I Am the Way

Our Father in Heaven, Almighty God, thank you so very much for this Sabbath day that you've given to us. We're grateful for the wisdom that you've had that we can take one day out of seven and rest according to your command and to be instructed to come together as a holy convocation to hear your words expounded. And so, God, we thank you for this opportunity that you've given and we asked for your blessing on the study.

And you've told us through Scripture that unless you're involved, we're doing all of this for nothing. The weary builders are toiling in vain. So we ask God for your presence here with us in everything that takes place that you may be honored and glorified. And we pray this now in the name of Jesus Christ, our older brother. Amen. Okay, well I've got something planned. It's kind of an extension a little bit from the sermon. Some of the information that I shared with you, I'd like to take it a little bit further.

And you know, in a way, in doing the message on salvation, it was a little bit frustrating because there were so many Scriptures, both in both the Old and New Testament. If you were to do a search on saved or saved or salvation and that type of thing, it's unbelievable how much God talks about it. So it's an important part of this plan. It's something he's thought about for a long time since the foundation of the world. It's all been thought of before even he created our first human parents. And so let's turn to John chapter 14 and verse 2. I guess the title of the Bible study is, I Am the Way. For those of you that like titles, that's the title for this particular study.

And we actually covered this Scripture in the sermon. And we're going to cover it a little bit here again, and then we're going to go into some of the nuances a little bit deeper. But let's start off with John chapter 14 and verse 2. We see here that Christ is speaking about in his father's house or many mansions. And if it were not so, I would have told you, and I go to prepare a place for you. And so if I go and prepare a place for you, then I'm going to come again. So Jesus Christ is going to return after he's made this these places prepared for you and for me.

And he'll receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also. And so, and where I go you know and the way you know. And I'm kind of glad that Thomas asked the question, because Jesus Christ may not have gone in this direction, but Thomas said, well Lord, we don't know where you're going, and how can we know the way? And then we talked about the fact that Jesus Christ said, I am the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.

And you know this is pretty, I don't know, pretty bold, you know, in a sense from our perspective maybe, that he would say, I mean, can you imagine somebody, I'm your Savior, you know, here I am, I'm here for you, and I'm your Savior, and by the way there's no other way but my way, or it's the highway, you know, it's that type of thing. We don't react to that. We're in a very tolerant society right now that says, well wait a minute, who do you think you are?

And so, but Christ is basically speaking the truth. He's factual. He's basically saying, you know, this is the plan that we have, and this is the way that it was designed. This is the way that God the Father has designed it. He says, I'm the way, and it seems like a bold statement. It seems rash. It seems like something that's audacious.

How dare he think that, you know, in the face of a tolerant society, there are a lot of people that resist this. They really do. And there's getting to be more of them all the time. Well, we're gonna see that John the Baptist, who testified about Jesus Christ, also believed that Jesus Christ was the way and the truth. Let's take a look at that in John chapter 3 and verse number 26.

So go back here. John chapter 3 and verse 26. And this is John the Baptist speaking here. It's not Christ speaking. Jesus had said in other places, if I testify about myself, you know, you can't necessarily count on that. And that's what part of the law of God is that you have to have two people that are testifying in order to establish the truth. You have to have witnesses. So Jesus couldn't just say this. There had to be others that would testify, yes, I also testify that this is true. And John the Baptist does that here.

Let's pick it up here in verse 26 of John chapter 3. It says, and then they came to John, referring to John the Baptist and said to him, a rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified. So we see that again he's testifying about the fact that Jesus Christ is who he is, who he's claiming to be. Behold, he is baptizing and all are coming to him. So John's disciples began to see that Jesus Christ was getting a crowd. And in verse 28, John says, will you yourselves bear me witness that I said that I'm not the Christ?

I'm not the Messiah. I'm not the Savior, in other words. But I have been sent before him. And so we don't know exactly for sure how that was communicated to John the Baptist, but we know whether it was an angel, whether it was some other way that God communicated to John the Baptist, that he was told that he was going to be sent before Jesus Christ.

And he was also told beforehand that there was going to be, you know, the bird that came down, the dove that came down upon his head, that whoever that you see that happened, that is the one that's been sent, referring to the coming Messiah. But that's another place. Let's pick it up here in verse number 30. He's still talking to his disciples, and he says, he must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, and he who is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth. But he who comes from heaven is above all. So John is testifying that this person, referring to Jesus Christ, didn't come, he's not earthly, he came from, he came from that, from the heavens.

And notice verse 32, and what he has seen and heard, that he testifies. John the Baptist is saying, Jesus Christ, who came from the heavens, is telling you and me what he has seen, and what he has heard. He's testifying of what, you know, and that's what a witness does.

