Class Lesson January 12, 2020

THE POINT: It’s hard to ignore a changed life.

THE PASSAGES: Acts 26:2-5,12-18,24-26

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Celebrity endorsements are nothing new. As far back as the 1760's, Josiah Wedgwood used British royalty in advertisements to sell pottery. 1 Mark Twain loaned his name and image to endorse fountain pens, clothes, and shaving products. 2 Of course, celebrity endorsements have become a common practice today.

What real connection is there between the star athlete and the quality of the shirt he is selling? Do we really think an actor knows a thing or two about the life insurance he is paid to promote? On the other hand, what really gets our attention is when a friend tells us about a product he personally uses.

In a similar way, we can invite skeptics to read books defending the faith, but what can best catch their attention is seeing how Christ has transformed our lives. My grandfather spent eighteen of his retirement years making weekly visits to the county jail. Armed with nothing but a Bible and his testimony, he led over 2,200 men to faith in Christ. His story was no celebrity endorsement; he was a man truly changed by the gospel. Our own testimony of Christ can make a difference too, and Acts 26 shows us how to do just that.

Acts 26:2-5

2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

KEY WORDS: King Agrippa (v. 2)—King Agrippa II was the great-grandson of Herod the Great and a territorial governor in Israel and the surrounding regions.

Pharisee (v. 5)—The Pharisees were the largest religious-political group in first-century Israel (Sadducees, Herodians, Essenes, and Zealots were the others).

My wife and I once led an early morning Bible study group. I challenged everyone in the group to write down their personal testimonies of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. I discovered few had ever done this before. One man, a CEO, later told me it was one of the greatest responsibilities he had ever undertaken, but it was also the most rewarding. The apostle Paul’s defense in Acts 26 gives us a great example to follow.

Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem and falsely accused of stirring up trouble and desecrating the temple (Acts 24:5-6). He had a hearing before Felix, the governor in Caesarea; then after Paul spent two years in prison, Festus replaced Felix and presented the apostle’s case to King Agrippa, and now the king would hear him. Paul was not required to give a defense of his faith before the king; in fact, he had already appealed to be tried before Caesar. Paul could have stayed in his cell, but he saw this as an opportunity to talk about Jesus. Agrippa was an immoral man and was likely involved in an incestuous relationship with his sister, Bernice. Also in attendance were “the chief captains, and principal men of the city” (25:23), so this was an opportunity to point many to Christ.

Paul opened by announcing, “I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews.” Answer renders the Greek word apologia, from which we get the word apologetics. A form of this word appears three times in this chapter (vv. 1,2,24). Paul’s personal story of transformation would inspire the early Christians to persevere in sharing their faith, no matter the circumstances or the audience. Paul even declared, “I think myself happy,” because he recognized this as a God-ordained circumstance to share his personal testimony.

In Acts 26:4-5, Paul told about his life before coming to Jesus Christ. We, too, should always begin our testimonies by sharing what our lives were like before Christ and what led to our need for Christ. Details of our lives before Christ are only important insofar as they set up our need for Christ and our transformation in Him.

The point of sharing our story is not to offer endless details about our sins and, in effect, glorify them. We should share just enough to show the emptiness of the old life. In another passage, Paul wrote, “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death” (Rom. 6:21). Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 comprises twenty-six verses, and only five of those detail Paul’s life before Christ. In other words, less than 20 percent of his testimony was the “before” picture. That’s a good model for us to follow.

Question 2: What are some words that describe your life before you encountered Jesus?

Acts 26:12-18

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

When we share our personal testimony, it is important to adapt our narrative to fit the audience. That’s what Paul did. This was the third account of Paul’s conversion story in the Book of Acts (Acts 9:1-9; 22:2-21), and while the structure was similar in each one, different details emerged.

