1. JOHN 13-14
December 15, 2013
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
The Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci
Focus of Lesson
John 14:6
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????
1 Peter 3:15
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,
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.
2. 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.
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.”
Reference
• TEN LIES ABOUT GOD by Erwin Lutzer
• Pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago
• Cultural ideas (lies) about God & Christianity
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.
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
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.”
3. 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.
Why Do Christians Believe That Only One Path Leads Into God’s Presence?
1. Approaching God
2. Following God’s Protocol
3. An Acceptable Mediator
4. An Acceptable Sacrifice
5. An Acceptable Attitude
Reference: TEN LIES ABOUT GOD by Erwin Lutzer
1. APPROACHING GOD
• God is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS
• God’s 1st Commandment to Moses
Exodus 20:3
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.
Genesis 4:2-7
2 … Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain
brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 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, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did
not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then
the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
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.”
7 If
4. 1. APPROACH – Wrong Way
Aaron’s Sons:
Leviticus 10:1-3
1 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. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed
them, and they died before the Lord. 3 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.’”
•
God is HOLY and must be approached in the right way.
Leviticus 16:1-3
1 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died
when they approached the Lord. 2 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.
3
“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:
Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1. Approaching God
2. Following Protocol
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……………
5. Holy of Holies in Tabernacle
Priest in the Holy of Holies
1 Chronicles 13:7-10
7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah
and Ahio guiding it. 8 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. 10 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.
9
Uzzah
6. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1. Approaching God
2. Following Protocol
3. An Acceptable Mediator
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.”
Hebrews 10:11-14
11 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. 12 But when
this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right
hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his
footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy.
•
•
•
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
32
“He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
that we might confront each other in court.
32
If only there were someone to mediate between us,
someone to bring us together,
1 Timothy 2:5-6a
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man
Christ Jesus, 6a who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
•
We cannot enter God’s presence alone – Jesus is our mediator
7. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1. Approaching God
2. Following Protocol
3. An Acceptable Mediator
4. An Acceptable Sacrifice
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
14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made
holy. …
17
Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
18
And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
•
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)
1 Peter 3:18
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).
8. Why Is Jesus The Path To God?
1. Approaching God
2. Following Protocol
3. An Acceptable Mediator
4. An Acceptable Sacrifice
5. An Acceptable Attitude
5. AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE
Hebrews 10:19-22
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most
Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us
through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the
house of God, 22 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.
•
•
•
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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)
Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 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.
•
•
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“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.
Jude 24-25
24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his
glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior
be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all
ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
9. Review/Summary Question?
• DO MANY PATHS LEAD INTO GOD’S PRESENCE?
• Answer: All paths lead into God’s presence- eventually!
Hebrews 9:27-28
27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 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.
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.”