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April 4, 2022 12:00 am
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life . . . no man comes to the Father but through Me." Truth, by its very nature, is exclusive. Forget what the bestselling books and secular professors told you about Jesus. Listen to what Jesus says about Himself . . . and then choose what you will do with it.
To understand the Bible's claim that shrewd life is only found in Jesus Christ. If you and I want to experience life.
Jesus Christ has the authority to give it not only here spiritually. But one day in heaven for Christ is look at that verse. The latter part of it. I am the life. No one comes to the father except through me. While other religion will take bad people and try to make them better. Only one is qualified to take legend might motivate someone to live differently, but it never solves the real problem.
The real problem resides in the human heart. Life and healing for a troubled heart is only found in Jesus Christ today on wisdom for the heart. We continue through the series entitled healing for troubled hearts.
Stephen Devi will open God's word to you with this lesson that he's calling is Christianity the only way to heaven. The land of America has seen some incredible changes as it not in fact I was reading an article that I clipped in have with me here if you were born sometime around the late 40s you were born before the invention of television before penicillin, before frozen foods before xeroxing machines, plastic cups, contact lenses and the critical Frisbee. How did you make it in the last 50 years. Everything from credit cards, laser beams, ballpoint pens, dishwashers, electric blankets and air-conditioners have been created 50 years ago our country had never heard of computer dating dual careers daycare group therapy or nursing homes. In fact, it hadn't heard of of FM radio.
Either/or tape decks electric typewriters, artificial hearts, yogurt 50 years ago. The word hardware meant hardware and that ship referred to a piece of wood and software wasn't even a word. What is happened to those of us in this room over the last 3040 50 years has been nothing less than staggering. Yet there is also a shift having taken place in this culture along more or just sort of thing detailing along the back of all of these various ranges and advances so that now you have, according to something that I read more than 35 different flavors of Christ toothpaste you have 156 shades of Revlon lipstick and all of these potential varieties. What is happened is, there has been what is called a paradigm shift that is a shift in thinking that is much more important and basic than your your credit line or your credit card or your your hard files. It's a shift that demands a variety and selection in our basic thinking process so that now there is no such thing as a set of true or any such thing as absolute truths, for we must now be able as we once went to the supermarket and selected that brand or that labor or that style. Now we go when we select God of our choice. The religious beliefs of our choice, whatever they may be in so far as they seem to make us happy. Interesting.
In 1993, 94 Barna research report. He talked about this paradigm shift in the poll results were interesting because one or I should say two out of three adults surveyed contended quote that the choice of one religious faith over another is irrelevant because all religions teach the basic same lessons about life, so it is unusual for you in the marketplace and the people that I rub shoulders with the make statements like this. While I love Christ as much as you do, but I don't think God would ever be so narrowminded as to say he is the only way to heaven you ever heard that you might hear somebody's make the statement like I don't really believe all of the Bible is expected to be taken literally or without some huge grain of salt. Besides, it's all a matter of your personal interpretation probably heard that, or you may have heard the statement of nothing along the lines I think all of the religions of the world are essentially the same white and we spent so much time disagreeing about minor point of differences I added to my library a couple weeks ago, but by a man that I've enjoyed reading your illusory pastors. Many church in Chicago and is a is a rather brilliant thinker and he writes well. He has he he. Recently, when in fact last year to what was called the Parliament of world religions thousand delegates converged on Chicago from all over the world and he went and he just walked around in the yard writing a book and he put some of his thoughts down on paper and I I have some of them here. He said that the 6000 delegates had one message.
It was this unite or perish. In fact they had.