They testify of what they've seen, they testify of what they've heard, and so Jesus Christ was doing the same thing, and John the Baptist was doing the same thing. He was testifying about Christ, and Christ in verse 32 is testifying what he's seen. But notice the latter part of verse 32, but no one receives his testimony, referring to Christ's testimony, or at least there weren't very many that were listening, and yet Jesus Christ was telling the truth. Verse 33, he who has received his testimony, so there must have been a few, has certified that God is true, referring to the Father.

Verse 34, for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. Now we talked about that in the past, that one of the things that Jesus Christ was among many things, King of kings, Lord of lords, high priest, he was also a prophet, and a prophet doesn't speak his own words. A prophet speaks the words of the one who sends him, and he speaks what he has commanded to speak, and that's what Jesus Christ did. So verse 34, for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. He's not speaking his own words. Christ didn't speak his own words.

For God does not give him the Spirit by measure. So the Father loves the Son, and this is John the Baptist speaking. And has given all things into his hand. And he who believes in the Son has everlasting life. And he who does not believe the Son shall not see life. Well, that's a pretty bold statement, too, isn't it?

And it's pretty all, I mean, it's all or nothing. John the Baptist says that this one, if you believe in this one, the Son, then you have everlasting life. So again, it's not through anyone else, which we talked about in the sermon.

It's only through the One, Jesus Christ. And notice, in he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the anger or the wrath of God abides on him. And so the only way we can escape the wrath of God is through Jesus Christ. Basically, he's incurred the wrath that we should have had if we accept him as our Savior and follow him in the way that he lives.

So the disciples, besides John the Baptist, the disciples also testified about Jesus' seemingly bold statements. And we covered that in Acts chapter 4. Let's go back there. Acts chapter 4. We'll read a little bit more of that here. I'm not sure if we covered all that. Yeah, I think we did. So I won't spend too much time with that, but you might write down on your notes Acts chapter 4 verses 8 through 13. That's where Peter healed the lame person from birth. And then he used that as an opportunity to say, you know, the one that healed the lame man from birth. He's also the one that is our Savior.

And that, well, if we pick it up here in verse number 11, it says, this is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Well, who is he talking about? Verse 10 tells us, Let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God, in other words, the Father, raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you whole. And this is the stone. And then he talks more about the stone of Jesus Christ in verse number 12, nor is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. So here's John the Baptist testifying. Here's Peter testifying. And we know that there are the other disciples in other places testified that what Jesus Christ said is true. He's the way. He's the life and he's the truth.

And he's our Savior. What I'd like to do in the rest of the time that we've got here is to review this statement, I am the way, the life and the truth in the context, or looking through the perspective in a sense of the eyes of the people who heard it on the ground. And maybe taking it and also taking a look at it through the perspective of Jesus Christ's eyes and also through the perspective of God the Father's eyes. When we take a look at this statement, I am the way and the truth and the life. When Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life, it's troublesome for a lot of people. It's troublesome. It seems too simplistic. It seems too final. And even in Jesus's day, it did not sit very well with the people that were there on the ground. Let's look at a few encounters of some of the things that Jesus had with the people of his day. Let's go over to John chapter 10 and verse number 19. And we'll try to look at it through their eyes here for a new vial.

The Israelites were God's chosen people and they were currently under Roman occupation. They were looking for a Messiah. You know, they remember some of the signs that happened, you know, when Jesus was born and the angels told their story and, you know, that there's been born Christ's Savior. And they remember some of those stories and they were actually looking for a Messiah at that time. They were looking for the ordained one, the anointed one. But in their eyes, the Messiah was going to be someone that was going to free them from Roman occupation rather than someone that was going to free them from the slavery of sin. And so they had a little bit different perspective. I mean, and that kind of kind of quotes the way they looked at Jesus Christ and how they were understanding things. You know, they also believed in only one God being. And that was something in their eyes. There couldn't be two God beings. There was only one God. That's how they understood it. You know, the Lord God is one. And that's how they understood it from the Scripture.

That there couldn't be two God beings. And in their minds, that would be blasphemy. And their understanding that they had, that would be blasphemy. They didn't come to the understanding that, you know, husband and wife can be one. You know, two shall become one. And Jesus said, I and the Father are one. They didn't understand that concept of oneness. They thought of God as one being, that there couldn't be more than one. So let's pick it up here in John chapter 10, verse number 19. It says, therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, he's got a demon and he's mad. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? Others were saying, you know, there were others that say, well, wait a minute, you know, these are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

So there was a division among the people. There was confusion here about just who Christ was.

