A Ready Defense
April 3, 2005
Is Jesus the Only Way to God?
Intro: Why believe in Jesus? What makes him so different from Socrates, Buddha, Mohammed, or any of the others? After all, don’t all religions lead to God? According to the teachings of Jesus – the answer is a definitive NO!
Insert: Ancient Hindu story about 6 men brought to see an elephant. The 1st man touching the elephant’s side – “it’s like a wall.” The 2nd man touching his tusk – “it’s like a spear. The 3rd man holding the trunk – it’s like a snake. The 4th man embracing the leg said – it’s like a tree. The 5th man holding the ear – it’s like a fan. The 6th man grabbing the tail – it’s like a rope. The Hindu concept is that each man is correct so long as he is touching the elephant – all religions lead to God – just pick one.
Truth: Sounds good! Certainly it’s politically correct – but it’s not accurate. Sadly, many people look at the different religions as different roads to God – but eternity isn’t determined by a popularity vote – but rather by the standard set by God.
Verse: Broad is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the road that leads to life.
Note: In an age of conflicting religious claims, no issue challenges the modern mind more than the authenticity of the founder of Christianity. For if He is who He said He was, then all other paths are dead ends – and His way is the only way. Nearly 2000 years have past since Jesus walked on the earth, and yet only a fool would turn a deaf ear and ignore His claims as God and never truly investigate their authencity.
Trans: We’re in a series entitled A Ready Defense. We’re learning how we can share w/ others the truth w/in us. Today, we’re dealing w/ how do I respond to a man who asks, “But how can you believe Jesus is the only way to God?
I A Matter of SINCERITY What about those people are sincere?
Note: It doesn’t matter how sincere you are if your wrong. Sincerity in religion has no advantage if a person is worshiping a non-existent god.
Insert: People who are members of the Flat Earth Society can believe that the earth is flat but their beliefs will never change the fact that the earth is round.
Idea: I can sincerely believe my 94 Accord is a twin turbo Porsche, but I’m not expecting to wake up to a twin turbo in my garage tomorrow AM?
A man can sincerely believe a gun isn’t loaded, it won’t change the effect of pulling the trigger if the gun is loaded.
You can paint wings on a pig, call it a bird, toss it off a cliff but it won’t fly.
Point: The issue is truth – not sincerity. Truth operates independent of feelings and desires. The thrust of the Bible is never on blind belief but rather the object of belief. The way to God isn’t a matter of sincerity but a matter of fact – only Jesus died for sin.
II A Matter of OPINION Isn’t religion just a matter of opinion?
Funny: Who is Jesus – Mexican, Black, Jewish, Italian, Californian, or Woman.
Note: If you hit the streets and ask others about life after death, you’re certain to get a plethora of answers. You’ll hear comments like – if your good!, if your baptized, if you believe in something, if you … Certainly these are popular responses – but the highway to Hell is going to be paved w/ the opinions of man?
Note: Are you willing to bet your eternal soul on the unsubstantiated opinions of others?
Insert: Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Jn 14:5-6
Reality: That’s narrow – Truth is narrow by definition.
1962 Gallop Poll 84% of Americans agreed that absolute truth exists – 26% today. Even in the church – 51% do not believe that real truth exists.
Note: Think about it – everybody can’t be right? Christianity claims there is one God who exists in three persons. Muslims and Jews disagree – they believe God is indivisibly one. Hinduism claims that everything is God – you’re god, I’m god, my dog is god. Islam claims that Jesus was not a god and that he didn’t die for the sins of humanity. Buddha was non-committal about the existence of God – pretty much an agnostic.
Point: We may all be wrong – But we all can’t be right!
Quote: There isn’t a halfway house and there is no parallel in other religions. If you’d gone to Buddha and asked, “Are you the son of Bramah?” He’d have said, “My son, you’re still in the vale of illusion.” If you’d gone to Socrates and asked, “Are you Zeus?” He’d have laughed at you. If you’d gone to Mohammed and asked, “Are you Allah?” He’d first have rent his clothes and then cut your head off. If you’d asked Confucius, “Are you Heaven?” I think he’d have probably replied, “Remarks which aren’t in accordance w/ nature are in bad taste.” C.S. Lewis
Trans: There will be many who are sincere – but sincerely wrong. There will be many w/ a popular opinion, but opinions are a dime a dozen. Do you want to base your eternal destiny on someone’s sincere opinion?
III A Matter of FACT
Note: The fact that Jesus was a historical man has never been in doubt. Secular, Jewish, and Biblical evidence is overwhelming that He existed and claimed to be God.
Trans: The better question is, was Jesus God in the flesh who came to save the world?
Note: Jesus didn’t just claim to know the way to God, He said that He was God. He said was “I am the only way to God.”
Note: I don’t believe Jesus said that out of arrogance or ignorance – but rather out of great compassion. He wasn’t on a head trip – His heart that hemorrhaged for humanity.
Note: The disciples reaffirmed this claim:
Peter – “Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.” Ac. 4:12
John – All who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will not experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains on them. Jn. 3:36
Trans: So the question is this – Just who is Jesus? Was He a liar? Was He crazy? Is He a legend? Or is He the Lord – There are only 4 options available.
