I like having options and variety. I like finding different ways to drive somewhere. Sometimes I need to go to Wabasha- there are 3 different major routes to get there- one is scenic and full of s curves, another goes north before it goes to Wabasha, and the other goes south before it goes to the County seat. Even though Highway 60 is the shortest mile wise- it is actually is the longest, time wise, path to Wabasha. In a lot of things, it just depends on what your goal is how you determine the path you end up taking.
In these kinds of choices there isn’t a right or wrong path- they will all get you to where you are going. We all like choices, we all like to choose our houses, our cars, our foods, the stores we shop in- We like options to be available. Maybe that’s why we have such a difficult time with Jesus words in John 14. Jesus is only giving us one way to get to heaven- “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He leaves no other option. If you put heaven into your GPS the only route would be JESUS!
So, who is Jesus- who is he claiming to be? He tells Philip- “Don't you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father?” Jesus claim is that He is one with the Father- God- thus claiming that He is God. Is that difficult for you to accept- for some there may be questions and a struggle with this truth. Let’s investigate who Jesus is. Jesus Christ was God wrapped in human flesh- we call that ‘incarnation.’ Jesus is the 2nd person of the Trinity- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit- three in one. We can read the clues about this characteristic of God in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make mankind in our own image.” When Jesus arrived on the scene, he introduced himself as the Son of God- not just a good man and teacher. His Father was God-. Jesus was equal with God from the very beginning of time. Jesus came to live fully man and fully God, sent to rescue us from the sin that holds us captive and leads to the horrors of hell. He came to bring us freedom from sin and death. He said to those that believed in Him, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32. Jesus said a number of things about himself- leaving no doubt on who he is.
1. Jesus said He was the Messiah. He declared it in Luke 4:16-21, Jesus read a prophecy about the Messiah from the book of Isaiah- and then at the end he said- you are witnessing history- this prophecy has come true! In that moment- people didn’t recognize him, but many would begin to follow and believe. This was only one prophecy that was fulfilled through the life of Jesus. Others that I could mention are from Micah 5:2, that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Isaiah 7:14 prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. The prophet Zechariah wrote that Jesus would be sold for 30 pieces of silver and the money thrown to the potter’s field- (500) years before it happened! These are all- Isaiah 53:7 said, “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open His mouth.” On trial before Pilot, Jesus didn’t respond and Pilot was amazed. Mark 15:5. David even prophesied about Him in Psalm 22:17-18- that he would be stared at and gloated over while they gambled over his clothing. This is only 5 prophesies and there were many more- Scholars recognize at least 60 prophesies that Jesus fulfilled.
Back in the 1960’s a couple of mathematic professors wanted to figure out the odds that one person could fulfill only 8 of the prophesies was an astronomically large number, 1017. That’s 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. They wrote about their findings in a book titled Science Speaks.
2. Jesus said he was God. One of the times Jesus claimed this is in John 8:58 “58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” By stating He was before Abraham and using the phrase- I AM he was declaring himself to be God.
3. Jesus said He was the Only Way to God. “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Can’t be much more clear can it?
Jesus is the Messiah. He said it and the evidence supports it as well. God did all of this because He loves us. He loves His creation. Jesus came to earth because of LOVE. God loved human beings enough that He made a way for them to get back to Him. He allowed His only Son Jesus to be sacrificed for us. But, God lets us choose. He gave us free will to choose our own way. We can choose to remain separated from God or we can choose to live in a relationship with Him.
Jesus is the WAY, the Truth and the Life! One Way only. Does it bother you that there is only one way to God? Think of it like a doctor who’s delivering to you the news of terminal cancer. Wouldn’t you want the doctor to tell you this news with compassion- not just science and terminology we don’t understand. We’d also want to know if there is a cure-. If he told you there was only one cure- and it was 100% effective- wouldn’t you want it? Of course, you would- We have the truth- we have the answer for everyone’s sin problem. We can offer them the solution. But it is their choice if they are going to take it. Don’t shy away from sharing the truth- but always do it with compassion and kindness! There is only ONE WAY- and His name is Jesus!