Now, it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem. I believe that happens here in the late winter here. And it was, yeah, it says, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch, and the Druze surrounded him. And they said to him, how long do you keep us in doubt?

You know, let's get to the crux of the matter. How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, if you're the Messiah, if you're the Savior, tell us plainly. Jesus said, I told you, and you don't believe. It's his way of saying, I've already told you. I've probably told you more than once. It's his way of saying, I told you, and you don't believe. The words that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

As I said to you, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life. Again, getting back to the message of who is it that gives us this salvation is Christ. I give them eternal life. And they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. And my Father who has given them to me, so the Father's involved, he is greater than all.

And no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. And that's pretty encouraging for us to think about. And then he talks about the oneness. I and my Father are one. So he brings that concept in here in this interchange with them. Verse 31. So the Jews stood up and they took stones against to... took up stones again to stone him. And Jesus answered them, Many good things I've shown you from my Father, for which of those works do you stone me?

And the Jews answered him and said, Well, for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God. So as we look at through their perspective, you know, this didn't make sense to them. I mean, when Christ said, I and the Father are one, they were understanding what he was saying, that they were on the same level, that they were, you know, apparently at the God level, because as they answered themselves in the latter part of verse 33, because you, being a man, make yourself God. So that's how they understood what he was saying when he said, I and my Father are one. So this was confusing to them. You know, they understood Jesus was claiming divinity. Did you notice that in verse 30? I and my Father are one.

And then he has the audacity in verse number 28 to claim that he has the ability to give eternal life. Okay, so those those were things that they just couldn't wrap their minds around. Let's go to John chapter 6 and verse number 48. Take a look at that. John chapter 6 and verse number 48. Again, kind of under the topic here of trying to look at it through the perspective of the people that were there on the ground at that time. John chapter 6 and verse number 48. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they're dead.

You know, he basically connected with the story about the fact that they survived in the wilderness for 40 years miraculously by eating manna. But he says, your fathers who ate that manna in the wilderness, they're not here anymore. They're gone. They're dead. And then he introduces quite a concept here in verse number 50. He's referring to himself. This is the bread which comes down from heaven. Then one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven.

If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. Again, not to beat this up too much, and I'll probably stop after this, but he's saying I am the bread. He's the Savior. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. He says the bread that I'm going to give is my flesh. It's not anybody else's, which I give for the life of the world. So the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to him? They didn't understand. Then verse 53, then Jesus said, and most assuredly I say to you is basically saying that this is the truth saying, I, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, who start to get into this oneness, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will live because of me.

This is the bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna and are dead, but he who eats this bread will live forever. And these things he said in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. This is some pretty deep stuff, isn't it? And therefore, in verse 60, many of his disciples, when they heard it, they said, this is hard. This is a hard saying. Who can understand it? And when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained, so even his own close to him just complained about this, he said, does this offend you? Let's jump to verse number 66. And from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked with him no more. And then Jesus said to the 12, they're still close by, he says, do you also want to go away? And of course, they didn't. And Peter says, where else would we go? Well, let's jump over to March. March. Mark chapter 2, verse 3. Mark chapter 2 and verse number 3.

They had a hard time with this. You can understand the people on the ground. Could have an understanding, hard to understand some of what's happening here.

Mark chapter 2 and verse number 3. And then they came to him, bringing a paralytic, who was carried by four men. You may remember this story. And when they couldn't come near him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. And so when they had broken through, they let him down in the bed in which the paralytic was lying. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven you. And some of the scribes were sitting there and they reasoned in their hearts. Why does this man blaspheme like this? He speaks blasphemies like this. Who can forgive sins but God alone? But immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they reasoned this way within themselves. It's amazing. He could understand without them speaking.

He responds and he says, why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say to the paralytic? Your sins are forgiven you or to say, arise, take up your bed and walk.

But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins. Now he's saying this to the paralytic. I say to you, arise and take up your bed and go to your house.

And immediately he rose. He took up his bed and he went out in the presence of them all so that all were amazed and they glorified God. And they said, we've never seen anything like this.

You know, brethren, I think we could understand why they were confused by this Jesus from their perspective. There's only one God and here, you know, only God can forgive sins. And as they said in verse seven, who can forgive sins but God alone? In verse seven, and they asked, and why does this man speak blasphemies like this? And they couldn't wrap their minds around his statement when he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. And many people today feel that it's the same way.

So we see the perspective of some people that were there on the ground. Let's take a look at the perspective of God the Father when he said that his son Jesus Christ was going to be the way and the truth and the life. Let's take a look at it through God the Father.

Now, there's an important point that hasn't always been understood.

