No One Comes to the Father Except through Me - Jesus' Most Outrageous Sayings - Part 4

I was driving into work on the Beltway earlier this weekend as I was riding along, I was listening to Murphy in cash in the morning on 100.3 the oldies station and others little jingle came on.

That was so funny that I was laughing out loud, driving down the Beltway amount of mobile and I thought well maybe you might like to hear what you guys like to hear it well. Your one way or the other so but anyway, here was this what I was listening to. I think you'll enjoy having that agenda then they ran an existing loan and will in no way make me breakfast in the shamans, valet Murphy leading. Here's what he said. He said, driving on the Beltway in rush-hour is the one thing that everybody in Washington has to deal with thinking later. That's not really true. I mean this isn't something that everybody in Washington has to deal with.

Not everybody in Washington drives on the Beltway rush-hour, but I also thought there is one thing that everybody in Washington does have to deal with and that is their death and how they plan to get to heaven.

So that's what I want to talk to you about today when a series entitled Jesus is most outrageous things you remember were going to the gospel accounts and were picking out 12 of the most radical things that Jesus ever said were doing a message on each one of them and they were trying to answer the question.

Well, so what we done three already and if you missed any of these three there in the bookstore and tape CD. I encourage you to come up today were ready to do outrageous thing number four and so I'd like to ask you if you brought your Bible to open with me to John chapter 14, Matthew Mark Luke John fourth book in the New Testament, chapter 14, if you did not bring a Bible.

Hey reach right on the armrests there in your chair and you'll find a Bible right under the armrests were going to be on page 763, page 763 in our copy John 14 in your copy. And while you're turning. Let me give you a little background here in John chapter 14, Jesus is talking to his disciples during the last supper while they're talking the subject of heaven comes up.

And so Jesus in response says this about heaven. Verse two John 14. He said in my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so I would've 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 may also be where I am now with his words here in John 14 Jesus confirmed for us that there is a real place called heaven where real people go after they die. In fact, Jesus talked about heaven all the time. He said John six verse 38 for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me. He taught us to pray in the Lord's prayer our father who art in heaven, he said in Mark chapter 12. He talked about the Angels that live in heaven. He said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 11 Blessed are you when people persecute you because of me. Rejoice and be glad for grade will be your reward in heaven and finally in Luke 23 while hanging on the cross, Jesus turned to the thief next to him and said today you will be with me in paradise in heaven is their will on you know what I hear all that. And that's okay but you know what, I don't really believe in heaven and a hell after this life, I will believe they're real places. I believe in heaven and hell are right here on earth is, what you make out of this life will friend you know you're entitled to your opinion, that's fine.

The only problem with your opinion is that the only person it's ever been to the other side of the grave and come back to tell us about it. The Lord Jesus Christ says that your opinion is wrong. He says there is a real legitimate place on the other side of the grave called heaven another one called Hill and real people go to both of these places that when we look in the Bible actually to find a long and detailed description of heaven. The truth is, we can find. In fact, Paul says in second Corinthians chapter 12 that he was caught up by God allowed to see heaven, but God instructed him when he came back not to tell us anything about it. You say, why would God do that. I think because God knew if we understood how unbelievably awesome. Heaven really is none of us would be willing to stay here. We all be placing calls to Dr. Kevorkian becomes the cause we all want to go the most, the Bible tells us about heaven anywhere is in the book of Revelation chapter 21 and here is what we find out we find out that in heaven.

Number one God himself will be there with we find out that in heaven the water of eternal life will be dispensed freely. We find out that in heaven the gates are made of pearl and the streets are made of gold. We find out that in heaven there is no song.

There is no moon because the glory of God himself provides the light from heaven, we find out in heaven there is no night we find out that in heaven there is nothing in your shameful, deceitful or unholy.

There in heaven there is no longer any curse a lot. Genesis chapter 3, which means that in heaven there are no more tears. No more death no more sorrow no more pain, no more crying as the Bible says this old order of things has passed away and the best part of all is that in heaven we shall be his face face-to-face with the living Christ himself. This is a place that Jesus is talking about is disciples right here in John chapter 14 verse four continues.