For example, Paul emphasized one element before King Agrippa that was not brought out in the other two accounts. When Jesus asked Paul, then named Saul, why he was persecuting Him, Jesus said, “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” (A “prick” or goad was a sharpened branch, spear-like, used to move animals in a desired direction.) This referred to a Greek proverb that would have been familiar to the highly educated Paul as well as the prominent people he was now addressing. Over 400 years earlier, a Greek named Euripides wrote a play titled Bacchae, which included this line: “You are a mortal, he is a god. If I were you I would control my rage and sacrifice to him, rather than kick against the pricks.” Jesus took something familiar to Paul to help him see that his efforts to persecute Christ’s church were only hurting himself—and now Paul shared this with King Agrippa to show how his life was harmed without Christ.

Paul’s conversation centered on the appearance of Christ in a bright light. “I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun.” Even today, the church has embraced that phrase as a shortened way of expressing conversion: I saw the light. But for Paul, it was no mere metaphor; he really saw a light. He had witnesses who could back this up because Christ’s bright light was “shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.”

Paul’s testimony from this moment forward focused on the work of Christ and the change He brought to Paul’s life. Everyone’s testimony should do the same: emphasize Christ. After all, our goal is not to get people to follow us; our desire is for them to embrace and follow Christ.

The work of Christ is more than what He saved us from; the change in our lives includes what Christ saved us to. A key part of Paul’s testimony is the life and the work Christ called him to. Even as he was converted from his old life, Jesus gave him a new charge. “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.” Paul’s testimony did not center on a one-time event; he shared how it had changed the whole course of his life.

Paul’s story was dramatic. A person might read Paul’s testimony and bemoan that his own conversion is hardly dramatic at all in comparison—but that does not make his testimony any less valid or important. Spiritual transformation in Christ is miraculous and glorious regardless of the details and circumstances!

• To be transformed from an unfaithful spouse to a faithful, loving spouse is powerful.

• To be transformed from unprincipled to trustworthy is powerful.

• To be transformed from one who never prays to a prayer warrior is powerful.

• To be transformed from loving self to loving others is powerful.

• To be transformed from self-centered to Christ-centered is powerful.

In Christ, we are daily being transformed more and more into His likeness—and that’s powerful.

Question 3: How has your life changed since you started following Christ?

Acts 26:24-26

24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

It takes courage to share our faith—sometimes profound courage. That certainly must have been the case for Paul as he stood before King Agrippa. Specifically, this was Agrippa II, the last Herodian ruler. This family had a history of opposing Christ and His followers.

• Herod the Great attempted to kill Jesus when the Lord was a young child (Matt. 2:16-18).

• Joseph was warned in a dream to avoid living in Judea where Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, was ruling after his father had died. So Joseph took Mary and Jesus and settled in the town of Nazareth in Galilee (vv. 19-23).

• Herod Antipas (another son of Herod the Great) beheaded John the Baptist (14:1-11) and participated in the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:6-12).

• King Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, killed the apostle James “with the sword” (Acts 12:1-2).

No one could argue with the profound change seen after Paul’s conversion to Christianity. Paul’s transformation could only be attributed to one thing: his encounter with the resurrected Christ. 

Every sermon Paul preached ultimately centered on the resurrection of Jesus. He labeled the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as “first of all” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). The bodily resurrection of Jesus is the pivot point of our faith and sets it apart from all other religions and belief systems. Belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus was the driving force behind the growth and expansion of the early church from 120 people in Acts 1 to a movement that, by the time it had reached Thessalonica in Greece, had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

Paul introduced the resurrection early in his testimony—“Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” (26:8)—and returned to it at the end: “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (v. 23).

Now the thought of a resurrection was too much for Festus’s cynicism. He “said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself.” Of course, Paul was not out of his mind. He had seen the resurrected Christ. An empty tomb and the multiple attested appearances of Jesus convinced His followers that God had acted decisively in Jesus Christ, who alone is sufficient to bring salvation to everyone who embraces the gospel.

As ludicrous as the resurrection might sound to people like Festus and King Agrippa, all the evidence points to the reality and validity of the resurrection of Christ. Our own conviction of the truth of the resurrection is backed up by the transformation Christ has brought into our lives. People may question the resurrection, but they can’t dismiss the change they see.

Question 4: What are some of the personal challenges we face in sharing our testimony with others?

Question 5: What are some practical ways we can share our stories with others?

LIVE IT OUT

What will you do to tell others of your changed life in Christ?