A OPTION 1 – Jesus was a CON Man (Liar)
Note: Some skeptics have proposed a theory called the Intentional Fulfillment Argument. They argue that Jesus knew the prophecies and lived his life to fulfill them. At first glance, this appears to be a conceivable theory, but there are too many details about His life and ministry that he could not have coerced.
How could he have controlled being born in Bethlehem?
How could He have arranged His ancestry?
How could He have caused the Sanhedrin giving Judas 30 pieces of silver to betray?
How could He have controlled His execution, the soldiers gambling for His clothes?
Idea: Let me ask: Would you agree Jesus was a good moral teacher? How could he be a good moral teacher if he was a liar? How could he be a good teacher if he lied about his own identity? Fact is – He claimed to be more than a good, moral teacher.
Claimed to forgive sin Mt. 9:1-8
Claimed to judge the world Jn. 5:27, 30
Claimed to give eternal life Jn. 3:16
Claimed to be sinless Jn. 8:46
Claimed to be in essence God Lk. 22:70-71
Verse: Are you the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth. Luke 22:70-71
Note: Even his enemies accepted his claim to be the Son of God. At his trial before Pilate, the priests and Temple guards shouted to Pilate – Crucify! Crucify! Pilate said:
Verse: I find him not guilty. The Jewish leaders replied, By our laws he ought to die b/c he called himself the Son of God. Jn. 19:6-7
Quote: A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher. He’d either be a lunatic – on a level w/ the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he’d be the Devil of hell. You must make a choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God – or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and cal Him Lord and God. C.S. Lewis
Note: Jesus is the only man in history executed for his claim rather than his crime.
B OPTION 2 – Jesus was a CRAZY Man (Lunatic)
Note: Perhaps He just thought He was God – a bright guy who got a little confused. In a fierce monotheistic culture only a nut would claim to be equal w/ God, and yet that’s exactly what Jesus claimed!
Insert: Jesus didn’t exhibit any of the abnormalities or imbalance that go w/ being deranged. He always acted w/ composure and consistency – he was never out of control. He spoke the most profound words ever recorded.
Note: Skeptics suggest the Coincidence Argument that says Jesus fulfilled the prophecies by accident. Problem w/ this idea is that statistically it would be impossible.
To fulfill (8) prophecies is 1 in 100 million billion (Colored coin in Texas)
Stoner – to fulfill (48) prophecies is 1 in trillion 13
C OPTION 3 – Jesus was a CONTRIVED Man (Legend)
Insert: Skeptics offer the Altered Gospel Argument. This argument states Jesus didn’t fulfill any of the prophecies, but instead the gospel writers fabricated the story.
Note: Perhaps this Jesus guy is just a legend – either a fictitious figure manufactured by those who come before us or a fictitious life – either way a cruel practical joke.
Insert: This same concept has been pushed in the past few years to cause us to believe that the holocaust never happened – that it was just a hoax. Is Jesus just a hoax?
Note: Not only was he real, but had His story been fabricated then you can be certain that it would have been exposed as a lie by His enemies.
D OPTION 4 – Jesus was the CHRIST Man (Lord)
Trans: If He wasn’t a con man – a crazy man – or a contrived man – then who was He? I would submit to you this AM that he was the Lord.
Story: Conversation w/ two people on a plane from Houston to Nashville. They couldn’t believe how narrow my beliefs were on the issue of salvation and Jesus – I said it’s really simple. The way of salvation is exclusive, but the gift is inclusive.
I asked them – “Was Jesus a liar?” Of course not!
I asked them – “Was Jesus a lunatic?” No, not at all!
I asked them – “Was Jesus a legend?” No – he really lived!
I asked them – “Then was Jesus the Son of God?” Absolutely Not!
I then said – “Then you are out of choices. . .” I got a funny look
Then I ask “Which choice is more probable???”
Quote: No founder of any religion has dared to claim for himself one fraction of the assertions made by Jesus about himself. No religion has claimed for its founder what Christianity has claimed for the Christ. No founder of any religion has been as highly acclaimed by those of other faiths as has the Lord Jesus. Henry Heydt
Note: The Bible says that sooner or later everyone will agree – sooner is better than later! At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2:10-11
Note: Are you willing to bet your eternal destiny those words are not true?
Idea: Think about it – it’s not a good bet – either Jesus is the only way to God or He isn’t. Let me assure you, you don’t want to be undecided on the issue. Chances are 50/50 that Jesus is who he said he was. If he is and you believe and receive – you win, you lose nothing. If he isn’t and you believe – you still lose nothing. You see, a betting man would opt to believe b/c it’s the only choice that ends in win/win.
Trans: Let’s take that one step further, let’s say that all religions lead to God – you chose Christ – still win! But if Christ is the really only way and you opt for Hinduism – you loose big time! If Hinduism turns out to be right – you’ve lost nothing b/c the Christian lifestyle will get you reincarnated pretty well.
Point: The safest and most logical and defendable choice is accepting Jesus as Lord.
Note: You may ignore Him, but you can’t avoid Him. You may reject Him, but you can’t escape Him? He is a stubborn fact of history and one day you will have to face Him – you can do it this side of eternity and find forgiveness and heaven, or you can do it on the other side of eternity and face the consequences of your poor decision in condemnation.
