Jesus as "The Way"

Most people are not offended if I tell them that Jesus is "my" way. Our culture is big on "live-and-let-live." However, if my "way"--in other words, if my understanding--in any way seems to call into question another's "way," then I'd better look out! The intolerance of tolerant people for intolerance is extreme!

So, the rub doesn't come when I say that Jesus is "my way"; it's when I say that Jesus is "the way." Indeed, the reaction to that slight modification is so vociferous that many Christians no longer will go there. They don't want to offend, so they steer clear of something that so obviously causes offense.

That approach doesn't work for me, though. The reason is simple. I'm not the one who made the claim about Jesus in the first place. He did. He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). So when I say Jesus is "the way" rather than just "my way," I am echoing him.

I understand why people get upset when I say Jesus is "the way." To them it sounds as if I'm unwilling to consider or even look at other ways. They may assume I'm attacking "their way(s)" or their belief systems, so I'm not surprised that when I say "Jesus is the way," I am accused of arrogance. But does it sound arrogant when Jesus says it?

After all, Jesus claimed that he came "to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). And, on the night before his death, he asked the Father to achieve salvation in some other way if possible; yet, "not my will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42). If, after begging for another way, Jesus willingly died on the Cross, is it arrogant for him to say, "I am the way"? When someone argues that there is another way, isn't s/he implying that Jesus' crucifixion was unnecessary?

So, when conversing with a skeptical acquaintance about spiritual things, I do not begin with the idea that Jesus is the only way. After all, I don't want to end the conversation before it begins. However, if it comes up, I can't back away from it. I try to articulate my understanding as sensitively as possible, but, in the end, it is more important that I be honest than that I be non-offensive. I owe the other person that. I owe Jesus that.

JOSH

Did you see the nice article about Josh Pounders in last week's Valley-Times? In case you missed it, here it is (minus the oh-so-good photo) . . .

First Baptist minister of music returns home
By Ponta Abadi
The Beaverton Valley Times, Oct 16, 2008

Josh Pounders, the new minister of music and worship at First Baptist Church of Beaverton, left for awhile, but has returned to his hometown church. “I always knew I would come back,” he said.

Pounders, 29, has been involved with music for most of his life. “I started singing when I was 3,” he laughs. Becoming more serious about music in junior high school, Pounders went on to Ouachita Baptist University to study music education. He said he knew he wanted to teach music in either in a public school or in a church.

In 2003, Pounders and his wife, Lindsey, moved back to the Northwest and he continued working closely with churches until September of last year when he finally returned to his hometown of Beaverton. “It had been about eight years; a lot of things had changed,” Pounders recalls. “Beaverton has grown, the church has grown.”

Then in January of this year, Pounders joined the First Baptist Church of Beaverton. When the worship pastor position became open at his church, Pounders was encouraged to apply for the job.

In part, the church’s reputation for community involvement made him excited to be back. “That’s the type of church I want to be a part of,” he said.

Pounders hopes to continue the great amount of music already incorporated into worship time. “Music plays such an extremely important role in allowing the Holy Spirit to communicate to the people,” he says.
Pounders also hopes to expand beyond music and preaching to involve more people and their talents.

A few things that have not changed, Pounders notes, are “the desire of our church to be family-friendly,” and the church “using music and worship as an opportunity to share Jesus Christ.”

He and his wife live in the Beaverton area with their two young daughters Lily, 3½, and Jordyn, 2 this Halloween. Looking to the future, Pounders says, “I’m excited about reconnecting with old family and friends and continuing to meet new members of the community.”

World Religions and Birthday Cards

Yesterday my wife, Susie, had a birthday. Today I preached on another Big Question, "Don't all religions teach the same thing(s)?"

They don't, and I want to use a birthday card to demonstrate it. The front of the card has the following "religious groupings" and a saying for each one about the issue of "fairness."

Protestantism: All’s fair in love and war.

Judaism: Nothing is fair.

Existentialism: Fairness is nothing.

Catholicism: It only seems fair when I lose.

Hippi-ism: Do you know the way to Scarborough Fair?

T.V. Evangelism: Send us your money. We’ll decide what’s fair.

Hinduism: You'll get yours next time around.

Zen Buddhism: What is fair?

Taoism: Fair is fair.

The punch line, on the next page, is: Birthdayism: Have a lovely birthday--it's only fair!

I like this card. Even though it slightly caricatures some of these religions, it's humorous because there is a certain amount of truth in each statement.

All religions don't teach the same thing. If you think they do, "send me your money, and I'll decide what's fair." Then I can buy Susie a more extravagant birthday gift!

I know . . . that wouldn't be fair, would it?

Elvis Is Alive!

I am fascinated and frustrated by the attention and success Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) and other Bible "conspiracy theorists" have had in undermining people's faith in the Bible's portrayal of Jesus. They have almost as much credibility as the "Elvis is alive" crowd! (For those who want to read the pros and cons on this subject, I suggest starting with wikipedia's article entitled "Elvis Presley Phenomenon.") People are free to believe what they want, of course, but believing it doesn't make it right. I'm not concerned about whether people believe Elvis is alive or not. However, in the case of Jesus and his identity, issues of salvation and eternity are at stake. You don't want to be wrong about!

In his new book, The Case for the Real Jesus, Lee Strobel records his conversations with New Testament scholar Craig Evans concerning the various pseudo-gospels -- the Gospel of Thomas, the Secret Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Judas. (This is the first chapter of the book, and then he deals with other specific challenges.) They individually evaluate each of these pseudo-gospels utilizing the same criteria I mentioned in my previous post.

Some people undoubtedly will cite the work of the Jesus Seminar as sufficient reason for adjusting our view of Jesus' life and work. However, before buying into the false reasoning of this group, I suggest reading Luke Timothy Johson's critique of their work, The Real Jesus. Johnson is the Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Incidentally, no one in the academic world would consider Emory to be a "conservative" institution. However, Johnson's evaluation is thorough and incisive, and I cannot do a better job.

My point is simple. When a person or group of persons seek to call a prevailing idea or viewpoint into question--especially something that most people have considered settled for a long time--they should bear the burden of proof. That applies to Elvis -- and to Jesus. One is alive, and the other isn't! I'll leave it to you to figure out which is which.