There is an 'I' in the 'I AM' (Part 5)

When I was working on this message. The first thought went through my mind was an incident that took place in 1990 where I got invited to serve on what was called human sexuality commission a response about major denomination and my response was immediately clear and unequivocal no new that out of the 24 people on the commission. There were only three who really believed that the Bible is the word of God rested then asked me would you hold your response would you wait until a representative would come and talk to about this because we really want all views to be heard.

So the person came and explained to me he said that we really we want to hear all the views be represented.

We know your view is very different from the rest, but we want to hear it anyway as it was, since you know it what you want to hear it again wasn't what we want to project name is that we are tolerant that we accept all views that allow this to be heard then asked her if there are others who don't believe that the Bible is God's self revelation of the Bible is the word of God would gonna be really hard struck to come into an agreement with all basically 21 and one agreement and the three of us. Finally he came clean and said look we know the decks stacked against you and you will never have your way is not my way, but we want to project an image that we are listening to, all views at that point, my answer was not only no there was no never, not even certain place freezes over because I knew we are to be used, and this person began to tell me that if I turned them down in order not to serve on that commission my terrible reputation as being narrowminded and bigoted and the intolerant is going to stick is a really if you don't serve another commission that terrible reputation of yours will really prove people right.

I remember clearly as if it was yesterday and look to that friend and I said let me assure you that my reputation in heaven is what really matters to me. I don't give a dingdong what people think of me. In fact, I get worried if the people of the world. The unbelievers speak well of me. I really become worried that that point and the we ended the conversation with that threat. That was no many years ago when and I was certain area of Christianity. Now I never would've dreamed that this will become a commonplace that this type of intimidation of believers will hold a biblical worldview become a nationwide or cultural why within evangelical churches and within denominations and everywhere.

Now they are putting out. In order to intimidate us. Call us intolerant. These are very tolerant people, but they can't tolerate us who have a world can you let me can see the logic of this. Can you see that the ludicrousness of it. It's now commonplace and if you have an experience with the motel you will in the next features. Now this is how society labels.

Anyone who has a biblical conviction. Now this is how society view any believer who believes that God revealed himself through the pages of the Scripture. This is how they love to destroy people's reputation and when Jesus said in John chapter 14 verse six that I am the way the truth and they live.

He presented us with the most narrow minded view of things that you can imagine. So what do most churches try to do now and I say most churches not say that with deep sorrow in my heart.

Believe me when I'm all alone I cry, I weep in order to accommodate to an increasingly hostile culture. They say we really don't know if any original the definite article the way the truth and the life was there or not the material.

It was and it is we cannot really be sure if Jesus said I am the way, I am a way or I'm a truth on the truth and on and on and on, why, why more and more so-called evangelical churches, which by definition means they believe the Scripture being the gospel of Jesus Christ widely doing this, listen to me very carefully.

Please because this is important is going to face all of you, whether in high school or in college or in the business world is going to face all every one of us sooner or later, that is the question that would gonna be confronted with why why the one change would God sent. They are afraid of the PC police the political correct police and their afraid that they will put them or accuse them of this great sin of intolerance. Hitler had his SS we have our PC police now and they're everywhere that I want to be put in prison a prison is not with bars, but a prison that reserved only for the narrowminded people for the Senegal as intolerant people there say well you know we just want people to like Jesus. What we want people to tolerate our Jesus. We want people to approve of Jesus when we want people to add Jesus to the list of whatever they believe in whatever they doing really and I couldn't help but think about our forebears are Christian ancestors first century Rome, there were different in boiler golf. They were thrown to hungry lions that were covered with tar and without so they can lift up Nero's Garden for his parties at night was a sin when the room hated such loving, caring people, whether the hate and persecute Christians who I have Dr. heads of government that they the most loyal people. Why do they hate them so much the same. What's happening with us now. There in tolerance and intolerance is a lease polytheistic pagans there worshiping a list of God's and I would have no problem at all adding Jesus to that list.

In fact, they would love to. They wanted to always looking for new gods and this is exciting God will raise the dead people say things about him. That's good like to add him to the list you see it when Paul gets up of efforts result in different cities and as soon as he gets it all.

