The Way, Truth, and Life (Part 1)

So I want to begin a series of sermons as we're walking towards the Passover, and I want to focus on Jesus Christ's role as the sacrifice, because it's the role that the Father placed him into.

It's the role that they had planned from the foundation of the world, as the Bible tells us.

And understanding these principles of Jesus Christ, the nature of who he was and what he came to do, and literally the life that was laid down in sacrifice, understanding these things are important for us as we come up to this Passover. It helps us to appreciate the sacrifice that was made on our behalf, and indeed what our response to it ought to be. And so there's an anchor point for the next three sermons that I plan to give, and it's John chapter 14, a specific verse.

But let's begin in verse 1 today of John chapter 14.

John chapter 14 verse 1, the red letter words of Jesus Christ.

And he says to his disciples here, John 14 verse 1, Let not your heart be troubled.

Let not your heart be troubled. The context here is the Passover evening. Jesus Christ had just instituted the foot washing, the symbols of the bread and the wine as the new covenant Passover symbols, and he'd walked through that evening with his disciples, and now he says, Let not your heart be troubled. And we might wonder, what would they have to be troubled about? You know, what could possibly be on their mind that was perplexing or confusing or even troubling?

Well, actually, the ministry of Jesus Christ for the previous year to this, leading all the way up to these final hours, had actually presented some things that the disciples could have found troubling. Jesus had said repeatedly, he was going away. You know, this was their master, their teacher, their rabbi, the one they'd followed for three and a half years. They'd seen the miracles. They'd heard the words. They had come to understand more fully the teachings of God that he brought. They walked with him in the way. They slept by the road with him at night as they traveled. This was the one who had the words to life. The disciples had said, where else would we go? You have the words to eternal life. And this one said, I'll be going away. And no doubt in their mind that was concerning. You know, what's going to happen after he departs? When will that be? Indeed, what will be the result of that? That could, as you would imagine, be somewhat troubling. Maybe something that kept them awake at night over those previous months. Jesus also said he would die. You know, death awaited him in Jerusalem. And of course, there were those with him that said, we stand with you. You know, no matter what comes along, we stand with you. But again, the thought that he would die. He said that Satan was at work against them all. In fact, he had told Peter he has asked for you, specifically, that he might sift you like wheat. And I would say for any of us, if Jesus said those words to us with that, maybe not cause the hair to stand up on the back of your head. Just a little bit.

He had said as well to them that one of the twelve was a traitor. And in fact, on that night, it was revealed who it was. Right? Judas. And he had now departed. Jesus had said that Peter would deny him three times. The one that said, no, I'm with you, Lord, right to the end. He said, no, you'll deny me. In fact, all of the disciples he had told them would stumble because of him.

So, it's not surprising that the cumulative weight of all these things distressed them. Again, as they turned them over in their mind. And additionally, on this night, already, Jesus had said, he's going away. So, as we come up to chapter 14, then in verse one, he says, let not your heart be trolled. 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. So, he says, again, I'm going to be leaving. Verse three, 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. So, he's trying to say comforting words. You know, don't worry, I'm going away, but I'll return. And in fact, there will be a place that is prepared for you when I come. This is all going to work out for the good in the end. He's seeking to settle their unquietness and their discomfort. Verse four, he says, and where I go, you know, in the way you know. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. In this verse here, verse six of John chapter 14 is the anchor scripture I want to jump off of for the next three messages. We're going to explore these three concepts. Jesus declares here about himself that he is the way, he is the truth, and he is the life.

