Cross Training: Is Jesus the Only Way

Cross Training: Is Jesus the Only Way

Are Christians crazy for thinking Jesus is the only way to heaven? What do you commonly hear other people say are ways to heaven or to God? Why would God only make one way?

Jesus said in John 14:6:I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

That s pretty exclusive! No one comes to the father but by me! Jesus himself said he is the only way! Lets start by investigating Jesus. If Jesus is not God than it does not matter what he says but if he is then that is the difference between Heaven and Hell.

Lets talk about Jesus. Many people say many things about him like he was man, good teacher, an ancient Gandhi type character, a prophet, etc.. The success of the Da Vinci Code shows that the idea that people have many views about him. Other religions even have different views on Jesus. For example Islam believes many of the same things we believe about Jesus but they don’t believe about God. What have you heard people say about Jesus?

Sometimes you will hear talk of the “historical Jesus” as some figure was turned into the Christian Super Hero of Jesus. Suggesting that the “real” is something different from the Jesus we believe in. I don’t want to spend much time on that but quickly say there is no way to know Jesus was apart from the scriptures. So if we want information on Jesus we need to go to the Gospels. If you want to know more about the debate about “historical Jesus” see me later. Just remember scripture is the only reliable source for anything on Jesus.

The is though it does not matter too much what others have said about Jesus or other people’s views what really matters is who did Jesus say he was? Some “religious people” who have read the Gospels say that Jesus himself never claimed to be God? Is that true let’s look at some key passages:

Turn in your Bibles to Mark 2:1-12

1And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7"Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" --he said to the paralytic-- 11"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Do you see how Jesus is claiming his deity? The scribes in the crowd where a 100 % right only God could forgive sins. Sin is ultimately an offense against God more than anyone else (Romans 6:23). So only God can forgive sins. Jesus was claiming not only did he claim he also proved it by the healing the paralytic.

Lets look at John 8:58
58"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. That is big for a number of reasons especially to a Jewish audience. Abraham was the father of the Jewish people, the father of faith;,we are blessed with the covenant he is blessed in Gen 12. Not only did Jesus say he is existed before the Abraham back in Gen. He said I AM. This the covenant name for God that God used in Ex 3:14 when God met Moses at the burning bush. Here Jesus is saying that he is Jehovah God! Jesus definitely left no room for ambiguity on whether he thought he was God or not. Again notice the reaction of the Jews they get ready to stone him for blasphemy.

We can even go back to the verse we started out with in John 14:6 when Jesus says
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.How can someone make that statement with out claiming to be God. God is the only real source of truth that’s nothing any person could say. Or life no human is the life. All humans die and finite creatures. Way?!? No human is a way to anything.

Jesus claimed to be God! So that leaves us with three options. C.S. Lewis puts it this way Jesus was a Liar, Lunatic or Lord.

Let’s briefly take a short look of these claims

Liar – Most people Christian or non Christian believe that he was a “good moral person” every one basically accepts that. No one really believes that Jesus was villain. It would be like calling Mother Teresa or Gandhi evil No one believes would be highly unlikely that some one who preaches love for others, and preaches against hypocrisy and evil would really be history greatest deceiver. It just does not add up.

Lunatic- Well if he was sincere could he be self deceived. Josh McDowell in his reiteration of C.S. Lewis’s Liar, Lunatic, Lord, notes that someone who thought they were God would be deluded or self-deceived; like Napoleon for example. McDowell says that no psychologist really has reason to think he was schizophrenic or had any imbalance. The depth and skill of his teachings also show that he is clearly sane.

Note: These two arguments have been heavily abbreviated and simplified and simplified for the purpose of tonight’s lesson. To see this more fully articulated read More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell.

This naturally leaves the only sane choice of Lord.

Two other quick things reason to believe Jesus is Lord

-The reality of the resurrection
1 Cor 15:1-10
-We can personally know Jesus today!
That’s not just theology but Hallelujah it’s the reality of Christianity.