• Write. Write out your story of faith in Christ. Note what your life was like before Christ, how you came to faith in Him, and what your life is like now.

• Pray. Ask God to lead you to those with whom you could share your testimony. Pray for an open door into a conversation about the difference Christ has made in your life.

• Share. Share the testimony of your walk with Christ. Let it be a natural part of a conversation.

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Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher Notes:

Makeovers on television have been a long-standing favorite for many viewers. From What Not to Wear, which ran from 2003 to 2013 and focused on people’s clothing, hair, and makeup choices, to Fixer Upper, which aired from 2013 to 2018, and followed Chip and Joanna Gaines as they renovated old homes throughout Waco, Texas, we love a good makeover show. We love the drama of the before-and-after shots—the home suddenly made beautiful, or the haggard-looking mom-of-three walking out confidently, with shine in her hair and new clothes on her back.

But what is the most fascinating part of these shows?

The part that takes up most of the hour of television, is the process from before to after. That’s where the good television happens—in the messy, beautiful, sometimes difficult process of transforming someone or something to something “better.”

Christians all have a before, during, and after.

The Setting: Paul’s dedication to preaching the gospel caused him all kinds of trouble with Jews and Gentiles alike. Because of his preaching and the disruptions that often came because of it, he was accused of contributing to a worldwide insurrection. Such charges landed him before various governing authorities: the Sanhedrin; Felix, the Roman governor; his successor, Festus; and Agrippa, a regional king considered an expert in Jewish culture and religion. Acts 26 is a record of Paul’s defense before Agrippa.

Acts 26:2-5

“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee.

What motivated Paul in life before he met Christ? What makes Paul’s story so surprising?

• Paul was the perfect Pharisee. He did not need convincing about God’s existence. Nor did someone persuade him that absolute truth existed, that the Roman gods were idols fashioned by men, or that God could not be reached through some other world religion. He knew who God was, and Paul worshipped God his whole life according to the pathway laid out for him. He sought God in the Temple at Jerusalem and by tightly following Jewish law. As far as he knew, he had found God. Paul was a defender of the Jewish faith, long before he became a Christian. He viewed followers of the Way as those who misled others with false teaching about a dead teacher who they claimed to be the Messiah. He worked to destroy them like the infection he believed them to be. That’s what put him on the road to Damascus.

What motivated you in life before you met Christ?

• To live my life for myself. What the world says makes life important. Successful, influential people. Money, accomplishments (title)

I.  Point to your life before Christ.

• We ought to rejoice at opportunities to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus and to tell our story of being changed in Christ.
• No matter how good we may have been, if we have not accepted Jesus as Savior, we are living in opposition to Him.
• No matter how strict our religious convictions, we still need to have a personal, life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

Acts 26:12-18

“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

What does a changed life for Christ look like? (Repentance)

• A Christian change is radical. The NT word means changing one’s mind, so that one’s views, goals and ways are changed and one’s whole life is lived differently. The change is radical, both inwardly and outwardly; mind and judgment, will and affections, behavior and lifestyle, motives and purpose.

How does Paul’s change reinforce the truth of the Gospel?

• Paul went to Damascus to arrest Christians. He hoped that if he harassed enough of them, the movement would die, and if it didn’t naturally, then he would help the process along. He believed in his heart that what he was doing was what God wanted him to do. Unbeknown to Paul, while he was seeking Christians, God was seeking him. Paul sought his prey to destroy them; God sought Paul to heal and repurpose him. Paul heard God’s voice. Anyone who has heard God’s voice knows that God exists. Paul’s life was radically changed. He wound up at his intended destination, but with an outcome he did not intend.
• Paul’s pursuit of Christians increased the distance between him and God. He kept running in the wrong direction. Thankfully, God was just as relentless to have Paul become one of His children as Paul was to arrest and imprison those who claimed they already were. Paul expected to find God in the majestic temple. God revealed Himself on a common road. Paul believed the Law was the way to make himself pleasing to God. God wanted to show him grace so that Paul could be a testimony to others. Christians, to Paul, were misled at best and his sworn enemy at worst. Paul became their greatest human champion.