That it was God the Father that decided that he was going to engage his son Jesus Christ to reveal his way to humanity. God the Father was going to engage his son to be able to do many things, not only to speak God the Father's words, but to pay the penalty for us and to show the way back to the Father. He was going to be like an elder brother, often is in a family, that they set a right example for the rest of us so that we can say, that's how I should live. That's the way I should walk. You know, we talk about the way to the eternal life is narrow. And sometimes it's only one person wide, Jesus Christ, and that we have to really be careful and we have to follow the example of him.

It was the Father who decided for purposes, maybe of his own, that we may not understand some, we may not understand all of them, that he was going to reveal his way and truth and the ultimate destiny of mankind, which is eternal life, through his son, through his son Jesus Christ.

He chose to deal with man through Jesus Christ. Let's take a look at 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse 6. The Father created all things, including man through Jesus Christ. Let's notice that in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse number 6.

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

You know, God was the designer. We've talked about this in the past, the architect. He's the one that thought this plan up. He's the one that thought about having a family. And then he wanted to engage the Word, Jesus Christ, to build it, to be the carpenter, to create all things.

John chapter 1 and verse 1. You know, we think about, well, we've often thought, well, Christ is the creator. Yes, he did the work of creation, but you know, the architect has a little bit involved as well. That's the Father. He's the one that thought of it. And they don't start building, usually, to the blueprints or there. It's a very important part of creation or building.

So we see they were both involved. Of the Father it says, of whom are all things, and Christ through whom are all things. It's pretty awesome that God the Father would engage the Word so much and how He did it. John chapter 1 and verse number 1, pretty familiar Scripture here, talks about in the beginning. It goes back before Genesis here. It goes back before the creation of the heavens and the earth. It says, in the beginning was the Word. So we know that the Word goes back to be with the Father. And the Word was with God. So there are both eternal beings.

And the Word was God. So the Word was also a God being. He wasn't a human being. He wasn't an angelic being. He was a God being. And he, referring to the Word in verse 2, was in the beginning with God, referring to the Father. Verse number 3, all things were made through Him. All things, the heavens, the earth, mankind, you know, even the angels were created. So it implies that even the angelic realm were created through Jesus Christ, the Word. And without Him, nothing was made that was made. So God the Father taught the children of Israel even through Jesus Christ.

Now, He's been working through Jesus Christ the whole time, whether it be Old Testament, New Testament, and that's not well understood in the Christian realm. Let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse number 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse number 1.

That's a scripture here that Paul is writing to the brothers and sisters and Corinth talking about the fact that a lot of things that happened to the children of Israel were examples for us. Help us to understand things. We can learn from them. It says, Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all of our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and they all ate the same spiritual food and all drank of that same spiritual drink and they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them or was with them as it can also be translated and that rock was Christ. That's the rock that was with them.

It was Jesus Christ. And we're very privileged to have that understanding because most Christians do not have that understanding that the God that being that worked with the children of Israel was the Word. It was the Word. And this ties into the scripture, I think, that John that you utilize in the sermonette about rock here is Petra. Petra that was with them, that massive rock, it was Christ that was there. Let's go back to John chapter 8.

John chapter 8. And Jesus Christ mentions also his pre-existence and that he talked with Abraham.

John chapter 8. And we'll pick it up in verse 53. That's where I think we'll start.

Are you greater than our father Abraham who is dead and the prophets are dead? Who do you make yourself out to be? So he's having another interchange, verbal interchange here. And Jesus answered, well, if I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my father who honors me, of whom you say that he is your God. Of course, God honored him by, you know, all the miracles that were performed. God honored him in that way and bore witness that Jesus Christ was his son because of the miracles. Verse 54. Jesus answered, if I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my father who honors me of whom you say that he is your God. And yet you haven't known him, but I know him. And if I say I do not know him, then I would be a liar like you.

But I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. The Jews understood what he was talking about. Verse 57. Then the Jews said to him, you're not yet 50 years old. How have you seen Abraham? Then Jesus said to them, I'm telling you the truth. Before Abraham was, I am. And then they took up stones to throw it in, but Jesus hid himself and he went out of the temple and he went through the midst of them and passed by. So the father is the one that decided that Jesus Christ was going to be the one. He was going to be dealing with those and with Abraham. He dealt with Moses. He dealt with the children of Israel. And of course, he deals with us today.

God the Father decided Jesus was going to be a spokesman. Let's go over to John chapter 12. We're in John. Let's go over to pages to John chapter 12.

