We'll continue the Christ is
series. The Christ is series. John chapter 14. Open your Bibles
to John 14. We'll read the first 14 verses
to get the context for our Sunday school lesson today. And our
text that we'll be looking at is found in John 14, 6, but just
the four words, Christ is the way. Christ is the way. So we've been looking at various
aspects of who Christ is. Let's read the context here in
John 14 verses 1 to 14. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself.
And where I am, or that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith
unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know
the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. Now look at the authority with
which our Lord speaks. Note the authority, and remember,
remember this is no other than God incarnate in the flesh, the
Son of God, the God who left heaven, the second person of
the Trinity, the Word, who was made flesh and dwelt among us. And he himself says, I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. Notice the exclusiveness of it
too. There's no other way. So this verse right here tells
us that Buddha is not the way, that Muhammad is not the way,
that Mary is not the way, that all these false religions out
there are not the way to the Father. And this verse proclaims that
Christ himself, God in the flesh, proclaims this. And in saying
these words, he is saying all those other religions are false
religions. In the time of biblical, Baal
is not the way. Moloch is not the way. Zeus and
all those other false gods are not the way. They're false gods.
They can't do anything. Christ Himself says, I am the
way. I am the way, the truth, and the life. What power and
authority He speaks with, because He's God incarnate in the flesh.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also, and
from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him. Philip saith
unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus saith
unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and hast thou
not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father, and how sayest thou then, show us the Father? Believest
thou not that I am the Father, and the Father in me? The words
I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that
dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." And remember, He's the
Logos of God. He's the Word of God. All that
God has to say to us, He says to us through Christ. Through
the Son. And remember, this is His book.
This book is His. Believe me that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very work's
sake. Verily, verily, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also,
and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto
my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will
I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall
ask anything in my name, I will do it." Now these are the words
of our Master. These are the words of God incarnate
in the flesh in John 14, 6 and all the way up to 14. These are
His words. The words of God. The words of
the One who is fully God. And the words of the One who
is fully man. And the words of the One who
came to redeem His people from their sins. And He did it. Praise His name. He did it. He
redeemed us on Calvary's cross. Now who is He the way to? Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man
cometh unto the Father, but by me. He is the way. He's the way
to the Father. He's the way to God. He's the
way to heaven. He's the only way. The only way. Do you know that,
turn if you would to Matthew 7, do you know that The scriptures declare that there's
a narrow way. There's a narrow way. Matthew
7, verse 14, look at this. Matthew 7, verse 14. And keep your finger there, because
we'll be going back there. Because straight is the gate
and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. And few there be that
find it. Straight is the gate, and narrow
is the way. And few there be that find it.
Who's the narrow way? Christ. Christ himself. Who's the broad way? Which we'll
look at it later. Who's the broad way? False religion. And anything that's man-centered
and exalts the self-righteousness of man below. And many, many
we will see are on that road. Now man has cooked up all kinds
of ways to supposedly get to heaven, haven't they? And we've
heard a lot of them. We haven't heard them all, but
we've heard a lot of them, haven't we? A lot of them. They've cooked
up ways in their minds and in their hearts, and they follow
those ways. Some make someone a co-redeemer
with Christ. There is no co-redeemer with
Christ. He's the way, scripture declares. That's nothing but
blasphemy, because to add anything to Christ's perfect redeeming
work is to ruin it. It's no longer
grace. It then becomes works. And I've
mentioned that many times. If you add just a pinprick of
your works to grace, it's no longer grace. Keep your finger
on Matthew 7 and turn to Romans 11. Some make baptism. They say, well, you have to be
baptized to be saved. That's not true. There's salvation
only in Christ, because he himself said, I am the way. And notice
the I am statement. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. He's the great
I am. He's the great I am. Look at Romans 11 verses 5 and
6. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. There's a remnant who
are on the narrow path. And if by grace then it is no
more of works. You think that would end it right
there. Scripture plain. And if by grace
then no more of works. Otherwise grace is no more grace. The scripture declares if you
add anything to grace, it's no more grace. It's no longer grace. Then it is no more grace, otherwise
work is no more work. Now go back to Matthew 7, and
let's look at verse 13. There's a way called the broad
way. And all those who think they can get to heaven by their
own works and by their own self-righteousness, they are on this road. And all
who are lost, all who are lost, are on this road. They may have
no religion at all, but they think they can justify themselves.
