Dig Deeper - Sunday 10th August 2025
Sermon Reflection Questions - Exploring Life's Biggest Questions Through the Lens of Faith: Have You Ever Wondered if Jesus is Really the Only Way?
John 14:6
Mark 10:17-22
Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 10th August service:
We live in a world where diversity and difference are openly talked about and celebrated, and rightfully so. We are privileged to live in a multi-cultural country where we can openly have free speech and are able to voice our opinions and learn more about other cultures and faiths. But it also means that there are many questions and opinions that are voiced very openly, especially on the news, or online and social media platforms, that ask some very deep questions.
A hot topic of conversation, and something that is always of high opinion, is faith, and more so, questions such as: “What is so different about Jesus?” “What about other religions?” and “What about all those good people who don’t follow Jesus – do they go to Heaven?”
We see by reading John 14:6, Jesus made this understanding of who He was very easy, He explicitly said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus doesn’t give a wishy-washy answer; He could not be clearer - that it is through Him alone that we are saved. Jesus doesn’t say “I offer a way” He says
I AM THE WAY.
At the time of Jesus’ ministry and now in today’s world, this approach by Jesus could be seen as unpopular, because Jesus makes it very clear, the ONLY way to God is through Him, it sounds exclusive, that there is only one way, not many, and is a very bold statement, but as Christians we need to be bold in declaring this truth.
Jesus was not just a man who was a very good teacher and Rabbi, someone who was offering comfort to His worried friends at a time when they were worried about the future, He was speaking a very direct truth. And how does Jesus prove this? He dies on the cross and then is resurrected.
The only thing that separates us from God is the sin of the world. And Jesus died on the cross whilst carrying all of our sin. He then rose again to be seated at the right hand of God, preparing a place for us in Heaven.
Jesus laid down His life so that He bridged the gap between us and God.
Jesus doesn’t say that following Him will be easy. We heard in Mark 10 of the rich man who wanted eternal life. Jesus firstly reminds the man of the commandments, these things that seem obvious to us all on how we can live our lives as good people, but then Jesus takes things one step further – He tells the man to sell everything he owns, give to the poor, and then to follow Jesus. And this is the part of the deal that the man struggles with, and I think that we all struggle with too.
This man was, by all means, a good man. But he approached Jesus, hoping that because of his goodness, it would save him.
In Acts 4:12 we read “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Jesus didn’t come to the earth to create a religion; He came to save us all so we are given eternal life with God the creator of all. Christianity is the belief in the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So yes, Jesus really is the only way. His death and resurrection show us His divinity. It shows us His love for us, to be willing to die whilst carrying the sin of us all, so that we have eternal access to God in Heaven. Jesus is the only way, not because we become part of an “exclusive club”, in fact it’s the opposite! In Revelation 3:20 it says “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
So, because Jesus is the only way, what can be our response when explaining to others?
We need to first be prayerful and rely on God. We can’t do this in our own strength, and Jesus told His disciples to wait until the gift of the Holy Spirit comes. We must first pray and ask God to fill us and be with us.
Secondly, we need to respond with humility and love. Jesus set us the perfect example of how to treat other people. Those who are similar to us and those who aren’t. His ministry was full of love and compassion towards others. When Jesus came across the marginalised, the poor, the gentiles and treated them with respect and love. They followed Jesus because they witnessed how glorious He was as well as what He said.
Thirdly, we need to be confident without being cocky. There can be a very fine line between these two. To be confident is to know Jesus on a more intimate level, and to do this, we need to be deeply rooted in His Word through Bible study and fellowship with others.
It is important to remember to be respectful. It can be very tricky when you are so excited to let others know about how wonderful Jesus is that sometimes that excitement can be quite in your face and scare people off. It can also be very damaging to others when we respond to questions that are worded in such a way that can cause hurt and upset. This is why having a network of others around you is so beneficial and helps guide us. Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs, not alone. In Matthew 18:20 Jesus again explicitly says “Where two or more gather in my name, there I am with them.” And in Ecclesiastes 4:12 it says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Because Jesus is the only way – let’s follow Him. Because He is the truth – let’s believe in Him and because He is the life – let’s receive Him.
Discussion Questions to reflect on:
1. Just as Jesus asked the man to give away his wealth and follow Him, what do you think God would ask us to give up personally?
2. How can we deepen our own faith in God to grow in confidence when faced with difficult questions?
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you love us so much, that you sent your only Son to earth, to die on the cross so that our sins were paid for and that we were gifted a bridge to eternal life with You. We trust wholeheartedly that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Amen.
