86. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!What did Jesus mean by saying, "I am the Way"?
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Have you ever been driving in the city or the country side and gotten lost? What did you do? Did you look at a map? Did you ask someone for directions? Hopefully you weren’t stubborn and just kept driving! Usually the easiest thing to do is to ask for someone’s help. Unfortunately, sometimes their advice or directions aren’t good and get you more lost.
The same thing can happen in the search for spiritual truth. If you are really seeking God and wanting to know His truth, you need to make sure that the directions you receive are correct. Moreover, you need to be sure that you are on the right road. In this study, we will learn what Jesus said about the path to God. As you read the following story, think about how it parallels the search for spiritual truth.
One day at work, Volkan decided to spend his lunch-break looking for a store so he could buy a new part for his broken oven. He knew the heating element was bad and because the warranty had expired he decided to x it himself. He pulled the oven away from the wall, unscrewed several bolts, and took the back cover off. He removed the cover on the inside of the oven and took out the heating element. Now all he had to do was get the new part. The only problem was that the store was in a part of the city he didn’t know well.
He knew that he only had one hour to get there and back. So with address in hand, he ran to his car and made his way across town.
Everything was going as planned and within 15 minutes he was in the general vicinity of the store. However, there weren’t any street signs and the back alleyways were like a maze. He decided to park the car and walk.
As he was walking he saw a man carrying leather jackets who looked like he knew the area, so he asked him where the store was.
“Go straight for 200 meters, take a left at the key seller, and then a right after the electrician’s shop. You will see it on the left,” he said.
“Thanks,” Volkan replied with confidence that this adventure was about over.
He walked for 200 meters, saw a key seller, and turned left. He continued walking but after a few minutes he started to have doubts.
“I hope the electrician isn’t much farther. I can’t be late for work. What if the man didn’t really know?”
Volkan didn’t walk much further when his doubt turned into shock. There wasn’t just one electrician. There was a whole street full of electricians and between each shop were side streets!
“Of ya! I can’t believe this. How am I supposed to know which street is the right one? Why do all these electricians need to be in the same place? I guess I have to ask someone else.”
Volkan went to one of the electricians and asked about the store, but he didn’t know.
“At least he told me the truth,” Volkan murmured to himself.
He asked another man who told him it was the fourth street on the right. At this point, Volkan wasn’t sure if he should believe the man or ask more people. He decided to ask a few more just in case he was wrong. Out of three people, one said that the store was on the left side of the street, one said the fourth street on the right was correct, and the third man said that the store was on the other side of the main road. As the minutes ticked away, Volkan began to lose hope.
“I am never going to fund this store and I will certainly be late for work.”
He looked around, sent up a silent prayer, and just started walking. He looked at the address, picked a street, and turned into it. After 100 meters, he turned right, and started walking faster. After another 100 meters he stopped.
“This is crazy. I need to go back now or I will be late.” He thought to himself. “Why didn’t I just call service? Why did I trust that man? Not only am I lost I don’t have a new heating element. I better get back to work.”
Volkan turned around and started walking back the way he came. He was extremely disappointed and stressed that he would get in trouble at work. As he was walking by one of the side streets something grabbed his attention. He turned to get a better look and guess what he saw. The sign for the parts store!
Volkan eventually got his part and went back to work, albeit a little bit late. But just imagine how much easier it would have been if the man carrying the leather jackets had given him better directions. Or better yet, what if he had used Google Maps?
Volkan’s search for the parts store is similar in many ways to the search for truth. Sometimes we have a general idea of where to be- gin looking, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we get good directions and instructions along the way, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we meet people who can really help us. But it is also possible to meet people who act like they can help us and only end up leading us astray. In short, many people have found themselves lost and disappointed because they believed in something that turned out to be wrong.
