Sermon Series: Misconceptions About Christianity 

It's Intolerant 

John 14:6

CBC September 21, 2003

In a nutshell: While Christianity may be intolerant, based on what Jesus said in John 14:6, our faith is not exclusive. In fact, it is the most inclusive relationship there is.

I. Introduction

A. "Bob Bishop"-It doesn't matter what you believe

Let me tell you about an imaginary character I made up. His name is Bob Bishop. Bob Bishop represents a whole lot of people I've met here in Bishop, since moving here last January.

Bob Bishop prides himself in being a tolerant person. Because of his exposure to good, hard working people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, Bob believes that it doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you're sincere about your beliefs. Bob, himself, goes to church every Sunday. But because he is so tolerant, he would be the last person in the world to impose his religious beliefs on anyone else-like his neighbor, Sam, for instance. Bob thinks that Sam will find his own way to God, in the end. Afterall, Hinduism has it's way, Islam has it's way, Bob has his way, so Sam will find his.

Bob views all religions like the lines of longitude on a globe. Eventually they all wind up at the same pole. After all, God wouldn't be so intolerant as to let only Christians into heaven.

The other day an elderly lady, who respects Bob Bishop, came to him, holding an unmarked bottle of tablets. This women asked, "Bob, someone gave me these pills, and He says they'll help my arthritis. But I'm not sure how many I should take. Can you help me?"

Bob looked at the unmarked bottle and the tablets inside. He thought he recognized the brown tablets in the bottle. In fact, he was almost certain that he'd seen similar kinds of tablets at the hardware store, labeled "rat poison". But then, what does he know? Besides, he'd hate to take away this poor women's hope that these tablets just might help her. So, Bob said, "As long as you really believe these pills will help, they should take care of your problem. Go ahead and take as many as you like." After all, he reasoned to himself, it doesn't really matter what you believe, just as long as you're sincere.

B. It's the same

Now you may be thinking, "that's a little over the top." Afterall, there's a huge difference between religion and the kind of thinking that would advise someone to take something that may be poison. Or is there?

You see, at the heart of what I want to consider with you this morning, is the issue of truth. To say that it doesn't matter what you believe so long as you're sincere, or that all religions are really the same deep down, is logical nonsense. And it really is on the same level as claiming that any pill or tablet can cure arthritis.

The plain fact is that different religions offer different and sometimes mutually exclusive descriptions of God, or of salvation, or of eternity, or how to live your life.

Illustration: For instance… -Hinduism claims that there are many gods, and they're all manifestations of the one impersonal Brahma, who is beyond good and evil. They believe that this world is something like a dream, in which we work our way to Nirvana through numerous cycles of reincarnation. -Theravada Buddhism is essentially atheistic, or agnostic at best. It doesn't believe in any supreme being or standard of good or evil. -Islam claims Allah is one god, and Mohammed is his prophet. Followers of Islam believe that Allah is merciful. But 'mercy' means giving out strict justice, depending upon how you lived your life.

Folks when someone says to you, "All religions are the same." I have a good answer for you to give. You can say, "No, they're not. Christian Science and Mongolian Frog worship are two very different beliefs." And by answering that way, you're not being intolerant. You're simply acknowledging that it's illogical to think that they both could be right.

So, as we get to the subject for this morning's message…, is Christianity intolerant?…I want to start with something that Jesus said in answer to that question. If you have your Bibles, I'd encourage you to turn to John 14:6, and underline some specific words in this verse in your Bibles. We'll also put it on the screen…

John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

II. Are there many ways to God?

A. People want to believe there are

Are there many different ways that lead to God? Bob Bishop and a whole lot of other people today want to believe that all paths, all roads, and all faiths lead to God. In other words, they want to believe that all religions are equal, and all religions are equally good paths to God, heaven and eternal life.

So, many believe that Mohammed, Buddha, and Confucius are all on the same par as Jesus Christ. And they believe that the faiths or religions started by these men are all just as valid as the Christian faith in bringing a person to God and heaven.

But that's not a new phenomenon. In fact, as you study the Bible you'll see that human beings have tried all sorts of ways to get to God, eternal life and heaven:

-During the Old Testament period, for instance, Israel's neighbors thought they could get in touch with God by sacrificing their children, or by dancing and screaming and cutting themselves like Baal's prophets did in their contest against Elijah on Mount Horeb. -During the New Testament period, there were those in Israel - like the Pharisees - who thought they could get to heaven by keeping the letter of the Law with all it's rules and regulations.