And Jesus said to them, he said. And you know the way to get to this place where I'm going. Thomas spoke up and said, Lord, we don't know where we don't even know when you go how in the world can we possibly know the way to get there and you're ready here it comes. One of the most outrageous things anybody ever said Jesus said Thomas I am the way and the truth and the life. Nobody comes to the father. Nobody gets into heaven, where the father is, unless they come through me here friends. We have the clearest statement ever made by Jesus as to how a person gets into this awesome place called heaven and what is Jesus tell us here. He tells us that sincerity human sincerity is not the basis on which God lets people in the heaven, he tells us here that human zeal for God is not the basis on which God lets people into heaven.

I mean think about it.

There are many sincere Catholic people who attend mass every day. There are many zealous Jewish people keep kosher and go to synagogue every day there are many sincere Muslims who pray five times a day and make pilgrimages to Mecca.

There are many zealous Hindus and talks no beef products and bathing the Ganges. There are many sincere Baptist who don't drink or custard smoker to hang around with them which do you understand what I'm saying. But Jesus tells us here that know God doesn't let any of these people in a heaven on the basis of their sincerity or their human zeal for God nobody gets into heaven. On that basis.

People get into heaven on one basis only and that basis is personal faith in Jesus Christ. Personal reliance on the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to pay for their sin. Personally embracing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This is the constant message of the Bible. The unbroken message of the Bible.

The unequivocal message of the Bible.

John 1416 repeated Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life.

Nobody nobody comes to the father. Nobody gets into heaven, he gets eternal life unless they come by way of me that is no wiggle room here. There's no negotiations here is no equivocation here.

This is what the Bible says that's as far as we want to go in John 14.

Right now because it's time for us to ask our most important question and everybody knows what is right. You know, our most important question right right right okay so we ready already. Here we go. 123 year Ceylon so say alright alright so Jesus said this to me.

What difference does it make me when I walk out of my house on Monday morning to go to school to go to work but it was making well I'm to see if I can answer that question for you this past Tuesday I had a gentleman coming to see me in my office and he said you know is I was born into a Hindu family. I was raised in a Buddhist country. Now I live in America and I've been a coming to this church and are coming today because I want to volunteer my services here at McLean Bible church that you know what were all over it when somebody wants to volunteer around here so I said that's great that's wonderful. I think just tell me are you a follower of Jesus Christ.

He said yes I am. That's great is also follower Bhutto Mohammed Confucius, and everybody else who tries to help people get to God, a single server that's a problem that in the problem is the Jesus said none of these other people are helping anybody get to God.

None of these people can help anybody get to God. Jesus said, John 14 six nobody gets to God unless they come by way of meeting he said well I believe there are many ways to God, not just what I said will serve there's a problem with your view. The problem with your view is. Jesus says you're wrong he still will know that's according to what you believe know some according to what I believe it's according to what Jesus says right here in the Bible. I am the way the truth and alive. Nobody comes to the fatherless to come by way of me that's what Jesus said.

He said no that's just your interpretation said, my interpretation is no interpretation is a straightforward reading of the Bible. He said will, according to how you read it, according to how you see, he said you know what lawn he said you need to show people more respect really is. You need to give people the freedom to try to get to God anywhere they wanted to God I sister listen, I'm happy to let people try to get to God anywhere they want to my job on this earth is just to tell them any other way. They try to get there is not going to work. That's my job. My job is to warn them if they try to go some other way it's going to end up in disaster piece that will according to how you believe I said wait a minute John 14 six says… You nobody gets there but to me I think Jesus is either a lunatic, always telling the truth which is it so I'm not even answer the question because it's all based on your interpretation of what he said.

We went round and round and round and when you have after half an hour. I was exhausted. I felt like I've been trying to nail Jell-O to the wall. If you understand what I'm saying but you know there are a lot of people in our world just like this gentleman who have real struggles about this idea that there's only one way to get to God and it's only through Jesus Christ. Only by embracing him as per as your personal savior. Maybe all you want of these people struggle with this will.

If you are when you say you came to the right place today because this is what I want to try to fix once and for all in your mind and your thinking with the truth of the word of God. What is the Bible say about people who are outside of Jesus Christ will listen.