Since we first started studying, we have learned many truths about God, the prophets, God’s law, sin, the origin of evil, who Jesus really is, and what "messiah" really means. Hopefully the picture of God’s plan in your life and this world is becoming clearer. Of course, there will always be questions and you may not always know what the next day will bring. But Jesus shared with his disciples a very special message about the path to truth that is still pertinent for us. Let’s start reading about it in John chapter 14 verses 1-4:
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
The beginning of Jesus’ message is very simple. Don’t worry! Like Abraham, believe and trust God. Jesus knew the disciples were scared about what he had been telling them for months. He knew that the religious leaders who hated and wanted to kill him also hated them. He knew that his death was inevitable and his time was running out. Therefore, it was quite natural for his disciples to be afraid and for Jesus to comfort them.
But more importantly, Jesus wanted them to be ready for what would come next. He was reassuring them that even after he died, he would return. From where?
It is obvious that Jesus is talking about heaven in these verses because that is where the Father, God, dwells. Jesus was telling the disciples that he would go to heaven and before he returned to get them, he would prepare a place for them.
But it is Jesus’ last statement that is really intriguing. Jesus said they already knew the way to heaven. Do you know the way to heaven? Can you get there by car or plane? Can you use Google Maps to get directions? No, of course not! You can probably imagine how con-
fused the disciples were. Let’s see what one of them said in verse 5:
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
How can we know the way? Let’s see how Jesus responded in verse 6:
6 Jesus said to him,“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
There is only one way to heaven, through Jesus! He is the only one who truly knows God because he is God’s Word in human esh.26 He is truth because he never sinned and everything he says is true. He is life as evidenced by his ability to overcome sin and death and by God's own words. Jesus the Messiah is the road map to heaven. If you follow his instructions you will arrive safely to your destination. Better yet, he is the road and if you stay on his path you will never get lost.
Jesus is not saying that he is one way among many or that he, like others, has a truth that can take you to eternal life. No! He says that he alone is the way. There is no other way, no one else! He is saying that every other religion, except the one he teaches, cannot lead you to eternal life. If someone claims otherwise, he is a false guide with a false map!
Jesus continued speaking in verse 7:
7 "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus told the disciples that they had already seen a picture of their destination in him! During all their years together, the disciples were seeing God at work in Jesus Christ. In essence, Jesus was saying:
“In every one of my miracles, teachings, and actions you have seen the compassion, justice, and character of our Heavenly Father.
Everything I have done comes from Him. If you follow my instructions, my words, you will not be lost anymore. You will reach heaven and see the Father.”
As the disciples listened to Jesus, they became excited that they too could be in control of their fate. Jesus painted for them a road to heaven, with a gate that was as knowable and approachable as the friend that was sitting in front of them. The conversation tantalized the disciples, who were eager to understand the intricacies of heav- en and the way to God's throne. Even Phillip, one of Jesus’ disciples, asked Jesus to be more speci c. Let’s see how Jesus responded in John chapter 14 verses 8-11:
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it suf ceth us. 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Let’s look at Jesus’ claim on the most basic level. What does Jesus have the power to do? He can control weather. He can cast out and destroy demons. He can give life back to the dead and heal diseases. He can predict the future and forgive sins. He can reverse a genetic disorder like blindness. He can feed thousands with a few fish and loaves of bread. Who else has the power to do all of these things? No one! So when we put Jesus in a category with all the other prophets we are belittling him. Unlike the prophets, he doesn’t show the way to God because he is the way to God! If it weren't true, God wouldn't have endorsed all of his miracles and claims.
But there is more. Jesus said that if we stay on the right path (i.e., him), we too would do the things he did. Just as Jesus' miracles in God's name were evidence of his claims, our works in Jesus Christ will be evidence that we are on the path to God. Let’s continue by reading verses 12-14:
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, be- cause I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glori ed in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Jesus will empower you, he will guide you, and he will ful ll your desires. There is power in his name because of who he is. He is the Messiah, the promised seed of Eve. He is the ful llment of God’s promise to Abraham to bless the whole world, and he wants to bless us!