And understanding these concepts will help us understand more fully the nature of his sacrifice, as well as the reality that only through him alone can we be reconciled to God the Father and receive eternal life, only through this sacrifice. So the title of today's message is The Way, the Truth, and the Life, part one. And we're going to explore this concept today of Jesus Christ as the way, as the only way. Have you ever been lost, brethren? Have you ever been out driving around and you're heading down a road and you're looking around at the landscape and not even know where you are? And maybe at some point you come to the recognition, this road didn't take me where I thought I was going, and you recognize where I need to be is somewhere back there, but I don't even know how to get there. You know, you've taken a turn and now you're lost. To me, one of the most useful inventions of the modern age is GPS, right? GPS on the phone. I use it constantly, and for me, it's wonderful. Remember the days of the road map? Remember the days of being new in town and maybe you had to... you didn't know where you were going or you were lost and you pulled into the gas station and you had to buy this thing called a road map, right? And you'd have to unfold this this map for the town you're in, and in my case, a lot of times it was that night, right? So you got the flashlight in your mouth, you're holding this map, and you're trying to figure out where we are on the map, and you pinpoint yourself and you figure out, okay, I needed to turn three blocks ago, so now you have to take a long way back around in order to come back around only to whoop that was the turn, right, and miss it again. I love GPS. Turn now, right? This is the way.

There's one occasion when I was in West Africa in Ghana, Henry Aikens and I were on the road and we were heading up to our northernmost congregation of Yeji there in Ghana, and it was our first trip up there, and we had the GPS running, and it took us down this road that was a pretty good road to start with, but then it degraded to where it was holes and potholes, and there was more, you know, dirt than asphalt on the road, and then it turned to dirt completely all together. But we're following the GPS, and it's showing us this winding road, and it's supposed to take us where we're going, so as we go further now, we're climbing up into the hills, and the hills become mountains, and the jungle is dense around just this dirt road in the middle of nowhere, and I'm thinking this would be a terrible place to break down. You start looking around and going, well, there's fruit on these trees because I thought, you know, if I had to disappear in the jungle in West Africa there, there's mangoes, and there's papaya, and there's plantain. There's things you can eat, right, to survive. Just don't let anything bite you along the way. But, you know, these things are going through your mind because where in the world are we? In GPS, what have you done to us, right? But eventually, you know, we kind of crest this peak, and we're winding down, winding down, winding down, eventually show up back out on the highway, and come to find out it was an incredible shortcut. The GPS really did know the way. So for me, that was exciting.

Adventures are adventures in your mind in hindsight, right? It turned out okay. Now it's an adventure, and let's go have another great adventure. But, you know, the point is when you're seeking a destination, there is a way, and there's a route route route you have to take, right? And there's roads, there's bridges, maybe there's tunnels, there's intersections, there's all these things you would travel through and gateways in order to make it to your destination. And what's interesting about John chapter 14 verse 6 is not only does Jesus Christ show us the way, but he states that he is the way.

He is the way. It's kind of like if you had a flashlight, and you're shining that flashlight down the trail, and the light's illuminating the trail, it's one thing to kind of cast the light. It's another thing to be the light. Jesus Christ shows us the way, but also he in his being is the way.

By his own declaration, he is the way, and no one comes to the Father except through him. Very direct statement, and a very important part actually of what we symbolize and focus on as we come up to the Passover. He is the way, and no one comes to the Father except through him. You know that statement was quite radical in his day, and it's even radical among many in the world around us today.

But understand Jesus' day and why this would have been so radical. Understand there was already a system in place whereby people approached God, at least to the best degree that they could. There was a system already in place. It was called the temple.

It was called the priesthood. It was called animal sacrifices. But the limitation with that system was that there was still no direct access or relationship between people and God because sin still remained the stumbling block. There was a veil, you remember, in the temple, veil that separated the holy place from the holy of holies where God's presence was behind that veil. And you didn't just wander up and behind the veil upon penalty of death, right? Only the high priest once a year on the day of atonement and not without blood.

He could then go through that veil, but that veil hung there as a reminder of the separation between a direct relationship between God and man that was caused by sin, that stumbling block. So you had this physical priesthood and you had these sacrifices and you had this temple system, but the sin still remained. The veil still remained. Furthermore, the priesthood had flaws, right? They were imperfect human beings, sinful human beings. The animal sacrifices as well, they had limitations because, as we're later told in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 4 to be precise, it's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

You know, offering those sacrifices, shedding that blood, they were a type that pointed to the fulfillment Jesus Christ. And they may have made the people ceremonially clean in the eyes of God through the shedding of that blood, but they did not truly create the remission of sin. If they did, what would be the need for Jesus Christ? But the Lamb of God, the perfect Lamb of God, through Him is the remission of sins.