That Jesus would communicate the Father's ways to man. John chapter 12 and verse 49. We'll pick it up here in verse 44. Jesus cried out and said, He who believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me. And he who sees me, sees him who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I don't judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him. The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Then Jesus says in verse 49, he's not speaking on his own authority. But the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his command is everlasting life. Well, if you want to know what God's will is, if you want to know what his command is for all of creation of all human beings, he's hoping. He has a desire. His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told me, so I speak.

You've probably heard Christians say, you know, that God of the Old Testament was harsh, was difficult to deal with, and we're sure glad Christ came on the scene.

And yet, all along the way, these things that Jesus Christ spoke here in the New Testament aren't his own words. They're the Father's. This is the Father's heart and attitude.

So God the Father is not the harsh God that some people have portrayed him to be, and that Christ is this new being that's bringing a special new way of understanding, you know, mercy and kindness and that type of thing. No, no. If anything, Christ was learning through the Old Testament to be more merciful. So when he came as a human being, he was quite merciful, because when he came in the flesh, I think he realized how difficult that it is, how challenging that it is. I think that changed his perspective. I think, doesn't Hebrew say that he learned from the things that he suffered? He learned. Hard to imagine that God has to learn anything, but the word learned some things when he was here. Let's go back to John chapter 8 verse 25, looking at the Father's perspective, that he's told the Son what to speak, and he wants him to speak. That's what a prophet does. And so God the Father sent Jesus Christ as a prophet. John chapter 8 verse 25. Then they said to him, who are you? You know, all the times, you know, tell us plainly, you know, who are you? They said it over and over again, and Jesus said just what I've been saying to you from the beginning. You know, I'm not holding anything back here. I'm slowly but surely letting you know who I am. And then he says in verse 26, I've got many things to say and to judge concerning you. But he who sent me is true.

And I speak to the world those things which I have heard from him. So he was on a mission. His first time was to speak the Father's words. And they did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. Verse 28, then Jesus said to them, when you lift up the Son of man, then you will know that I am that he's been added. So he's again referring to the fact he's the I am that talked with Abraham and Moses and that I do nothing of myself. You know, I'm only doing what my father has asked me to do. He's asked me to be the way. He's asked me to be the life. He's asked me to be the one that is going to resurrect people, my fellow brothers and sisters. God has given this to me. It's not my plan. It's not my idea. It's not my thought. It's his thought. I do nothing of myself. But as my father taught me, I speak these things. It's the lowest John chapter 5 verse 19.

John chapter 5 and verse 19. Then Jesus answered, and he said to the most assuredly, I say to you, the son of man can do nothing of himself. But what he sees the father do, for whatever he does, the son also does in like manner. He really does defer to his father, doesn't he? Verse 20, for the father loves the son and he shows him all things that he himself does. The father has shown him all these things.

Then he engages the son and says, you help me with this project. For the father loves the son and shows him all things that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the son gives life to whom he will. So now we begin to see that Jesus Christ is going to have the power to raise people from the dead. And we saw a foretaste of that with Lazarus.

But that was just a foretaste of what was going to come later in the spiritual reality.

Verse 22, for the father judges no one, but he has committed all judgment to the son.

And so if you've ever had the question of who's going to be our judge, it's going to be Jesus Christ. It's not going to be the father. And that's not always understood either. The father judges no one, verse 22, but he's committed all judgment to the son that all should honor the son, just as they honor the father. That's why God the father wants us to honor Jesus Christ. He sent Jesus Christ to preach his own words, the father's words. Verse number 24, most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the father has life in himself, so has he granted the son to have life in himself, and he's given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man. He knows what it's like to be a human being as well as the word, and that's why he's the perfect judge. Then he says in verse 28, I don't want you to marvel about what I'm going to tell you, but the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice, and they're going to come forth. Those who've done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation or judgment, as it could also be rendered. I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I don't seek my own will, but I'm seeking the will of the Father who sent me.

Wow! Lot there isn't there when we look at some of these things. But the Father's perspective was this. I'm sending a prophet, and I want you to hear his voice. He's not speaking his own words, he's speaking mine. And this is the way that God has worked throughout the generations of sending prophets. And of course, one of the signs of a true prophet is someone that doesn't speak his own words, but he speaks the words of God who sent him. Well, let's take a look at Jesus Christ's perspective here a little bit. What's Jesus Christ's perspective of his responsibilities?

You see that Father's perspective is, look, I'm sending my son. I want you to hear him.

Let's go to John chapter 6. Let's go to verse number 37. Now, kind of talking about it from Christ's perspective. We've already seen the Father's perspective. He decided Jesus Christ would be the way in which the Father would bring mankind back to him and to the Father's way.

Let's take a look here. It says in verse 37 in John chapter 6, all that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven. You know, he knew he'd been up there. He's testifying of what he's seen, what he's experienced. And I've come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. I'm just doing what God has asked me to do.