Is there additional evidence that we are on the right path, that is, following the teachings of Jesus? Let’s read what he said in verse 15:
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
If you are on the one and only path to God and heaven, you will follow Jesus' commandments like a child carrying out a parent's re- quests without arguing, complaining, or forgetting. Your obedience to him and his teachings will prove that you are on the right path and show your deep-seated love for God and what He teaches us through Jesus Christ.
So how do we keep his commandments? Is it through our own abil- ity, strength, or will power? On the contrary, it will be through the power of Jesus Christ. Let's read Jesus' promise of empowerment in verses 16 and 17:
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Jesus said that he would send another helper or comforter. This helper is called the spirit of truth. If Jesus is the truth, then we could deduce that it is his spirit, also called the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the spirit of truth would dwell with us and in us. The only way to have his spirit dwelling in us is if we know him. The only way we can truly know him is if we accept as truth the things that he says. So what would the Holy Spirit do? Let's read about it in John chapter 16 verses 8-13:
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
In short, the Holy Spirit will keep us on God's path. He will remind us of Jesus' teachings and righteousness. He will convict us of sin and tell us when we are not following God's commandments. When times are hard, he will remind us that hardship, tribulations, death, and sickness will be destroyed, and that Satan has no power over us. Like an expensive GPS system, he will show us how to stay on the road of Jesus Christ so we can get to heaven and be with the father.
Let's finish by reading John chapter 14 verses 18-21:
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
If you want to go to heaven, you have to be on the only road that goes there. Jesus said he is the way, truth, and life. If Jesus is the
way, there cannot be any others.
Years ago, when the caravans were still transporting goods across Asia along the Silk Road, the travelers had to deal with many hard- ships. Of course, there were the logistical dif culties of having enough food, water, animal feed, and good weather. But they also had to deal with the constant threat of robbery by bandits and mercenaries. When they entered a gorge, crossed over a high mountain pass, or waded across rivers they were always on the lookout for bad men who had every intention to kill them and take their goods.
On one such journey, a caravan of several teams had made it into the Himalayan mountains. The road was rocky, steep, and dangerous. The weather was cold, and the wind blew strong. They had already come a long way and they knew the obstacles ahead.
One of the hardest was an unavoidable canyon crossing.
"I don't want to go into that canyon. There might be bandits. What if the bridge isn't there?" one of the men asked.
"We don't have any choice. There is no other way to the other side. Other people have tried to cross-farther north and south, but high, snow-covered mountains block both ways. This is the only way, we need to get moving," the caravan leader yelled over the howling wind.
Under his lead, the caravan descended so far into the canyon that there was no sunshine. Eeriness enveloped the men and they couldn't wait to get out of there. After a few hours, they rounded a curve in the path and could see the raging river below lled with ice-cold glacier melt. The only thing across that river was a thin, swinging, rope bridge. It wasn't the type of crossing that any man would want to take thousands of kilos across. But there was no other choice. It was a reality that they all had to face. If they wanted to get where they were going, they had to cross the river using the bridge.
It isn't any different for us. If we want to be in heaven, we need to be on the right road and overcome all the obstacles in our way with what God has provided. There will be those along the way who want to steal our faith or trick us into going another way. They may attempt to put thoughts of doubt in our minds. But we must move forward in faith, trusting God and Jesus. God's endorsement of Je- sus' miracles and claims proved that he was who he said he was. He is the only way to heaven and eternal life. He is the only thing that can get you across that chasm called death and judgment. He is the only one who can guarantee you life. If you want to be in heaven, you need to be on the right road. Trust in Jesus that you may have a place prepared for you in heaven!