We want to hear more know what he says until they discover that he was intolerant of all the other gods you see the always looking for new gods, but they did not want these risky Christians who were saying to them, you don't understand.

You can do that, you can just add our Jesus through a list of your guards you don't understand our God is the God who made the heavens and the earth our God is the one who have created all of the galaxies. Our God is the one through whom the sun and the moon that you are worshiping what made our God is the creator of all things. You cannot have him just as another God among all the other gods he is a unique God. He is the only God is only true God and the Romans it all your intolerant. We can't tolerate this intolerance.

It's almost like nothing new under the sun right here we are 2000 years later after the West was enlightened by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are turning back to the days of Rome listen to me. When Jesus said, and made that claim. I am the way the truth and the life he did not make it in a vacuum.

Listen carefully. Just prior to his crucifixion. Just prior to these horrific events that is about to take place.

He wanted to give the disciples, heads up. He wanted to comfort them before they will go through this traumatic experience you want them to understand and to be assured that this is why he came from heaven to dial not cross. And so look at verse verses one and two of John chapter 14, he begins thereby saying do not let your hearts be troubled trusting God trust also in me.

In my father's house are many mansions and when the rooms you think about this. The great thing about Jesus. He is the one who is going to suffer and die is or what is going to bleed on the cross. He is the one through the hands despite again ago and in his feet and the spear and the crown of thought. He is the one who is going to suffer, and yet his concern was for them and he wanted to comfort them before they needed.

He was saying to them, I'm about to go to the cross and you will be traumatized by my hanging on the cross. But remember, this is the reason why come from heaven.

Indeed, those words are really relevant to everyone of us today. Listen to me. Whatever pain you're carrying whatever difficulties you going through whatever illness that you my facing whatever you are and whatever you're experiencing right now you can hear those same words of the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, let not your hearts be troubled to say that with me. Let not your hearts be troubled. Your eternal joy awaits whatever the world tried to get you into its frenzy. Remember my peace and my joy whenever the world tractor fills you with worry and anxiety and fear. He says to you, let not your heart be troubled whenever the world tries to fill your heart with sorrow and was suffering.

Jesus says what. Let not your hearts be troubled. I would wipe away all of your tears whenever the world confuses you and misleads you and misguided you are. Jesus says what.

Let not your hearts be troubled. Just trusting my promises appropriate.

My promises claim my promises, but all of this talk about going to the cross and going away and coming back and then on the way done that don't dear all Thomas all in knots honest Thomas. All of this stuff was bubbling inside of Thomas and he says what you mean by this.

I'm not getting it. I don't know what you're going how can I know the way. Where are you taking us, what are you going where you had he not said these words.

Have you not expressed his honesty here would not of had those magnificent words of affirmation. In fact, the incredible thing about Thomas is not really about Thomas in this incident is about Jesus. He never, never, never rebuked as a watery Thomas.

Hacking Oscar? No, this is great question Thomas and Jesus takes that question as an opportunity to expand the revelation of himself. In fact, here Jesus made one of the most profound declarations that has become the cornerstone of the Christian faith and is becoming more and more a dividing line between those who confess to believe in those who really believe I underway Thomas on the truth Thomas. I am the government of eternal life. Thomas, in fact, the construction of the sentence.

It goes like this because I am the way, therefore only in me and you find the truth a little and the life.

Or I am the way that leads to the truth and eternal life or I am the only one through whom you are able to have the truth, and eternal life or my way is the only way to receive the truth and eternal life.

So much for narrowmindedness and so much for intolerance.

Please listen to me if anyone of those tolerant preachers who are intolerant of Christians try to dial a number on the phone but because one digit was wrong. They got the room number. I wonder if the site I'm mad at the telephone company. How dare they, that I just make one simple mistake and I get the room number is intolerance on the part of the telephone company just one digit out of seven or take another example is a yes I know 20+20 = 40 but I refuse to believe that if I want to choose to believe the 20+20 = 38 of 42 I'm entitled to my belief right. Tell that to the IRS after the bank. How dare the bank of the IRS or the utility company does not accept the way I believe what I believe that 20+20 not always equal 40 as narrowmindedness I'm entitled to my belief the see the fallacy counter.