As people have tried to establish a relationship with God, they have held some strange beliefs and done some pretty weird practices. Another example is the modern belief in channeling.

Illustration: The actress, Shirley MacLaine, claims to be a channel to God. She claims that in a past life she was a monk, a Russian ballet dancer, a male court jester, a harem dancer, a Brazilian voodoo witchdoctor, a Chinese tai chi artist, a prostitute, an Incan youth in Peru, and a Roman guard. She has gone so far as to say that these voices from the distant past have revealed to her that she is a god.

And, she believes that anyone who allows voices from the distant past to speak to them through modern-day channelers will also find themselves to be a god.

-Others, in modern society, like the Heaven's Gate Cult, from a few years ago, believed that they could get access God and go to heaven by killing themselves and joining a group of aliens behind a comet. -Suicide bombers of the Islamic faith believe that they will get an instant trip to Paradise, plus all the virgins they can handle, if they blow themselves up or fly planes into buildings like the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

How many ways are there to God? Modern day, tolerant people, like Bob Bishop want to believe there are as many different ways as there are different people groups and beliefs.

B. It just doesn't compute

But, you know something folks, that just doesn't compute? How can all religions be equally valid? Do you know why I say it doesn't compute? It's because nobody believes that about anything else. So why do they believe that about faith?

Illustrations: 1. A couple of weeks ago, on a Monday, I had to meet John Redman, our Executive Director for the southern California Conservative Baptist Association, down in Pearsonville to sign some papers for a loan our Association is requesting. I'm the secretary for our regional Board, so the documents required my personal signature . So, Pearsonville was a good place to meet so neither one of us had to drive the entire way. So, at 9AM, I got on my motorcycle and rode out to meet him.

But let's say that for some reason I believed that all roads led to Pearsonville. And instead of getting on highway 395 and going south, I got on highway 6 and headed toward…Tonopaugh. And I just kept going. Would I have reached Pearsonville by doing that? Of course not! Instead, eventually, according to the sign just outside of town, I would have ended up in Massachusetts.

2. About a week ago, Clint came over and helped me hook up some wires and circuit breakers in my home's electrical breaker box for my new backyard workshop. Now, when he opened up that breaker box, and added the new sets of wires, that mass of wires became real confusing to me. Green, black, red, white. And multiple ones of each. Which one went where?

Well, let's say Clint decided that all wires meant the same thing, and it really didn't matter where you hooked up the different colors…as long as they all had a place to go, things would be fine. Would I have wound up with electricity to the outlets in my workshop or to the outside of the house? Probably not!

3. Or, what if you go to the dentist for a root canal. And that dentist decided it really doesn't matter how he does a root canal. Eventually all roads lead to that problem tooth. He can go directly to the tooth, or he can go in through your ear, or he can go in through your nose, or he can drill into the back of your neck and work his way up to your gum. I think you'd start looking for a new oral surgeon!

Do you get the picture? - it just doesn't compute to believe that all roads, all faiths, and all religions lead to God and heaven; or that all are equally valid. There are times when intolerance is a good thing!

III. The Way

A. "The Way" is intolerant of other religions

Well, in the verse from John 14, that I showed you earlier, and asked you to underline, Jesus cuts through all this stuff about other paths, other faiths, and other ways…when He says…

John 14:6 6 …"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I have to be honest with you. That is a pretty intolerant statement. And it makes it seem like the Christian faith is an intolerant religion.

But the fact is friends, Jesus Himself is intolerant of any other religion or faith. Jesus tells us there is only one path that leads to God - and that's Him. According to Jesus, all paths do not lead to God, and eternity in heaven. Only one path does.

Let me explain why this is true. Remember, I told you earlier that the central issue for this morning is truth. So, let me take just one of those phrases that Jesus uses and show you the truth in it. Let's look at that phrase, "The Way".

B "The Way" in history

When it comes to "The Way", Jesus wasn't the only person who used that expression. -Shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven it was used to identify the early church. A Pharisee by the name of Saul, who was later known as the Apostle, Paul, went to Damascus to persecute members of "The Way" It says in…

Acts 9:2 (Saul asked) for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

-And later in the city of Ephesus there was a clash between the silversmiths' union and the followers of Jesus. It says…

Acts 19:23 23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.

-When Paul stood on trial before Governor Felix, he said…

Acts 24:14a 14a However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way,

But the idea of "The Way" isn't just a New Testament concept. It also appears a lot of times in the Old Testament..

The Exodus out of Egypt by the Israelites, for instance, was talked about as The Way out of slavery in Egypt, to the Promised Land.

