24/4/04 Year A Easter 5 John 14:6(1-14) All Age Talk
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
As they came in children were given a maze, where you have to trace the correct way from the start to the finish. Show on acetate/Powerpoint
Really, there is only one correct way for this. Show on acetate/Powerpoint with the correct route on it.
In Swindon, U.K., there is a roundabout known as the "magic roundabout". Show acetate/Power point picture. It consists of five mini-roundabouts round a larger roundabout. I calculate that there are 243 ways round this roundabout!
This contrasts with Jesus who said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
We live in a world where there is often little respect for strong statements such as No one comes to the Father except through me."
What other ways do people think there are of coming to God, then?
Rules:
Some people think that if they behave according to a code of moral principles that this will make them right with God. The problem with this is that someone's set of moral principles may not agree with God's. And, even if they did, the Bible tells us that no-one is perfect. That God's law was given to show our failure to live according to God's standards, not to provide us with a way in which we could be considered good enough for God.
Religion/Ritual:
I recently went to a fitness club. Twice in a week. I found it very beneficial. So much so that I am going to go again next year!
Some people think that if they go to church regularly this will put them right with God. So they go, every Christmas and Easter. Going to church regularly can help people in their faith, but it does need to be more regular than that. Even then it is not that alone that puts us right with God.
It is good to see the parents and godparents of baby Lucy committing themselves to bringing her up in the church family to help her to own the Christian faith for herself.
Race:
In Kettering, Ohio, a woman rushing to a hospital to give birth hit a few problems along the way. First at a gas/petrol station where she delivered the baby herself, and later when confused police ordered her out of the car at gunpoint.
Debbie Coleman, whose 3 and 4-year-old daughters were asleep in the back seat, pulled over at a gas/petrol station just after midnight Tuesday 29th March 2005.
"I asked if she needed help, and she just leaned back in the seat, hollered a little, and I looked down and there was the baby's head," said station co-owner Lloyd Goff, who was alerted to the emergency by a customer. Goff said Coleman "threw her leg over the steering wheel, groaned once, and the rest of the baby came out. "She caught that baby, put it to her chest, gave me a look, like, 'I gotta go,' closed the door, put the van in gear and away she went."
A customer at the gas/petrol station tried to give police a warning about Coleman's situation, but a mix-up involving the license plate number had them thinking the van was stolen. As officers went looking for her, Coleman headed for the hospital, naked below the waist and with the baby boy in her arm. His umbilical cord was still attached. "I kept pulling over, making sure (the baby) was all right, breathing," she said.
Coleman said she noticed several police cars following her before one stopped her. With guns drawn, officers ordered her out of the van with her hands up. "I opened the door and said, 'I just had a baby' and just let them see everything," she said.
Officers sent Coleman on her way and let the hospital know she was coming. She was discharged the next day. Her 6-pound, 8-ounce son, Richard Lee Coleman Jr., remained in intensive care.
Because the baby was born in a garage, does that make it a car?
The Jewish leaders of Jesus' day thought that because they were Jewish and kept their law this put them right with God.
I have met and talked with people who thought that because they were English this made them a Christian. God loves everyone of every sex, colour and nationality. He is not going to accept or reject some one because of where they were born.
Relationship:
Jesus was replying to Thomas. They had known one another for a long time, verse 9, probably three years. Jesus was saying that anyone who has a right relationship with him also knows God, verse 7.
Jesus said he is the way. He showed people the right way to live by his teaching and his example. That way was to involve him going to the cross the next day to die for the sins of the world. He who never did any wrong decided to take the punishment for the sins of the world, which is separation from God. As a result people can know forgiveness, they can have a right relationship with God and the power to live for Him. They can also look forward to that relationship continuing into eternity.
Jesus said he is the truth.
He claimed equality with God, 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
He claimed to be the only way to God, 6b No one comes to the Father except through me."
He claimed to be going to heaven to prepare a place for his followers v2b, I am going there to prepare a place for you.
These are the words of someone who is mad, bad of God. We need to make up our minds because our life here on earth and our eternal destiny will be affected by our response to Jesus.
Jesus said he is the life
Three days after Jesus said these words he rose from the dead. This underlines the truth of Jesus' life and teaching. It shows that God the Father accepted the voluntary, self-sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It means that the way to God is open. That Jesus can give life to those who follow him. And it means that, because Jesus is alive today anyone and everyone, of whatever age, sex, race or colour can have a friendship with him.
The offer of eternal life is there for hose who make Jesus their truth, their way and their life.