When you're at a crossroads, it's so important that you make the
right decision. Once you've made the right decision, it's so important
that you keep on heading in the right direction.
Some people tell
us that there are many ways to God and many ways to heaven. This is not
what Jesus tells us. What does Jesus say to us? - He says, "I am the
Way, the Truth and the Life. No-one comes to the Father except through
Me" (John 14:6). Jesus says, "I am the door; if any one enters by Me, he
will be saved" (John 10:9).
How does Jesus open the door to
heaven for us? He says, "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays
down His life for us" (John 10:11). It's through His death on the Cross
that Jesus opens the door to heaven.
What is heaven? We speak
about going up to heaven when our life on earth is over. We can also
speak of heaven coming down to us while we are still here on earth -
"Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, when, at the cross, the
Saviour made me whole." When we come to the Cross, and put our trust in
the Saviour, this is the beginning of heaven. It's a "foretaste of glory
divine."
Why did Jesus come to earth? We might say that He came
to earth so that we might go to heaven. We might also say that He came
to give us the life of heaven here-and-now: "I came that they may have
life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
How does this
"abundant life" come to us? It comes to us through the death of Christ.
If we are to bring real life to our hearers, we must "preach Christ
crucified." we must join with Paul in saying, "I decided to know nothing
among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2; 1
Corinthians 1:23).
Preaching Christ crucified is grounded in knowing Christ crucified.
What
is "preaching"? Is it what happens when the minister speaks to the
congregation? It's more than that. The Word is to be preached by many
people in many different places, all through the week: "A great
persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all
scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the
apostles ... those who were scattered went about preaching the word"
(Acts 8:1a,4).
What did Jesus do when He began His preaching
ministry? He called His disciples to Him. They were ordinary people.
They were learning to follow Jesus. They were learning to be his
witnesses.
What will it mean, for us, to be Christ's witnesses?
Let's
return to Jesus' words, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John
14:6). This is more than a Gospel message, calling on unbelievers to put
their faith in Christ and receive salvation. It also contains
instruction for Christians who have committed themselves to being
Christ's witnesses.
If we are to point to Christ as the Way, the Door, the Gate, our witness must be true and living.
-
This is more than saying that we believe that the Gospel is true. It
means that the Gospel is to be preached by those who have experienced
its truth.
- It's more than saying that Christ brings life to the
world. It means that the Gospel is to be preached by those who are
growing in their experience of life in Christ.
May the Lord help
each of us to be men and women who know, in our hearts and lives, that
Jesus Christ is the true and living Saviour of all who come to God
through faith in Him.
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