Twenty years ago, a young kid sat up in that mezzanine up there.
! Half his hair was bleached white.
He was pretty new to the city.
He didn't know anything about this place.
He'd even been questioned on his way into the car park,
whether he knew where he was going,
whether he realized he was parking at a church.
And that kid was pretty troubled.
Confused in life.
And there were a few things going on that made this passage seem really attractive.
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Because to that kid, God felt like a boss.
He was constantly getting angry and frustrated when this kid didn't measure up to him.
God was like an angry boss.
And 20 years ago, roughly, that was me.
and I have the privilege of opening this passage for you all this morning
we're going to let me pray
Father I just want to thank you for how you lead us
and you have so kindly given me the responsibility this morning
of sharing your word with people
I thank you that it is powerful
and that Lord you have shown us who you are in your son Jesus
please help us to see him this morning through the power of your Holy Spirit
just like Martin Luther did
Amen
I'm going to tell you another story
500 years ago
five men had gone out to lunch
they were blind
their meal had been great
because they knew what to water and they walked out arm in arm
walking down the main street of their town
and then they encountered something strange
it was something huge
something living
something unknown
and because they were blind
they surrounded this thing
reached out their hands to try and figure out what it was
the first said
this is a very strong snake
the next thought it was a huge plant
with big fan-like leaves
another had wrapped his arms around it
and said this is the trunk of an ancient tall tree
one ran his hand along it
and said
I'm leaning on a wall
and the last had trouble holding on to what he said
was some kind of a rope
this is my version
this morning
of an ancient parable
found in Hindu and Buddhist texts
and the parable is called
the blind men
and
the what?
elephant
different versions of this parable
are shared nowadays
by religious sceptics
to illustrate how world religions
are all holding on to some bit
of the truth
about God
but it's a truth they can't fully see
it'd be arrogant for any religion to claim otherwise
but
Jesus
claimed exclusive rights
in the God business
we just heard it in John 14 verse 6
when he says this
I am the way
and the truth
and the life
no one comes to the Father
except through me
so are the sceptics right?
are Christians arrogant?
or more to the point
is Jesus arrogant?
over the next three weeks
we'll be looking into Jesus' claims
to be the way
the truth
and the life
John
who's leading today
and I
are going to
join with Steve
through this series
he's preached these sermons before
and inspired by him
we're going to be taking
these three steps together
and we hope
thinkers will believe
we hope believers
will think
will you be led to believe?
will you be led to explore
what you believe in
and find deeper joy
confidence
and hope
in the claims
of Jesus Christ?
when Jesus says
I am the way
the truth
and the life
he is making
an exclusive
claim
that only
he is right
and if
he is
right
anyone else's
claims about God
are wrong
so today
we begin to test
these claims
with the first
Jesus said
I am the way
the way
to God
so our three points
for today
are these three
the dilemma
of Jesus'
exclusive claim
the sweetness
of Jesus'
exclusive claim
and how
Jesus'
exclusive claim
leads away
from arrogance
to humility
so let's begin
with the dilemma
of Jesus'
exclusive claim
in John 14
Jesus is providing
his disciples
with truth
that must be
believed
if they are
their faith
is to be
triumphant
and peace
present
in their
troubles
he tells
them that
he is
departing
to
his
father's
mansion
to prepare
a room
for them
he assures
them
that they
know
the way
there
and at
this point
Thomas
speaks up
in verse
5
and says
Lord
we don't
know
where
you
were
going
so
how
can
we
know
the
way
I don't
know if
you've
ever been
to a
foreign
country
or a
big city
where you've
never been
before
and you've
got to get
somewhere
might be to
your hotel
it might be to
go see a
friend
it might be
just to get
from where you
are to
somewhere safer
in the city
imagine opening up
your phone
and you're all
prepared
you've got an
internet plan
and you go to
Google Maps
and you type in
your address
and Google Maps
just comes up
with a message
that says
you already
know
the way
you already
know
calm down
you've got
this
no
I'm not
calm in
that moment
at all
how frustrating
would that
be
Thomas's
question
implies
that the
way
Jesus
takes
to God
the Father
is going
to be
the same
way
the disciples
will take
to get
to the
Father
but Jesus
clears up
Thomas's
confusion
he stops
talking about
his own
way to
the Father
and tells
the way
the disciples
will take
have a look
at verse 6
I am the way
and the truth
and the life
no one comes
to the Father
except through
me
the way
of Jesus
was the cross
the way
of the
disciples
is Jesus
because
Jesus
took
his way
he himself
became
the way
for all
people
he really
is
insisting
that he
is the
exclusive
way
to God
and we
must grapple
with the
magnitude
of this
claim
when you
take a look
at Jesus
he's a
great
teacher
he taught
people
how to
love each
other