John 336 whoever believes in the son. Jesus has eternal life. Watch, but whoever rejects the son will not see eternal life. For God's wrath.

God's judgment remains rest on a person. John 318.

Whoever does not believe in Christ stands condemned already, Jesus said, because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only son, first John chapter 5 verse 11 and this is the record that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He who has this on has eternal life watches now and he who does not have the son of God does not have eternal life.

How can you say it any clearer than this is what Peter said acts chapter 4 verse 12 that salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, not Bhutto. Not Confucius, not Mohammed, not Joseph, not Rabbi anybody there is no other name under heaven by which we can be delivered and just in case there's any doubt, listen to what Paul said. Second Thessalonians chapter 1 verse eight he said God will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and will be shot out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power. Or we could just go back and put in the simple terms the Jesus put it, he said no one comes to the father. No one gets into heaven except through me. There it is, folks. That is consistent and unequivocal position of the Bible. They say will on you know what I hear you what you saying but I have some objections to all of this really I do think I got five of well let me see what they are, will see when you answer boys there.

I objection number one is this, aren't you, why you being so intolerant coming onto just being narrow and intolerant by saying is only one way to get to heaven we live in a pluralistic world lawn in a tolerant world. Come on, friends. You know what there a lot of things in our pluralistic world.

One way to do. For example, there is only one way in this world. Add 2+2 you do it all day long it's going to come out exactly the same. There is only one way in this world to launch the nuclear arsenal of United States of America. There is only one way in the world to Landon Jeff on an aircraft carrier. Believe me and you know there is only one way and I world will look like on the Schwarzenegger looks more like I used to look and mostly what I used to look like there I the old memories have to download things in our world there only one way to do friends, so why should it bother us of God says only one way to get to heaven is outside our not I got another injection in my second objection is why would God be so unfair than two people who don't believe in Jesus Christ. We know just asking that question tells me that spiritually you got the and fastest on the wrong slab and say what I'm saying listen. Romans chapter 5 verse 12 says the Air Force can enter the world through one man, Adam, and death through sin, and so death passed on all men. The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. They brought a flaw upon the entire human race, a flaw that the Bible calls are in nature. It is like a defective gene that everyone of us come into the world with and the result is everyone of us in Ephesians chapter 2 says is born spiritually dead. We are born alienated from God separated from God and under God's judgment. God in his mercy made a way for us to escape this predicament. He made away in his mercy for us to get out of this trouble and it's by believing in Jesus Christ. If I were Jesus to force on the cross with friends. If a person rejects God's way of deliverance. If he spurns God's offer of mercy and decides to go his own way and this person ends up experiencing God's judgment is God's been warning them in the Bible are going to. How does that make God unfair. Listen, this is not about God being unfair.

This is about people being foolish is that while LOM is what I got another injection.

What about if a person never hears about Jesus Christ lawn underwater person lives in deepest darkest Africa friends they could live in deepest darkest Washington. I'm convinced to never hear about Jesus. So he said what about them what the Bible tells you got them. Look what the Bible says, Romans chapter 1 verse 20 it says for since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, namely, his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly on this way so that people are without excuse. If you read the passage what the Bible goes on to say is that there is enough about God in creation. There was another God. God revealed in our natural world, so that every human being alive to be able to look at the natural world and recognize there is a supernatural mighty awesome creator you.

My son is a medical doctor and I sending him a number of times Jamie I do not understand how anybody could go through medical training and look at the precision of the human body. Look at the complexity of the human body. Look at the perfection of the human body and come out about not believing in God. I don't see how that's possible. Well, it's not just the human body is the trees at the sky with the laws of the physical universe.

God says there's a knob here so that we ought to be able to look around and say oh my gosh we didn't do all this, it could not happen by itself. There is got to be a God. Now, once we do that, God takes it upon himself to then get off the rest of the information we need so we can close the deal with Jesus Christ. Whether we live in Africa whether we live in Washington that make any difference. And I know that through because that's my life story when I was at when I was 16 years old and curlyhaired Jewish boy 1965.

