Jesus is the Only Way to God – True or False?
John 14:1-6
March 28, 2004
This message has been based on a series idea from Outreach marketing and the outline is based on partial material found in a message written by Brian Mavis.
Introduction
The most authentic portrayal I have ever seen – Ted Haggard
The Passion of the Christ has stirred the hearts of millions and has caused a new examination of the life and teachings of Jesus. The movie was indeed powerful and moving because of the realistic portrayal of the suffering of Jesus.
Last week we started a new series of messages, True or False: Searching for the Truth about Jesus. In last weeks message I established a basis for the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and he is exactly who He claimed to be.
One of the greatest controversies in the Christian faith is that Jesus claimed to be the only way to God. There have been many groups that have branded Christians as arrogant because we claim exclusive truth or intolerant because we refuse to accept other faiths as genuine.
This morning as we continue our study on the life of Jesus, we are going to explore and examine the realities behind this amazing claim of Jesus.
True or False – All Religions are the same
The answer to this question is somewhat tricky because of the various definitions of religion and how we determine what religion is. The fact is that religion is a system of rules and regulations that if followed allow a person into a form of an afterlife. Religion is all about what a person has to do to make themselves worthy of entering heaven. Religion is about accomplishing a list of do’s and avoiding a list of don’ts throughout a lifetime to earn the right to enter an afterlife.
If you are honest that doesn’t sound very appealing. Religion is all about what you have to do.
Anyone who claims that all religions are the same betrays not only an ignorance of all religions but also a caricatured view of even the best known ones. Every religion at its core is exclusive. Ravi Zacharias
I would argue that Christianity is unique in the faith systems of the world because it is not based on rules and regulations. In other words, Christianity is not about earning the right to go to heaven because it cannot be earned. The New Testament tells us that no one is righteous. This means that no person is good enough to get into heaven.
Christianity is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because He has already done everything to get you into heaven. Christianity is not a religion but rather it is a relationship.
There is a powerful scene in The Passion of the Christ where Satan attempts to get Jesus to give up His mission because no one person could bear the weight of every person’s sin but that is exactly what Jesus did.
Religion is based on what you have to do but Christianity is based on what Christ has already done.
True or False – There are many ways to God
This is a false teaching that has come into our society because of pluralism and a form of universalism. The modern concept that is perpetuated in our society is that being religious will get you into heaven.
Sarah Michelle Gellar star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Scooby Doo movies said this about spirituality. “I consider myself a spiritual person. I believe in an idea of God, although it’s my own personal ideal. I find most religions interesting, and I’ve been to every kind of denomination: Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist. I’ve taken bits from everything and customized it.” (Quoted from Brian Mavis message Jesus is the Only Way to God True or False)
This is basically what our society does they pick and choose the parts of different faith systems to create their own way to believe. How can they do such a thing? This thinking flows out of the fact that our society denies the existence of absolute Truth.
Our society says that there is no such thing as absolute truth, truth that never changes. This leads us down a very dangerous road because everything becomes relative.
In other words, if there is no absolute truth, then truth becomes nothing more than a personal whim. Truth for you might be totally different than truth for me. The last time that I checked anything that was not true has to be called a lie.
So what is true? What exactly are the claims that Jesus makes?
True or False – Jesus is the Only Way to God
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I. Jesus promises a lasting peace
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
I am reminded of an old bumper sticker: No Jesus, no peace; Know Jesus, Know peace. It is simplistic at best but still pretty good theology.
Jesus says these words in the midst of troubling times for the disciples.
· There was divisiveness Luke 22:24-30
· There was desertion and betrayal: John 13:18
· There was going to be a separation: John 13:33
· There was going to be a denial of Jesus: John 13:38
This would have been a great shock to the disciples. You need to remember, they believed that Jesus was going to bring an earthly kingdom and rise to an earthly power. The disciples have just learned that everything they had thought was not only wrong but that it was the opposite of what Jesus came to do.