So Jesus' statement about being the way was dramatic in His day when you think about it because in practicality, His sacrifice and His resurrection would serve to remove the Old Covenant sacrificial system as the way in which mankind approached God. And it would replace it with Himself. Himself as the way to the Father, Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin, the sinless sacrifice for sin, and Himself as the only high priest capable of opening the way to the Father and reconciling mankind directly to Him.

Jesus Christ is the way. And that point would have been dramatic to those who understood what it was He was saying. Notice Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 19. Let's look at the ultimate fulfillment of what it is that His sacrifice created. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 19. It says, therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. We're not talking about a physical temple here now. We're talking about the true holy of holies, the throne room of God right into the presence of God. Okay, by the blood of Jesus. Verse 20 says, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil that is His flesh.

So it's saying His blood, His flesh has opened the way through the veil now and brought direct access to those who have come under that sacrifice between them and the Father on His throne in heaven.

Recall when Jesus was sacrificed, when He died, that temple veil was torn in two, right, from top to bottom, exposing the holy of holies. Symbolically, it was portraying an end to that Old Covenant temple priesthood system and opening the way through Jesus Christ as the one that make the way through the veil. Again, verse 20, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil that is His flesh and having a high priest over the house of God. Okay, you and I are that temple today. Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.

The new and living way. Again, it refers to the way of access to God through Jesus Christ, through His death, through His resurrection, that it provided now the remission of sins, the removal of that wall of separation between mankind and God, and the new and living way, the means by which you and I can come boldly before the throne of grace, is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. On the final night of His physical life, this was a major part of Jesus' focus, and He wanted to reiterate this to the disciples. Following that time He had spent with them in the upper room, following the washing of their feet and the lessons He had taught them, He's showing them now directly on this night, that from this point forward, I am the way.

But you know, this wasn't a new concept. It was actually something that began before the ministry of Jesus Christ began. This was a concept that was taught and promoted by John the Baptist himself, who came before. Notice John chapter 3 and verse 25.

John chapter 3 and verse 25 He says, Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification.

And they came to John, and they said to him, Rabbi, he who is with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, speaking of Jesus, behold, he is baptizing, and all are coming to him.

And John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. You know, John was out preaching a ministry of repentance in advance of Jesus Christ.

He was the one crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord, and he prepared the hearts and minds of mankind to receive Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that he would make for the reconciliation of mankind to the Father. This was John's ministry, and Jesus would fulfill the purpose of forgiveness of sin, reconciliation, and eternal life through his death. But John's ministry of repentance, again, was essentially to soften up the people's heart, to receive the one that then would come through and be the way to that resolution. Verse 30, he says of Jesus, he must increase, but I must decrease. Or you can flip that around as well, but the point was, John said, it is his time now coming up on the scene, and what I've done is fulfilled, and now I must step down. He is now in the forefront. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what has been said and heard, that he testifies, and no one receives his testimony. Okay, John's pointing to the superiority of now Jesus Christ, his ministry, as the one who would come and fulfill these things. He came from the Father, and it says he testifies of those things he has seen and heard. Jesus spoke of remission of sins. He spoke of a relationship with the Father. He spoke of eternal life, and what that relationship with God would be like. Verse 33 says, he who has received his testimony has certified that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. And he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him. So John's saying, if you believe in this one, you have eternal life, because he is the way. Now it wasn't believing in Jesus only. Jesus, when you looked at him, pointed to the Father, and he spoke about the Father. But the point he was here to remove the stumbling block of separation between mankind and God. And indeed, it was only through that that eternal life could come. John is saying, look, this is the only way.

Not all roads lead to God. And that's kind of a bold statement, whether we realize it or not, in the world today. Because in the world today, it's kind of this concept of all roads lead to God.

You might be a Muslim, you might be a Buddhist, you might be a Christian, but, you know, all these roads, in their various ways, ultimately lead to God. It is not true. It's not the truth of the word of God. It is not the truth that Jesus Christ himself spoke. Jesus Christ alone is the way.