Discussion Questions
1. When was the last time you got lost? What did you do? What did you do when you nally found your way?
2. Share some of the truths you have learned and how they have affected your life.
3. Why doesn't Jesus say, "I am one of several ways to heaven"?
4. Is God’s promise to Abraham becoming clearer to you? How do you think God will bless the whole world?
5. Is there anything keeping you from believing everything that Jesus has said? Why?
26 John 1:14
The same thing can happen in the search for spiritual truth. If you are really seeking God and wanting to know His truth, you need to make sure that the directions you receive are correct. Moreover, you need to be sure that you are on the right road. In this study, we will learn what Jesus said about the path to God. As you read the following story, think about how it parallels the search for spiritual truth.
One day at work, Volkan decided to spend his lunch-break looking for a store so he could buy a new part for his broken oven. He knew the heating element was bad and because the warranty had expired he decided to x it himself. He pulled the oven away from the wall, unscrewed several bolts, and took the back cover off. He removed the cover on the inside of the oven and took out the heating element. Now all he had to do was get the new part. The only problem was that the store was in a part of the city he didn’t know well.
He knew that he only had one hour to get there and back. So with address in hand, he ran to his car and made his way across town.
Everything was going as planned and within 15 minutes he was in the general vicinity of the store. However, there weren’t any street signs and the back alleyways were like a maze. He decided to park the car and walk.
As he was walking he saw a man carrying leather jackets who looked like he knew the area, so he asked him where the store was.
“Go straight for 200 meters, take a left at the key seller, and then a right after the electrician’s shop. You will see it on the left,” he said.
“Thanks,” Volkan replied with confidence that this adventure was about over.
He walked for 200 meters, saw a key seller, and turned left. He continued walking but after a few minutes he started to have doubts.
“I hope the electrician isn’t much farther. I can’t be late for work. What if the man didn’t really know?”
Volkan didn’t walk much further when his doubt turned into shock. There wasn’t just one electrician. There was a whole street full of electricians and between each shop were side streets!
“Of ya! I can’t believe this. How am I supposed to know which street is the right one? Why do all these electricians need to be in the same place? I guess I have to ask someone else.”
Volkan went to one of the electricians and asked about the store, but he didn’t know.
“At least he told me the truth,” Volkan murmured to himself.
He asked another man who told him it was the fourth street on the right. At this point, Volkan wasn’t sure if he should believe the man or ask more people. He decided to ask a few more just in case he was wrong. Out of three people, one said that the store was on the left side of the street, one said the fourth street on the right was correct, and the third man said that the store was on the other side of the main road. As the minutes ticked away, Volkan began to lose hope.
“I am never going to fund this store and I will certainly be late for work.”
He looked around, sent up a silent prayer, and just started walking. He looked at the address, picked a street, and turned into it. After 100 meters, he turned right, and started walking faster. After another 100 meters he stopped.
“This is crazy. I need to go back now or I will be late.” He thought to himself. “Why didn’t I just call service? Why did I trust that man? Not only am I lost I don’t have a new heating element. I better get back to work.”
Volkan turned around and started walking back the way he came. He was extremely disappointed and stressed that he would get in trouble at work. As he was walking by one of the side streets something grabbed his attention. He turned to get a better look and guess what he saw. The sign for the parts store!
Volkan eventually got his part and went back to work, albeit a little bit late. But just imagine how much easier it would have been if the man carrying the leather jackets had given him better directions. Or better yet, what if he had used Google Maps?
Volkan’s search for the parts store is similar in many ways to the search for truth. Sometimes we have a general idea of where to be- gin looking, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we get good directions and instructions along the way, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we meet people who can really help us. But it is also possible to meet people who act like they can help us and only end up leading us astray. In short, many people have found themselves lost and disappointed because they believed in something that turned out to be wrong.