He said seminars to help people get over the thought that one religion could be superior to another religion. In fact, they said that is the crucial obstacle to unity is the belief that one religious set of truths is superior to another quote unquote set of religious truths. He also made an interesting observation. He walked around and there were over 700 word workshops being offered in and that he'd slip in and he listened a little bit and he gets material and and look at a niece of the interesting thing to him. Was this, he said that in those workshops Jesus Christ was admired he was quoted he was respected, but he was never worship and we would expect the same, whether we like it or not the paradigm in thinking today is this, that the doctrines of differing faiths should not be held as truths but as kernels of truth that are found in all the religious systems of the world and since the claim for absolute truth or the founder of what we call Christianity makes it it would be better for the sake of unity to get rid of the kind of talking the talks about religious truth and will instead talk about religious tradition say and so today you can choose a little bit from Christianity and you can choose a little bit from from the Hindu religion. You can choose a little bit from Buddha, you can choose Illumina New Age thinking you can take a little bit of Protestant doctrine held that a Catholic doctrine, you can mix it all up and you can come up with the God of your choice, and he will stamp his approval on your life you will feel comfortable. Trouble is, you won't feel comfortable. You will have a troubled heart and you will not be a piece see what Jesus Christ is about to say here.
As we continue our study through this gospel in John chapter 14, is he will shatter any attempt to pick and choose religion he says is not one buffet of many possibilities and he just put in your shopping cart. What you kinda like, I'd like to live by that thought not all, except that is true for me may not be true for you but it is for me basically shatters any of that kind of thinking, and he will do it in the verse that were going to spend our time looking at this morning. Now if you were with us in our last session we came to what I'm I'm calling the chapter of answers is because it's built around questions that the disciples asked her. There are 45 questions.
We looked at the question of Peter in chapter 13 verse 36 Jesus and I'm about to leave you and Peter raises his aunties is Lord. Where you going and why can I come so Jesus comforts his hurting heart and all of the others by telling them listen, there's a reunion coming in heaven one day we will all be back together face-to-face again. The next question comes from the lips of Thomas.
So let's pick our study up there but the sake of context with reread verse one again.
John chapter 14 let not your heart be troubled.
Jesus says believe in God! Believe also in me! In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so I would've told you before I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way were ongoing. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going implied so how do how do we know the way those you love it when you been in class and the teacher just said something that just went right over your head and you been too afraid to speak and then Tom over there across the room, raises his hand and and he asked the question what you are afraid to ask because you don't want to carefully resonating in your mind is that old quote by Abraham Lincoln that sort of wanted me better to remain silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt heard that so you're always grateful when somebody raises her hand like Fort Thomas or who gets the bum rap for being the slow learner in class.
However, I'm grateful for Thomas and he was the one asking for proof evidences and here he says, oh, wait a second here. I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about. Thomas said, Lord, we'll know where you're going, you just told us, but I wouldn't listening. Besides, even if we did, here's the thrust of his question, even if we know where you are going.
How do we know the way, how do we get there to the father's house. Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but through me. Now, this verse is put together in a fascinating way. Christ answer wasn't one thought that is I am the way, in that I am the truth and the life.
No, these are three this thing predicates. You can read them this way you can take your pencil and get ready. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life.
Three thoughts and you can also expand your translation by using what they did in this original language with the use of of what we call the definite article the they did it for emphasis. You can render it literally.
This way Jesus is saying I am the only way. I am the only truth. I am the only life. Sound dogmatic to you sound exclusive do you. You might as well shelve that cart because there's no picking and choosing by what he says now what I want to do this morning is just illustrate these three predicates in Christ answer he intended, by the way, to bring healing to troubled hearts because he just told him he was in believing that I can tell you as well that his verdict here. No one comes to the father but through me is either going to comfort your troubled heart or it's going to trouble your comfortable heart predicate number one.
I am the way, now you noticed right away that Jesus didn't tell his disciples here that he would show them the way to heaven. He said I am the way to heaven and that that's a lot more comforting the story of the Billy Graham was preaching a little town. This is when he was a young preacher and he arrived and did know anything was in and they want to mail a letter so little boy was nearby and his bike and he sits on can you tell me how to get to the post office and the boy gave directions.
Then Graham said no I want to invite you to the church tonight.
He said I would be telling people I get to heaven little boy and stopped the minute he said, I don't think outcome healing I get to the post office, but suppose that person.
You asked your direction said you know something.