This is also the message that Jesus carried with him, not only in the final night of his physical life, but throughout his ministry. John chapter 10, verse 1.

John chapter 10 in verse 1, the words of Jesus Christ. Most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. Verse 7, And Jesus said to them again, Most assuredly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. And I assume we all know what a door is. Right? A door is the way by which we enter in. It's the way by which we exit. All of us, we have a packed hall today, right? All of us came in here through the way of the door. I didn't see anybody, you know, bust a hole through the drywall and come in, or up through the window, or rappel down through the ceiling. We came through the door.

Okay, that is the way that you would then enter this room. Jesus Christ says that He is the door.

Again, I don't just show you the way, I am the way. It's His message. And He says He is the door.

If any shepherd does not enter by Him, they are not legitimate. That was part of His words, as well. And additionally, He is the way which the sheep pass through unto salvation, and a direct relationship with God. Jesus Christ is that door, that doorway to the Father.

Verse 8 says, All whoever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture, speaking ultimately of salvation. Verse 10, The thief does not come except to steal and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves, and the sheep leaves the sheep, and he flees, and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he's a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, Jesus says, and I know my sheep, and I am known by my own. He's describing a relationship here, and you can look at so many aspects of a relationship between Jesus Christ and his followers. It's the master-disciple relationship. That's clearly outlined in the Bible, and it's the shepherd-to-the-sheep relationship. He says, I know my own, and I am known by my own, and they know my voice. And ultimately, it's a relationship that leads to a direct relationship with the Father, a relationship that Jesus Christ himself had. These know my voice, and I'm known by my own. Verse 15, as the Father knows me, even so, I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. You know, in sacrificial service, ultimately in his own life that would be laid down. Verse 16, another sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. He's referring to the Gentiles as well.

Jesus came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But for those who did receive him, they would be called the children of God. The Gentiles, as this message eventually went out to them, and they responded in belief, were brought in and grafted in as well, as the Scripture tells us. Now, one flock and one shepherd. Verse 17, therefore my Father loves me 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. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father. So understand, everything that Jesus Christ did was at the behest of the Father.

And they were working together in all of this, slain from the foundation of the world. Again, as the Bible tells us, this plan was in place from the beginning, and their work in it together all along had been from the beginning, and even as Jesus Christ walked in the flesh.

All that had transpired with him coming in the flesh, preaching this message of repentance, dying for the sins of the world, living again through resurrection was all the direction in the power of the Father in him to accomplish those things, as well as the willingness of Jesus Christ to be the one to lay his life down, his willing participation. When Jesus walked the earth, he spoke the words his Father gave him to speak. He fulfilled the actions his Father gave him to fulfill, and he always pointed mankind back to God. That was his focus. You look to him, and he pointed you to the Father. So we understand Jesus Christ is not the center of everything, but Jesus Christ is central to God's plan of salvation for all of mankind. He is the way.

You must go to him to then approach directly and personally the Father through his sacrifice.

Again, when he walked the earth, he spoke these words, he fulfilled these actions, and Father, in turn, backed up Jesus Christ by the power of God. He was physical, fully in the flesh. The power to heal, the power to resurrect, the power to do all the things he did, walk on water. It didn't come of himself apart from the Father. This was an intimate relationship between the two of them, and everything from the miracles to his own resurrection from the dead after three days and three nights was dependent completely on the Father to accomplish his will in him.

So what's my point? My point is Jesus Christ is the way by the will of the Father.

It is what God has established him to be. It's what he determined to be so, and he brought it to pass by the power of his hand. Again, Jesus says these aren't my words, these are his.

Verse 19 says, therefore there was a division, again, among the Jews because of these sayings, and many of them said he is a demon and he is mad. Why do you listen to him? Others said these are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter, and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

Then the Jews surrounded him, and they said to him, how long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, saying, I told you, and you do not believe.

The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, but you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. As I said to you, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Okay, again, he is the way, but not only is he the way, he leads the way. By his example, by his words.

By his actions, and he says, my sheep follow me. Verse 28, and I give them eternal life.

