The only way to God? John 14:1-14 Albertville 4-20-08 Rev. Michael A. Trask
Jesus was known to have to said some rather surprising; even controversial things during his time among us. And the things that he said always cut against the grain. Remember? It was Jesus who said “He who wishes to save his life shall loose it.” It was Jesus who also said “the meek shall inherit the earth” ; “rejoice when people persecute you”; “pray for your enemies.” So very different was he from the way that we are usually given think! But the world was in dire need of something that was different. The same old song and dance wasn’t cutting it; never did and never will. I for one am glad that Jesus says things that are different from what I, by nature, am given to think. Through hindsight I have learned that my natural way of thinking is often skewed in ways that are incorrect. All during my life, Jesus words have caused me to think and rethink what I do and say. I don’t need a Redeemer who looks just like me or talks just like me or thinks just like me. I need a Redeemer who could show what I was meant to be and what I could be. What if Jesus came into the world and only said what people wanted him to say. Instead of beginning his ministry by loudly and prophetically saying “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” he could have stood up and said “maintain the status quo!” “whatever you are thinking or doing or saying or believing is most certainly correct!” That would be rather lame wouldn’t it? I don’t need a sycophantic Savior who tells me what I want to hear I need a savior out tells me what I need to hear. Having said that let me share with you the most controversial statement that Jesus ever made (according to many of the folks in our day). In answer to one of the disciples who asked him how they could follow him into the eternal realm of God and how they will know the way, he says: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, except by me.” At first, your probably thinking, “What’s so controversial about that!” For generations, Christians have found this statement to be deeply assuring and comforting. This text is one of the most popular passages to be read and preached upon at funerals. This is the good news that Jesus will take us into eternity! We love this passage! It’s one of the great ones! But not everybody loves it. In fact many have nothing but scorn for it. Here it again. Jesus said “I am THE way, and THE truth, and THE life; NO ONE comes to the Father, except by me.” Do you see what he is asserting here? He’s asserting that he is the only way into the realms of God...the only way. And in so doing, he excludes all the other religions of our world. He is saying there are not many different ways only one way, and he is it. This seems arrogant to many people in our day and therefore also quite offensive. “How can he say that he is the only way?” they wonder. “What about all these other non-Christian religions throughout the world; do you consign them to the realm of the lost?” I think many of them are concerned about the welfare and future of people around the world. They like to think that all people, no matter what they believe, will be reconciled to God and saved by him, they so desire that to be true that to them it has become true to them. But of course, wanting something to be true doesn’t make it so. Because of the freedoms and choices we have come to enjoy, many in America have what could be called a Salad Bar understanding of religious believes. It goes something like this: During their lives, each person is given a plate, upon which they may put bits and pieces of various religious teachings. Each person is allowed to take the things that they like while, at the same time ignore the things they don’t like. But, at the same time, each person, of course, should understand that others will pick different things and they are not to remark or think ill of what others have taken....because after all, we’re all at the same Salad Bar and we will all be saved, albeit with different salads. This is how Religion is often seen by modern Americans. Into this scene walks Jesus and says “No one comes to the father except by me!” Of course this is understood to be offensive! He’s saying there is no such thing as a Salvation Salad Bar! It’s not about our choosing what we want, it’s about God’s choosing to save the world through the gift of his Son. It’s about God breaking into the sinful world and opening a door for us to pass through into eternity. We don’t make the door; he makes the door. We don’t tell him where the door should be or which way it will swing. Salvation is his gift to the world not our right The Salad bar approach to God is really part of the big lie that was started by Satan. Picking and choosing, assembling, creating a Savior to ones own specification is just another form of idolatry. It’s the worship of one’s own preferences. By saying “No one comes to the father except through me!” Jesus puts Christianity into a class all by itself. Christianity cannot be reconciled with any other religion. The uniqueness of Christianity is rooted in the uniqueness of Jesus himself. Other religious leaders say “follow me, I’ll show you the way” Jesus says “I am the way.” Other religious leaders say “follow me, And I’ll reveal the truth” but Jesus says “I am the truth.” Other religious leaders say “follow me, and I’ll show you how to live your life” but Jesus says “I am the life.” Do you see the difference? Our religion, is not like every other religion. Our Religion is not a defined system of things that we must do in order to win our way into God’s good graces. Our religion is about a God who is gracious who forgives for the sake of his Son who died for us. Our religion is one of grace, where salvation is neither earned nor deserved but is a gift; our religion is not a deal that we have with God but rather a relationship that we have with him through his Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. By faith we are bound to Jesus; Our destiny is tied to his destiny; Our lives are tied to his life. And since you are so tied to him, I need to ask: How do you react when someone says to you that all religions are the same? Do we nod your head in agreement and allow Jesus to be lumped in with the others....with Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Shiva, Ra, or whatever other God people might come up with? What does that do to Jesus? What does that do to you? It makes Jesus out to be a arrogant liar and it puts you in the position of disowning him before others. Jesus said “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge him before my father in heaven. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before my Father in heaven.” (Matt. 10:32) But you might say, well times are different now! The people of the world are much more hostile towards those who profess Christ as the only way. Is that so? Tell that to Stephen who was stoned for speaking of the Savior to the Jews. Or how about the thousands upon thousands of Christians, early on, who refused to disown Christ and lost their lives by burning or beast or some other form of ancient torture. Some of them were even told, “you don’t have to believe that Caesar is God, just say that he is, you can still believe in Christ.,” but the early Christians counted that as the same thing as disowning him and they refused. Their relationship with Jesus is a personal relationship and they could not bring themselves to do that to him and so they died for him, even as he died for them. You have a personal relationship with Jesus too. You confess him as your savior don’t you? You know that he died and rose for you, don’t you? But perhaps you have denied him. Perhaps you have succumbed to the pressure to nod him away. Don’t despair just yet. Remember how Peter who denied he knew Jesus when he was outside with the guards? Jesus would later forgive and restore him. Jesus would love to forgive and restore you too. You can change. That’s the wonder that is Jesus. He turned the cowering disciples into bold proclaimers of the truth. He can do the same for you. Resist the urge to make Christianity out to be like every other religions because it’s not. Do not be surprised that Christ Jesus is controversial. He was controversial when he began and he will remain controversial wherever he is confessed. Do you expect a sinfully dark world, controlled and corrupted by the powers of darkness to welcome the message of Christ? If you are a follower of Christ, you will be controversial. And the world needs you to be just like that...The world needs me to be like that. They need to see that there is something better and different available. They need to see that there is a way, a truth, and a life. AMEN |
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