My brother-in-law, my sister’s husband, Robert, died at the age of 54, from a heart attack. (1993)
We made the long, cold drive to Swainsboro, Georgia and arrived about three hours before the funeral was scheduled to start at 2:00 pm on a Sunday.
I went around and asked family members what they would remember most about Robert. One niece said she would remember Robert as the peace maker in the family. A sister said Robert was always there for her (he had spent the day before he died sitting with her after surgery). Another said everyone loved Robert and Robert loved everyone.
The pastor who gave the eulogy grew up with Robert and was a life-long friend. He gave glowing attributes and all were very truthful.
When I got up to give the funeral message I explained Robert had another attribute that was most important. Robert had taken Jesus at His word when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Christianity offers the only way of salvation, to the exclusion of all others. There are not any number of doors or ways to get to Heaven. There is only one way, one door, one bridge, and that door leads to His Heaven: the crucified, Risen Son of God, Jesus the Christ!
There are no detours or alternate routes into the Family of God. Not if you take Jesus at His Word. And that excludes many who have glowing attributes, many who are good and sincere but sincerely wrong.
Many in Jesus’ day and people in our day think they can attain salvation by keeping the law and being good. Many others have worked out their own procedures to gain salvation and they hope they are right. But procedures don’t save and there is only one hope, Jesus Christ.
“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”
And the rest of the Good News is, Jesus doesn’t say “Good Luck” and leave us on our own. He gives us the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to live good lives.
You won’t always be popular for pointing the way. But then, if one person finds the Way of eternal life because you cared enough, will it really matter what others may say and think?
With Love For Jesus and You,
Pastor Mark