Jesus said on the way the way that everyone must come through the fine eternal life in heaven be saved eternally.

The Bible tells us that everyone of us every one of us. One lost even 700 years before Jesus came from heaven. The prophet Isaiah, and 53 six of the book of Isaiah.

He said we all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned his own way and that's why God provided the only way by which we can be found and when Jesus said I am the way, he was saying, listen carefully, please he was saying. I am absolutely categorically the only way and that is no other way while there may be lots of ways to come to Jesus and I may be as many ways to come to Jesus as there are people who came to Jesus, but is only one way to the father and Esther Jesus heard the testimony through the years from people from all over the group.

They all have a different testimony. Some people come to Jesus Christ.

When they become so overwhelmed with his love. This incredible love and forgiveness for some people come to Jesus when they're convicted of sin and judgment. There are some come to Jesus because their sin and their shame Weighed them down and then there hear the truth that Jesus can forgive all of your sins. Others come to Jesus because they know that the wages of sin is death and their want to live eternal life with him, and no one escaped death and judgment.

The varieties of ways to come to Jesus only one way to come to the father and Esther Jesus but is more there is more. None of these guys who so-called founded religions. None of none of ever claim to be the only way to heaven not want not want Mohammed never claimed to be the only way to the father. Krishna never claimed to be the way you never claimed to be the what difficult messengers are called teachers a call philosophers there called all sorts of things, but that never claimed to be the light of the father.

Only Jesus. Now even today, there are people who think that they can climb the fence and go to heaven. That way there are some people who think they can buy their way into heaven. There are people think that if you keep certain religious practice of certain rituals are going to gotta have some believe that you got to belong to their denomination. If you really want to go to heaven may tell you something. The only one true Church of the redeemed Church of Jesus Christ from every tribe, every nation and from all over the globe that will be gathered in heaven soon I hope. But when Jesus declared, I am the way he was declaring that there is only one direction. There is 1 Specific Rd. There are no shortcuts. There are no side roads. There are no outlets is the only way by which we can go to the father for eternal life and for the truth. Secondly, he is the only truth.

Why did he say that when you stop with the way to the ways going to get you there. The truth is the truth in order to assure you that you going to get that you can be absolutely certain. Today we have a majority of people in this culture, who believe that truth is relative that it doesn't matter, and we joke about another three side to the truth is, your side, my side on the truth but Jesus is the only truth when Jesus said I am the truth. He was not just saying I really speak the truth. That of course he does. He was not saying merely that I know the truth that you have us, but he was saying that I embody the truth that truth cannot exist apart from me there may be some specs of truth in the Koran, there may be some specs of truth in the book of Mormons. There may be some specs of truth and humanism, but the full truth is only found in Jesus Christ is the truth because he is God's self revelation back in the 80s. I had the privilege of working together with a man on the most brilliant bond I have ever come across. He has written many books attacking Christians in one day his wedding in a bus stop in and the thought hit him with Robin attacking Christians all my life I've never read the book, so he picked up a Bible and he went home and for two weeks. He read it from cover to cover and by the time he finished he was on his knees giving his life to Jesus Christ is what he said. He said back in my previous religion. The truth was like a cardboard with a light bulb behind it that cardboard had little dots specs when you look in the wall we reflected the light from the light bulb in the back, I see little dots of light. When I came to Jesus Christ at Kim on the other side of the cardboard and also the whole lightbulb.

That's what the truth was to me until I turned around and I saw the light bulb and I realize that Jesus is the only truth in his a sad part of our day.

Sadly our society today after they've experienced the light of Christ in Western civilization. We are turning our back on the lightbulb and looking at the dots see and that is why today you can find the truth in government. You can find it among politicians, we can find truth in the media, we can find a proof coming out of Hollywood. Why we turn our back to the lightbulb and were looking at the dots. I am the way, so that you can be saved only through him. I am the truth so that you can be assured of your salvation.

