John 14:6

No card today, just some thoughts about John 14:6

Yesterday the  youth at church were asked to share how they would tell others why Jesus is not just "A way" to heaven but the "ONLY way". They put 

John 14:6 in their own words.

Here is what John 14:6 says

Jesus, answered,

 "I am the way

 and the truth

 and the life.

 No one comes

 to the Father

 except through me."

A week ago, our preacher taught on 1 Peter 3:15 which says

But in you hearts honor Christ the Lord

as holy, always being prepared to make a 

defense to anyone who asks you for a 

reason for the hope that is in you,

yet do it with gentleness and respect.

I know that for me it helps me be prepared if I write things down. So I am going to attempt to share some of the thoughts I had about John 14:6.

There are different types of roads. There are smooth four lane highways and there are narrow country dirt roads. What determines which roads to take? For me I take the roads that get me where I want to go. A four lane highway might be easy and nice to drive, but if I take it, and it isn't going anywhere near my destination, I have wasted my time and I am "lost". While driving on a freeway before, I have missed my exit and ended up driving miles in the wrong direction before I could turn around and get to the "right" road. 

How do you know which road is the "right" road. Well, if you are going somewhere that you have never been before you can hope that you will just somehow find the way there or you can ask for directions.  But you have to be careful in who you trust for directions. 

When my husband and I were on our honeymoon, I attempted to give him directions. We were visiting San Diego, CA. I had been there several times with my family growing up and I thought I could give him directions to the beach. Well, we got to a beach, but not the one I wanted to take him too. I took him to dog beach. Which is like the name says, a beach where dogs were allowed, and not everyone picked up after their dogs if you know what I mean. It was not the nice beautiful beach I had been telling him about. I had gotten us lost. Ever since then when I think I know where I am going my husband will say "Are you dog beaching me again?" It is our family joke.

About 2 years ago, my son was going to a jazz band competition. He wanted to ride the bus there, but wanted me to drive him home. So going there I just followed the bus, but for coming home I had printed directions off of google maps so that I could navigate our way home. We got to Ottumwa, IA, and even trying to read the directions we got lost. It didn't help that is was snowing and dark outside. We drove around lost for what seemed like forever before we found the right road that would lead us home. Which we found just on our own not because of help from the directions.

Since I have never been to heaven, and that is my desired destination, I need to get directions. Do I want to trust just anyone to tell me how to get there? It is too important to me, I don't want to get lost on the way. What better person to give directions than someone who has already been there. Jesus left heaven to come to Earth, so I can trust him. I believe Jesus is the son of God and that what he says is the truth.

There are people who say "It doesn't matter what you believe. if you are a good person you will go to heaven." How reliable are these directions? Jesus says that no one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus doesn't say that he is A way he is the ONLY way. 

This got me to thinking about toll roads. Where driving on the road costs you money. I have a friend who found out the hard way what happens when you pass an unmanned toll booth and don't have the correct amount of change. He drove through anyway and what would have cost him only a couple of dollars turned into a big fine. I don't have enough $ to pay to be on the road to heaven. None of us do. It was a price only Jesus could pay and he paid it for us. All we have to do when we come to the toll booth is to say, "Jesus paid it all for me." 

Once on the "right" road, THE WAY to heaven, we will see others who are on different roads. We should try to tell them and let them know that they are going the wrong way.They may not listen to us but we should make every effort to warn them.

It made me think of the movie "Planes, trains and automobiles." Where they are driving the wrong direction on the freeway. Passengers in a car going the other right way try to motion to them that they are driving the wrong way.