They think they're, oh, I'm not as bad as the guy down the road.
No, not at all, not at all. Oh, yeah, you are. Yeah, you
are. Because the scripture declares there's none good. And it declares
that they are on the broad road to destruction. Look at Matthew
7, verse 13. And we'll also read verse 14.
Enter ye in the straight gate. Well, the straight gate is mentioned
in verse 14. For wide is the gate, and broad
is the way that leadeth to destruction. It's wide and it's broad. It's wide and it's broad. And many there be that go in
thereat. There's many on that road. There is many, because
straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it. Note the contrast. Note the
great difference between the two ways. One is broad, and there's
many on it. It's highly populated. And then
you have a narrow way, the straight gate. There's a few on it. But those few we know from scripture
will add up to a number that no man can number as time goes
by and God is bringing in all his lost sheep. But think of
this, if you're on the narrow way, praise God, because there's
a multitude on the broad. There's a multitude on the broad
way. My, oh my. And few who find it, it must
be revealed. Christ must be revealed. It's
narrow because he's the only way. We saw that in John 14.
Why is it a narrow way? Because Christ says, I'm the
way. Does everyone believe that? No, we know that. And we're going
to look later at how many people step into eternity each day. It'll shock you. How many of those people step
into eternity without Christ? He must be revealed, beloved.
He must be revealed to us. He's the only way to the Father.
John Gill comments this way on John 14, 6, about Christ being
the way. The way is unpleasant to the
flesh to walk in. It's hedged up on each side with
afflictions and tribulations, which we go through. And we're
going to look at that. We're going to look at that on
Sunday morning, that those afflictions and tribulations are actually
God chiseling and hewing where stones where I don't want to
go to, but he's, he's working in us and conforming us to the
image of the sun. Oh my beloved. So we're hedged
up on each side with afflictions and tribulations. And moreover,
it is like the narrow place or the straight place in which the
angel met Balaam. Remember Balaam couldn't move?
Balaam couldn't move to one side or the other. The angel was right
there before him. We're hedged up, beloved. We
can't go anywhere but forward. We're in a narrow way, a narrow
path. There's no turning to the right hand or the left, and such
is the way to eternal happiness. It's only in Christ and Him alone. Only in Christ. What a great
encouragement this is to we who walk, walk on the narrow path. And Christ is the way. He's proclaimed
it in our text. Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. but by me." Again, let's go back
to our text. And we'll see that the Lord Jesus
Christ is our only way to the Father. And beside Him, there
is no other way. No other way. None. He is the way. God Himself proclaims,
the Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate in the flesh proclaims, I am
the way. Do you notice? One-syllable words. The God of the universe speaks
in a language that we can understand, but we can only understand it
when he reveals it to us, right? But look at the simplicity of
the words. I am the way for one syllable words. And then look,
I am the truth. I am the life. All one syllable words he speaks
to us in. My goodness, beloved. Now the Father is God. And our
verse says, Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. So the
Father we know is God, and the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit
is God. The three are one. But our text boldly proclaims
here that the only way to God is through Christ. The only way
to God is through Christ. Not your supposed good works,
right? But how many people think that
they're gonna get to heaven on their supposed good works? We
all know people who believe that. They're on the broad, they're
on the broad way. They're on the broad way. And
if God doesn't save them, they'll stay on that way. My goodness,
my goodness. God Himself, in the flesh, proclaimed
that He was the only way to the Father, and God's people, by
His grace, believe His statement, don't they? We believe His statement,
and we rest in it, only because He's given us the grace and the
faith. We're saved by grace through faith, and not of ourselves.