This was a brief and quick overview on how we know who Jesus is. There is so much more to it. See me if you want more resources.

Ok well we know that Jesus is who he says he is why is right in saying that he is the only way? If you know the Gospel you know already know the answer! Jesus the only one who can do what he did!

The real question is not how can I get to heaven but what separated me from God. Lets first take a look at why the universe was even created in the first place. Turn in your Bibles to Col 1:15-20
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Did you see it? The purpose statement of the universe! Not only was the universe created through him by it was also for him. To show off his glory! In everything that he might be preeminent the universe is the stage to show how great God is! How great Jesus is! The universe is to display the glory of Jesus. The universe was created to say great and awesome God is. Everything that exist is to glorify God!

Now the problem Romans 6:23 and Romans 3:23
Sin entered the perfect universe in Gen 3. The first time imperfection entered the world. This sin is the problem it is what is what separates us from God. That why people don’t naturally have a relationship with God. Not only that we inherited sin from Adam (Romans 5:12) and we ourselves daily commit sin

So theres the problem! The universe was created to glory for God. Everything that exists should but lets go back to Romans 3:23! We all fall short and that is the problem and it is no little problem either!

Lets look at the magnitude of the problem. Lets go to Romans 3:9-20

9What then? Are we Jews[any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10as it is written:
"None is righteous, no, not one;
11no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."
13"Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive."
"The venom of asps is under their lips."
14"Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."
15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16in their paths are ruin and misery,
17and the way of peace they have not known."
18"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being[ will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. That is scripture’s description of us. That’s not faltering is it? Notice its says None is righteous, no, not one! That’s true of us. There is no fear of God in our eyes! Look it says the whole world is accountable to God. Now think of the purpose of the universe! Due to our sin we are ugly stain on the Mona Lisa! And that’s a complete and total understatement! God is 100% completely holy and perfect and pure. Then there is us the complete opposite. See the problem is not that we are not good enough! The problem is how bad we are. People think that their good out ways their bad. That simply not true because the bad is still there it does not wipe it clean! In Evangelism Explosion I learned this analogy suppose we were making an omelet and we were making the omelet with 3 good eggs and 1 rotten egg could we serve to a friend. No even if the omelet was most good rottenness of the other eggs make unfit to be served. It’s the same way with us we can not take the good in our life and the bad mix it all together and serve to God. Let face it with out with out Christ we are rotten egg! We can not know God is perfect and holy we fall short. That is why we are separated from God!

Now let us spend some time in another text to so how much we can do about it. Lets flip over to Eph 2:1-3
1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
That says a lot! But the part I want to focus in v1 We are dead! In our sins people are basically spiritual zombies. We are spiritually dead! Now I am not a biology major but who here knows how much dead people can do for themselves? Not a thing! Nothing! Dead people have no power whatsoever to change their condition!

So lets review we are basically sinful, wicked, evil, people and threes nothing we can do about that. Now contrast that with God’s holiness and perfection we are completely separated! But luckily that is not the end of the end of the story!

Lets now look at some beautiful verses!

Some one quote John 3:16

Now some one look at Isaiah 53:6 and read it.

All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

Lets looks at 2 Cor 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Now can some one answer why Jesus is the only way! Jesus Christ took away our sins which separated us from God and we so completely enable to do anything about! That’s why Jesus is the only way. No other “way” can deal with your sins. No one else could have died for you. Mohamed, Buddha, John Smith, Confucius and any other religious leader can not do a thing to help you in fact they all dead in there sins. Only Jesus was God’s perfect sacrifice that could bridge the gap between God’s holiness and our sinfulness. That is why Jesus is the only way! Most other systems you try to work your way to God only Christianity will let you be holy like God and have a relationship with him. It is completely Christ alone. We know it can not be works that does nothing to erase our sins. As most of you know all we have to do is accept what Jesus did for us. There is no way around your sins! But what through Jesus did for you on the cross! The cross is the reason Jesus is the only way!

Romans 10:9,10 says
9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.