inspired to look into the claims of Jesus. I have many good books on the subject if you would like to read them, but the best place to look is the Bible!
• Next weeks sermon is, Jesus Died For Me! True of False?
