The Intolerant Christ – Part 2

2:40 We'll repeat this information later, but right now it's time to get started with today's study. I've titled it The Intolerant Christ. Today we're going to look at what Jesus said about four very specific subjects. And when we synthesize his teaching about these four very specific topics, we will come to the conclusion that Jesus firmly believed that not all roads lead to heaven. If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn, first of all, to John chapter 8. John chapter 8. First of all today, I want us to consider what Jesus taught about his uniqueness. What is it that made Jesus unique? There are many things Jesus claimed about himself, but today I want us to consider two things Jesus said about his uniqueness. First of all, Jesus claimed to be God. I am Yahweh, the most holy God, the only God. The Pharisees understood what Jesus was saying when he said, before Abraham was, I am. Because look at verse 59, therefore they picked up stones to throw at him. They understood what Jesus was saying with two little words, Jesus was saying, I am God. Isn't it interesting that none of the founders of any of the major religions ever claimed to be God? Buddha never claimed to be God. Confucius never claimed to be God. The prophet Muhammad never claimed to be God. Jesus claimed to be God.

4:19 And he not only made that claim, but he proved the claim was true by what he did. Jesus claimed that he could heal the sick, and he did. He claimed that he could turn the water into wine, and he did. He claimed that he could rise again from the dead. And guess what? He did. Jesus claimed to be God. That's what made him unique. Not only that, but secondly, Jesus claimed that belief in him led to eternal life. This is what made Jesus unique above other religious leaders. No other religious leader ever tied eternal life to what you believed about that leader, but Jesus did. Jesus doesn't say whoever follows the God of his or her own choosing has eternal life. No, he says very clearly, only those who believe in me have eternal life. Secondly, beyond what Jesus taught about his uniqueness, let's look at what Jesus taught about his death. Jesus taught, first of all, that his death was central to his mission.

5:26 For example, in Matthew 16, verse 21, Jesus said, from that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day. He told his apostles, this was the plan. Or look at John 12, verses 32 to 33. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. But he was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which he was to die. Well, secondly, and I want you to write this down. Jesus' death was the payment for our sins and the ransom for our freedom. His death was the payment for our sins and the ransom for our freedom. The Bible uses two metaphors to describe what Christ's death accomplished for us.

6:24 First of all, it was a payment for our sin debt. When Jesus hung on the cross, remember some of his final words. John 19 30 were, it is finished. Tetelestai, paid in full. Jesus is the one who has paid our sin debt for us. But secondly, it is a ransom for our freedom. That's another image used in the Bible. In Matthew 20, verse 28, Jesus said, just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. The only way Jesus could pay our sin debt, The only way he could secure our freedom was by his own death. And that's why he said in John 14, verse 6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me.

7:21 If there is any other way to have paid our debt, if there is any other way to have secured our freedom, then the death of Jesus was totally unnecessary. But there was no other way. That's the reason he came. You know, the way to understand John 14, 6, I am the way, the truth, and the life, is to put it into context. Turn over to John 14, and let's see how this verse fits in to what Jesus is saying about the exclusivity of salvation. Remember, Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death, his resurrection, and his ascension back into heaven. And in verse 2, Jesus said, In my Father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you. And if I prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going. Now, Thomas was pretty smart, one of the apostles.

8:24 He realized Jesus was giving them some pretty important information, so they better get it right. So Thomas asked the question, said, Lord, we don't even know where you're going. Apparently he hadn't listened that closely to what Jesus said. Jesus had told him, I'm going to the father's house to build a place for you. But he said, Jesus, we don't know where you're going. And furthermore, we don't know the way. Well, Jesus would later explain more about where he was going before he ascended into heaven. But he took the opportunity right then to say to Thomas, You want to know the way to this new place I'm going to and that I'm going to take you? I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes to the Father, to heaven, to all of the things we are preparing for you. No one comes except through me. What Jesus taught about is uniqueness.

9:19 What he taught about is death. Thirdly, what Jesus taught about eternity. Well, what about those who fail to follow Jesus through the valley of the shadow of death? What about those who find another path to God? Will they make it to heaven as well? Notice what Jesus had to say about eternity. First of all, Jesus taught that two eternal destinations exist. Two eternal destinations exist, not one, but two. You know, Jesus could have driven a stake through the universalist claim right here. If all roads lead to the same place, if everyone's going to heaven, regardless of what he or she believes or doesn't believe. But notice what Jesus said instead in Matthew 25, verse 46, and these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. There are two destinations, eternal punishment and eternal life. Secondly, Jesus taught that hell is a reality. He taught that hell is a reality.

