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I Am The Way
May 11, 2008
Jesus declared that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that the only path to eternal life with God was through Him. This is the first of three sermons based upon His statement. In this one, I examine some of the material regarding Jesus as the way to eternal life in heaven. There was much more material, but it would have made the sermon much longer than most care to sit through!
Bernie Parsons
I Am The Way
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to the Load church of Christ 05-11-2008
John 14:1: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
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.
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.
4: And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5: Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Long ago, God declared to Abraham that through his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed. The Israelites, and later, the Jews, looked forward to the coming of this savior, or messiah.
Galatians 3:13: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15: Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17: And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18: For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
Thus, Jesus was that Savior, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of woman, of the lineage of Abraham. He, as He said so succinctly, is that Way. He is the way by which both Jews and Gentiles may access the same God through the same Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 2:11: “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12: That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14: For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16: And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18: For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
Christ united Jews and Gentiles in one body, in one blood, and in one hope. This is what made Jesus the one way to God.
Ephesians 4:1: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2: With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3: Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
We easily see from these scriptures that there is indeed only one way. That way is Jesus, and He provides access to God, our Father.
Acts 24:14: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
15: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
The way that the apostle Paul spoke about on this occasion was the way of Christ. Notice how he said that he believed ALL things written in the law and prophets. This led him to have a hope of the resurrection of the just, which is the means to eternal salvation. The law was for the ancient Israelites. However, once Christ died for the whole world, He became the way to salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.
Romans 3:19: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27: Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29: Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.”
By means in the direction of, or in the vicinity of, while through means by way of or to indicate passage from one end or boundary to another. The circumcision, denoting the Jews, were saved by faith in Christ because they were the children of Abraham, the children of promise. The uncircumcision, meaning the Gentiles, were saved when they moved from their pagan ways into faith in Christ—the true way.
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
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.”
The way of Christ is the way of righteousness. Jesus died to bring us back to God—to reconcile us to Him. Because of this, we are to walk in the way in which Christ walked.
Ephesians 4:22: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23: And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25: Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27: Neither give place to the devil.
28: Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Paul gave similar advice to Timothy, telling him to follow after righteousness, reminding him that by doing so he could lay hold on eternal life.
1 Timothy 6:1: “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13: I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14: That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
16: Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
17: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18: That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19: Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
Jesus is the Way—King of kings, Lord of lords. If we walk in His way, the way of righteousness, we can lay up in store a good down payment, as it were, on eternal life.
As apostle Peter proclaimed regarding the name of Jesus:
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.”
Our salvation lies in Jesus, the Way. No one else can save us.
The Hebrew writer said:
Hebrews 5:9: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
We will not be saved by Jesus unless we get on the way of righteousness.
Matthew 7:13: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
The way of eternal life is a narrow way. We cannot do just anything that we want to do and expect to find it. If we walk in Christ, and live a life of righteousness, we can find it. Otherwise, like too many others, we will be on the wrong way—the way of death!