It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Now,
here's a sobering fact. The Scripture proclaims that
there are two ways, right? The broad way which leads to
destruction and the narrow way which leads to life. Now here
are some statistics of how many people die a day. My goodness. According to the
World Health Organization, 56 million people die each year.
56 million people. which is an average of 153,424
people a day. 153,424 people a day around this world step into eternity.
That's sobering. Now think on this. Turn, if you would, to 1 John 2.18. Think
on this. Scripture proclaims this in 1 John 2.18,
that all who deny the Lord Jesus Christ are liars. How many people
in this world deny Christ? How many people, we don't know,
of those 153,000 each day which die, are Christ deniers? They're on the Broadway. They're
on the Broadway. Look at 1 John, chapter 2, verse
18, and then we'll read all the way to 24, but look at this.
Little children, it is the last time, 1 John 2.18, little children,
it is the last time, and as ye have heard, that Antichrist shall
come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know
that it is the last time. You have heard, you've been warned,
that Antichrist shall come. Those who suppose, Brother Henry
Mahan says, those who suppose that this would be only one man
are mistaken, for John says in this verse, even now there are
many Antichrists. Okay? From the day of our Lord's
death, we have steadily moved toward the day of apostasy, and
the day of Christ's return. And we are indeed in the last
days, aren't we? We've been in the last days since Christ died.
Paul declared that. Now, several of the commentators,
Brother Henry and Calvin and Gil, all say antichrist. is false
Christ. And think of the word anti-Christ.
It's against Christ. Anything against Christ is anti-Christ. Anything. But you've got all
these people making all kinds of money and hooping everybody
up about end time stuff. Let's just look and see what
the scripture proclaims. Right? Anti-Christ is a spirit. Anything that opposes Christ's
person, His incarnation, His office, and deny that He was
Christ is antichrist. Anyone who mixes grace and works
is antichrist. Anyone who exalts man's will
over the work of Christ in His perfect, finished, redeeming
work is antichrist. It's against Christ. Against
Christ. What they're doing is saying
they can be their own savior, and that God is powerless to
do anything. That's not the God of the Bible, is it? That's not
the God of the Bible, beloved. Look at our text. It continues
in 1 John 2 to 19. We'll read 19 to 24. They went
out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of
us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went
out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us.
But ye have an unction from the Holy One. and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because
you know not the truth, but because you know it. God's revealed himself
to you. You know who Christ is. Paul's
writing the believers, isn't he? And that no lies of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth
that Jesus is the Christ? So how many of those 153,000
people that enter into eternity deny that Jesus is Christ? That
means they're a liar, according to that scripture. So they're
on the broad. We know where they're heading. My goodness. Do you see how the path is narrow?
Rejoice of God's revealed Christ to you. My goodness, what a gift
we've received. But you have an auction from
the Holy One and you know all things I have not written unto
you because you know not the truth, but because you know it
and that no, no lies of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth
that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth
the Father and the Son. There it is right there. Isn't that plain? We can understand
that. It says, he is antichrist that
denieth the Father and the Son. Well, he just wrote there was
many antichrists. It's a spirit, beloved. Brother Henry says that
in this commentary on 2 Thessalonians, that the man of sin is a spirit.
And he said Gil, Spurgeon, and several other commentators used
to believe the same thing. It's a spirit against Christ. And we see it. We see it in religion. We see it in man's workspace
religion. It's against Christ. It's against
the free gospel and the glory of God. My goodness, beloved. Whosoever denieth the Son, the
same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledgeth the Son
hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you,
which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have
heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye shall continue
in the Son and in the Father." God's people, we stay in the
way because He keeps us in the way. He keeps us, beloved. So
all who worship false gods, And those who are self-righteous
and believe they can save themselves and it makes grace with works,
it's no longer grace. They're on the broad path. It
leads to destruction. Again, I'll read the verse in
Romans 11, 6. And if by grace, then it is no more works. Otherwise,
grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it
is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work.