II.  Point to your changed life in Christ.

• No one is beyond the reach of Jesus.
• Jesus has the power to change lives.
• To resist the call and will of the Lord is foolish.
• To persecute believers is to oppose Jesus Himself.
• The Lord calls His people to be on mission as His servants and witnesses.
• The gospel has a powerful effect on those who believe.

Acts 26:24-26

At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

III. Others may question your story, but they can’t dismiss a transformed life.

• Our opponents may be quick to criticize, ridicule, or denounce our testimony.
• The decision is ours; will we live openly for Jesus or in secret.

Conclusion:

Paul’s transformation story is incredibly fascinating. Can you imagine anyone who has undergone a greater change of heart (or lifestyle)? He went from persecuting Christians, to becoming a persecuted Christian. He was blinded by Jesus, brought completely to His mercy, and told he, a Jew, was going to become a messenger to bring good news of salvation to the Gentiles! He spent the rest of his life living out the mission God gave him.

While our conversion stories may not be as dramatic as Paul’s, we all still have a “before,” a “during,” and an “after.” No matter how young or old you were when you became a follower of Christ, we all have a story to share with others—the story of God slowly sanctifying us to become more like Christ. None of us are perfect “after’s,” but that just makes for a more interesting story! The important thing is that we share the goodness of God in our lives as often as we can.

Class Lesson January 5, 2020

THE PASSAGES: Isaiah 44:6-11; John 14:5-7

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

“Jumping on the bandwagon” is a regular habit for a lot of people and businesses. When a product begins to grow in sales or popularity, others want to jump in and profit from it too. One popular reality TV show in the 90s led to an army of production companies releasing their own. When one type of food becomes trendy—like spicy hot chicken or chicken and waffles—it seems like everybody in food services jumps on the bandwagon to sell their own version of the treat. Unfortunately, however, not everyone holds to the same standards that made the original so popular.

When it comes to establishing a relationship with God (or going to heaven), many people contend one way is as good as another. Religious leaders will also rise up touting their way is better—or easier. Let me just call these what they are: cheap knock-offs—attempts to mimic the real thing that fall far short. Buying a low quality, knock-off box of cereal can be disappointing to your taste buds, but buying into an inferior, false substitute for a real relationship with God is eternally deadly.

THE POINT: A vast difference exists between faith in Jesus and all other religions.

Isaiah 44:6-8

6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. 7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

KEY WORDS: Lord of hosts (Isa. 44:6)—Lord of hosts refers to God’s sovereign rulership over the created order. There are none like Him. He is unrivaled in power and authority.

It’s a familiar scene in the courtroom. A defendant is on the stand and the lawyer asks, “Were you at such-and-such location on the day in question?”

The defendant answers, “I most certainly was not there.” Multiple witnesses are called who can corroborate the defendant’s whereabouts on that day. Their testimony is important because of the law of non-contradiction. Two contradictory claims cannot both be true at the same time. The defendant was either there or he wasn’t. Truth is, by nature, exclusive.

The same logic applies to religion. Don’t all religions lead to God? Aren’t all religions the same? Anyone who makes this claim betrays their own lack of knowledge of world religions because the varied religions do not make the same claims or have the same goals. In Isaiah 44:6-8, God applied the same law of non-contradiction in one of the clearest divine autobiographical statements in the whole Bible: “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” God then challenged any “god” to step forward and do what He can do: “call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.” Yahweh then asked, “Is there a God beside me?” The answer is resounding silence. The answer is clear: no one is like God.

Because of our historical distance, we may not appreciate the importance of names in the Bible. For example, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham (Gen. 17:5); Jacob was changed to Israel (37:28). Yet, God’s name has never changed. His name Yahweh appears over six thousand times in the Old Testament, but what does it mean? When God appeared to Moses in a burning bush, He identified Himself: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). Moses wanted to know God’s name: “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me to you; and they shall say to me, What is his name?’ what shall I say unto them?” (v. 13). It was a reasonable question. After all, gods—like humans—have names.

But God replied in an unexpected way: “I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (v. 14).

