The way, the truth and the life.
After Jesus dealt with Mary and Martha concerning Lazarus and brought him back to life after 4 days – He goes on to do some pretty interesting things in a very interesting time frame. He makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem atop a donkey and many of the same people who had witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus were there waving palm branches and singing Hosanna to welcome Him in. All these people and Jesus had come for the Passover feast. During this feast, Jesus predicts His own death, and goes on to mention that the prince of this world will be driven out soon. Then He goes on to wash the disciples feet and predicts His betrayal by Judas and also His denial by Peter….and then tries to explain to the disciples and followers of His that all of this had been planned.
(All of this takes place when we celebrate Palm Sunday up until the day that Jesus is taken by those who came to kill Him)
In John 14 Jesus tells the disciples during this last dinner … "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's House are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have 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 be where I am.
You know the place where I am going….." Thomas the one that is labeled later as the doubter asks him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" And Jesus answers him, "I am The Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
These were Jesus' words about His departure.
These words were encouraging because He was letting them know that they were on the right road; that He may not be traveling anymore in person with them after His dying for the cause but that they need to keep traveling it because He is the way, this was encouragement…. But these words were also powerful and divisive. Jesus was telling them that you cannot get to where you ultimately want to go (Heaven) IF you do not take the right road.
And He was making it clear right now to them, in this place that He is not A road, but THE road…just like He said earlier when He said that He wasn't A gate but THE gate. He is also stating that He is the truth basically saying that all of His promises that He made and all that had ever been prophesied are true in Him… that He is the fulfillment. And He is also stating that if they …and NOW we trust and follow Him that this path will lead us to life and not death.
Here is a man who knew that His enemies were watching; but He never watered down His message and His encouragement to the other believers.
How about you? Do you speak truth and tell the way when others around you are watching and waiting to attack, or do you sink back and not make yourself the target? How many of you who believe that the path that leads to God must be taken by the road Jesus; but instead say silent when others are around? In a world today that is filled with many different religions and a society that wants us to believe that all of them are equal; it's difficult for some to believe that there IS only one way.
Other religions call Jesus a good man or a good teacher, but God's Word tells us that He is God.
C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying… "He is either Lord, lunatic, or a liar."
Peter in Acts 4:12 said "neither is there salvation in any other – for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." That means that Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, Joseph Smith or any other man can get you there.
This ticks people off…they say that Christians are just narrow minded for believing these things. But remember Jesus already spoke "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few find it." He said that He is the door, the gate to the sheepfold, and if a man seeks to come in any other way then they are thieves and robbers."
This means that those other religions cannot get you to God and that you also cannot be saved by doing or being good. Religion will never be enough to save your soul. It's through Jesus and His salvation that we can receive it. The cross and Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane shows that – when Jesus prayed He spoke the words…"Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me." What He was saying is if there is any other way for men to be redeemed than for him to suffer the horrible pain that He was going to endure very soon then let it be.
But do we believe it?
At a missions conference attended by thousands of evangelical students only 1/3 of the participants indicated their belief that a person who does not hear the gospel is eternally lost. And a lot of the other 2/3 are probably afraid to mention it to anyone if they do believe it.
How many of you watched American Idol Gives Back this year?
Did you notice the fact that Shout to the Lord was sung without the opening chorus mentioning Jesus' name? They sang; my shepherd, my savior; leaving out the most important part… and the most offensive part?
American Idol was probably worried that they might offend some viewers?
Should we fault them?
How many of you have done the same?
Listen you better get it in your heads right now… that you are going to have to offend some people when you believe and live something that is as convicting as Jesus. Jesus walked around offending people. He told people that they were hypocrites; and that they were liars… and He also pointed out to those who needed Him of their sins. (He may have done it in love, but He did it) That's WHY He was crucified. The people around Him were offended that He was saying that He was the fulfillment of prophesy. One big thing you have to grasp here….There is a big difference in claiming Jesus and proclaiming Jesus.
claim . to demand by or as virtue of a right. (personal)
pro·claim .. To announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way: (public
Let me explain it to you out of the message translation… Mark 8:38
If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I'm leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends – know that you'll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when He arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.
On American Idol the next night – they sang the song with the right lyrics; who really knows why? They probably still didn't want to….I've heard a story that the writer Darlene Zschech called them and said that they didn't have permission to change the lyrics and that she wasn't happy about it being done. Being that she's a believer she probably thought it wiser to let them sing it again and proclaim His name than it was in causing a big controversy about it.
Do you truly believe that Jesus is the right road to travel?
Are you giving those directions; then?
I guess it comes down to whether or not you believe God's word or not and what Jesus had to say… "I am The Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Who is He REALLY to you; Lord, lunatic, or liar?
Your words speak volumes!
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