Friends, the sermon this morning is
based upon the testimony made by our Savior to "doubting" Thomas in
John 14:6;
“I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
This scripture not only says that Jesus Christ is the only true path because
He's the great I AM of the Old Testament but
it also equates Him to three additional items -- the way, the truth and the life.
In this study we'll take a deeper look at each point and hopefully be able to see our Savior from a much different perspective.
Let's begin...
(Jesus
The I AM:)
If the concept of Christ
being Yahweh is foreign to you it shouldn't be so I suggest familiarizing
yourself with both Jesus,
God or Not? and
Jesus, Yahweh or Not? available online at the Covenant People's Ministry
website if in doubt. Once Yahweh told Moses;
“Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you (Exodus
3:14)”
and Jesus continually used this terminology in statements such as
“I
am the God of Abraham (Matthew 22:32)”
or
“Many
shall come in my name, saying, I am and shall deceive many (Mark
13:6).”
Many sincere Christians
can think no farther than Jesus simply being the son of God. Adam was a son of
God as was
Satan -- in reality, all truth-loving Israelites are the sons
of God (I John 3:1) and He is the Christ. If we cannot firmly establish the fact
that Jesus is the great I AM before examining the Way, the Truth and the Life
the remainder of this sermon will make no sense. The
Bible more than proves that Christ is God of both Testaments as there can
be only one (Exodus 20:3) and
Jesus says;
“Before
Abraham was, I am (John 8:58).”
Even more, the scripture also says that
“God
was manifest in the flesh (John 1:1 & 14, 1Ti 3:16)”
and that the "Rock" of the Exodus was the Messiah (I Corinthians 10:1-4).
He's considered the Alpha and Omega and there's absolutely no doubt that Jesus
is the Creator of Genesis 1:1 (Colossians 1:16). That groundwork being laid, I
only use the name Yahweh to differentiate the Old Covenant Savior from the New
because it's still God who was crucified (Acts 20:28) and He' the only way to
paradise. Now, let's continue our study...
(Jesus
The Way:)
Knowing that Christ is the only way
should lead genuine Christians to question where that 'way' is located so like
usual Jesus tells us exactly where to go;
“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: Because strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it (Matthew
7:13-14).”
Few find the proper path because even less know that Jesus Christ is Yahweh and
are looking for a 'god' beyond Him.
Of course our subtle
enemy has a substitute for everything so they even follow after their own 'way'
as Jude describes;
“Woe
unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain (Jude 1:1).”
As if the murderous ways of Cain aren't bad enough, Peter explains that such
false prophets;
“have
forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son
of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (II
Peter 2:15).”
Again we see there's no "grey area" with the Almighty God -- it's either the
right or wrong way.
To simplify this entire
study -- Jesus is and should be our everything. As we examine each specific
piece of
John 14:6 you'll also notice that many of these portions
somewhat "interlock" proving that all things mirror the reflection of their
inventor. This is why only a fool requires a sign from YHVH when there's
evidence of Him no matter where we look (Romans 1:20) -- one can often see an
early-morning sunrise high in the mountains and notice the "brushstrokes" of the
Creator who made it. The proper way leads to both truth and life.
(Jesus
The Truth:)
In John 17:17 Jesus makes an awesome statement about
Himself;
“Thy
word is truth.”
I make this claim because the Bible also teaches that Christ is the living Word
in several places. For example, the apostle John also said;
“There
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:
and these three are one (I John
5:7).” He
even begins his Gospel by saying;
“In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1 & 14).”
Even further and much
deeper in the Bible we're taught that during Judgment our LORD
is;
“clothed
with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God (Revelation
19:13).”
Coming full circle, Jesus is all truth through His perfect Word and it's through
that flawless Word that we know God most of all. Beware of anyone who teaches
doctrine not found in the Bible or those who claim to offer "the way" outside of
Jesus Christ -- such cults exist amongst the movement today and their only goals
are to mislead God's own flock.
The opposite of fact is falsehood so as
expected Satan and his soulless progeny are devoid of any truth. Jesus once
asked the enemy;
“Why
do ye not understand my speech? even because ye
cannot hear my word. 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. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not
(John 8:43-45).”
(Jesus
The Life:)
Jesus is life because He gave his own as a ransom for many
(Mat 20:28, Mark 10:45 & 1Ti 2:6). Through His sacrifice death is defeated and
we're given power over our enemy. John explains;
“That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of
life; For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and
show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested
unto us (I
John 1:1-2).”
So many today walk in direct violation of
Yahweh's eternal Law that they're already considered "spiritually dead" or
practically worthless to the advancement of the Christian Kingdom. Because He is
life Jesus teaches;
“If
any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple
(Luke 14:26).”
The lives we live should not be for our own self-gratification but for Christ
alone because only in serving Him is true happiness and prosperity achieved.
There is no greater joy nor path to true
happiness outside of Jesus Christ and to Christians this should be common sense
yet that's oftentimes not the case as they've been 'raptured up' into some form
of
churchianity social club. Even in the face of persecution or extreme
prejudice we should never neglect to share the Truth that Jesus is the way to
eternal life and strive to awaken Yahweh's own bride from her slumber. It's
God's Kingdom that matters so all who stand in opposition can only desire to
play lower-case "gods" themselves.
(Intention:)
My intention with today's sermon is not
unlike my others -- I pray that God will use this work to reach those who
require it and that it may be used to further establish God's Kingdom on earth,
as in heaven. We live in both exciting and perilous times so we should never
neglect to share God's truth with those who may be carried away to Babylon in
today's swift apostasy. Times are changing and Christianity is under heavy
attack whether or not the masses even realize it, let's never fail to recognize
the gifts that Yahweh has given us. War for Christ! Amen.