God does not have a name in the conventional sense. He is not Ra, Baal, Marduk, or Anubis. He is absolute and wholly unique. He is God, and there is no other like Him. The uniqueness of God, the fact that there is no other god, means that God has no need for a “name” that distinguishes Him from other gods. There are no other gods! God is simply the “One Who Is.” He is the One who exists.

In light of the truth that there is only one God, Yahweh, and there is no other, God Himself told us through the prophet Isaiah: “Fear ye not, neither be afraid.” When we walk with Yahweh, He Himself is our place of safety, protection, and stability. “Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God.” How comforting to know that the One true God is someone we can run to. He is personal, knowable, and finds joy in establishing us with His protection.

With the knowledge and comfort of God’s unique presence also comes a responsibility. “Ye are even my witnesses.”

Question 2: What does God reveal about Himself in these verses?

Isaiah 44:9-11

9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

We cannot be witnesses of God as the One true God without dealing with the fallacy of all other gods. In verses 9-11, God pointed to the emptiness of idols and the equal emptiness of those who put stock in those idols. “They are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.” Those who speak up for idols are as dumb, mute, and blind as the idols themselves. Later in verse 18, God described the condition of those who falsely believe in idols: “he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.” Clearly, God takes it seriously when we worship anything or anyone but Him. Let us not forget the first two commandments: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (Ex. 20:3-4).

In an effort to get in shape, my wife, Audrey, and I enlisted the help of a trainer. He’s a good trainer who also happens to be Muslim. My wife and I always pray together before we begin the workout, and on one occasion, the trainer wanted to join us. He said, “We all pray to the same God. All religions are essentially the same. Let’s pray together.”

How would you respond if someone said to you the God of the Bible and the god of Islam are the same? A lot of people believe that about all gods, but they would be surprised to know that religions are not inclusive. They all make exclusive claims, and we find fundamental differences between them.

Let me give you just one example and contrast Christianity and Islam.

• Key words and doctrines found in Scripture never appear in the Koran; words like atonement, covenant, redemption, and regeneration are absent.

• The Koran claims Jesus was not crucified, but that He only appeared to be crucified (Surah 4.157-58). This assertion flies in the face of one definite fact of history: Jesus’ death by Roman crucifixion. The crucifixion of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith. Are we to believe the Koran, a seventh century source that contradicts earlier sources from the first and second centuries about a first-century event?

• Contrast the ultimate goal of both religions. Scripture points us to a new heaven and new earth where God dwells with His people. The Koran says nothing about eternity with Allah; instead, it refers to the garden of Eden, a place of lust.

• In Islam, Allah is unknowable. In Christianity, God says, “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness” (Jer. 9:24).

• In Islam, Allah seems unconcerned about those who suffer, and he does not love unconditionally; he only loves the good Muslim. Yet, in the Bible, we see a God who loves all unconditionally (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:16-18).

No, Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God. We could say the same thing about every other belief system that is not grounded solely in the teaching of Scripture. As God said about those who follow idols and all false belief systems, they receive no benefit whatsoever from their beliefs and practices. As we shall see next, though, we receive great, eternal benefit from knowing Jesus.

Question 3: Where do you see idolatry present in today’s culture?

John 14:5-7

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Thomas, speaking on behalf of all the disciples, asked a question that indicated they did not comprehend all Jesus was telling them. Jesus responded with a profound statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He used three telling words that capture one great truth about who He is.

• Jesus is the way. Couple this with what Jesus said next—“no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”—and we hear a statement that flies in the face of the claim that all religions lead to God. We have no other way to God outside of Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). N. T. Wright wrote: “The belief that ‘all religions are really the same’ sounds nice and democratic—though the study of religions quickly shows that it isn’t true. What you are really saying if you claim that they’re all the same is that none of them are more than distant echoes, distorted images, of reality. You’re saying that ‘reality,’ God, ‘the divine,’ is remote and unknowable, and that neither Jesus nor Buddha nor Moses nor Krishna gives us direct access to it. They all provide a way towards the foothills of the mountain, not the way to the summit.” 1

• Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the way to the Father because He is the truth. Jesus did not say He has the truth or He knows the truth. He said, “I am the truth.” What I appreciate about Jesus’ statement is that truth is personal, not abstract. We find truth in a Person, Jesus Christ. Truth has a personal quality in it. Truth is exciting. Truth is life-changing. Truth is exclusive and transformative. As “the truth,” Jesus accurately reveals God. Through Him, we know what to believe about God. We need to abandon any preconceived notions, half-truths, and distortions about what God is like or who He is. No other belief system accurately reflects the true nature and character of God. We need only to see Jesus, because in seeing Jesus, we see the only true God.