I'm 56. I'll save you the trouble I went I got the opportunity to go to Virginia Tech for six weeks as part of the National Science Foundation summer program. We lived in the dorm and every morning. We had classes together every afternoon. We did research projects individually and our class work. That year was on enzymes in the morning, you know, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of thousands of enzymes right now in your body carrying on every chemical reaction that goes on in your body, and every single chemical reaction that goes on in your body is code for meaning that only one enzyme will work if that one enzyme is missing the rest of the enzymes will not pick up the enzymes job is missing. They have a union contract in your body to understand what I'm saying and then you want to feel really sick human being. You find a human being missing one enzyme out of hundreds of thousands in the final realistic person.

Now I learned that as a young Jewish boy and I'll never forget walking back across the campus July 1965.

Standing on the top of the steps of the dorm at Virginia Tech and looking up at the sky and saying out loud. There hasn't got to be a God because not like this just couldn't happen and I'm convinced that moment God in heaven went could you not good for you. Good for you know that's the first step you are there, to get to the rest of the information one. Six years later I was walking down the streets of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and bumped into a guy named Bob Eckardt standing there on the street corner given me the rest of the information. I didn't know that God when I was 16 I had no clue how to get connected to that God when I was six, been but I've taken the first step and God saw to it. I got the rest of the information so that I can close the deal and you know Bob Eckardt came to Chapel Hill North Carolina for six months, every single Saturday standing on the treats the streets handing out tracts and as far as we know, I'm the only person that came to Christ through his ministry friends. I like to think God sent Bob Eckardt to Chapel Hill just for me because six years before I said there has got to be a God, and God said, bingo and I went to see to it you get the chance to know me and I believe God does that for any human being in the world do what I did is that will help us all okay okay the way to, here's my fourth objection so let's a person looks around and they say there's gotta be a God to live in America you know they live in someplace where the closest religion is Buddhism or Hinduism more Islam or Judaism or Shintoism or animism or whatever so that they turn to bat religion to seek God. Sincerely, won't pay like that man said in your office be okay friends, the answer is no.

No thousand times no. What did Jesus say he said John 1416. No one comes to the father except through me. What is first John five say he who does not have the son of God does not have eternal life is that will lawn the last objection. That is what about these people if they are sincere in seeking God through Buddhism or Islam or Judaism or whatever Clinton God just, credit them with Jesus Christ. I mean, they still go to heaven through Jesus. They just don't know they still go to heaven through the blood of Christ. They just never heard of it.

God says will think you're so sincere in this religion or that religion you know what I'm in a credit Jesus Christ to you so you still went to heaven because of Jesus is not possible. Couldn't God do that friends God could do whatever he wanted but he says in the Bible he doesn't do this essay really does it say that all you betcha.

Romans chapter 10 verse nine says if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, not the Buddha is nice or Mohammed as a prophet Joseph Smith on Angel or that the Rabbi Schneerson thought he was the Messiah. We confess that Jesus is Lord and listen. You've got to know some cognitive information to do that. Somebody's got to tell you, Jesus is Lord for you to believe that in the Bible goes on to say, when we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Somebody's got to have told you Jesus was raised from the dead for you to believe that when we have that amount of cognitive information and we believe it will. The Bible says it. Then and only then that we will be delivered. Romans 1017 consequently, faith that gets us into heaven and gives us eternal life comes by hearing the message and the message is heard by means of the word of God.

Biblical information listen to me friends. The most senior Muslim, the most sincere Jewish person, the most sincere Buddhist, the most sincere Hindu, the most sincere New Age astrologer or or American do-gooder. It doesn't matter until they hear the cognitive facts about Jesus Christ until they hear about his virgin birth and his deity and his life and his death on the cross and his blood payment for sin and his resurrection, and until they believe those facts that person is lost lost lost.

This is what the word of God teaches without negotiation you're here today and you never trusted Jesus in real and personal way. I'm here to beg you, I'm here to plead with you, I'm here to appeal to you to pay attention to what were saying today what God is trying to tell you today are you free to try to seek God anyway you want. Sure you are. That's why hell exists.

God gave you a free will and he will violated but friend their dead end streets. They won't work. They're not going to get you to heaven. God made a way to get you to heaven is the only way to get you to heaven and the great news of the Bible is. It works but you gotta be willing to come God's way. There's no other way to do it if you try to do it some other way.