He's asked me to do all these things. Verse 39, this is the will of the Father who sent me.

That all that he's given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

So the Father's will through Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ has been instructed by God not to lose any of us. Not a single lamb, not a single sheep. That's the will of him who sent me. Verse 40, and this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Jesus Christ said, this is the responsibility I've been given, and it's not my will. This is what I've been instructed to do. Let's jump to John chapter 10, verse 17. John chapter 10 and verse number 17.

Therefore my Father loves me. Why? Because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. So Jesus Christ had a part to play here, too. You know, the Father came up with this plan, but Christ had to be willing to say, okay, I'm willing to do what you're asking me to do. He says, no one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, because I'd received this commandment from my Father. So Jesus was bold, in a sense, but he was in a sense just stating the facts, the truth. He knew what his responsibilities were. He knew who he was. He knew where he came from. He knew what the stakes were. He knew the plan of redemption and salvation. He knew he had the responsibility to lead mankind like a shepherd, back to God, and back to God's ways, and he spoke about it with power and with authority and with confidence. That's what he was expected to do.

Matthew 7, verse 13. Matthew 7, verse 13.

There's something we must do. Jesus says to you and me to enter by a narrow gate, by the narrow gate, because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to death. And there are many who go that way. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, there are few that find it. So beware of false prophets. Jesus was a true prophet. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they're ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes? No, they don't. Do they gather figs from thistles? No, they don't. Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree can't bear bad fruit. That's just kind of a law. Nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. You may be able to fool people for a while, but eventually the fruit's not going to be good. Verse 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. Now, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, is going to enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say, in that day, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name? Haven't we cast out demons in your name? Haven't we done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, I didn't know you. I didn't know you. Depart from me you who practice lawlessness.

I think that's interesting the way Christ puts that there, that we're practicing lawlessness.

Also, many people think that Christ came to do away with the law.

Verse 24. Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, so we have to act, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house and it didn't fall because it was founded on a rock, on the rock. That everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house in the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and it beat on the house and it fell and great was its fall.

And so it was when Jesus had ended these sayings that the people were astonished at the teaching. At his teaching, and he taught them as one having authority. Jesus did speak with authority. He spoke with confidence. He spoke the truth with confidence.

John chapter 10 and verse 1. Let's go over there for a moment. John chapter 10 and verse 1.

Christ says, basically, I want you to follow me.

Follow me. It's a narrow road that leads to everlasting life.

Okay. John chapter 10.

Pick it up in verse number 1.

Marily I say unto you, he that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way. The same is a thief and a robber. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the quarter opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and notice and he leads them out. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they won't follow, but they'll flee from a stranger, for they don't know the voice of strangers. And this parable spoke Jesus to them, but they didn't understand the things that he was speaking to them. Then Jesus said to them again, I barely, barely I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man enters in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. Brethren, Jesus is the narrow gate.

He's the door. He's the way. Verse 10, the thief comes but doesn't only to steal and to kill and to destroy. We could have some references to our enemy there. But I've come that they might have life and they may have it more abundantly. Talking about salvation in the kingdom as a spirit being.

Verse 11, I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

But he that is a hireling and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, they see the wolf coming, they leave the sheep, they flee, and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters the sheep.

The hireling flees because he's a hireling and he doesn't care for the sheep. But I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and I am known by my sheep. As the father knows me, even so I know the father and I lay down my life with the sheep. Then notice verse 16. Another sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice and there shall be, eventually at one time, there's going to be one fold and one shepherd. Therefore, does my father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again.

No man takes it from me. I lay it down of myself. So we've covered that.

Let's turn over to Galatians chapter 4 verse 3. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 3.

Looking at from Christ's perspective, that God said, His father said, I want them to come to me through you.

It's the way I designed it. It's the way we're going to set this plan up.

They come to me through you. Galatians chapter 4 verse 3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father. We're talking about a family relationship, very simple thing, but very profound. And then verse 7. Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but you are a son. And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