Now think of this. I just did the equivalent of
150,000 people a day, and I broke it down. We know it was 153,000. I wanted to round it up to 150.
So 150,000 people enter eternity every day. And based upon that,
6,200 and 50 people die each hour. Enter into eternity each hour. And it breaks down to 104 people
a minute. That's sobering, isn't it? Enter into eternity. Now the
scripture we read in 1 John says anyone who denies Christ, they're
gone, aren't they? So do you see how narrow the
path is, beloved? Rejoice. Rejoice, you who have
been shown mercy on Christ Jesus our Lord. Praise God. He regenerates His
people. All those He purchased on Calvary's
tree. And they are all on the narrow
way. which is Christ Jesus, our Lord. The one who proclaims himself. That he himself is the only way
to the father, the only way. So let us ponder how our Lord
is the way to the father for us. Number one, the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only way to acceptance with the father, the only way
to acceptance with the father. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians
chapter one. He's the only way. to acceptance with the Father.
Outside of Christ, there's no acceptance with God, right? None.
Outside of Christ. We saw that in 1 John. Now look at this, Ephesians chapter
1, verses 5 to 7. Having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will. Don't we love that? According
to the good pleasure of his will. If you're saved, it was God's
will for you to be saved. That's good news. Oh, my, my,
oh, my. To the praise of the glory of
his grace, we continually give him praise for his grace and
mercy, which has been bestowed upon us in Christ, wherein he
hath made us accepted in the blood. The only way for acceptance
with the father is in and through Christ Jesus, our Lord. acceptance
in the blood, acceptance in the blood in whom we have redemption.
He paid for our he paid the price for all our sins through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace. My. My turn, if you would, to
John 17, John 17. Next point is there's no acquaintance
with the father. No way for us to know who God
is outside of Christ. He must be revealed to us. He
must be revealed to us. And then put your finger, I'm
sorry, to in Job 22, John 17, 3, and then put your finger in
Job 22, verse 21. But first of all, we're going
to John 17, 3. I know it got us turned in a
little bit here. Look at this, and this is life
eternal. that they might know thee the
only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John 17,
three. And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee. He must reveal himself to us.
The only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. And then
over in Job 22, 21, it says this. Acquaint now thyself with him
and be at peace. Thereby good shall come unto
thee. Good shall come unto thee through Christ Jesus our Lord.
So there's no being acquainted with God except by and through
Christ Jesus our Lord. No way of knowing Him, no way
of savingly knowing Him except through Christ. He's the way.
There's no other way. No other way at all. We may know
something of Him by the works of creation, but not unto salvation. He must reveal Himself. You must
be born again. You must be born again. Turn,
if you would, to John 1. John 1. The Lord Jesus Christ himself
has declared the father. The Lord Jesus Christ himself
has declared the father. Look at John 1 18. No man has seen God at any time.
That's the father. That's the father. The only begotten
son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared
him. So when he says, I am the way,
the truth and the life. He's gone. Father, Son, and the
Holy Spirit are one. No one else is acquainted with
the Father but Him. And again, he's writing about
the Father. Now, have human eyes seen God? Yes. But not the Father. They've seen
the Son. Who's God? Who's God? God the Son. Turn, if you would,
over to over to John chapter 5. And I'll read John 6, 46, which
says this, not that any man has seen the father, save he which
is of God. He has seen the father. The only
one who's seen the father is Christ. That's what it means when it
says no man has seen God, and it means we haven't seen the
father. We see the father through Christ,
don't we? Look at John 5, verses 36 and 37. But I have greater
witness than that of John. For the works which the Father
hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, he was
given a work to do, to redeem his people from their sins. And,
beloved, he did it. Bear witness of me that the Father
has sent me, and the Father himself which has sent me hath borne
witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice
at any time, nor seen his shape. but the one who has seen, the
one who, think of this, the one who was God, right, in eternity,
the word, is sent by God, the Father, and he declares the Father. Isn't it wonderful? It's wonderful. God himself became a man. Turn,
if you would, to Hebrews chapter one. And He declared the Father
by who He was. And God the Father has spoken
through Him. He has spoken through no other. In this scripture,
Christ is the author of our scriptures. Hebrews chapter 1. I'm running
out of time. Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 to
6. God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us, His people,
right? By His Son. All that God has to say to us,
He says through Christ. And who's this book all about?
