Jesus - The Way To Eternal Life
TEXT: John 14:1-7
INTRODUCTION: Over the past number of weeks, we have considered how Jesus is truly The Way to all good things: He is The Way to a better life (by correcting misconceptions and teaching us to seek new goals); He is the Way to forgiveness of sins (by offering Himself as a propitiation, or sacrifice, for our sins); He is the Way to God (by helping us first to comprehend God, then to be able to approach Him in a close, personal relationship); He is the Way out of religious confusion (through His own example, and by guiding us through His apostles’ doctrine).
As we close this series out today, we will see why we can say Jesus is The Way To Eternal Life. In this message, we will be considering those passages which use the expression "eternal life" to mean a future hope which will be realized after this life on earth is complete. In the writings of John, the expression "eternal life" is often used differently. John often used the words eternal life and abundant life interchangeably to stress a new relationship with God and Jesus. He also revealed it as a present possession of all those who have come to know them - John quoting Jesus in Jn 17:3 - "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." I Jn 5:13,20 - "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life....We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."
I. WHY JESUS IS THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE
A. HE HAS PREPARED A PLACE FOR US...
- He told His disciples the night before His crucifixion "I am going there to prepare a place for you." - Jn 14:2
B. HE WILL COME AND RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF...
1. Jesus told His disciples - Jn 14:3 - "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."
2. Paul wrote of this wonderful event in I Th 4:15-17 - "According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
C. HE WILL JUDGE AS TO WHO WILL ENTER LIFE ETERNAL...
1. As depicted in the final judgment scene - Mt 25:31,41 - "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory....Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
2. As described by Paul - II Co 5:10 - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
D. HE IS WHAT MAKES ETERNAL LIFE WONDERFUL...
1. Together with God, who will dwell with men - Re 21:1-4 - "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
2. They shall be the "temple" - Re 21:22 - "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."
3. Jesus will be the "light" - Re 21:23 - "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."
4. They shall be the source of "the water of life" - Re 22:1-5 - "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."
5. Jesus makes eternal life what it is, which explains Paul’s aspirations - II Co 5:8 - "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."; Ph 1:23 - " I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far."
When we understand all this, would there be eternal life without Jesus? Not according to the Bible! Jesus is truly The Way to eternal life! Since Jesus is the way to eternal life, should we not also consider what Jesus has to say about it...?
II. WHAT JESUS TEACHES ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE
A. PREPARED FOR A PREPARED PEOPLE...
1. People are not going to stumble into it by "accident" - Mt 7:13-14 - "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
- The way to eternal life is such that few find it, lack of preparation is the main reason!
2. Jesus taught several parables to stress this point
a. The parable of "The Wedding Feast" - Mt 22:1-2,11-14 - "Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son....But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. Friend, he asked, how did you get in here without wedding clothes? The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are invited, but few are chosen."
b. The parable of "The Ten Virgins" - Mt 25:1-13 - "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out. No, they replied, there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves. But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. Sir! Sir! they said. Open the door for us! But he replied, I tell you the truth, I don’t know you. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
3. Also in His sermon on the mount - Mt 7:21-23 - "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
- Being religious does not ensure eternal life, we must do the Father’s will!
B. THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS HELL...
1. Hell is prepared for unprepared people - Mt 25:41,46 - "Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels....Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
2. Hell is a terrible place vividly described by Jesus - Re 20:10-15 - "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."; 21:8 - "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
3. Hell is the only place that people will "stumble" into accidentally!
- Hell is a terrible alternative to the eternal life Jesus offers!
CONCLUSION: God and Jesus have prepared a terrible fate for those who..."know not God" and "obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ". They certainly do not want people to experience this.... God desires all men to be saved - I Ti 2:3-4 - "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Jesus is offered as a ransom for all in order that "eternal life", and not "everlasting destruction", might be the destiny of all men...God has provided the most precious thing to Him as the Mediator between sinful man and Holy God: Jesus - His Beloved Son! God has provided Jesus as The Way to all that is good, both in this life and the one to come! But what if one does not accept Jesus as the Way? Then he or she is destined...to a life with little direction here on earth; to die in their sins; to be forever separated from God; to go through life in religious confusion and to go through eternity in eternal condemnation!
How much better to come to Jesus, and let Him be your Way...to a better life; to forgiveness of sins; to a loving and close relationship with God; out of religious confusion and to eternal life, with all its prepared glory! If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to obey the Lord Jesus and come to Him today!