Since we first started studying, we have learned many truths about God, the prophets, God’s law, sin, the origin of evil, who Jesus really is, and what "messiah" really means. Hopefully the picture of God’s plan in your life and this world is becoming clearer. Of course, there will always be questions and you may not always know what the next day will bring. But Jesus shared with his disciples a very special message about the path to truth that is still pertinent for us. Let’s start reading about it in John chapter 14 verses 1-4:
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
The beginning of Jesus’ message is very simple. Don’t worry! Like Abraham, believe and trust God. Jesus knew the disciples were scared about what he had been telling them for months. He knew that the religious leaders who hated and wanted to kill him also hated them. He knew that his death was inevitable and his time was running out. Therefore, it was quite natural for his disciples to be afraid and for Jesus to comfort them.
But more importantly, Jesus wanted them to be ready for what would come next. He was reassuring them that even after he died, he would return. From where?
It is obvious that Jesus is talking about heaven in these verses because that is where the Father, God, dwells. Jesus was telling the disciples that he would go to heaven and before he returned to get them, he would prepare a place for them.
But it is Jesus’ last statement that is really intriguing. Jesus said they already knew the way to heaven. Do you know the way to heaven? Can you get there by car or plane? Can you use Google Maps to get directions? No, of course not! You can probably imagine how con-
fused the disciples were. Let’s see what one of them said in verse 5:
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
How can we know the way? Let’s see how Jesus responded in verse 6:
6 Jesus said to him,“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
There is only one way to heaven, through Jesus! He is the only one who truly knows God because he is God’s Word in human esh.26 He is truth because he never sinned and everything he says is true. He is life as evidenced by his ability to overcome sin and death and by God's own words. Jesus the Messiah is the road map to heaven. If you follow his instructions you will arrive safely to your destination. Better yet, he is the road and if you stay on his path you will never get lost.
Jesus is not saying that he is one way among many or that he, like others, has a truth that can take you to eternal life. No! He says that he alone is the way. There is no other way, no one else! He is saying that every other religion, except the one he teaches, cannot lead you to eternal life. If someone claims otherwise, he is a false guide with a false map!
Jesus continued speaking in verse 7:
7 "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus told the disciples that they had already seen a picture of their destination in him! During all their years together, the disciples were seeing God at work in Jesus Christ. In essence, Jesus was saying:
“In every one of my miracles, teachings, and actions you have seen the compassion, justice, and character of our Heavenly Father.
Everything I have done comes from Him. If you follow my instructions, my words, you will not be lost anymore. You will reach heaven and see the Father.”
As the disciples listened to Jesus, they became excited that they too could be in control of their fate. Jesus painted for them a road to heaven, with a gate that was as knowable and approachable as the friend that was sitting in front of them. The conversation tantalized the disciples, who were eager to understand the intricacies of heav- en and the way to God's throne. Even Phillip, one of Jesus’ disciples, asked Jesus to be more speci c. Let’s see how Jesus responded in John chapter 14 verses 8-11:
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it suf ceth us. 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Let’s look at Jesus’ claim on the most basic level. What does Jesus have the power to do? He can control weather. He can cast out and destroy demons. He can give life back to the dead and heal diseases. He can predict the future and forgive sins. He can reverse a genetic disorder like blindness. He can feed thousands with a few fish and loaves of bread. Who else has the power to do all of these things? No one! So when we put Jesus in a category with all the other prophets we are belittling him. Unlike the prophets, he doesn’t show the way to God because he is the way to God! If it weren't true, God wouldn't have endorsed all of his miracles and claims.
But there is more. Jesus said that if we stay on the right path (i.e., him), we too would do the things he did. Just as Jesus' miracles in God's name were evidence of his claims, our works in Jesus Christ will be evidence that we are on the path to God. Let’s continue by reading verses 12-14:
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, be- cause I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glori ed in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Jesus will empower you, he will guide you, and he will ful ll your desires. There is power in his name because of who he is. He is the Messiah, the promised seed of Eve. He is the ful llment of God’s promise to Abraham to bless the whole world, and he wants to bless us!