10:25 For example, Jesus believed that hell's an actual location, not a state of mind, Matthew 25, 46. Jesus taught in Matthew 22, 13, that hell is a place of physical suffering. And most devastatingly, Jesus said that hell is an irrevocable destination. Once there, no one leaves. Remember in Luke 16, 26, his story about Abraham, the rich man, and Lazarus, the rich man finding himself in hell begged Abraham to provide relief at a way out of hell. But Abraham answered and said, and besides all of this, between us in heaven and you, there is a great chasm fixed. in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able and that none may cross over from there to us. Thirdly, Jesus taught that the majority of humanity will occupy hell. The majority of humanity will occupy hell. You know, the single greatest objection to the idea that faith in Christ is the only way to heaven, the single greatest objection is the idea, Well, if that's true, then that means relatively few people will be in heaven.

11:42 And that's true. That's exactly what Jesus taught. He said the population of heaven will be relatively small compared to the population of hell. Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction. And many are those who enter by it. But the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and few. Few are those who find it. Finally, consider what Jesus taught about the necessity of personal faith. The necessity of personal faith. Jesus rejected the claim that everybody's going to heaven because of what his death accomplished for them. That's the inclusivist view. The inclusivist says, it's true that Jesus Christ's death made it possible for people to go to heaven, but his death applies to everyone. It forgave everyone's sin regardless of what they believe. No, Jesus repeatedly said, personal faith is a requirement for an eternal heaven. For example, in John 5, 24, truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life.

13:08 Or John 6, 40, for this is the will of my father that everyone who beholds the son and believes in him may have eternal life and I myself will raise him up on the last day. John 11, 25 and 26, Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Jesus asked. Over and over again, Jesus says it is belief in him that is the link to eternal life. Now here's the question. What does it mean to believe in Jesus? I know I have been over this before. but I'm going to continue to go over it. Because quite frankly, your eternal destiny depends on a proper understanding of what it means to believe in Jesus. Let me tell you what it doesn't mean. To believe in Jesus does not mean to agree intellectually to a certain set of facts about Jesus. Like you believe in Abraham Lincoln, like you believe in the reality of Martin Luther King, like you believe in John F. Kennedy, to believe a certain amount of facts, historical facts about these people. That's what most people believe, believe means though. They say, well, I believe that Jesus is the son of God. I believe that he died for the sins of the world. I believe that he rose again on the third day. Guess what? You can believe all of those things and still split hell wide open when you die. You know how I know that? Because Satan and his demons believe all of those things. They believe Jesus was the son of God. Remember the demons would say, the demons of the Gadarenes said, we know who you are. You're the holy one of Israel.

15:08 They believe that. They believe Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. You know how I know that? Because they did everything they could to prevent it. They wanted to disqualify Jesus from being the Savior of the world. They did not want him nailed to that cross. Satan knew what it would accomplish. They believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. In fact, they believe it more than you do.

15:33 They believe it more than I do. Because they were there. They saw it happen. No, belief is not agreeing to a set of intellectual facts about Jesus. Well, then what does it mean? when missionary John Paxton had arrived in the new Heribides islands the first thing he wanted to do was to translate the bible so that the residents there could understand God's word he got to John 3 16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him and he sought a word that would convey what it means to believe he couldn't come up with it until one day he found himself leaning on a chair and putting his whole weight on that chair. And then it dawned on him. That's what he means when Jesus says to believe. To believe means to put your whole weight upon, to depend upon completely. To believe in Jesus for your salvation means that you are trusting in him and him alone. What he accomplished for you on the cross, the payment for your debt, the ransom for your freedom, depending upon that and nothing else, not your works, not your baptism, not your church membership, depending, leaning on, trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone.

16:56 Isn't that what Jesus himself said? The context for John 3, 16 is John 3, 14 and 15. Turn over there for just a moment. You remember this exchange very well. It was a dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a respected man. He was a rich man. He was a religious man. He was a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest ruling party of the Jews. Isn't it interesting that Jesus, who was a Jew, said to Nicodemus, who was also a Jew, Judaism isn't enough. Judaism won't lead you to heaven. Instead, Jesus said to this fellow Jew, you must be born again. And so Jesus explains to Nicodemus what it means to be born again. Nicodemus wanted to know, how does that happen?

