To all people, no matter how old you are, whether you are a man, woman, boy or girl. To people who go to church and to people who don't. To people who know a little or know a lot. Whoever you are and no matter what you have done in your life, this message is for you:
Many people think that it is narrow-minded and unloving to claim that Jesus is the only way to God. People say "How could a loving God send people to hell?" They reason that since so many people the world over do not believe in Jesus but rather believe in some other way to God that there must be many ways to him. Maybe they think of it like a person trying to reach a destination. For example, if I want to travel from point A to point B, I often have more than one way to get there. But here's the thing: I hope to end up in the right place. There may be a few twists and winds but do I know where I am going? What do I hope to find when I get there?
These thoughts have been heavy on my mind lately. See, here's the thing we must understand. It is because of a person's own sin and rejection of the pure and deep love of God that they go to hell. We are all deserving of it. God has graciously given us all a way to escape it. He has given us his Son. How could anyone ever consider this God unloving? He who sent his beautiful and holy Son to this ugly and sinful place so that we could be forgiven? His love is deeper than any love we have ever known!
So how can we escape being separated from God forever just because he sent his Son? Well, Jesus came to be what we could not be. He was perfect, he loved with the right motives, he was completely and utterly selfless, he always did what pleased his Father. Who among us can say that about ourselves? Not one of us. We know we fall short. No matter how good and loving we often like to think we are. But the beauty of it is that we can have Christ's righteousness through faith in him!
The gospel makes my heart burn! It has me so excited because it is true and it is clear! Don't you long for that? Don't you long to just know what is true and what is false? I am so tired of all of these mixed messages and man's flawed opinions! Give me the truth! Give me the authority of the Word of God and let no deception worm it's way into my heart!
The other day I taught the children from John chapter 10. Jesus makes some pretty strong claims there...
"Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
Please, set your experience and your misconceptions aside and hear what Jesus says to you. He is the only way to find the peace that you are looking for. He is true beauty, true love, and true life. You will not find these things in anything or anyone else. All of those other supposed "gods" or "wise" ways of living will not truly give you life that only Jesus can give to you. He alone can show us the way because he made the way to eternal life by giving up his own. All others are impostors, they are thieves who snatch you up and captivate you with their "good" ideas and supposed ways to God. And in the end they will keep you separated from the God who made you and loves your soul with more passion than you can imagine.
Please turn to Jesus. He is the only way to be one with God forever.
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