This scripture is one of the mountain peaks of the word of God. It doesn’t tell us how to make a lot of money, or how to win friends and influence people. It doesn’t remove the average problems of the average marriage. It doesn’t directly please the flesh. Its promises and pronouncements don’t deal with the things of this world. But this is an important passage because it declares what and Who is the center of the universe. It also tells us how to access that center.
The Lord Jesus reminds us that no one – no one – is more important then He is. There is no benevolent king or wise president more good or necessary than the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no enemy more powerful or more dangerous than Christ could be if He were our enemy. And the Lord didn’t say this just once, but often. He said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto myself.” He declared Himself to be the alpha and omega; the beginning and the end. “All things were made by Him and by Him all things consist.” He is the Bread of life, the Water of life, and the Light of the world. He is the Great I Am, the Good Shepherd, the King of kings, and the Messiah. I suppose that any demented egoist might make braggadocios pronouncements about himself. But those who knew Jesus best picked up where He left off and continued to magnify His name.
Let’s consider some of the things this Scripture says about Christ and other important subjects: Jesus said that because of Him there were no grounds for worry. “Let not your heart the troubled.” There are so many things which can trouble our hearts. We can worry over the Zeka virus or MRSA. We can fret over the North Koreans or Islamic terrorists. We can wonder if our economy can continue to supply our wants and needs. But Jesus implies that through Him all ground for worry is removed. And why? Because He is the sovereign God over the people, elements and circumstances of this world. He told us to trust him with the same kind of faith, and to the same degree that we trust God the Father. If these words came from any other man it would be utterly blasphemous.
We are told in these verses that this world is not our final home. Christ says that there is life beyond this earth. And He says that the preparations which are being made for us are being made by Christ himself. He tells us that there will be a resurrection and an immigration to the Father’s eternal homeland. He reminds us that Christ is the revelation of God the Father. “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” “If ye had known me, ye should’ve known my Father also.” In fact Christ is the ONLY revelation of God the Father. The Lord Jesus was, and is, IN the Father as the Father was in him. Both the words and the works which Christ performed came from the will and the power of the Father.
Even though it is politically incorrect to say or imply such things, these words leave the Muslim, the Hindu, the animist, and the Jew out in the cold. “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.” “Whosoever transgresseth, and abided not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” This means that the Campbellite, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholic, and liberal Methodist or Baptist, whose Christ is not the virgin born, and divine Second Person of the Trinity is just as spiritually lost as the leadership of ISIS or the leader of the People’s Republic of China.
I make no apology for the simplicity of my thoughts this morning. Many of the most important and greatest Scriptures are simple enough for six-year-old child to grasp. And that simplicity should not keep the mature adult from meditating on these things.
The Lord JESUS IS LIFE – in a variety of ways.
How did life on earth begin? There are three possible answers as far as I can see: Some people believe that life somehow spontaneously generated out of things which didn’t have life beforehand. And that assumes at least two things: First, that non-living things can metamorphose into life. And second, that the original matter from which that life metamorphosed has always existed. The second idea, which very few believe, is that life has always existed in some form outside of God. And the third is that the eternal God, who possesses eternal life, created earthly life. If there are any other possible sources for life I am unaware of them. All three suggestions demand the eternal existence of something – either life, inorganic matter, or God. The Bible teaches that Jehovah God has always existed, and that He chose to create the life which we find on our planet. Not only that, but the Bible teaches that it was Jesus, the Second Person of the God-Head who did the creating. In Christ Jesus “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.”
One reason that this is easy for some of us to believe is because, not only is Christ Jesus the source of original life, but He is the source of resurrection life as well. In addition to the many sick whom Jesus healed, some on the very verge of death, there were at least three people who were actually – and unquestionably – dead, whom Jesus raised again to life: There was the son of the widow of Nain, Jairus’s daughter, and Jesus’ friend Lazarus.
In Lazarus’ case, the man died and had been buried four days prior to Christ’s arrival at the cemetery. As He was approaching, someone told the dead man’s sister, Martha, that the Master was coming, so she hurried out to meet Him. “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Notice, “he that BELIEVETH in ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Obviously, a man who is physically dead is no longer able to put faith in Christ. Jesus is talking about the faith that a living man has before he dies. When people repent of their sins and believe on the Christ Jesus the Lord, God promises that person resurrection and eternal life, along with many other blessings and promises.
Another life, which is rooted in Jesus, isn’t life of a different kind, but of a different quality. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” I am convinced that the only life really worth living is the Christian life. It is the only life which possesses a viable, eternal hope. It is the only life which has the potential of an untroubled heart and conscience. It is the only life which realizes and enjoys the sovereign control of the loving God. In Christ there is the possibility of the abundance of life – the fulness of life.
And there is one more: Christ is the source of eternal life. Please turn to John 10:22-30: “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”
If I was in the heart of Tehran, or Bejing, or even Jerusalem today, and with a loud-speaker I declared that only in Jesus Christ is life – If I declared that He and God, the Father, are one – If I said that no man, from Adam to Mohammed, can give eternal life, but that Jesus, Son of God can – How much danger do you suppose that I would be in? Jesus said those same sorts of things in the middle of Jerusalem. And the Jews, His neighbors in the flesh, picked up stones to kill Him. But He escaped – miraculously – out of their hands.
