8/18/2021 – Pastor Brian’s Blog –
Who does not like choices?! Last Sunday after church Judy and I went on an overnight to celebrate our 48th wedding anniversary. When looking for a place to stay, have you ever given any thought to how many different places there are to choose from? You get into your room, and they give you so many channels to flip through and yet it is still difficult to choose something you like.
Then it is time to eat: steak or Italian, burger or pizza? Chick-fil-A or KFC, fancy or casual? Do you look for live entertainment or do you want a quiet place where you can just talk and enjoy your time together? Remember the slogan from Burger King: “Have it your way”? Who doesn’t like choices!?!?
Yet when the God of the universe says there are not multiple choices to eternal life, He means it. You cannot do it your way, you do not pick and choose, or build your “own way to salvation” plan. The God of the Bible gives you but one choice; you choose His way if you want to be adopted into His family.
God is pretty explicit when it comes to this truth. The Apostle Peter, referring to Jesus, told some pretty powerful religious leaders (Annas and Caiaphas)… “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Moses, who knew a thing or two about God, wrote… “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
Even Jesus said, not in a proud or arrogant way but in such a way so we would not miss it… “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me.” (John 14:6)
There are so many choices we can make in life! But choosing how we get to God is not one of them. God loves you! He sent His Son Jesus to earth at Christmas to show you how much He loves you. Then in His love for you and me, on Good Friday God sent Jesus to a cross to die for us, so that Jesus could become that one way to God. On the third day, God raised Jesus from dead. This is our Easter! God brought Jesus out of the grave and proved that indeed Jesus was everything He said He was. And proving that Jesus is our one way to God.
I do not know about you, but I am wired in such a way that I love things being “black and white.” I like things being simple, I like it when people say things in a way that is easy for everyone to understand. That is why I love what the Apostle John wrote…
We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 John 5:9-13
We may want to pick and choose how we reach God; we may even think our way will work, but God does not give us that option. God requires that we do it His way. It is our only choice.
If you would like to know more about this one choice that will change your life for all eternity, or if you would like to personally speak to me about this singular path that leads to an amazing God that wants to give you an amazing gift, please write me at Pastor@Centerbarnsteadcc.org and it will be my joy to share with you how this choice is the right one for you!
