John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Religious Plurality
Don’t let someone fool you into thinking that all religions are the same. This can’t logically be true. Randy Newman in his book entitled “Questioning Evangelism” raises the issue with this question, “How do we say “ONE WAY” when people say “NO WAY?” The strength of our reply should be . . . because this is what Jesus said.
Norman Geisler in, “Essential Doctrine made easy” lists 16 Esssential Doctrines that are core teachings of the Bible and that have defined Christianity for 2,000 years. This is what he says about what a person needs to believe in order to be saved [from the paragraph To Believe or Not to Believe”], p.11. Would you like to know how other religious groups treat the essential beliefs of what we believe about salvation?
Universalism more often defined as a misreading of the Bible that leads to erroneous thinking concerning what is required to be saved.
Do I have to believe in Jesus to be saved?
What is the meaning of the cross?
Is hell for real?
Let's Be Prepared
“How do we know when there is a possible gospel conversation coming?”
We need to learn to follow Jesus’ example of “seeing people and their needs with the intent to take them into gospel conversations.” This is so true. We want to be good at building relational bridges and we need to learn how to listen for verbal cues and make connections in order to lead and direct conversations the way we want and need them to go.
John 14:1-7
Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.
If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.
You know the way to where I am going.
“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way.”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Be Prepared to Share the "Good News" About Jesus
Be as comprehensive as you can. Remember how the gospel story began with these men and the ministry of John the Baptist:
John 1:35-39
“the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and noticed them following him, he asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and you’ll see,” he replied. So they went . . . “
Jesus is at the center of the gospel story, so much so, that a recent theologian suggested that we see Jesus as the hub of a wheel and draw spokes, as many spokes as we can, from “the hub to the whole” to recapture all the “good news” that is linked with Jesus.
It’s so easy to get caught up in life situations that we don’t understand. That’s the exact situation that the disciples of Jesus found themselves in. Jesus is leaving them, and for now, they can’t follow, John 13:31-33, but Jesus never stopped loving them. As Jesus was preparing himself for the cross, John 13:1 says that Jesus loved them to the end, the very end of his physical life. This separation was all part of God’s plan and purpose for how Jesus was going to save us.
John 14:1
Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me
The gospel is all about how much God and Jesus love you. Trust Them.
Be Prepared to Share the "Good News" about Heaven
Be confident in what Jesus promises and the work that he has accomplished.
In verses 2 and 3 Jesus is telling his disciples where he is going and why. He also promises to come back for them and tells them why. The promise here is clearly focused on the sufferings of Jesus as he faces the cross and his exaltation as he rises from the dead.
Some theologians see in this language about having a place “in my Father’s house” and Jesus “coming again” to take us to himself strong imagery of Jewish wedding celebrations, the commitment of the groom in fulfilling promises and the confidence of the bride in keeping pure and expectant.
The imagery might be too much but the message can’t be any clearer and must be passed on. One of the reasons that we are not sharing the gospel might be because we haven’t taken the time to prepare “the content” of what needs to be shared in the moment.
Be Prepared the Share the Good News about Eternal Life
John 14:6 is at the center of most presentations and conversations when sharing the Gospel. This verse is a declarative statement that emerges out of 2 facts:
- Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came to earth to be our Savior and Lord.
- His death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice that God the Father required, for us to be forgiven of our sins and brought into a right relationship with Him.
Just as Thomas didn’t understand what Jesus was saying and asked Jesus for clarification in 14:5, anyone who questions, qualifies or denies Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and the reason for his death on the cross will have to respond “yes” or “no” to the exclusive claims of Jesus in 14:6. For this reason John 14:6 is the turning point, the time of decision to either believe in Jesus or remain in unbelief.
We know that we are not responsible for a person’s decision when presenting the gospel. Our responsibility is to present the gospel in such a way that that people have the best opportunity to respond in faith. I have discovered the best way to present the gospel is by sharing specific scriptures that outline our need for a savior, that point to Jesus as our Savior and that highlight the power of God in salvation for a totally transformed life in Jesus.