I give them eternal life, Jesus says, and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. I've looked at multiple verses that talk about the giving of eternal life, and there's verses that tag that directly to the Father, and there's verses where Jesus says, I give that. And the best I can determine by looking at these is it's of the Father through Jesus Christ. Just like the creation of everything was of God through Jesus Christ.

The giving of the Holy Spirit was of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus says, I'm the resurrection, and I'm the life, but also the Spirit who raised up Jesus from the dead, right, will give life to our mortal bodies. The fact is resurrection and eternal life comes from the Father through Jesus Christ. And this is the way this relationship towards us through Him works.

I give them eternal life. They shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I, my Father, are one. It says, then the Jews took up stones to stone Him.

Jesus answered them, saying, Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of these works do you stone me? The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God. Now, they really didn't like this affirmation that He and the Father were one, or the fact that He even called God His Father.

That was just a relationship that was flew in the face of what the understanding of the Jews would have been at the time. If they'd seen Jesus for who He was, the Messiah, the one that God sent, they would have recognized His words were true. Indeed, though, they stood in opposition to that unity, to that oneness of God. But it was by that that God's purpose was being accomplished in the life of Jesus Christ, thus opening the way for all of mankind. He is the way.

Jumping forward now to the beginning of the New Testament Church, we see these same principles regarding salvation, regarding reconciliation through Jesus Christ preached as the message, as a portion of the gospel message carried out by the Church. Acts chapter 4 verse 5. Acts chapter 4 and verse 5. This is a continuing thread. Okay, in the New Testament, starts with John the Baptist and his preaching carries through the preaching of Jesus Christ on out through the Church to the end. But it actually goes back into what we would call the Old Testament as well, and the prophecies given about him. Acts chapter 4 and verse 5 here, the apostles were called before the Jewish leadership for healing a lame man and preaching in the temple the name of Jesus Christ and saying it's actually by this man's name that this healing has taken place. Now they're called in to give account. Acts chapter 4 and verse 5, it came to pass on the next day that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, set the disciples before them, they asked, by what power or by what name have you done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel, by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone, nor is there salvation in any other, for there's no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

No other name, he says. Salvation in no other. That's quite direct. It's quite precise and correct as well. It's not through Buddha, it's not through Mohammed, it's not through any other false system, it is through the name of Jesus Christ that sins are forgiven. The reconciliation to the Father takes place, and life takes place. The apostles in the early church clearly understood that Jesus Christ is the way, and they taught it boldly as a part of the gospel message despite the opposition they faced from the leadership around them as well. The message is one that carries on yet even today.

It's the good news of Jesus Christ and the soon-coming kingdom of God. That is the gospel message. The good news that he died so your sins can be forgiven, it can be reconciled to God, and you can be a part of that kingdom. Repent and believe in the gospel. That's the message. But there's always been an opposition to the message.

Satan has always stood in contest to the gospel message because, you see, contained in the gospel message is the belief in the message of salvation and reconciliation with God through Christ. Satan doesn't want that message taught because, you see, in that message is the defeat of his power. Satan's power, his influence, right? His works in the sons of disobedience for one to come to the light, have their sins forgiven, and reconcile to God. It defeats the work of Satan in their life and in this world. And he has stood in opposition to the gospel message all along the way. Verse 18 of Acts chapter 4, it says, And so they called him, and they commanded them, excuse me, not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you, more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Okay, that's what a witness does. That's what one who gives testimony does. It's the things they've seen and heard. They were with Jesus Christ. The things they saw, the things they heard.

Following his resurrection, they handled him, they touched him. Jesus, as well as it says, gave testimony of the things he had seen and heard. This one who came from the Father. Verse 19, excuse me, let's go down to verse 21. So when they had further threatened them, the disciples, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. And that's the point of this ministry. The point is the glory always goes to God. The works that are done in the name of Jesus Christ isn't just to point to Jesus Christ in the glory to Christ, the glory goes to God. Jesus gave it all throughout his ministry. The disciples gave it. And indeed, that was the purpose of his life, death, and resurrection, ultimately to the glory of God. And they said, well, there's nothing we can really do to these men or stand in their way. God is being glorified through what they've done.

