John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me. This word "way" may mean either one of two things — the road along which you must go to reach a certain place; or the thing that must be done in order to secure any particular end. When we think of heaven, Jesus is the way in both these senses. He is the road along which we must walk. He has done all that is necessary, in order that we may get there. The way of salvation through Jesus is — I. A PLAIN WAY. A paved street or a turnpike road, is a plain way. But if we are travelling over a sandy desert, or through a rocky country where there is nothing to mark the path, then we are in a way that is not plain. It is hard to find the way, and at every step, we are liable to get off the right track. The way of salvation in Jesus is easy to find and easy to keep, if we only ask God to help us in finding and keeping it. (Isaiah 35:8; Habakkuk 2:2). The father of a little girl was once in great trouble on account of his sins. He lay awake, after going to bed one night, in fear and dread. His little daughter was sleeping in her crib beside his bed. Presently she began to move about uneasily. "Papa, papa!" she called. "What is it, my darling?" he asked. "Oh, papa, it's so dark! Take Nellie's hand." He reached out and took her tiny little hand, clasping it firmly in his own. A sigh of relief came from her little heart. At once she was quieted and comforted. That father felt that his little child had taught him a valuable lesson. "Oh, my Father, my Saviour," he cried, "it is dark, very dark in my soul. Take my hand." So he turned to Jesus and trusted in Him. A minister had a son in the army. Tidings came that his son had been wounded and was not expected to live. On arriving there, the doctor said, "He may die any moment." With a sad heart, the father went in. "Oh, father," said the wounded man, "the doctor says I must die, and I am not prepared for it. Tell me how I can be ready. Make it so plain that I can get hold of it." "My son," said the father, "do you remember one day, years ago, I had occasion to rebuke you for something you had done? You became very angry and abused me." "Yes, father." Do you remember, after your anger had passed off, how you came in and threw your arms round my neck and said: 'My dear father, I am so sorry, won't you forgive me?'" "Yes, I remember it very distinctly." "Do you remember what I said? Oh, yes. You said: 'I forgive you with all my heart,' and you kissed me." "Did you believe me?" "Certainly." "And then did you feel happy again?" "Yes, perfectly happy, and since that time I have loved you better than ever before." "Well, now, my son, this is the way to come to Jesus. Tell Him, 'I am so sorry,' just as you told me: and He will forgive you a thousand times quicker than I did." "Father, is this the way. Why, I can get hold of this." And he did get hold of it and was soon happy. After awhile, the doctor came in. He felt the pulse of the wounded man, and said with surprise: "Why, Colonel, you look better." "I am better, doctor. I'm going to get well." He got well; and he is living now, the joy and comfort of that father who made the way of salvation so plain that he could get hold of it. II. A BROAD WAY (Matthew 9:28; Revelation 22:17). There was a poor sailor who had lived a very wicked life. Once, while far off at sea, it pleased God to awaken his conscience. Then he was in great distress. There was no one on board to tell him what to do. One night he lay in his berth, and in the dim light of the feeble lamp, he was reading the Bible. He came to John 3:16. He put his finger on the word "whosoever," "Whosoever," said he, "that means anybody; that means everybody! Why, that means me!" Then he turned in faith to Jesus, and He received him. He got into the broad way of salvation through this sweet word. One day a minister was visiting with a friend among some of the poorest of the population. He entered a wretched looking house. A rickety bedstead, a couple of broken chairs, the remains of a table, and a few pieces of earthenware on the shelf, made up all the furniture. In the middle of the room a miserable looking woman lay on the floor drunk. The minister said to his friend: "Let us pray for her." They kneeled down and prayed that God would have mercy on this poor woman. She lay there still and stupid, and seemed to take no notice. They went away. Some months after the minister was going again through that part of the city. A well-dressed, respectable-looking woman came up and spoke to him. "Do you not remember some months since praying over a woman who lay drunk on the floor?" "I do." "Well, sir, I am that woman. I was respectably brought up by Christian parents. I married; but after awhile my husband died, and left me with three children in utter poverty. I saw no way of support but by my own shame. Then I took to drinking to drown my sorrow. I was at the lowest point of sin and misery when you stopped and offered that prayer. It saved me. It made me think of my dear mother, now in heaven. And, by God's help, I hope yet to loin her there." Oh, it is a broad way of salvation that can take in such poor wretched creatures as this! A gentleman was sent for once to visit one of his class, a newsboy, named Billy, who was very ill. As he entered the room, Billy said: "Oh, captain, I'm mighty glad to see yer." "What