I'm here to beg you, you're going down a dead end street.

You need a course correction.

You need a U-turn and you need Christ nice it will lawn that's wonderful. I hear that I'm already a believer in Jesus to what differences make to me, I know all of this will friends what is this mean for you and me as followers of Christ.

It means first of all that, apart from Jesus. Every single person you and I pass every day on the Metro on the street at Starbucks in the hallway at work or school if they don't know Christ in means that they are separated from God. They are under God's judgment and they are headed for disaster and eternity. It also means that you and I have the information it takes to change all of that they need that information.

There is no other way they can close a deal with God and finally it means that the only hope that people have is for us to open our mouth and lovingly tell them this information friends you know what.

The only way you and I going to do that as followers of Christ.

The only way we're ever going to be willing to face the ridicule. The ostracism the persecution and the offending relationships that often come when were outspoken for our faith. The only way were going to do that is if we utterly totally and completely believe what the Bible says on the subject. If we need any door open that there's another way for people to get to heaven besides Christ, I promise you you'll end up clamming up you'll enough say I'm not willing to pay that price. But you know the Bible doesn't leave another one so let me conclude by saying that as a follower of Christ today. I hope we put this issue to bed once and for all in your life. I hope that each of you will walk out of here today taking to heart the advice of Paul when he wrote to Timothy and said second Timothy one. Do not be ashamed of, to testify about our Lord, folks, you know what sharing Jesus Christ lovingly with people and boldly with people is the apex. It is the climax of the Christian life. You can memorize all the Bible you want, you can memorize every scripture verse and there you can read the Bible study the Bible, pray and fast, but if all of that doesn't issue out in an outspoken witness for Christ in your world and you missed the whole point you missed the whole point.

The Bible didn't say the great commission is not go study the Bible, the great commission is not go fast and pray those are great things about great commission is go tell everybody in the world about Jesus Christ and you know when it comes to reaching the city for Christ. I'm just here to tell you were knocking to bring the city to Christ by trying to convince everybody to come here me they're not common were knocking to bring the city to Christ by you try to get everybody to come to McLean Bible church they're not coming in with my room foreman is building anyway.

The only way were to make an impact on this world for Christ is by you going out every day and infiltrating your world and being out broken witnesses for Jesus Christ, friends, you are the secret to rocking the city for Christ, not me. You said a lot of really know how to share my faith who I got something for you to call Christianity. 301 starts Monday night will teach you how to share your faith. That's not an excuse. That's like saying officer I didn't know what the speed limit was that that work no. So if you're not sure you got a scary thing to go out there and sign up to consent of Christianity.

301 friends. This is what it's all about, and this is why I love the song being a missionary. Every day tell the world that Jesus is the way the Lord is soon returning there is no time to lose. So be a missionary God's own emissary being a missionary today. Love the song now wait a minute before you clap.

Now it's time for you to stand and sing it with me up to go come on come on will and do a little slower for you, but I want you to say, come. Are you ready being a missionary every day tell the world that Jesus is the way the Lord is soon returning there is no time to lose. So being a missionary God's own emissary being a missionary today. Not bad not bad friends tell you.

God didn't want to just sing the song you want to go out to and I hope you will pray for that right now where Jesus we have the most strategic city in the world that is been handed to us to reach for Jesus Christ. What a privilege to reach the one city left in the world where you can honestly say change Washington and we can change the world without ever leaving this town for Jesus.

That is our duty are calling our responsibility, our mandate is McLean Bible church to infiltrate an impact this city for Jesus Christ and father. The only way were going to do it is by 10,000 people deciding there to be a missionary everyday to share the information that people need to close the deal that I needed to close the deal and there are people out there all over Washington partway through the process. Just need the information.

Lord I pray that you would challenge us today to walk out of our house every morning not just sing in the song live in the life being a missionary everyday help. Our faith in our Bible study in our prayer still out into an enthusiasm and observe and ask Heitman that Jesus Christ is catching in hopeless rock this city for Jesus Christ. If 10,000 early followers of Christ can rock the entire Roman Empire, we can certainly rock one city will be is outspoken for Christ as they were Lord grant that that be true. Use us to impact this town for your glory and we pray these things in Jesus name God's people said amen