Welcome to the COVID-19 Devotionals | Day 17 titled “The Way.” Tomorrow is Good Friday, the day we remember God’s sacrificial offering of His Son, Jesus Christ and a time when we reflect on what Christ’s death on the Cross at Calvary means for each of us.
With this being Holy Week, I wanted to take a look at why Jesus matters. In the Gospel of John, Jesus told His followers that “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (ESV)
How can Jesus make such a bold claim of exclusivity?
In order to try and understand Jesus’ statement, we must first realize that because of sin we are separated from God. We are born spiritually dead and out of fellowship with God, the creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1). We know from Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:23 that sin results in death, spiritually and physically.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)
We cannot erase sin by good behavior, living right, more education, or being more aware of our fallen nature and what that means to our relationship with God. Apart from God, you and I are powerless to save ourselves and find our way to Him.
Isn’t Jesus Just A Guy Who Taught About Love and How To Live Better?
Jesus was more than a motivational speaker, life coach, or moral teacher. In Jesus, God came to earth from heaven to live as a human being. He did so in order to save us from our sins. He is able to do that because although Jesus was 100% human, He never sinned. Having lived a perfect, sinless life qualifies Jesus to become the sacrifice necessary to blot out the penalty of our sins. Jesus, and Jesus alone, satisfied God’s requirement to offer Himself as an atoning sacrifice to fully pay the debt we incurred through our sins. Only Jesus was pure enough to pay this debt. No other individual or religion is able to satisfy God’s demand.
In His last words on the Cross, Jesus uttered, “It is finished,” (John 19:30). He proclaimed the end of sins’ hold on anyone who would trust and believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jesus died to pave a path back to God for you and me.
If the story of Jesus ended with His death, death would still rule over us all because it ruled him. But by coming back to life and rising from the grave on the third day, Jesus conquered death and overcame sin’s hold over our life. We are no longer separated from God when we choose to have faith in Jesus.
Many other religious figures and individuals have taught there are numerous and alternative ways to God. Certainly, in our post-Christian modern culture, many different theories about knowing God and having a relationship with God are seen as perfectly acceptable. Post-modernism is a philosophy that denies the existence of absolute truth. Therefore, what you view as true may be different than what I see as truth. The underlying idea is that truth is relative.
In the light of the philosophical understandings shaping life in the 21st century, Jesus’ statement is often seen as being too exclusive. This is simply not true. Scripture teaches us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” (Romans 10:13).
Anything other than the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is simply not powerful enough to satisfy the debt of our sin.
By proclaiming that He and He alone is the way to God, Jesus is including us all, regardless of ethnicity, cultural background, or other social demographic. Jesus paved the way. It’s up to us to step forward onto the road He has provided to be reconciled to God.
Reflection Questions:
- Who do you say Jesus is?
- What does Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf mean to you?
- What significance does Easter play in your life?
- Have you placed your faith and trust in Christ?
- How can we pray for you?
Prayer:
Lord, we thank You for Jesus. We are humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude at the mere thought of what His death and resurrection mean to us living in the 21st century. Help us remember Your word and let us reflect Your truth as we navigate through the places You put us in and communicate with those You have placed in our way. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
These are unusual times filled with great uncertainty. Of this you can be sure: God so loved you that He gave His only Son that if you believe in Him, you will not perish but have eternal life. God’s done all the work. Jesus IS enough. Will you receive His gift of salvation today?
Terri and I continue to pray for you as you persevere through the global crisis caused by COVID-19.
Stay healthy. Be safe. Keep the faith.
The Devotional Guy™
ABOUT: The Devotional Guy™is a writing ministry of longtime blogger Rainer Bantau, a chaplain actively and intentionally sharing the love of Jesus with people working in the marketplace, the homeless, and wherever else he encounters them.
Sources:
The Archaeological Study Bible (2005). Zondervan Publishing. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Minister’s Bible (2007). Hendrickson Bible Publishing. Peabody, Massachusetts.
The Devotional Guy™ 
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