• Jesus is the life. As the only source of truth, Jesus is the only one who can give life. He gives us life because He is the life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Jesus is everything we need—in every circumstance. Many people are offended by the exclusive nature of Jesus’ claim, but He validated His claim by the uniqueness of His life and teaching. Jesus taught like no other. He backed up His teaching by miracles. He displayed power over nature, Satan, and death. The ultimate proof that Jesus is God was His resurrection from the dead. We will find no other route to a relationship with God. All we need is Jesus.

Question 4: How would you summarize the differences between Christianity and other religions?

Question 5: What are some practical ways our group can communicate that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?

LIVE IT OUT

How will the truth that Jesus is the One and only true God affect your life?

• Be educated. Make time to study the distinctives of Christianity in light of other religions. A good place to start is 4truth.net.

• Be prayerful. Partner with your Bible study group in praying for individuals you know who might question the exclusive claims of Christ. Pray for opportunities to share, and pray they would be open to the truth of who Jesus is.

• Be compassionately bold. Speak up! Don’t be silent when someone claims all religions are the same. As you share about the uniqueness and exclusivity of Jesus, be a model of His love and grace.

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Hope to see everyone this Sunday!

In His Love,


David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

AREN’T ALL RELIGIONS THE SAME? 

Oprah Winfrey / Eckhart Tolle / Bono / Rick Warren

COEXIST: You've seen this bumper sticker in Bluffton. 

Here's what it means:

The designer’s basic coexistence design is uncomplicated and easy to understand. The design uses three symbols that stand for Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

• for the letter "c," a crescent moon representing Islam
• for the letter "x," the Star of David representing Judaism
• for the letter "t," a cross representing Christianity

The newer designs add additional symbols:

• for the letter "o," the peace symbol or pagan/Wiccan pentacle
• for the letter "e," a male/female symbol or a scientific equation
• for the letter "i," a pagan/Wiccan symbol
• for the letter "s," a Chinese yin-yang symbol

The COEXIST Movement has sprung up, especially on college campuses, across the US and elsewhere. The goal of this movement is to embrace tolerance for all belief systems. The chief promoter of this movement is the music industry and the pop icon Bono from the band U2.

RELIGIONS—Many ways to God? (Oprah Winfrey)

Video: Oprah - many ways to what you call God

• “When Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and others pray to their god, all of those individuals are actually praying to the same god, but simply using different names for that deity.” - registered opinion of 4 of 10 American adults (Barna poll)
• Gandhi of India once said: “The soul of religion is one, but it is encased in a multitude of forms.”
• “In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole,” claims the Bahá'í faith.

SPIRITUALITY—COEXIST (Oprah Winfrey)

Video: Oprah talks about Spirituality claims to be a Christian

Isaiah 44:6-8

“This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come—yes, let them foretell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

The Hindu religion contains 330 million gods, but worship of all those various gods leads to the same place. Many non-Hindus believe something similar: we call God by different names and believe different things about Him, but at the heart of it all, we’re worshiping the same God. The Bible reveals a different picture: only one true God exists, and we come to know Him only through Jesus Christ.

What does Isaiah say here to the notion of many gods?

I.          There is only one God.

This brief but powerful oracle is a defense of the Lord’s claim to be the only God of the universe. Several of the titles or attributes of the Lord in these verses were introduced in chapters 41–43 specifically but, of course, are found throughout the Old Testament. Such repetition provides continuity to the prophet’s message as well as adds emphasis to the reality of the claim God was making about Himself.

What are some lasting truths from Isaiah 44:6-8?

