On the evening before His betrayal, capture, trial and crucifixion, Jesus shared with His disciples what believers now call the Lord’s Supper. Immediately after that, He left the upper room and walked to the Mount of Olives with those men who had followed Him for three years. As they walked, He taught them important truths they would need to know to engage in the ministry for which He had selected them.
The Gospel of John, chapters 14, 15 and 16 record what He shared with them on that walk to the place where He would spend the night in prayer. As He began, He gave them a most valuable truth that would be central to their teaching: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
In the world we now live in, as well as through the centuries over the 2,000 years since His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, many have disputed the plain truth of Jesus’ teaching–I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. If that sounds like Christ was saying that He is the only way to God, that He is the only truth about God, and that the LIFE He is able to give is the only life that is eternal, then that is exactly what He said.
No other religion can bring you to the God who created all things. No other religious leader paid the full penalty for our sins: not Mohammed, not Buddha, no one but Jesus can bring you to the Father, and, again, that is exactly what He said: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Was this statement arrogant or grandiose? No. Just true. In Matthew 11: 28-29, Jesus said
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
What an amazing thing: that the Creator of all things, the One who holds all things together, should be gentle and lowly.
But that is what He is like. Though He has all authority in heaven and earth, He calls us to Himself in a way that only He can do.
If you want to learn more about this Savior, Jesus, we would love to see you at Paris Bible Church at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday. It would be our pleasure and joy to help you find the only way to God.