Sermon Tone Analysis

We are in a series called “I Wonder...” (dot dot dot…)

Fill in the blank…during this we are exploring tough questions, practical questions..questions you submitted.

and it is not too late to submit a question or another question (we got 105 responses thus far—so our series will go for the next 2 years…)

you can submit by either:

Writing them down paper and pencil

by texting the word “wonder” to 260-400-2991 and when you text that word, you will get a text message back with a link—clink on that link.

and you will be directed to a form to fill out.

Let me read a few…?’s

Last week, we looked at the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Some reasons of the mind to believe it actually, historically, bodily happened.

And Some reasons of the heart—why we want to believe it happened as it frees us from guilt and sin, from fear of death, from other masters and lords in our lives.

everything flows from this ?.

The I wonder question today—is this—I wonder if Jesus is REALLY the only way?

you may say the only way to what—to live, the only way to God the Father, the only way to heaven, salvation and being a part of God’s kingdom—the only way to true life, joy, peace, happiness now and for eternity.

to forgiveness, to salvation.

or is He one way of many ways?

One writer puts it like this: Can Jesus be true for you but not for me? (Rebecca McGlaughlin)

most people in our country here in America might be find if that is the case “Yes you can believe that—that works for you; it’s true for you, but not for me.”

“You can believe that as long as you leave everyone else alone.”

“but if you believe that and try to persuade, convince, and evangelize others, convert others…that is offensive, judgmental, exclusive, intolerant.”

Bad words in our culture today.

Moreover, some of you know that even if you are a Christian, you meet others of other faiths—Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, and they seem like good, decent people.

who is to say that we are right, and they are wrong?

that seems arrogant and judgmental.

Furthermore—this is why religion is wrong with the world—it just makes people angry, causes division, and leads to conflict, even wars.

Rebecca McGlaughlin has an illustration that goes like this: “In the story, an elephant walked into a village where everyone was blind.

The villagers were fascinated by the strange creature.

One villager touched the elephant’s leg and said the elephant was like a tree.

Another touched its ear and said the elephant was like a fan.

A third touched its trunk and said the elephant was like a snake, and so on.

Soon arguments began to break out.

All the villagers had felt different parts of the elephant and discovered a piece of the truth about this amazing animal.

But because they were blind, they couldn’t see the whole elephant, so they didn’t see how all these different truths could fit together.

In the same way, people claim that different religions hold pieces of the truth about God, but no one religion holds it all.

For this reason, people say we shouldn’t argue about which religion is right.

We should just learn from each religion, because between all of us, we might just get the whole truth about God.” (10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (And Answer) About Christianity (page 56)

The problem with the Elephant illustration:

Rebecca McGlaughlin talks about it.

Though it sounds humble and accepting, it is actually arrogant to use this elephant illustration.

WHAT?!?!?!

She says, “Yes the villagers are blind, but the person telling the story can see.

It might sounds respectful to Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, to say that if they saw the big picture, they’d all realize they each held a piece of the puzzle.

but it’s actually not all.”

“what you are really saying is that Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews are all blind and you ALONE can see!” that you alone have the true view.

that’s pretty arrogant...

Different religions contradict each other in BIG WAYS.

not small.

BIG!

For instance, I talked about the resurrection of Jesus Christ last week—why we physically, bodily, historically believed it happened.

and if it didn’t happen—the Bible says “Your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

(1 Corinthians 15:17).

if you compare this view to just Judaism and Muslims—2 other major religions that Christianity shares a lot in common with…Jews and Muslims disagree with my sermon from last week ON THE RESURRECTION.

Jews believed that Jesus died and stayed dead.

Muslims believe that Jesus didn’t die but just appeared to die, and that he was taken up to heaven.

but Christians believe that Jesus died and rose to life bodily again.

these are big differences.

A Muslim according to the bible is not saved.

a Jew is not saved.

because they don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ like we do.

so to say that all religions are actually the same—is actually not doing justice to each major religion or worldview.

it’s arrogant—and it’s wrong—we are actually disrespecting other worldviews and other religions when we say they are actually the same.

they are not.

they have major differences.

(I.e.

buddhism doesn’t believe in a personal God at all).

3. but the biggest problem with the Elephant problem—is that it contradicts what the Bible says.

—look at what God’s says about this issue

What the Bible says:

Jesus is claiming that he is preparing rooms for us in His Father’s house—after we die…and he can actually take us there.

that’s an incredible claim.

I have never made that claim that I personally have that kind of power…but Jesus does.

Jesus makes an offensive but crystal clear statement.

He is the way; he is the truth; he is the life.

if we are going to have access to God the Father, to life with him in his house in his many rooms—it all goes through Jesus Christ.

Jesus keeps upping the ante with these claims:

This is getting a little bit at the confusing doctrine of the Trinity—but our God is one—but three persons.

not 3 gods, and not just one god who exists in 3 modes—but God the Father, God the Son, and the God the HS.

and Jesus makes the incredible claim—that if you have seen him—you have seen God the Father—they are one God but 3 but one…but 3. The Trinity.

In other places in Scripture, Jesus makes remarkable and exclusive claims.

Jesus claims to forgive sins.

(Mark 2:5,10)

He claims to be the resurrection and the life.

(John 11:25-26)

He said all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18)

Paul says He is before all things, and in Jesus, all things in the entire universe holds together (Colossians 1:15-20)

and Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

the Apostle Peter

The Bible is crystal clear--

and here is what this means for us—application.

why is this good news....

in other words, Let’s make this practical..what does all this mean:

Though Jesus’ claim is exclusive and narrow, it is available to ALL. (If you are not a believer, YOU MAY NOT LIKE THe exclusive narrowness of this—but this exclusivity is very inclusive—it’s an exclusive inclusivity, or an inclusive exclusivity.”

what?

The Bible is crystal clear…there is only way to salvation.

one way to being a part of the kingdom of God.

You see the Bible is very clear that there is something very wrong with the world…and it’s not out there—we can’t point the finger out there. the problem is in here—we have an authority problem, where we constantly take the Creator God off the throne and put ourselves in its place, and this has broken everything!! this is why everything is messed up in our world and there is suffering and evil...

but the good news that Jesus is saying here is there is a way for our relationship with God to be restored and healed.

for us to be forgiven.

for us to enter God’s kingdom and join God’s plan to restore the entire created order.

and that’s through Jesus.