17:53 Jesus said, it is by believing in me. Nicodemus still didn't get it. And so Jesus uses this illustration in verse 14. He said, Nicodemus, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up that whoever believes may in him have eternal life what's all this about serpents being lifted up well nicodemus knew the story jesus was referring back in the old testament numbers chapter 21 you see we have a desperate need god has an abundant provision to meet that need, but our faith is the bridge that bridges the gap between God's provision and our need. We have to look. We have to exercise faith in order to live. Notice it doesn't matter how much faith you have, how little faith you have. It's not the quantity of your faith that matters. It is the object of your faith that matters. Isn't it interesting that God didn't say to the Israelites, now you look at that serpent and you keep on looking. And if you ever look away, you're going to be sick again. No, it wasn't a continual looking. It is a one-time look that healed those Israelites forever. And it is the same way for you and me. Only when we come to that desperate state in our life that we realize we cannot heal ourselves and that only Christ can heal us. Only then, if we look one time at the Savior, we will live for all eternity.

19:30 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes, looks at, trusts in, one time, may in him have eternal life. And then he adds in verse 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes, trusts in, clings to, puts his whole weight upon Jesus, shall have eternal life. Pastor Charles Stanley illustrates the reality of that truth with this illustration. He says, imagine you're walking by an apartment building that you see is on fire, and you see a throng of people on the street below, and they're all pointing to the same thing. There's a woman trapped on the ledge of the third story of that burning apartment building. She's confused.

20:24 She's frightened. But below her on the street is a group of firemen, and they're holding a net. And they're telling her, jump, jump, jump. She's frightened. She's confused. But she realizes it's her only hope. And so she takes that leap of faith and jumps into the waiting net. She's rescued without injury. Now the question is, what is it that saved that woman from the fire? Was it her jumping that saved her? No, her jumping didn't save her. I mean, we all remember those horrific pictures from September the 11th, 2001, when people were jumping from the Burning World Trade Center and splattering on the concrete below because there was no net to rescue them. No, jumping is not what saved that woman. Here's what saved the woman. She had a desperate need. The firemen below saw her need. They formulated a plan for her rescue and they executed that plan. Her jumping was simply the way to bridge the chasm between her desperate need and the fireman's gracious provision.

21:42 Ladies and gentlemen, it is the same with us. We are burning, so to speak. We are perishing. We are in danger of eternal death. We have no way of escape. But God, in his graciousness, saw our need. He formulated a plan for our rescue, and he executed that plan when he sent Christ to die for us. But we have to do something. We have to be willing to take that leap of faith into the Savior's arms. Doesn't matter how little or how much faith we have when we do so. We have to be willing to take that leap of faith in order to be saved. It is not our faith that saves us. It is God's grace. For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God.

22:37 not of works, lest any person should boast. Our hope and prayer is that you've heard the gospel today in a manner that brings absolute clarity. You see, at some point, all of us need to leap from the burning building into the safety net of God's loving arms. Well, today, we wrap up our quick four-day series called Not All Roads Lead to Heaven. And we presented what many feel is a lightning rod subject, what I've called the intolerant Christ. Look, at Pathway to Victory, we refuse to walk back our commitment to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. And we've been doing so for 30 years. And I suspect that's what draws you to this ministry because you too are unwilling to deny the truth of the Bible. If you share our passion and commitment, would you be willing to become a Pathway partner today?

23:35 A Pathway partner is someone who agrees to give a monthly automated gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Through this simple expression of generosity, you'll be carrying the gospel to men and women across our country who might not otherwise hear the truth of the Bible. And today, I'm going to say thanks for your generous gift by providing a brand new book I've written. It's called Seven Lessons from My 70 Years. It reads more like a journal than a book. It's got personal handwritten notes, a few nostalgic photographs, and seven lessons the Lord has taught me across a lifetime. And it's only 120 pages. So it's a genuine pleasure to read, something you'll want to linger over with a cup of coffee. And it's yours as my thank you when you support Pathway to Victory with a special 30th anniversary gift.

24:30 Here's David with all the details. Thank you.