|
DATE |
CHURCH |
SUBJECT |
PREACHER |
BIBLE
REF. |
|
20.04.08 |
All Saints' Church |
What is
Christianity? |
Rev. Tony Higton |
John 14:1-14 |
|
Christianity is not primarily church
buildings, hymnbooks, prayerbooks, communion tables, candles and
the like.
Christianity is Christ.
When Thomas asked Jesus the way to heaven,
Jesus replied that he is the way.
Jesus is the way
Jesus said: “No one comes to the Father
except through me” (John 14:6). Jesus was inclusive in that he
loves everyone, he died for everyone and he invites everyone to
enjoy eternal salvation.
But he is also exclusive in that he makes
it clear that the way to God is through him, no-one will be
saved other than through him, no-one will be forgiven other than
through him and no-one will get to heaven other than through
him.
This is not politically correct but, then,
Jesus wasn’t politically correct. He was just correct! In fact,
he is infallibly correct.
God in his mercy may save people who have
never heard or understood the Christian gospel. But he will only
do so through Christ (i.e. because Jesus died for them). He is
the only way.
Christianity is knowing Christ. Jesus said:
“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well” (verse
7). When the Bible refers to knowing Christ it is talking about
an intimate knowledge. It is the knowledge of two dear and
beloved friends.
Christianity is first and foremost a
personal relationship with Jesus. As one theologian put it, it
is an I-Thou relationship.
Christianity is loving Christ. It is
fulfilling the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). We are
called to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and
strength.
Christianity is serving Christ. This
follows from our love for him. We shall be willing to do
anything which pleases him.
Jesus is the truth
“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and
that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don't you know me,
Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say,
'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father,
and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not
just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is
doing his work’” (verses 8-10).
Jesus shows us what God is like. Jesus
tells us what God is saying. He is the supreme revelation of
God. If we want to know what God is like then it is quite
simple: he is like Jesus.
Any idea of God which contradicts the
nature and character of Jesus is mistaken. Jesus is the “filter”
through which we look at all religious claims. Jesus is the
yardstick by which we measure all statements about God and
salvation.
Jesus is the life
Jesus is Lord over death. As someone put
it, had he not specified that Lazarus should come forth from the
grave, the whole cemetery would have emptied. Everyone in it
would have been raised!
More seriously, Jesus endured the ultimate
death - physical and spiritual. He sank to the very depth of
death. He bore that death which is the very curse of the law.
But he triumphed and shattered its power for all eternity.
Knowing he was going to achieve this he
said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that
you also may be where I am” (verses 1-3).
Jesus has gone beyond the veil of death to
prepare a place for us.
So, for the person who dies trusting in
Christ is going home. Death is going to live with God. Death is
going to enjoy God’s hospitality
We are expected! |
Do
We Believe in 3 Gods?
