Jesus-The Way, the Truth, The Life

Recognizing Mom’s birthday

On this 2023 Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, let us remember that Jesus is CREATOR, GIVER and SUSTAINER of Life.

True Life.

Eternal Life.

Resurrection Life.

But also, this life we live in the natural world.

We are here according to His purpose and plan.

I know that Roe v. Wade was finally overturned last year.

But that means 49 years of Federally mandated death of unborn babies preceded that overturn.

A 49 year-old culture of death is NOT wiped out by the overturn of a Supreme Court decision.

As followers of the One who doesn’t just GIVE life, but IS THE Life, we must stand against the tide of death and proclaim God’s Word — in fact the Words of Jesus:

John 14:6 (LSB) Jesus said to [Thomas and the rest of the disciples], “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.

IF we will:

Pray for the victory of life over death

If we will walk in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

If we will be faithful to proclaim what Jesus said.

If we will be faithful, tenacious, all-in.

We WILL see the victory of a culture of life over a culture of death in this nation once again.

Because there IS no Life for us as individuals or us as a nation unless we follow Jesus as the ONE and ONLY Way who speaks the ONE and ONLY Truth.

This flesh rebels against all of that.

Indeed, as I spoke of the man in the Mall of America situation last week, the flesh is deeply OFFENDED by the statement Jesus made in John 14:6

The flesh is offended because it is in alignment with the devil’s theology.

The devil’s Theology

What is the devil’s theology?

We see it revealed in …

Isaiah 14:13–14 (LSB) “But you said in your heart [speaking of the “King of Babylon” as a type of the devil] , ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

I-I-I - I am the center of the universe.

It is all about ME!

What I want.

What I feel.

What I want to do.

THAT is the devil’s theology.

A theology he wants each of us to fully embrace.

That he pressures us to embrace using many tactics that he has developed in his millennia of dealing with human beings.

He pushes this theology of absolute self-absorption because he knows it will only bring US pain and our pain causes the Father pain.

And he’s gotten MANY to embrace it — even many so-called Christians.

The devil’s theology flies in the face of TRUTH.

The Truth is that God created it all — and it is for HIS pleasure all was created.

Revelation 4:11 (KJV) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

He created you. He created me.

The Truth is that I am not the master of my fate - HE is.

My life came from God, it is sustained by God and when it is all over, my life will be judged by God.

The devil’s theology says that whatever I THINK or whatever I DECLARE is true:

If I am a woman but I THINK or DECLARE I am a man, that makes me a man.

If I am a sinner in rebellion against God, but I THINK or DECLARE I am going to heaven, then I will not face hell.

If I am enslaved by substances or destructive lifestyles, but I THINK or DECLARE I am free, I will not face the consequences of that enslavement.

It’s like the Jews Jesus confronted in:

John 8:31–36 (LSB) So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. [Which was in almost EVERY single respect a lie! Just because they declared it didn’t make it so!] How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

The problem is that SUBJECTIVE thinking is at odds with OBJECTIVE reality.

The devil may have SAID he would ascend, but in Luke 10:17–20 (NLT) When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18 “Yes,” [Jesus] told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

Whenever subject thinking that is at odds with reality encounters THE TRUTH, the resulting clash generally has pretty horrific consequences.

Many times, most of the time, those consequences fall on MANY people.

MANY people pay the price of ignoring, speaking against THE truth.

Objective reality doesn’t care what anyone THINKS.

Jesus said it and it is THE Truth.

It is THE Truth that has the potential to set us free — IF we will act on it by faith.

THE Way

Pursuing THE Truth means we will walk in THE Way.

Proverbs 16:25 (LSB) (and Proverbs 14:12) There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Jesus sets before us THE Way.

Like Moses of old told Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NLT) “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Choose THE Way of life — everlasting life.

The ONLY Way

Jesus finished John 14:6 with the words: No one comes to the Father but through Me.

Jesus thus declared we must choose Him as the ONLY way to God.

There are no other options allowed us.

Robert Webber once told of traveling on a plane from San Francisco to Los Angeles. He says:

I was sitting next to the window, reading a Christian book.

The man next to me, obviously from the Eastern hemisphere, asked, “Are you a religious man?”

“Well, yes,” I said.

“I am too,” he responded. We began talking about religion. In the middle of the conversation I asked, “Can you give me a one-liner that captures the essence of your faith?”

“Well, yes,” he said. “We are all part of the problem, and we are all part of the solution.”

We talked about his one-liner, a statement I felt was very helpful. After a while I said, “Would you like a one-liner that captures the Christian faith?”

“Sure,” he responded.

“We are all part of the problem, but there is only one man who is the solution. His name is Jesus.”

Before we come to the end of our service, I would like us to consider a few thoughts about the Jesus: THE Way.

7 different times in Acts. Christianity is referred to as THE Way.

I believe that if we will truly walk in THE Way, that it will stir up and will cause upheaval in our community like it did in ancient Ephesus.

In Acts 19:23 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) [we read that] … before [Paul was able to travel from Ephesus to Macedonia] … a huge ruckus occurred over what was now being referred to as “the Way.”

That ruckus was a result of idols being confronted.

The ruckus came about because THE Way was taking money out of the pockets of idol-makers.

Let us unashamedly and without fear, proclaim what Paul declared to the people in Ephesus:

1. JESUS IS THE WAY TO HEAVEN

John 14:1–3 (LSB) “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for 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 to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

2. JESUS IS THE WAY TO GOD

He brings us HOME to God by showing us THE Way.

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT) Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

3. JESUS IS THE WAY TO ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

Ephesians 1:3 (LSB) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Including victory in 2023:

1 Corinthians 15:57 (LSB) but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

4. JESUS IS THE WAY TO THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN

And as says: Revelation 22:20 (NLT) He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Are You Walking in THE WAY?

As Sister Michelle and the Worship TEAM comes, I want to invite you to choose Jesus.

The flesh, the nature that embraces the devil’s theology will not like it, but will you choose Jesus as THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life?

The devil will try to keep you tied up — enchained — but Jesus Breaks every chain, every handcuff, every fetter.

Pursuing Victory in 2023

Victory for those who go All Out for the All in All