Is there additional evidence that we are on the right path, that is, following the teachings of Jesus? Let’s read what he said in verse 15:
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
If you are on the one and only path to God and heaven, you will follow Jesus' commandments like a child carrying out a parent's re- quests without arguing, complaining, or forgetting. Your obedience to him and his teachings will prove that you are on the right path and show your deep-seated love for God and what He teaches us through Jesus Christ.
So how do we keep his commandments? Is it through our own abil- ity, strength, or will power? On the contrary, it will be through the power of Jesus Christ. Let's read Jesus' promise of empowerment in verses 16 and 17:
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Jesus said that he would send another helper or comforter. This helper is called the spirit of truth. If Jesus is the truth, then we could deduce that it is his spirit, also called the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that the spirit of truth would dwell with us and in us. The only way to have his spirit dwelling in us is if we know him. The only way we can truly know him is if we accept as truth the things that he says. So what would the Holy Spirit do? Let's read about it in John chapter 16 verses 8-13:
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
In short, the Holy Spirit will keep us on God's path. He will remind us of Jesus' teachings and righteousness. He will convict us of sin and tell us when we are not following God's commandments. When times are hard, he will remind us that hardship, tribulations, death, and sickness will be destroyed, and that Satan has no power over us. Like an expensive GPS system, he will show us how to stay on the road of Jesus Christ so we can get to heaven and be with the father.
Let's finish by reading John chapter 14 verses 18-21:
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
If you want to go to heaven, you have to be on the only road that goes there. Jesus said he is the way, truth, and life. If Jesus is the
way, there cannot be any others.
Years ago, when the caravans were still transporting goods across Asia along the Silk Road, the travelers had to deal with many hard- ships. Of course, there were the logistical dif culties of having enough food, water, animal feed, and good weather. But they also had to deal with the constant threat of robbery by bandits and mercenaries. When they entered a gorge, crossed over a high mountain pass, or waded across rivers they were always on the lookout for bad men who had every intention to kill them and take their goods.
On one such journey, a caravan of several teams had made it into the Himalayan mountains. The road was rocky, steep, and dangerous. The weather was cold, and the wind blew strong. They had already come a long way and they knew the obstacles ahead.
One of the hardest was an unavoidable canyon crossing.
"I don't want to go into that canyon. There might be bandits. What if the bridge isn't there?" one of the men asked.
"We don't have any choice. There is no other way to the other side. Other people have tried to cross-farther north and south, but high, snow-covered mountains block both ways. This is the only way, we need to get moving," the caravan leader yelled over the howling wind.
Under his lead, the caravan descended so far into the canyon that there was no sunshine. Eeriness enveloped the men and they couldn't wait to get out of there. After a few hours, they rounded a curve in the path and could see the raging river below lled with ice-cold glacier melt. The only thing across that river was a thin, swinging, rope bridge. It wasn't the type of crossing that any man would want to take thousands of kilos across. But there was no other choice. It was a reality that they all had to face. If they wanted to get where they were going, they had to cross the river using the bridge.
It isn't any different for us. If we want to be in heaven, we need to be on the right road and overcome all the obstacles in our way with what God has provided. There will be those along the way who want to steal our faith or trick us into going another way. They may attempt to put thoughts of doubt in our minds. But we must move forward in faith, trusting God and Jesus. God's endorsement of Je- sus' miracles and claims proved that he was who he said he was. He is the only way to heaven and eternal life. He is the only thing that can get you across that chasm called death and judgment. He is the only one who can guarantee you life. If you want to be in heaven, you need to be on the right road. Trust in Jesus that you may have a place prepared for you in heaven!
Discussion Questions
1. When was the last time you got lost? What did you do? What did you do when you nally found your way?
2. Share some of the truths you have learned and how they have affected your life.
3. Why doesn't Jesus say, "I am one of several ways to heaven"?
4. Is God’s promise to Abraham becoming clearer to you? How do you think God will bless the whole world?
5. Is there anything keeping you from believing everything that Jesus has said? Why?
26 John 1:14