This caused them to be troubled, literally they were disturbed, agitated, perplexed and distressed. This is the same word used to describe the experience that they had during a storm on the Sea of Galilee because the waters were greatly troubled. I believe this is fitting to the experience that the disciples now had because they were in the midst of a storm.
Can you sympathize with the disciples? Can you understand what they are feeling? Sure you can because you have also been troubled in life? What is the solution for troubled hearts?
Trust in Jesus. Life will never go the way you have planned it, never. There are going to be times when it feels like life will get the best of us and it is in those times that you need to trust God the most.
Jesus is saying to the disciples and to us; when things seem bleak I am there, when life seems confusing I am there, when you feel all alone I am there, when you think you can’t go on I am there.
Peace comes from having the strength of Jesus weaved into the very fabric of our lives. It is a strength that comes only from Christ and it gives us the power to carry on through life’s most difficult times.
Could you use a little more peace this morning?
II. Jesus prepares an eternal place
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am
Jesus told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them and for all of those who believe in Him. It is a place where those who follow Christ can dwell with him. If you follow Jesus and He will have a place prepared for you.
The day that we die will not simply be the day that we pass away but rather it will be the day that we move into our new home. We will go to a great and wonderful home where there is no sorrow, there is no more pain, there is no suffering but rather it is a place of happiness and grace.
Heaven is a place of residence
Jesus has prepared a place for all of His people to live with Him. If we will simply believe in Jesus, and will follow Him, doing our best to live according to His word. He will have a place prepared for us. A home in heaven.
Heaven is a place of restoration
In heaven all things are made new. We will be given a new home. We will be given a new life, an eternal and never ending life. We will be given a new body. A body that does not know sickness or pain. In heaven there will be no cancer, no blindness, no diabetes, no arthritis, no heart disease, no physical illness of any kind.
Heaven is a place of reunion
In heaven there is a great reunion. We will be reunited with the members of our family, who have died in Christ. We will be reunited with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Most importantly, we will be reunited with Christ
III. Jesus has provided a correct path
A. Jesus is the way
Jesus has given us a unique promise and an exclusive claim. Jesus bridges the gap between God and humanity by being both fully God and fully human. Jesus has become the bridge that fills the gap and he is the promise that offers us direction for life
Jesus has become our path. He has cut through the difficulties and trials of life. Jesus cleared us a path that cut through the power of sin and the penalty of death. Jesus is the way and he is our guide for a divine direction
B. Jesus is the Truth
Not only did Jesus teach the Truth He is the embodiment of Truth. Christ has given us the greatest truth that we will ever know. God loves us so much that He sent Christ to live out a perfect life on earth. At the end of that life, God’s one and only Son died in our place and was raised again to new life. This is the promise of God to all who believe in Christ
C. Jesus is the life
Life is a gift to all people. However, there are so many people who settle for just to exist and never to truly experience life. Living is more than just existing! Living means that we seize life to the fullest and become all that God has created us to become.
Jesus is the very source of life. He is the embodiment of the power of life.
John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Jesus lived His entire life perfectly and with the sense of becoming all that He was meant to be. Jesus showed us how to really live and how to be alive.
Conclusion
Everyone wants to go to heaven and everyone wants to live forever. Jesus has given us the ultimate direction for this life and the next. We are now given a choice; either accept Him as the way, the truth and the life Him or to completely reject Him. We can get to heaven but it must be God’s way because we can not get there by any other means. Jesus is the way and God provided Jesus to know the way, show the way and go the way. All we have to do is follow Him and he will lead us home. This world, this place is not our home because we are just passing through. We are travelers on our way to a greater home. Jesus can and will show you the way if you let him
Christian faith is extremely simple but far too often people make it too difficult. Paul said in Romans 10:9-10: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Today is the day that you can allow Jesus to be your spiritual compass, place your faith in the ultimate claim of Jesus and join the family of God.