• God has proven Himself to be the only God.
• God’s people have no reason to live in fear, because God can be trusted to keep His word even during the lowest points of history.
• Because of our experience with Him, God’s people are to bear witness that the Lord is the only God.

Isaiah 44:9-11

All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy.

What things or people have society made into gods?

What is Isaiah’s point here?

II.          Worshiping other “gods” is an empty pursuit.

• Here Isaiah describes how people make their own gods. How absurd to make a god from the same tree that gives firewood. Do we make our own gods – money, fame, or power? If we make a god of our own choosing, we deceive ourselves. We cannot expect it to empower our lives.
• The height of foolishness is to trust something inanimate, incapable of providing any lasting benefit.
• Those who depend on false gods, whether images, things, or other people shall someday stand before the true Lord God in fear, shame, and disgrace.

John 14:5-7

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

So, what does John clarify for EVERYONE to know?

III.          Jesus is the only way to God.

This is one of the most basic and important passages in Scripture. How can we know the way to God? Only through Jesus. Jesus is the way because he is both God and man. By uniting our lives with His, we are unified with God. Trust Jesus to take you to the Father, and all the benefits of being God’s child will be yours.

As the way, Jesus is our path to the Father. As the truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. As the life, He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally.

What are some lasting truths from John 14:5-7?

• Jesus is the only access to the Father, His true and faithful revelation, and the center of the life He gives.
• If Jesus is the Incarnate Son of God—and He is—then what He says about Himself and the promises He extends are without doubt to be accepted as true.
• We know God the Father through our faith experience with Jesus the Son.

So, how would you respond to the statement, “All roads lead to the God”?

Read: Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, “Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to You!”

Conclusion:

We live in a pluralistic society. Thus, persons may live by the theory that more than one kind of ultimate reality exists and is valid.

Are there multiple ways with one outcome? Is it a matter of religious practice or something more?

Read: “Perhaps the greatest difference of all [among religious views] lies in the Christian assertion that none of us can save ourselves and make ourselves acceptable to God, try as we may: all the other faiths assert that by keeping their teachings a person will be saved, fulfilled or reborn.”

The message of the Bible is clear. There is one God; He is the Lord. And there is only one way to Him; that is through Jesus Christ. Is that the profession of your life?

Are All Religions the Same?

When Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876, people immediately recognized it for the unique invention it was, but they didn’t see as it something people would regularly use. For example, the White House installed a phone a year later—one phone—and it was only used for emergencies.

Many did see the money that could be made off the telephone, and so the lawsuits began.

For eleven years, Bell and his young company, the American Bell Telephone Company, faced 587 lawsuits. Many of the plaintiffs had good arguments (but still lost) and others were just downright silly. One such plaintiff was a man who came in with his version of a phone which he claimed was the first. However, when he was asked in court to show how it works, his device just sat there. He couldn’t even prove it was a working phone, much less the first working phone. When asked for an answer, the man’s lawyer said, “It can speak, but it won’t.”

It can speak, but it won’t.

This made me think of the Elijah and Baal story. I picture this guy standing with the prophets of Baal in their challenge from Elijah the prophet.

“Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God who answers with fire, he is God” (1 Kings 18:23-24).

Throughout the morning and afternoon, Baal’s prophets did everything they could to get Baal to respond. Nothing. It’s at this moment that I see our man step up to Elijah and say:

It can speak, but it won’t.

In a nutshell, that is the essence of every religion out there, save one. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism, and all other groups lead me to conclude that only one of them conforms to reality.

To that one person who dismisses it all with the idea that all religions are working toward the same thing only shows he knows little about Christianity or other religions. It’s OK to believe whatever you want so long as you are sincere in your beliefs. That idea won’t work with telephones—a faulty phone won’t work no matter how sincerely I believe it will—and it won’t work in spiritual matters. In Alexander Graham Bell’s day, not all phones were the same, and all belief systems are not the same.

What God has revealed about Himself in nature and in Scripture points to Him as the one true God, and the person and work of Jesus point to His divinity. He is God. Jesus could say with total confidence:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

He can save, and He does.