John 14:6
No one comes through the Father except through me
On Easter Sunday, I was thinking about John 14:6. While I do not remember the circumstances. I likely hear this verse in Jr High School either at confirmation class or Sunday School. I did not remember the book, chapter and verse, only that Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
I knew the whole verse, not just the “I am the way, and the truth and the life” part. I knew and remembered that “NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT” through Jesus. All people have to go through Jesus, whether they believe or not.
This past Easter, on Easter morning, it hit me. Jesus knew what was coming. Jesus died on that awful, glorious cross for every person......every person has the same opportunity to accept the greatest gift or reject the greatest gift. Then on the final judgment day, Jesus will judge - everyone.
On that day, Jesus will separate people, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. To the goats, those who do not believe who He is as reflected in the way they treat the least, He will say, “I never knew you. Away from me.”
And as recorded in Matthew 25:
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Think about Jesus for a minute – in that garden just before he was arrested. How terribly sad that must have been and IS for Jesus to think about. – to know what is coming to each one of us – to know that he warned us, repeatedly and throughout the Bible.
He said, “13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Jesus didn’t command anything from us. He offered us every good thing. He offered it to us and to those around us.
He still does make that offer.
To those we love and to those we don’t.
To those who are meek and lowly in heart and to those who are dastardly and evil.
To those who are cruel, and those who are hurting.
To those who give all they have and those who have taken all they have.
Jesus said Love Each other.......anyway.
And in the end – when judgment comes, we will stand in front of Jesus and He will welcome us with open arms and present us to God the Father as one of His own. We should try to take as many others with us as we can.