Thirdly, I am the life so that we can live forever with Jesus. Jesus said I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly. I came so that you might have life with L that is the true life that is worth living if you thought about it I know you will agree with me that we all live life defensively so Michael what you mean by that we live life defensively well.

We have survival instinct.

We want to live our life to the fullest right we want to squeeze everything that we can get out of life. Anything that impedes our lives being live to the fullest causes us discomfort. Anything any limitations. Anything that diminishes life as it ought to be live. We hated and we hated with passion that I get a witness is how God made us by God created us with a zest for life. But when sin entered into humanity that created havoc with all of that sin brought about the curses and diseases and death.

Sin dictated that no matter how long we live will all die, so we live our lives now either afraid of death or tried to think that this charter will never touch us. Woody Allen said, I'm not afraid of death.

I just don't want to be there when it comes.

I have a hunch she's afraid of this but when Jesus said I am the life.

He said to everyone who would come to the Father through him that you don't have to either be afraid of death, nor do you have to deny its existence.

The Bible said even youth grow weary and tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will learn and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. No limit cannot testify to the word of God cannot testify, drop dead this afternoon.

That's fine. I got a have.

But I can testify to the truth of this word physically today.

I got more energy today than I did 20 years ago, my output is greater today than it was 20 years ago, young people can keep up with me that is the word of God has nothing with me. Nothing physical. It has to do with the godsend I'm putting my heart while in the Lord say when you come to Jesus, you will discover the whole truth, and eternal life as well. When you come to Jesus. He will place the spirit in you with his Holy Spirit and his spirit is gone invigorate you is going to energize you is garnering you you is going to fill you with all and whether you hear there it doesn't make any difference. And the more time listening to me that's my testimony. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more your spirit is ignited with fire. The more you walk with Jesus, the more vitality you gonna receive the deeper you go is Jesus, the more you focus is on maternity you want to take as many people with you. As you can.

I'm getting really close to the end.

Listen to me very carefully. This is important sin and holiness cannot coexist together. Sin and holiness cannot coexist.

The truly happy person is a truly holy person. Now I know some of you have this medieval concept of a holy man is somebody who, when patient and drink powdered milk in the analysis living, so that the kind of life. None is not biblical holy man, a holy woman is the person who set aside the live for Jesus Christ. Someone said you don't go to heaven to find Jesus you go to Jesus to find heaven is an old song goes something like this, no matter where on earth would well on mountaintop or in the Dell in cottage automation fair where Jesus is this heaven there hallelujah yes this heaven is having to know my sins forgiven on land or sea. No matter where where Jesus is this heaven there Thomas a Kemps was born in the 1300s commented on these words on the words of Jesus said the following. Listen carefully. I'll read it. Follow me I am the way the truth and the life without the way that is not going without the truth there is not knowing without the life that is not living, I am the way, which you must follow. I am the truth which you must believe I am the life which you must hope. I am then voluble way.

I am the infallible truth. I am the unending life.

I am the way, that is straight. I am the supreme truth.

I am the life that is true the blast and the uncreated life. If you abide in my way, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free, and you shall attain life everlasting. I want to say mentor that this boy lived in the 1400s, but he knew the truth. I wonder how many people today Azalea and I believe the Jesus the way the truth and the life. And yet the living your life as if he's not today can say Lord Jesus, I want every breath I take demonstrate to the world that I might just believe that intellectually, but I live with in my life that you are the way the truth and the life somebody your mother said I just knew on this Christian stuff and I really did today you can accept his affirmation of who he is and make it part of your life allow his spirit to breathe this truth in you. They, in their shall we pray together precious heavenly father, we thank you for Jesus who is the way the truth and the life. We can even call your father without him because of Jesus and were able to do that. We were at enmity with you. We thank you for his obedience to the death of the cross and we thank you father that you provided only one way and we thank you and we pray that anyone who is having doubts even at this moment that that will come to the only way father for those of us who know these truths in and treat them like call home.

Yes, I believe Jesus the way the truth and the life father changes transformers make those claims of the Lord Jesus Christ to be the cornerstone of our lives will we pray this in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that's LTW.Ward