I've got a little time here. Why don't I just take you in that instance, he becomes the way he doesn't show you the way he doesn't show you from the map. He is to you. The map, so when Jesus Christ said I am the way, he isn't saying a listen carefully. I'll give you directions. It's past that galaxy and turn left. Go to Lauren turn right now he is saying you just stay with me. I will be for you way that is comforting. Jesus said I am the only way and that's exclusive that's dogmatic tolerant but I believe it's the true I want you to hold your finger here and want you to turn over few pages.
The acts just turn her head to the right tax chapter 4.
Listen to Peter preaching to the religious leaders in verse 10.
Let it be known to all of you into all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, when you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. Verse 11. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
Jesus Christ declared the same thing. I am the only way.
Back to John 14. He said I am not only the way, but I'm the truth predicate number two. One of the expositors of yesteryear is been helpful.
His name is G. Campbell Morgan, and he was careful to expound this threefold declaration within its direct relationship to the father. That is exactly Christ is doing her Jesus is saying I am the way, that is the only way to father's house. Now he says I am the truth that is the only truth about the father.
So in other words, if you want to know the truth about God have been hereafter if you want to know the truth about God study Jesus if you want to know the way to God and follow Jesus basically is what he saying he is the truth of God. He is the way to God. He is the life of God.
That's what Paul meant in Colossians chapter 2 verse nine where he where he writes in him that is Christ all the fullness of deity dwells bodily. What is God look like CM will be looking at Jesus. He is the physical physical manifestation of the father and the spirit is what Paul meant.
He is the exclusive representation.
Truth about God. So the question is, is Jesus telling the truth confuses written a book where he had as an introduction some rather interesting things about fishermen and details that fishermen tell any fishermen here I'm safe home don't put your hand back to well at any rate, he talks about this so one contest where the person attaches the biggest fish gets an award and so does the person tells the biggest live at his fishing expedition gets an award to one year. The winning contestants.
Why was this, he said the eye he'd find a place that was so good for fishing that the fish were just waiting for him debate his hook and drop the line that he had done go and hide behind a tree debate. His hook one time he forgot and he was standing on the shore and this is 6 pound bass just kinda cleared about 30 feet, assuring it is Huxley. He won the prize for that year. He also talked about a liars club for fun in Burlington, Wisconsin, where you can join for a dollar and a good enough tail. Here are some of them.
One aspiring member told how the fog was so thick the other day when he cut down a tree that wouldn't fall. Another man said that his wife's feet were so cold that every time she took off her shoes, the furnace kicked on recent truth and that no know you know how society views this book fishermen's tales is this carpenter from Nazareth.
Any any different from the fishermen that he hung around is he just telling clever stories to get a following. Ladies and gentlemen, one of the reasons that I know that Jesus Christ telling the truth is that if you go to all of the other major religions on planet Earth you'll find something in common with them something distinct from Christianity and that all the tombs of those founders are full tomb of this founder is empty. One of the members of our church was in Russia years ago and he saw written on the tomb of Lenin.
These words he was the greatest leader of all peoples of all nations, of all times.
He was the Lord of the new humanity.
He was the Savior of the world the greatest proof that he wasn't was that he is in a tomb and all the other religions. By the way in the world will do the same thing. They will give you a myriad of things to do things to say things to join all other things. Whether it's giving money or your life being baptized joining some fellowship or church and Jesus Christ stands apart because he says you don't have to do anything except believe that I've done everything for you. Go back to verse one John 14 and Otis is doing all the work, but not your heart be troubled.
Believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so I would've told you, for I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself and where I am, there you may be also is doing everything Jesus says what are you doing nothing yet what Jesus is saying here is troubling because it dogmatic to our flexible world is its narrowminded to our supposedly open minded society.