So clearly, Jesus Christ is the way. In addition to that, he led the way by his example each and every day. In his teachings and his actions, he reiterated that there is the way that leads to life versus the way that leads to destruction. And it may take more work and effort and, frankly, hardship along the way, but the way that leads to life is the only way worth living. Matthew 7 in verse 13. Matthew 7 in verse 13. I appreciated Mr. Oliver's message about discipline. You know, this is a way of life that requires discipline. You don't think Christ was disciplined? Right? To walk right up to the point of laying his life down willingly unto death. I think that's more disciplined than any of us can possibly imagine, but as was also mentioned in the message, the goal, the end goal, never left his view. It must never leave our view either. Matthew 7 in verse 13.

Jesus says, Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it. Indeed, the majority of this world around us is living in a manner that's not according to the way of Jesus Christ. Rather, they're taking a path that leads right over the edge of a cliff. And we see it all around us, right? From an individual on the street all the way up to the highest offices of the land, it is the way that leads to destruction.

And Jesus Christ says, You need to find the narrow path.

Verse 14, He says, Because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. So again, a gate is a point of entry, right? It's what you go through then. I think in this case it illustrates where that path begins by the gate, by the way you would go.

It's a point of entry. By describing it as narrow, Jesus is emphasizing that the path to true life is not readily available or easily followed. It demands a conscious effort and a deliberate choice in discipline, right? That's what's at the base of all of this. Discipline to follow the way of God.

And the example that Jesus Christ said. Difficult is the way, He said, highlights that living this righteous life is at times challenging. At times maybe even we would say burdensome, not because God's way is burdensome, but because of the burdens the world would put in our way. Because they're going in one direction and you're moving against the current. But difficult is the way, is actually the calling of God. There's challenges, there's persecution, there's personal sacrifice, just as it was for Jesus Christ. And as followers of Him, we must walk as He walked. The narrow way, the gate through the narrow way that Jesus Christ led and actually is, is the way. If we dedicate ourselves to it, the reward from our Father through Him will be eternal life, be resurrection at the last day. It will be to be unified in a family relationship for eternity. The record of Jesus' disciples is that they too endeavor to live according to the same way He lived, and they taught others as well the importance of walking in the way. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 20. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 20 says, For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in His steps. So enduring patiently, suffering, persecution, unjustness against you, that's walking worthy of the calling in which we were called.

And it's actually following Jesus Christ in the way.

God does bring blessing to our lives. He does open doors before us. But if we expect that this way of life is just health and wealth, that wasn't Jesus' life. He was healthy by God's blessing, but the fact is it was obstacles, it was persecution, it was those opposed to Him. Difficult was the way, but it leads to life. And it's the same footsteps we're called to walk in today as well.

Verse 22 says, You know, kind of wandering down a different path, but have now returned to the shepherd and the overseer of your souls.

The way back to God is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who died for us. He was the first of the first fruits. He was perfect, yet He suffered. Right? Suffered terribly in the crucifixion. He laid His life down for all. And, brethren, you and I must be committed to following in His steps. So Peter taught it. The apostle Paul taught it. He said, Imitate me as I imitate Jesus Christ. Right? 1 Corinthians 1, 11. The apostle John taught it as well. He said, People who say they abide in Him ought also to walk just as He walked. That's 1 John 2 and verse 6. So there is a way that Jesus Christ broke trail in, if we can use that phrase, and we are called to follow in His footsteps each and every day as well. In fact, this way of life was such an identifying factor to the first century church. They were called followers of the way. Right? All throughout the book of Acts. Long before they were called Christians, they were called the people of the way. The followers of the way. On the final night of Jesus' physical life on earth, He told His disciples He would be going away to prepare a place for them. And He told them, Where I go, you know, in the way you know. Again, a way is a path or a route or a door that we must walk through in order to reach a specific destination. A new and living way to a direct relationship with the Father has been made available through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As disciples of His today, let us walk the same path He walked, following in His footsteps. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And no one comes to the Father except through Him. As we approach the Passover again this year, let us rejoice in the way forward that God's great love has provided for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Brethren, this is the way. Let us walk in it.