Daily Devotional with Dr. Duane Brooks
August 10, 2017
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
New International Version (NIV)
                A friend's neighbor died recently.  As they grieved his death, another neighbor observed:  all the religions lead to the same place.  My friend said, "But they really don't."  What do you believe about that?  The popular theory is that all religions work and no one should make any exclusive claim about the effectiveness of their religion.  We might all get along better if Christians would not say that Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation.
               More important than what you or I think is what the scripture actually says.  As Jesus comforted his disciples explaining about his Father's house, he said to them, "You know where I am going and the way."  Thomas, (in his best Eeyore voice, as I imagine it), wondered aloud, "Lord, we don't know where you are going so how can we know the way?"  Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  The grammar in the original language does not allow us to diminish Jesus words to mean, "I am a way, a truth, a life."  Jesus was definite, using the definite article.  So should we be definite.
               At a funeral some years ago, the minister read the first four verses of John 14, but stopped right before this one.  I wondered if he thought these exclusive words would be found offensive in our "tolerant" society.  Even Christians get nervous about the idea that Jesus is the only way to God.  Why is that?  He is either the risen Lord of life who emerged from the grave three days after his crucifixion, or he is not.  No other religion claims their leader to be the God who overcame death and emerged victorious from the grave.  How exactly are these other religious leaders supposed to help us at our time of death, when they could not help themselves?  One wonders.  Jesus was either a good teacher, or a nice person, or both of these and the Lord of life.  Which one is he to you?  How will that affect the way you relate to God and your neighbors who do not believe in Jesus today?  Your answer matters.  It really does.
Pray with me:
Father, thank you for revealing your perfect Son to us as the way, the truth and the life.  Let Christ become the way we walk with you, the truth we trust in you and the life we live for you, today.  Help us, Father, not to pretend that our neighbors who don’t believe will be fine in the end.  Give us the grace to offer them Jesus, unapologetically, lovingly, today.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.
I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses.  You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones or via this link  http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/.  As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God. 
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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