This is not a popular doctrine, and it never has been – except among people like us.. By nature, humanity does not want to be dependent upon God. And we especially despise to be told that we are dependent upon someone whom we think is nothing more than a man like ourselves. But not only are we indebted to Christ for our first breath, our last breath and our next one if He should grant it – but there is no hope for life beyond his one, without Jesus’ salvation and blessing.
Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by him.”
The Lord Jesus is not only life, but He is the truth as well.
Have you ever heard of a liar’s contest? From what I understand there are several of these around the country. Professional and amateur story-tellers get together with some of the wildest, but plausible, stories that their imaginations can devise. I remember one such first-place-story, about Cinco de Mayo but it’s too long to share with you now. Longer is better in most of these contests. And believe it or not the winners of these contests are rarely politicians. There are several important ingredients necessary to winning a good liar’s contest. And one is the nefarious ability to lie with a straight face – without our face revealing that lie. And I’m not sure that Christians should possess that ability.
You and I should be known as honest people. When God was giving Moses instructions about the qualifications of judges and other leaders, He said: “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, Hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” In John’s second letter he said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” You and I should be known as honest people. Not only should we be known to always tell the truth, without exception, because it is the right thing to do, but we should be so honest at heart that even if we tried to deceive it would be so against our nature that our body language and our facial expression would betray us.
We should be like our Saviour, who never told a lie in His life. I have no doubt that Jesus knew how to laugh and that He spent hours with His disciples during which they were the happiest people on earth. I think that Jesus once in a while pointed out the humor in funny situations, but I don’t think that Christ ever teased someone the way that some people do – by deceiving him. Nor do I think that my Saviour ever hurt another person with a mean practical joke. When the Lord Jesus began His ministry, those who grew up with Him knew Him to be a man of truth. Quickly His disciples learned that they could and should believe every word out of his mouth. He was one “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” When that verse in 1 Peter 2:22 uses the word “guile” it is speaking about “subtlety” or “deceit.” Christ Jesus could be trusted for the truth – 100% of the time – no exceptions.
But this verse isn’t talking about Jesus’ honesty. It says that Christ IS the truth. As far as I know, the Lord doesn’t ever explain what exactly He was declaring in this. So I don’t know how much to limit this statement, or if I should limit it at all. For example, the Bible speaks of itself and says that it is the truth. That is not a declaration about containing the truth, but of actually being the truth. And the Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit, calling Him “the Spirit of truth.” Then it calls Jehovah “the God of truth.” When Jesus calls Himself “the truth” He might be ONLY identifying Himself with the Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Or He may be declaring His partnership with the Holy Spirit. Or He might we saying once again, “I and my Father are one.” since He, too, is the God of truth. This statement might be ranked among the most blasphemous ever spoken – if they weren’t the truth. When Jesus stood before the High Priest, or when they brought charges against Christ before Pilate, men might have said, “He deserves to die because He called Himself ‘the truth.’“
But should we confine Jesus’ thoughts to these things only, or could there actually be more? John 8:44 – “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” This verse say that Satan is the original source of all lies and deception. But if you lied, you couldn’t defend your sin by saying, “The Devil made me do it” – because he didn’t. However the first lie was formed in the Devil’s heart, and every human lie takes us back to the father of lies. In reverse, might the Lord Jesus be saying, “I have been true from the beginning. I abide in the truth and there has never been a moment of deception in me. When I tell you the truth, I am speaking of my own, because I am the truth and the father of truth.” Could it be said that 2+2 = 4 because the laws of mathematics were devised and are maintained by the Creator? Might we say that “what goes up, must come down.” because Christ created the law of gravity? In fact isn’t it true that everything that is true is true because God, in Christ, makes it true? Just as Satan is the father of all deception, might we not say that Christ is the father of all that is truth.
Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by him.”
And then the verse goes on to say, “JESUS IS THE WAY.”
The Lord said that He was soon going to return to Heaven and to prepare a place for each of His people. He said, “Whither I go ye know and the way ye know.” But Thomas said, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?” And Jesus replied, “I am the way; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Just as there is no other source of life but by the commission and permission of Christ – And just as all truth is settled in Him – There is no approaching God, the Father, except through Jesus Christ.
It used to be said that the United States of America is the melting pot of the world. By that was meant that America had opened its arms to the people of the world. Being a people which believed and practiced liberty, we accepted other people with differing opinions, languages and religions. The citizens of this country come from a variety of races and wear a multitude of skin tones. But what was a “melting pot” mentality has evolved into a “pluralistic” philosophy. What was once a recognition of differences with a free exchange of information and communication to try to win others to our point of view has now become the idea that everyone’s point of view, and everyone’s religion is correct and unchallengeable. But this kind of pluralism is ludicrous and insane. It is impossible that ten, six or even two differing ideas are equally correct. It is impossible that atheism, ancestor worship, spiritism and Christianity are all correct. It cannot be true that the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Koran and the writings of Confucius are all the divine words of God. And neither is there more than one way to God.
Christ Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by him.” That is not an attempt to be mean, but rather to be truthful and accurate. 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.” If Acts 4:12 is not true then there is not a single word of truth in all the Bible. II John 1:9 says: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 1 John 5:12 – “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
The message of this sermon, the message of the Gospel and the message of Christ Himself is this: Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by him.” If you do not have Christ then you are missing the most important of all truth. If you have not Christ then you are spiritually dead – you lack the most important kind of life. And if you have not Christ then you will never see God except to hear – “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” from death, falsehood and lostness.