It's all about Christ, isn't it? whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Christ is the creator. We know that from our study in
Colossians. "...who being the brightness of his glory, and
expressed the image of his person, and holding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins..."
Oh, that's beautiful. "...sat down on the right hand
of the majesty on high." Christ himself, God himself, purged
my sins, and yours too, if you're a believer. by the shedding of
his own precious blood on Calvary's cross, being made so much better
than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent
name than they. For unto which of the angels
said he at any time, thou art my son, this day have I begotten
thee. And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be
to me a son. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten
into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship
him. My. Now he proclaimed the Father
by the words of his mouth, right? He preached concerning the Father.
He said he's here to do the Father's will. We saw that in our text
in John where we read. Turn if you would to Luke chapter
2. Luke chapter 2. He proclaimed that he was sent
by the Father by the works that he did. By the works that he
did. And remember, remember our text.
He said, I am the way. The way to who? The way to the
Father. The way to the Father. Luke chapter 2, verses 46 to
49. And it came to pass that after
three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst
of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions.
Now we know what happened. They had left him behind. But
he's on a mission. His mom, mother, and Joseph had
left him behind. had left him behind. And it came
to pass that after three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking
them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at
his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were
amazed, and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou dealt
with us? Behold, thy father and I have
sought thee sorry. Well, Joseph's not his father.
But he talks about his father here, and he said unto them,
How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about
my father's business? Oh, he speaks about his father's
business, that he's on a mission, beloved. He's on a mission. Turn,
if you would, to John 6. John 6. He came to do the will
of the Father, to finish the work. John 6, or John 4, I'll
read this, says, Jesus saith unto him, my need is to do the
will of him that sent me and to finish his work, his work. Look at John 6, verse 37 to 40. He came to save his people from
their sins. It's a will of God. John 6, 37 to 40. All that the
Son giveth me shall come to me. There won't be one lost. And
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out, verse 38,
for I came down from heaven. He's on a mission. Not to do
mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is
the Father's will which sent me, that of all which He hath
given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again
at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me,
that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may
have everlasting life. And I will raise Him up at the
last day. And how did He do this? By dying on Calvary's cross as
our substitute. The Lord Jesus Christ declared
by His death as our representative and our surety of His people
that God is a just, righteous, sin-hating God. And when our
sins were imputed to Christ and placed upon Him, He paid all
that God demanded for our sins, beloved. He finished the work.
Turn if you would to John 19. We're closed with this. And remember
this as we read this, that Christ is the only acceptance with God.
He's the only way to God. And he was sent by God to redeem
his people from their sins. And he's God incarnate in the
flesh. He finished the work. He finished
the work. Look at this in John 19, verse
28 to 30. After this, Jesus, no Jesus,
knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture
might be fulfilled, say, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel of
vinegar and they filled the sponge with vinegar and put it upon
hyssop and put it to his mouth. And when Jesus, therefore, had
received the vinegar, he said, it is finished. The work's finished. And he bowed
his head and he gave up the ghost. Praise God for a redemption that
is complete in Christ. Heavenly Father, we come before
thy throne. Grateful, grateful. All for your your sovereign.
majestic salvation, which is only found in thee. We are saved
by the free grace of God alone in Christ Jesus alone to your
glory alone. And we magnify and praise your
name that you have had mercy upon us. And we love you because
you first loved us in Jesus name. Amen.