So, brethren, all this happens through Jesus Christ. There's so many times if you were to look up the phrase through Christ, it's over and over and over again. And it's the way it was designed by God the Father and Jesus Christ. So I hope that gives a little perspective, a little bit of what may seem like a real in-your-face statement, you know, that really all Jesus Christ was doing is what God's will was, what the Father asked Him to do. And He had His responsibilities seriously. And from the Father's perspective, it was, this is the way we design it. I want to engage my son. I want him to be a part of this whole plan. And from human's perspective, God makes it pretty clear that this is the only way, through Jesus Christ, to inherit eternal life, to be part of the family of God. Any questions? Any thoughts? Any comments? Yes. You know, when people, the Catholic people, they brag. I mean, humans are prideful, so we tend to brag, or over emphasized it. So we do it so much, so they were probably very inclined to think that bragging is a very, he was bragging. But yet if you met somebody who really doesn't know something, and you know it, and they say, well, this is the way it should be fixed, or whatever, you really trust it, right? You go to the person you say, what's wrong with this? And they really know their their feelings, right? And they say, well, can you do this? And then you just trust it, and you go with it. And so if you look at the time period there, they just don't know that he is the answer. So at all, they have to work through all that human thinking. And yet Christ didn't say it and end with any arrogance, really. It's just the way it is, just like the guy fixes these things. Just doesn't. Right. So it is interesting how, because of our humanness, it made it harder for them to actually see truths and recognize those truths. It was perceived by them as arrogance when he said some of these things. And it was so simple, and it was so complicated to them. Something so simple, so simple that they wouldn't see it that way. They made it complicated. Yeah. And I think when God finally does open their eyes to who this person was, the very Messiah they've been hoping for, they're gonna be cut to the heart, you know? Most of them, I think, will be cut to the heart.

Yeah, they were fired by their own ears.

Yeah, maybe put yourself in that position.

Oh, yeah. I can understand that. Because it's good, because they had, in life, experienced so many times where it was arrogance or wasn't right, you know, it couldn't be backed up or whatever.

So then they come to the one thing. And we would have all done the thing.

We wouldn't have been any better at it. You don't have it revealed to you, it's not there.

But you had to come to be able to proclaim this, to record it, because this needed to be told for the centuries yet to come, which, like we're in India and Sri Lanka, and we have no clue who Jesus Christ is. So these words are just as valuable for these people, and for us too. But for the first time, some people are reading the scriptures, and they're trying to get us. Because they, we've known one guy who was in his late 20s before he ever heard the name of Jesus Christ. Right. From a Hindu background, they'd never even heard the name of Christ, or that they've been engrossed and enmeshed in Hinduism.

It's quite a story. I mean, there's a lot that's going on. And it talks about, you know, in the Old Testament, that when God's people began to, oh, I guess, rebel against him, you know, for lack of a better word. And he said, you know what? You know, I'm a jealous God, and I want you to obey me, I want you to honor me. It's one of the commands. But I'm going to provoke you to jealousy, and I'm going to open up the truth to the Gentiles, and I'm going to hide, I'm going to darken your eyes for a while. And I'm going to provoke you to jealousy. Yeah, bud. You know, Jesus Christ came walking in, Sierra Rapids, Iowa, tomorrow, had a bunch of people with him proclaiming the same exact message here.

And this was the other scribes in the Pharisees, and all of them walking much religious-wise that was giving him all the problems. Yeah, the same problems in Sierra Rapids today. And the people would stand up behind the guys that they'd been following and paying their money to and everything all their lives. We think it's, you know, the people that understand it. Some people are just like these people.

Here they are. Yeah, there's a veil over people's eyes, and God will work that out in the end. But I wonder if that won't happen with the two witnesses, you know. They're going to be wondering if people are going to say, who do these guys think they are?

In our church.

And he was trying to present a whole truth. So, you know, I am in him, and he is in me. And, you know, those phrases are cumbersome because he's dealing with physical and spiritual, and now, and later. And so they have so much meaning when you find these dude grasps, the concept. But just hearing that, it just rolls around your head a little bit, and it's hard to grasp. Which is the amazing thing with God, isn't it? That he designs it that way, so it has a lot more meaning when you finally do understand it. It just is complete. Yeah. It's like not giving them too much too soon, because they won't appreciate really the value of what I'm trying to teach them. He gives you the whole gift that takes you so long to unwrap that whole gift.

Yeah. It's just amazing sometimes you just think, wow, that would, it's like you just walk in and start saying that, and you think, oh wait, but wait, try that little first-place verse.

Well, that's what I was talking about that Oprah Winfrey show. I wish you could have seen it.

So, do you have a few words? I hope Oprah Winfrey.

I'd like to do a Google search. I don't think it's, I tried to find it on Google too, and it was on or it was on YouTube for a while. On YouTube. But it was taken off, and it has a little bit, if you go to the YouTube site where it used to be, it's got just a little statement that pretty much like I said, when she had brought in all these new age religious people, and then somebody got up and said, what about Christ? And the sparks really started to fly.

