In a world of divergent views, opinions, and religious thought, Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6.) Pluralism is the way of the world, but Jesus said, “I am the way….” When men are saying: We are all going to heaven just by different paths, Jesus still says, “I am the way….” If he is the way, then there is no other way. It is not choosing the path one prefers, but choosing the path of Jesus. It is the only way to the Father. When Jesus said, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” he made no exceptions.
John the Baptist pointed his disciples as well as other to Jesus: John, the apostle, wrote, “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard….” (John 1:35-42.)
One of the most beautiful passages in all the Bible, written seven hundred years before the coming of Christ into the world, prophesied of this way. Isaiah wrote, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, And it shall be called The way of holiness; The unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, Nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, It shall not be found there; But the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa. 35:8–10.)
Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32.) Since all men are sinners, then all men are in need of a Savior. Jesus is that Savior. Peter said to the council, “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.)
After our Lord’s baptism and his forty days in the wilderness in which he was tempted, he returned to Bethabara or Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. John pointed his disciples to Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God.” John was not concerned with people following him, but with following Jesus. Perhaps we may be too concerned with people following us, rather than Jesus. Let us, as John, point others to Jesus.
It is of interest that while Jesus was seeking men to save, men were seeking him to be saved. Andrew said to his brother, Peter, “We have found the Messiah….” The implication is that they had been looking for him. Their concept of the Lord’s work was different from his purpose; nevertheless, they were seeking him. We know that when Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, his disciples still did not have a grasp of the nature of the kingdom. Their question indicates it. They inquired, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6.) They were looking for an earthly, material kingdom, over which David once ruled. Jesus had said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36.)
No one relishes suffering, but even in times of affliction, it gives us time to reflect. The Psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” (Psa. 119:71). The Hebrew word translated “afflicted” here carries the idea of “(1) to be put down or become low; (2) be depressed, downcast.” (BDB Hebrew Lexicon.) The COVID-19 can be quite depressing or cause us to be low because we cannot assume our usual routines of going to work, assembling with the saints, or other activities. However, it does give us time to learn God’s word, his statutes.
The present circumstances provide us with time to seek Jesus. Just as Andrew, Peter, and others were looking for Jesus, so we can look for him through his word. Through the eye of faith, we can see him as he walked the Judean hills and the shores of Galilee. We can see him as he taught others and how he conducted his life. We can learn his purpose of coming into the world. John wrote, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39.) Let each of us spend more time in studying God’s word, learning his will so that we might walk more closely in the footsteps of Jesus. Paul wrote, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18.)
Seven hundred years before Christ came into the world, the prophet Isaiah was imploring Israel to seek God. “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isa. 55:6-7.)
Yes, the Lord came seeking the lost, but all men need to seek him who is the way to the Father.