Isaiah 43:14 &16 This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: he made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,

And, throughout the Psalms we read of "The Way" …

Psalms 27:11 11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path

Psalms 32:8 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalms 119:30 30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.

Then there were the words of Isaiah the prophet who foretold the ministry of John the Baptist…

Isaiah 40:3 3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

Friends, when Jesus said He was "The Way", He was wrapping all these things around Himself-and more!

C. The Way is Jesus

So what is it that Jesus was actually saying when He claimed to be "The Way"?

Now, "The Way" -is not a system of traditions handed down from generation to generation by the rabbis of Israel. -It's not learning doctrines from and/or about Jesus. -It's not what Jesus said or did. -And it's not what the disciples wrote about Jesus, or what has been written in the thousands of theology books that have been authored down through the years.

Friends, "The Way" is Jesus Himself.

John 14:5-6 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way…

-"The Way" is a specific person. -"The Way" means following that specific person, Jesus Himself-not just a system of beliefs or doctrines.

So, even if you… …know theology backwards and forwards, …have a masters degree from a seminary, …know all the characters of the Old Testament and New Testament, …and memorize entire books of the Bible… but have not made personal contact with Jesus Christ Himself, then you are not following "The Way."

To follow "The Way", you need a personal, living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ where you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

D. The Way is a road going somewhere

Now, strictly speaking, a way is a road that's going somewhere. It's not an aimless, wandering path. It is a road that has a definite destination, or a goal. So, for instance, the Exodus that the Israelites went on was the way out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. And, Highway 395 is the way that goes north to Reno and south to Pearsonville.

When Jesus says He is "The Way", He's saying He is "The Way" to the Father. "The Way" to the Father's house…where Jesus says…

John 14:2 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

E. The Way is the Way of Salvation

"The Way" is also the Way of Salvation from our sin. Don't forget, Jesus made this incredible statement about being "The Way", just before His arrest, just before His trial, and just before His death by crucifixion. In this key verse of John 14:6…

-He says "I am the way," just before He hung on the cross until He died. -He says "I am the truth," just before the lies of evil men nail Him to the tree. -He says "I am the life," just before He Himself is placed dead in the tomb.

Theologian, R.C. Sproul, said the words I put on the front of your worship folders this morning… Moses could meditate on the law. Mohammed could brandish a sword. Buddha could give personal counsel. Confucius could offer wise sayings. But none of these men was qualified to offer an atonement for the sins of the world.

Because of His death and resurrection, Jesus is the Way of Salvation. Jesus is "The Way" because He died in our place, for our sins.

Illustration: One of the things I did as a child was watch the Chicago Blackhawks play hockey on TV with my grandfather. I remember all those great players on the Blackhawks like: Stan Mikita, Glen Hall, and Bobby Hull.

Well, during one game we watched together, I remember the Blackhawk's goalie, Glen Hall, got called for a penalty. Now, if you know anything about hockey, when a player gets called for a penalty, his team plays short-handed for 2 or more minutes while the offending player sits in the penalty box.

But, when this penalty was assessed, the Chicago goalie-Glen Hall-didn't sit out for 2 minutes. Instead, he stayed in the game. Do you know why? Because another player on his team was allowed to take the penalty for him. That other player sat in the penalty box, suffering the consequences of the goalie breaking the rules.

Friends, that's a picture of Jesus. We broke the rules. We're the ones who are sinners. We have offended God's righteousness and holiness. Yet it was Jesus who paid our penalty by His death on the cross.

What was the result? Through Jesus Christ-His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead-we have the way to God, and heaven, and eternal life. Through Jesus, we are saved from what we deserve!

IV. Conclusion

How many ways are there to God? Jesus says…

John 14:6 6 …"I am the way… No one comes to the Father except through me.

Friends, we live in an age where tolerance has assumed one of the highest positions among human values. But as we've seen from the words of Jesus, Himself, intolerance really isn't a mis-conception about Christianity. The Christian faith really is about as intolerant of other religions as you can possible get. And it sounds, to many people, like it's exclusive. Bob Bishop would say, "It excludes too many good people."

But friends, while Christianity may be intolerant, based on what Jesus said in John 14:6, our faith is not exclusive. In fact, it is the most inclusive faith that there is. People can personally know Jesus, "The Way", regardless of age, gender, nationality, skin color, economic class, education level, job, housing, or language spoken. What could be more inclusive than that?

Would you like "The Way" to God to become Your Way? You can, by inviting Jesus Christ to come and be a part of your life. (Invitation and sinners prayer.)