But they had, they said they took it off for copyright reasons. But I think I did assert something like Jesus is the way or Jesus is the way to God, and Oprah Winfrey show or something like that. I don't know if it's on anywhere, anywhere, anymore. But it said it was taken off for copyright reasons. And I don't, I don't remember where I saw it. I think it was on television. They were just showing a few clips. I don't know if it was on a religious station or just what. But boy, there was some ladies that really stood up to Opal. You know, Opal can be, you know, she can be pretty strong in her beliefs. And some of these, there was a couple ladies in particular that came right back at her. Basically said, I mean, in a kind way, we think you're wrong.

We think you're wrong, Opal.

I just assumed you were going to be there. I just assumed you were going to be there. February 11th. That's when I had to pay. 52, if I can tell you. I think they'll be right back. They will be right back. And we'll move on to the next one. And Brian, are there any thanks?

You still want to meet? We should try to get a better topic. I don't care. Everybody. I didn't know that.

Opal was here. Opal was here. The panel has been discussing the spirituality and the forces of God. But I also believe that there are two forces that are here with us. That we do have our bonds that we can depend on. But there is also a power of darkness that we really see there. And if you're going to tell us anything that you can choose between one or the other.

Well, it was absolutely just a question. Yes. There might be a couple of questions. We love that we're always walking in the direction of one or the other. That all of your actions in life, either you're moving towards the darkness or you're moving towards the light. She holds a mirror and loves. There's a sparkle book called Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, which talks that was... Anyway, it's a gorilla talking. But anyway, it talks about one of the points that brings out is one of the mistakes that you have to be in faith, believing that there is only one way to live.

And that we don't accept that there are diverse ways of being in the world. That there are millions of ways of being in the world. And many ways of being had to what you call God. That it might be something else. And when you get there, you might call it something. See where this is going. And her loving and her kindness and her generosity brings her to the same point that it brings you.

It doesn't matter whether she called it God along the way or not. I guess the danger that the internet... I mean, it sounds great on the onset, but you can really look at both sides. It could possibly be just one way. What about you? Oh, no, no, no, no, Jesus! You say there isn't only one way. There is one way and only one way. I just believe that's what's happening. You say there isn't.

There are things that are so impossible. You say you intellectualize an insane area. If you all believe that, you're all biased with the line. This thing's pretty strong, doesn't it? You want to do that? You want to do that? You're a wrong planet and you never hear the name of Jesus. You never hear the name of Jesus, but never... That's the answer to the other one. You don't have answers.

Jesus would have had you to live, you said, with the same purpose that Jesus came to the planet, to teach us all. But you are in suffering. Most part of the earth is that you've never heard the name of Jesus. You cannot get to heaven, you think? Who gives you a God-care-body? You call this God Jesus? Well, you don't over-up God Jesus. Can I go back until that gospel is preached at the four corners of this earth? No! You don't figure it out! Okay, I can't get into religious argument with Jesus.

How is God? He's not religious, I'm reading it. Yeah, I think he gets it all. She wasn't waiting. Yeah, that was what I was referring to. Wow. February 2011, you know.

It was like the 1980s. But I love that the lady just went and goes right... And I think Christ is the soon... He just goes right to the statement. The statement is going to come to Christ. It's a simple statement. But the other people go, no, one has to do what they think. All of this... Because really, if you were isolated on the island, it would never hurt Christ. Christ didn't come right to you. So, it wouldn't be like that person's law. But they make their argument based on the assumption that you don't have to go to heaven or hell.

That's true. And you only have one side to the right. Which was the same thing with the problem in the first century. The Jewish religious authority, their premise was only one God being mean. You know, it can't speak blasphemy. Only God can forgive sins. They had premises that Jesus Christ had not been done. They had restrictions that they let down. There's only one day of salvation. There is, too, mean that there's only one shape.

Right now, for everybody. That's where we have it at home. And we are so blessed to understand there is another day of salvation. She's like going to understand that she's saying that she's going to all these areas, and those people don't have anything. She thinks that if they don't have a different way of coming, they're not going to get there. That's what I'm saying, there is another. So, you're not going to say God.

That God doesn't have to slow down. They're worried about not getting there, not even going that way. That's right. Right. Interesting. Oh, I was supposed to make it enough. This is not a big thing. But we have a couple of pumpkins that we brought. We were going by real close to that we have some neighbors that have put a pumpkin patch. So, we got a few pumpkins. If you would like to take a pumpkin, we have only two of them. You can use them for decoration, you can make pumpkin pie, you can make whatever you'd like with a pumpkin.

But we would rather not take one. So, please help yourself if you would like to pump. Did you get the pumpkin? Yeah, I got it. Good job! Hey, lean. Good job. Good job. Right now. You want to... Well, thank you. Are you ready for that first round? Yeah, it's a good one.