"THE ONLY WAY" (Jn 14:1-6)

Sunday Morning Message

June 14th, 2009

Int. A man of few words near Nye, Montana, has a large sign in his field that reads: "Prayer is the best way to meet the Lord, but ‘Trespassing’ is faster."

1. If one believes in a future state of happiness, called heaven, and a future state of misery, called hell, there can be no greater consequence to us than that we may obtain the one and avoid the other.

A. Consider the important question: "What is this true and only way to heaven?"

2. Every religious movement pretends to be the right way. "How can we know for sure which is right?"

3. The fact is, they are all wrong but one. (Jn 14:6)

4. Thomas asked the question and Paul answered it.

A. (1 Tim 2:5) "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"

I. CONSIDER TO WHAT CHRIST IS THE WAY.

A. THERE ARE MANY ROADS LEADING TO VARIOUS PLACES, BUT CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER.

1. Before the fall, Adam was constantly with the Father.

2. Since the fall, all men are sinners and separated from God

B. CONSIDER THAT THE LOST DON’T KNOW THE WAY BACK TO GOD.

1. (Micah 6:6-8) "Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? {7} Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? {8} He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

2. Look at the question he asked.

3. No! It is not by costly offering of blood or oil, but through Christ.

A. (Jn 14:6)

3. (1 Pet 3:18) "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"

4. Now we can come boldly to the Throne of Grace.

A. (Heb 4:16) "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

5. (Heb 10:19) "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"

6. One writer on "Growing in Grace, said: "Christ died for us then so that he could live in us now. You will never have a changed life until you experience the exchanged life. Jesus Christ did not come just to get men out of hell and into heaven; He came to get Himself out of heaven and in to men."

A. (Col 1:27) "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

II. CONSIDER THAT CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.

A. CONSIDER THE URGENCY OF BEING RIGHT ON THIS SUBJECT.

1. This indeed follows the other. For if we are reconciled to God by Jesus Christ, certainly, He is also the way to heaven.

A. (1 John 5:11) "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

2. There are many ways to hell, but only one way to heaven.

3. Jesus is the Light, yet He hung in darkness on the cross.

4. He is the Life, yet He "poured out His soul unto death."

5. He is the Son of God, yet "He died a felon’s death."

6. He is Holy and Undefiled, separate from sinners and knew no sin, yet "He was made sin while He took our place and suffered in our stead."

7. He invited the weary to come to Himself for rest, yet on this earth, He could find no rest until He cried, "It is finished."

8. He was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, yet He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.

9. He was the ancient of Days, yet He was "cut off in the midst of His days."

10. He was the Father of Eternity, yet He became a babe in Bethlehem.

11. He was the Mighty God, yet He bacame a man and was crucified through weakness.

12. He was the Image of the Invisible God, yet His visage was marred more than any man." (Isa. 52:14)

13. All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him, yet He too on Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.

B. CONSIDER THIS VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION: "HAVE YOU SOUGHT HEAVEN THROUGH CHRIST OR NOT?"

1. (Job 21:14) "Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways."

2. Some would say that is no description of me.

a. Do you hate prayer?

b. Do you hate to ready the Scriptures?

c. Do you hate to be with God’s children?

d. Do you hate giving to the Lord’s work?

3. There is good news for those that come unto God by Him.

a. (Heb 7:25) "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

C. CONSIDER THAT SOME ARE STILL DEPENDING ON GOOD WORKS.

1. Are good works "Christ"?

2. Is "Baptism" Christ?

3. Is the keeping of the Ordinances Christ?

4. Is giving money to the poor "Christ?"

5. Is even Repentance alone "Christ?"

III. CONSIDER WHAT WE MEAN BY CHRIST AS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.

A. CHRIST IS A NEW WAY.

1. (Heb 10:20) "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"

a. This does not refer to a New Invention.

b. "Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

2. It is called a New Way because He is newly slain. (New Testament)

B. CHRIST IS A LIVING WAY.

1. This living way is by Christ dying, but all life springs from His death.

2. (John 11:25) "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

C. CHRIST IS A PLAIN WAY.

1. Some ways are hard because they twist and turn.

2. (Isa 35:8) "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."

3. There are many difficult things in the Bible to be understood, but the way of Salvation is not one of them.

a. David said: (Psa 119:130) "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

D. CHRIST IS A FREE WAY.

1. There are many private roads in the world upon which we would be trespassing, but not this one.

2. This is the Kings Highway.

3. There are no bars, pot holes or detours on this highway.

4. Anyone can afford to travel on this road.

a. (Isa 55:1) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

5. There are no restrictions as to who may use this road.

a. (Rev 22:17) "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

E. THIS IS A SAFE AND SURE WAY.

1. It is a solid road and no danger of sinking in it.

2. Satan has been on this road for 5000 years, but has yet to kill a single traveler that was on it.

3. (1 Pet 1:5) "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

F. THIS IS A PLEASANT ROAD FOR THE REDEEMED.

1. He descended that we might ascend.

a. (John 6:38) "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."

2. (John 14:3) "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

2. He became poor that we might become rich.

a. (2 Cor 8:9) "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

b. (James 2:5) "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"

3. He was born as the Son of man that we might be born as sons of God.

a. (John 1:14) "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

b. (John 3:2) "The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."

c. (John 3:7) "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

4. He became a servant that we might become sons.

a. (Phil 2:7) "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"

b. (Gal 4:6-7) "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. {7} Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

5. He had no home on earth that we might have one in heaven.

a. (Mat 8:20) "And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

b. (John 14:2) "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."

6. He was hungry that we might be fed.

a. (Mat 4:2) "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered."

b. (John 6:50) "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die."

7. He suffered physical thirst that we might be satisfied.

a. (John 19:26) "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!"

b. (Isa 12:3) "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

 

c. (Isa 55:1) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. "

8. He was stripped naked that we might be clothed.

a. (Mat 27:28) "And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe."

b. (Mat 27:28) "And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe."

9. He was forsaken that we might not be forsaken.

a. (Mat 27:26) "Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified."

b. (Mat 28:20) "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

10. He was sad that we might be glad.

a. (Isa 53:3) "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

b. (Phil 4:4) "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

c. (Psa 122:1) " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD."

11. He was bound that we might be set free.

a. (Mat 27:2) "And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor."

b. (John 8:32) "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

c. (John 8:36) "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

12. He was made sin that we might be made righteous.

a. (2 Cor 5:21) "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

13. He died that we might live.

a. (John 5:24-25) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. {25} Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."

14. He came down to earth that we might go up to heaven.

a. (1 Th 4:16-17) "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

G. LASTLY, JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY.

1. Many ways to God have been proposed by mistaken men, though deceived by Satan.

a. (Gal 2:21) "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

b. (Acts 4:12) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Conclusion: So you see, Christ is:

1. A New Way.

2. A Living Way.

3. A Free Way.

4. A Safe Way.

5. A Pleasant Way.

6. The Only Way.

a. The Bible speaks of a false way, a crooked way, a perverse way, and a wicked way.

b. What is your way?

c. (Hag 1:5) "Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways."

d. (Prov 14:12) "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

 

e. May we say with David of old: (Psa 139:23-24) "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: {24} And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

f. (Isa 55:7) "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."