It is intolerant of other views in a society that applauds itself or supposedly being intolerant and it's probably so much so that the famous historian Arnold Toynbee would write these words I predict that the governments of the world will unite either by force or Federation but that this unity cannot succeed without a universal religion like he was reading further east Christianity. He said should be purged of its sinful state of mind, namely its exclusivism exclusivism that maintains that God has revealed himself only in Jesus Christ. Ladies and gentlemen, is that not what you and I read that God has revealed himself in Christ, and Jesus himself would say either the truth or this preposterous lie that I am the only way to the father. I am the only truth about the father and I am the only way to the father. Well isn't that exclusive I like the comment of one writer who said I discovered that the less people know about Christ, the more they like him, the baby in the manger touches the most cynical heart.
The sermon on the Mount is treated with reverence is worthy to be spoken of as first among equals. However, since Christ said that the world would hate him. We can be sure that if the world references him.
It is because they have created a Christ.
Unlike the Christ, he is. They just don't know you live next door to a Mormon couple.
They are taught in their wards Mormon theology that Jesus Christ is the brother of Satan who is an angelic being himself. You believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh daily in human form. You cannot both be right, you may both be wrong, but you can't both be right in India. They teach that there are more than 300,000 God's you believe that there is only one God, one Lord, one faith, you may both be wrong, but you can't both be right if you want to believe that every tree or bush shorebirds.
The spirit being great. They say then you're right. But if you want to believe in one God, one Lord great for you that is right know somebody is wrong and I don't want to stick my eternal future on the fact that my be wrong.
I want objective truth outside of myself outside of my personality outside of my emotions. I want something that has veracity and authority to say what Jesus said I am. I am the only way I'm the only truth.
Our societies become like the fellow who is the saw scene like that seen this fellow was driving on the road became pastor Barnett.
He noticed on the barn. There were errors stuck all over the side of that barn every one of the zeros was in a bull's-eye. He was amazed he got out he went out to congratulate the farmer who said I didn't do that. He said that was done by a young guy in the village you came out and he said he just shot arrows all in the side of my barn and anyone he painted bull's-eyes around the Western world now believes that you can shoot your arrow of faith in any direction and a benevolent being will paint a bull's-eye around. There is no such God like that. In fact, according to Scripture, the Western world's rebellion against this truth would be illustrated by somebody drowning and they are thrown a rope that would save their lives, but they as they flounder in the water begin to argue back with the people who would save them know I want a selection of rope I would be able to choose which rope I want to take and I also want the option of being able to swim. Not sure if I want paradigm. I don't want one.
I want the choice of many Jesus Christ says you choose me repairs look at the last part of this triple declaration. I am not only the way, the truth, he says I am the life. The apostle John was captivated by this words so way life. It appears in different forms. More than 50 times in this gospel a lot. You could read it for your own enjoyment and just circle the word life or than 50 times the Lord use the word for the first time when he said strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life. He comforted Martha that the grieving sister of Lazarus outside of Lazarus's tomb before he would call out Lazarus, come forth. He would turn the Martha and he would say to her. I am the resurrection and the zone way the life Melanie prove it to Lazarus, come forth. If you and I want to experience life. Jesus Christ has the authority to give it not only here spiritually.
But one day in heaven for Christ says look at that verse. The latter part of it. I am the life. No one, not even one comes to the father except through me. While other religions will take bad people and try to make them better. Only one is qualified to take dead people and make them alive and that's the claimant Jesus Christ. I can tell you I can testify to you that he is life, I can testify to you that I know the forgiveness of sin.
I can tell you that I know life in Christ. I can pillow my head without guilt, without fear, without shame. No one else can do that for you. Only the one who said I can give you life.
If Jesus Christ is the only way and you are lost without following his past. If Jesus Christ is the only truth then you are deceived without believing his message. Jesus Christ is the only life you are hopeless without receiving his gift.
Jesus Christ is not one God among many. He is the only God. He is not one kernel of divine truth.
He is truth. He is not merely one way among many that will eventually reach eternity paradise have been.
He is the only or he himself declared that I am the way, truth, life, no one, not even one can come to the phone culture teaches that all religions are essentially the same. The truth is that Jesus is the only way of salvation, brothers and sisters never compromise on that issue. This was lesson two in a four-part series want you to know that this series has been turned into a book and it's called healing for troubled hearts.
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