3. Focus of Lesson
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.”
• Is Jesus the only (one) way to God????
4. 1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
5. Commentaries on John 14:6
• F. D. Bruner amplified translation of John 14:6
• “I am the Way there, and I am the Truth that will lead you on the Way
there, and I am the Life that will give you the power to follow the Truth
along the Way there.”
• As Israel struggled against a world that believed in many gods, the Church
must hold to our faith in the One Messiah.
6. THE CROSS – A SYMBOL
• VERTICAL BEAM – Christ is the exclusive way to God vertically. (God
reaching down to man)
• HORIZONTAL BEAM – The inclusivity of Christ is as wide as the world and as
far-reaching as the most desperate sinners.
7. Commentaries on John 14:6
• Thomas a’ Kempis (d.1471)
• “I am the way, the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going;
without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I
am the way that you should follow, the truth you should believe, the life
you should hope for. I am the inviolable way, the infallible truth, the
indestructible life. I am the straightest way, the sovereign truth, the
authentic life, blessed and eternal.”
8. Reference
• TEN LIES ABOUT GOD by Erwin Lutzer
• Pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago
• Cultural ideas (lies) about God & Christianity
9. The Lie:
Many Paths Lead Into God’s Presence
• Focus today on the “WHY” of John 14:6
• Another lesson about the “fairness” of the exclusiveness of Jesus in John
14:6
• The Lie: God is obligated to save followers of other religions.
10. What Is Going On In The World Today?
• Holy and sacred things are becoming unholy.
• Sin is being redefined in our culture.
•
•
•
•
“No one is being hurt by my activity.”
“We are consenting adults.”
“My body is my own.”
“I have a right to be happy.”
• Perceived need for forgiveness is diminished
11. The World Today…?
• “Tolerance” is taught as a virtue.
• Truth is whatever you define it to be.
• College sign: “It’s O.K. for you to think you are right. It’s not O.K. for you to
think someone else is wrong.”
12. Comparing Religions
• THE SAVVY CONVERT’S GUIDE TO CHOOSING A RELIGION – a self-help
book.
• This is reality for a lot of people.
• Assumption – All paths lead to God.
13. Why Do Christians Believe That Only One Path
Leads Into God’s Presence?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Approaching God
Following God’s Protocol
An Acceptable Mediator
An Acceptable Sacrifice
An Acceptable Attitude
Reference: TEN LIES ABOUT GOD
by Erwin Lutzer
14. 1. APPROACHING GOD
• God is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS
• God’s 1st Commandment to Moses
• Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
• Man tends to worship creation and not creator
• Other religions are flawed attempts of man to reach God through human effort &
insight.
• Results in idolatry
• Man must approach God in the right way.
15. 1. APPROACHING GOD
Genesis 4:2-7
• Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain
brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel
also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his
flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and
his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face
was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is
your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But
if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to
have you, but you must rule over it. ”
16. 1. APPROACH – Wrong Way
Aaron’s Sons: Leviticus 10:1-3
• Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and
added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD,
contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD
and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Moses then said to
Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:
“‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all
the people I will be honored.’”
17. 1. APPROACHING GOD
• God is HOLY and must be approached in the right way.
• Leviticus 16:1-3 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons
of Aaron who died when they approached the LORD. The LORD said to
Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he
chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the
atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the
cloud over the atonement cover. “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most
Holy Place:
18. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1.
2.
Approaching God
Following Protocol
19. 2. FOLLOWING PROTOCOL
• God gave specific directions (Protocols) in OT for priests coming into the
Holy of Holies.
• Leviticus 16
• Day of Atonement – rope tied around priest’s ankle for retrieval if he died
• Purpose of protocol – Teach people about God’s holiness and need to
approach as specified by God.
• Here is how you come to me……………
22. 2. Following Protocol
1 Chronicles 13:7-10
• They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with
Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all the Israelites were celebrating
with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels,
cymbals and trumpets. When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon,
Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen
stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down
because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
24. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1.
2.
3.
Approaching God
Following Protocol
An Acceptable Mediator
25. 3. AN ACCEPTABLE MEDIATOR
• Mediator – an impartial 3rd party who acts as a go-between in a dispute to
arrange a peaceful settlement.
• OT – Priests were the mediators for the people.
• Priests could not offer final absolution for sin.
• Previous sacrifices for past sins only – Repeat.
• Christ was the mediator to offer the final sacrifice – “It is finished.”
26. 3. AN ACCEPTABLE MEDIATOR
Hebrews 10:11-14
• Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again
and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat
down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies
to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever
those who are being made holy.
27. 3. AN ACCEPTABLE MEDIATOR
• The priests were not allowed to sit during their work shifts in the temple.
• Christ is seated at the right hand because His work is finished!
• Job understood the need for a mediator
• Job 9:32-33 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that
we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to
mediate between us, someone to bring us together,
28. 3. AN ACCEPTABLE MEDIATOR
• 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and
mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all
people.
• We cannot enter God’s presence alone – Jesus is our mediator
29. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Approaching God
Following Protocol
An Acceptable Mediator
An Acceptable Sacrifice
30. 4. AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE
• Our sins are an offense to God, and justice demands a payment for our
sins.
• In the OT the payment was the repeated blood sacrifice of animals.
• God met His own requirement for us through the blood of Jesus
• Hebrews 10:14, 17-18 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever
those who are being made holy. … “Their sins and lawless acts I will
remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin
is no longer necessary.
31. 4. AN ACCPETABLE SACRIFICE
• Sacrifices that God will NOT accept:
•
•
•
•
Sincerity: they mean well, but sincerely wrong
Service: salvation by works – good deeds, good life
Guilt: Being sorry is not enough.
Self-sacrifice: Islamic jihad (martyr against the infidels)
32. 4. AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE
• 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but
made alive in the Spirit.
• ONLY in Christianity do we find the mediator and the sacrifice are the same
person (Jesus).
33. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Approaching God
Following Protocol
An Acceptable Mediator
An Acceptable Sacrifice
An Acceptable Attitude
34. 5. AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE
• Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have
confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and
since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God
with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having
our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our
bodies washed with pure water.
35. 5. AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE
• We come before God with “FULL ASSURANCE” and confidence that we will
be received.
• Assurance is filled with gratitude and humility.
• No guilt (cleansed from a guilty conscious)
• Sins forgiven (bodies washed)
36. 5. AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE
• Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we
boast in the hope of the glory of God.
37. 5. AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE
• “ACCESS” means that we are brought into the “Holy of Holies.”
• When we step into eternity, Jesus brings us into God’s presence.
• Christians will be wearing the robe of righteousness of Jesus and God sees
no sin in you.
38. Jude 24-25
• To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before
his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God
our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
39. Review/Summary Question?
• DO MANY PATHS LEAD INTO GOD’S PRESENCE?
• Answer: All paths lead into God’s presence- eventually!
• Hebrews 9:27-28 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to
face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many;
and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to
those who are waiting for him.
40. Quote by Erwin Lutzer
“If God has a plan to save men and women without a personal faith in Christ,
He has not seen fit to reveal it. We must resist the temptation to make the
Scriptures say what we think they should. Our role is to spread the gospel
with the firm conviction that faith comes by hearing and people cannot
believe what they do not know.”
