Jesus, the Only Way

by Stephen Bastin

contact writer

Jesus was born into a poor, Jewish family.  His father was a carpenter.  Mary, his mother, gave birth to several other children after Jesus.  There were four brothers and some sisters.  He grew up in a small village in Galilee.  These are things that are taught in the Bible.

When he was about 30 years old, he traveled to the Jordan River, somewhere near the city of Jericho, where John the Baptist was preaching.  There Jesus was immersed in the river.  The Spirit descended on him like a dove.  The Father spoke from heaven:  “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.

Jesus then launched into the work for which he had come.  He traveled through Galilee, the district around his home town of Nazareth, preaching and healing all the sick.  There were occasional trips to Jerusalem for the great annual feasts.  In Jerusalem, Jesus performed miracles and continued his teaching.  The religious leaders were incensed at the things he said and plotted his death.

The people said of Jesus teaching, “He teaches as one who has authority and not like the scribes and Pharisees.”  On another occasion they said of him, “Never did a man speak like this man.”  When many disciples had left Jesus because of what he said, he asked the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”  Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have words of eternal life.”

John only recorded a few of the miracles of Jesus in his story.  He concluded, “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

That sounds simple enough.  Believe that Jesus is the Christ and “bingo” you have eternal life.  But, wait a minute, what exactly does it mean to believe that “Jesus is the Christ?”

Christ is a word that means “the anointed one.”  In the Old Testament the Jews had anointed their kings.  To call Jesus “the Christ”  meant to the Jewish people that he was God’s anointed king.

Jesus is a king.  Not just any king, but King of kings.  As Americans we are not very familiar with kings.  We are more comfortable with a form of government that allows us to vote.  We have a say in what happens.  Our chosen representatives make the laws.  If we do not like their laws, we choose new lawmakers.  Not so with Jesus.  We did not choose him.  He chose us.  We do not have a say in what the laws will be.  He makes the laws.  He enforces the laws.  There is no appeal from his judgment.

Most churches make their own rules.  Everything from how the “church” is governed to what is required of members is decided by some group chosen from within the ranks of that “church.”  Councils decide what is to be believed and theologians decide what the rank and file will do.

In opposition to this, we say, “Jesus is the king.”  He makes the rules.  “Everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” has been given to us by Jesus through the apostles HE chose.  No votes, no appeals, no questions, just obey Jesus.

I know that there are a lot of people out there saying, “There’s nothing you need to do to be saved.  Just believe.”  Well, the writer of Hebrews felt differently (5:8-9):  “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.  And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.”  Jesus is the only way.  We must obey Jesus.

I also know that there are a lot of churches that have special rules that they make.  You have to follow them (they say) in order to be righteous.  You have to wear the right clothes to church, no smoking, no drinking, no tattoos, etc.  Do I think that those things make no difference at all?  No.  The problem is that none of those rules can be found in the New Covenant made by Jesus.

Consider another matter on which Jesus spoke plainly.  In Matthew 23, Jesus considered the conduct of the Jewish religious leaders.  These are the people who got so mad at Jesus that they had him killed.

Referring to their love of public attention, Jesus said, “They love people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces, and they love to have people call them ‘Teacher.’  But you must not be called ‘Teacher,’ because you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters together.  And don’t call any person on earth ‘Father,’ because you have one Father, who is in heaven.  And you should not be called ‘Master,’ because you have only one Master, the Christ.”  (NCV)

So what sort of titles are now used?  Not only the specific ones that Jesus mentioned, but in addition there are such titles as Reverend, Right Reverend, Monsignor, Pastor, His Eminence and so on.  How can this be when we call our king, Jesus.  The apostles were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, and so on.  They were not Reverend Peter, Saint Andrew, Pastor James and His Holiness, John.

Jesus said, “You are all brothers.”  Among brothers no titles are necessary.  Titles are only given to elevate one person above another.  That is not what Jesus’ disciples do!  It is important that we follow in the way taught by Jesus.

The way of Jesus is the way of service.  He said the greatest among you shall be servant of all.  At the last supper, Jesus performed the work of a servant when he washed the feet of his disciples.  Jesus is our example.

If you are interested in learning more about following Jesus we invite you to join us for Bible study and worship.  We meet at East School in Torrington.