can I do for you, my dear fellow?" "I wanted to ax yer two questions. Did you tell us the other night as how Jesus Christ died for every feller?" "Yes, 'Jesus Christ tasted death for every man.'" "Good!" said Billy: "I thought so. Now did you tell us as how Jesus Christ saves every feller that axes Him?" "Yes," said his friend; "Everyone that asketh receiveth." "Then I know," said Billy, with a feeble but happy voice, "That He saves me because I axes Him." The teacher paused to wipe away a tear from his eye. Then he stooped down to speak to the boy. But Billy's head had dropped back on his pillow of rags, and his happy spirit had gone to Jesus. III. A NARROW WAY. It is a broad way, because the greatest sinners may come into it, and any number. It is a narrow way, because when sinners come into it they must leave all their sins behind (Matthew 7:13). 1. There is a vessel lying at anchor, It can make no progress while the anchor holds it. It may rise and fall, as the tide rises or falls; but it cannot move away. And just what the anchor does to the vessel, one sin, one wrong thought or feeling indulged or allowed, will do for the Soul. It will keep it from going on in the way of salvation. 2. A lady once was led to see that she was a sinner. The thought of her sins made her feel very unhappy. The difficulty was just here. She had been a very charitable woman, and wanted to trust in part to good works. One night, after weeping and praying in great distress, she went to bed. In her sleep she dreamed that she fell over a dreadful precipice. In falling, she caught hold of the branch of a tree. In her terror she cried out: "Oh, save me, save me!" She heard the voice of Jesus saying: "Let go that branch, and I will save you." But she was unwilling to loose her hold. Again she cried: "Oh, save me!" The same voice said: "I cannot help you while you cling there." At last she let go, expecting to be dashed to pieces. But, instead of this, she found herself caught in the strong arms of her Saviour. In the joy of feeling herself safe, she awoke. And so in her dream she had learned the lesson which she had failed to learn in her waking hours. She saw that the way of salvation was too narrow for her to carry any of her good works into it. IV. THE ONLY WAY. Some people think that there are a great many ways to heaven, and that one of these is as good as any of the others. What does God say about it? (Isaiah 43:11; Acts 4:12). No one can ever get to heaven who does not go there through Jesus Christ. Many will go to heaven without knowing how they get there. But they will find it was Jesus alone who brought them there. A little girl was very ill. She asked: "Papa, does the doctor think I shall die?" With a very sad heart, her father said: "My darling, the doctor is afraid you cannot live." Then her pale face grew very sad. She thought about the dark graves, and her eyes filled with tears as she said: "Papa, the grave is very dark. Won't you go down with me into it?" With a bursting heart, her father told her he could not go with her, till the Lord called him. "Papa, won't you let mamma go with me?" It almost broke that father's heart to tell her that, much as her mother loved her, she could not go with her either. The poor dear child turned her face to the wall and wept. But she had been taught about Jesus, as the Friend and Saviour of sinners. She poured out her little heart to Him with a child's full faith, and found comfort in Him. Soon she turned again to her father, with her face all lighted up with joy, and said: "Papa, the grave is not dark now. Jesus will go with me." But Jesus is the only one who can do this (Psalm 23:4). Some years ago there was a distinguished lawyer, who had an only daughter, the light and joy of her father's life. The mother of this young girl was an earnest Christian woman. She had tried to teach her child that Jesus was the only way of salvation. But her husband was an infidel. He had told his daughter that we could get to heaven without the help of Jesus. This daughter loved and honoured both her parents; but as her father told her of one way and her mother of another way, she could not make up her mind which of these two ways was the right one. At the age of sixteen she was taken very ill. One day, she said to her father with great earnestness: "Father, I am going to die. What must I do to be saved? My mother has taught me that the only way of salvation is in Jesus Christ. You have taught me that we can be saved without Jesus. Shall I take my mother's advice or yours?" The strong man was deeply moved. After a while, he came to the bedside of his daughter. He took her pale, thin hand in his, and said slowly but solemnly: "My darling daughter, take your mother's way." Here is a ship at sea. She has been overtaken by a dreadful storm. Her masts are broken, her sails are rent. She has sprung a leak, and now the pumps are choked, and can no longer be worked. The water is rising. It is very evident that she cannot be kept afloat much longer. There is only one way left to the poor sailors for saving their lives? What is that? It is to take to the lifeboat. And we, as sinners, are just in the position of such a storm-tossed wreck at sea. Jesus is the lifeboat. (R. Newton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. |
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