Written By: Pete Hicks New King James Version
#30.
"JESUS, THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE!"
1. We have considered how Jesus is truly The Way to many good things; He is the Way:
a. To a better life (by correcting misconceptions and teaching us to seek new goals).b. To forgiveness of sins (by offering Himself as a propitiation, or sacrifice, for our sins).c. To God (by helping us first to comprehend God, then to be able to approach Him in a close, personal relationship).d. Out of religious confusion (through His own example, and by guiding us through His apostles' doctrine).
2. In this study, we shall see why we can also say Jesus is The Way To Eternal Life.
a. Please Note : In this study we shall be considering those passages which use the expression “eternal life” as a future hope, which will be realized after this life.b. In the writings of John the expression “eternal life” is often used differently, referring to that “abundant life,” a new relationship with God and Jesus, and is a present possession of those who have come to “know” them.
John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
[First, let's note several reasons ……]
I. Why Jesus is the Way to Eternal Life.A. He has prepared a Place for us…..
1. As He told His disciples the night before His crucifixion.
John 14:2 “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.”
B. He Will Come and Receive Us to Himself.
John 14:3 “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.”
1. As Paul wrote of this wonderful event –
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. [16] For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
C. He will judge as, To who will enter Life Eternal.
1. As depicted in the judgment scene –
Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.”
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:”
Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
2. As described by Paul:
2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
D. He is What Makes Eternal Life Wonderful….
1. Together with God, who will dwell with men.
2. They shall be the “temple”:
Revelation 21:22 “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”
3. Jesus will be the “light”:
Revelation 21:23 “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”
4. They shall be the source of “the water of life”:
Revelation 22:1-5 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. [3] And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. [4] They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. [5] There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.”
5. Jesus makes eternal life what it is, which explains Paul's desires:
2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
Philippians 1:23 “For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”
[When we understand all this, would there be eternal life without Jesus? Not according to the Bible! Jesus is truly The Way to eternal life! Since Jesus is the way to eternal life, should we not also consider what Jesus has to say about it?]
II. What Jesus Teaches About Eternal Life.A. Prepared for a Prepared People…
1. People are not going to stumble into it by “accident” :
Matthew 7:13-14 "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. [14] Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
a. The way to life is such that few find it, lack of preparation is the reason!
2. Jesus taught several parables to stress this point.
a. The parable of “the Wedding Feast” – Matthew 22:1-2, vs.11-14.b. The parable of “the Ten Virgins” – Matthew 15:1-13.
3. Also in His sermon on the mount:
Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' [23] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”
a. Being religious does not ensure eternal life.b. We must do the Father's will.
B. The Only Alternative is Eternal Punishment!
1. Prepared for the unprepared people – Matthew 25:41, 46.
2. A terrible place vividly described by Jesus –
Revelation 20:10-15 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. [11] Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. [13] The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. [14] Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
3. The only place that people will “stumble” into accidentally!
a. Where most people will wind up (“many” as oppose to “few ”) Matthew 7:13 -14 .b. Judgment reserved for those who “know not God” -
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, [8] in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”
c. Punished with everlasting destruction”.d. What a terrible alternative to the eternal life Jesus offers!
III. God and Jesus have prepared a terrible fate for those who, “Know not God” & “Obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. They certainly do not want people to experience this……
a. God desires all men to be savedb. Jesus is offered as a ransom for all.
2. In order that “eternal life,” and not “everlasting destruction,” might be the destiny of all men.
a. God has provided the most precious thing to Him as the Mediator between sinful man and Holy God: Jesus – His Beloved Son!b. God has provided Jesus as The Way to all that is good, both in this life and the one to come!
3. But what if one does not accept Jesus as the Way? Then he or she is destined:
a. To a life with little direction here on earth!b. To die in their sins! To be forever separated from God!c. To go through life in religious confusion! To go through eternity in
eternal Punishment!
4. How much better to come to Jesus, and let Him be your Way:
a. To a better life! To forgiveness of sins! To a loving and close relationship with God!b. Out of religious confusion! To eternal life, with all its prepared glory.