he himself
was kind
to the
poor
and the
outcast
he healed
the sick
and fed
the hungry
as he
invited
others
to do
the same
throughout
history
others have
taught
and lived
likewise
so why
did
Jesus
Christ
this
teacher
become
the most
influential
figure
in history
not because
of some
of the
nice
things
he said
and did
or even
just because
he did
those
nice
things
and said
those nice
things
better
than anyone
else
ever
it's actually
for the
controversial
things he
said
and did
the outrageous
claims of
Jesus
is
humble
gentle
kind
loving
weeps
with the
weaving
weeping
is gentle
with
children
he joins
the strongest
commitment
to justice
with astonishing
mercy
and grace
he is
tenderness
without any
weaknesses
he's
boldness
without any
harshness
he's
humility
with
towering
confidence
his character
is strikingly
beautiful
and compelling
this week
I thought
about
Mark 5
I want
to give
you some
homework
right now
if you're
taking notes
second half
of chapter
5 of
Mark
is a
beautiful
witness
to
Jesus
character
he embodies
transcendent
self-sufficiency
and get
entire
trust
and reliance
on his
father
combined
with
majesty
with
like
humility
with
no
modesty
his
character
and his
actions
were so
completely
unself-centered
to the point
where
he raised
a dead
little girl
from the dead
and said
don't tell
anyone
and yet
his claims
about himself
are so
completely
self-centered
powerful
meek
approachable
and majestic
a man called
Hudson Smith
in his book
the world
what the world's
religions
it's called
he says
that only
Jesus
and Buddha
so impressed
those around
them
that they
asked
not just
who are you
but
what
are you
he makes
the case
that these
two men
had characters
so far
beyond
ordinary
human life
that that
question
what
are you
became
necessary
Buddha
said openly
and clearly
that he
was not
God
or a
God
or an
angelic
being
of any
kind
but Jesus
was totally
different
he repeatedly
claimed
to be
the
God
the creator
of the
universe
we can't
truly see
the real
Jesus
until we
take in
the vastness
of his
claims
here's just
a few
about
Jesus
that Jesus
made about
his own
identity
they're going
to be on
the screen
in full
but let me
summarize
John
8 58
Jesus
said
before
Abraham
was
2,000
years
before
Jesus
Abraham
before
Abraham
was
I
am
John
16
28
Jesus
says
he was
eternally
with
God
and
always
will
be
in
John
17
11
he
was
and
is
a
one
being
with
God
the
average
person
in
Chatswood
in
Australia
thinks
well
enough
of
Jesus
maybe
with
some
reservations
in
there
he's
a
pretty
good
guy
does
some
good
things
right
but
if
you
open
the
historical
accounts
of
Jesus
in
the
Bible
just
like
the
book
of
Mark
for
instance
you
will
see
that
Jesus
is
always
trying
to
avoid
being
just
thought
well
of
in
fact
he's
not
interested
in us
liking
him
with
reservations
at
all
he
wants
us
to
love
him
on
his
own
terms
if
we
listen
to
Jesus
with
intellectual
integrity
he
pushes
us
to
our
extremes
we
must
either
embrace
him
on
his
terms
or
reject
him
all
that
Jesus
claimed
as
he
taught
everything
it's
either
the
worst
things
ever
said
or
the
best
things
ever
said
either
he
is
right
and
we
have
to
adore
him
or
he
is
wrong
and
we
destroy
him
but
how
dare
we
just
like
him
number
two
the
sweetness
of
Jesus
exclusive
claim
let me
show
it to
you
it's
important
to
see
that
when
Jesus
says
no
one
comes
to
the
father
except
through
him
that
he's
not
just
saying
that
without
him
you
can't
know
anything
about
God
he's
saying
that
he
is
the
only
way
to
come
to
God
and
really
know
God
the
father
there's
a real
sweetness
in that
word
when we
begin
to
understand
it
Jesus
is
promising
so
much
more
than
just
information
about
God
he's
promising
intimacy
and
connection
with
God
Jesus
is
the
only
way
to
change
God
from
being
a
boss
into
a
father
he's
the
only
way
to
turn
a
relationship
with
God
from
fear
and
uncertainty
to
absolute
confidence
warmth
and
love
I have
three
children
and my
three
kids
know
that
when
I
ask
them
to
do
something
to
help
around
the
house
and
they
say
yeah
sure
dad
and
then
go
and
watch
the
cricket
or
a
movie
or
something
that
there
will
be
consequences
but
I
know
they're
not
worried
about
being
fired
or
let
go
as
my
kids
they
have
so
much
confidence
well
enough
confidence
in
my
love
for
them
that
they
often
and
boldly
ignore
the
requests
I
make
of
them
they
know
I'm
their
father
and
not
their
boss
but
what
they
can't
fully
understand
is
they
haven't
been able
to
dig
down
to
the
depths
of
what
their
dad
would
do
for
them
I
moved
up
here
by
then
but
in
2008
there
was
a
father
who
took
his
two
very
young
sons
fishing
at
Tarthra
Wharf
in
New
South
Wales
down
near
down
the
far
south
coast
where I
grew up
and
yeah
that's
the
wharf
there
it's
a
notoriously
dangerous
stretch
of
water
the
current
comes
really
quickly
around
the
point
there
and
it's
very
deep
really
tall
ships
used
to
pull
up
against
that
wharf
very
safely
it
is
very
murky
and
deep
but
the
wharf
is
picturesque
and
the
fishing
is
great
lots
of
very
large
fish
down
there
if
you
know
how
to
catch
them
and
as
it
got
dark
on
that
day
this
dad
and
his
two
kids
and
a
whole
other
big
crowd
of
people
some
locals
and
some
tourists
were there
fishing
together
and
then
all
of
a
sudden
the
pram
with
the
youngest
son
and
the
other
son
the
toddler
were
in
the
water
the
father
jumped
in
to
save
his
kids
and
a
tourist
fishing
nearby
who
heard
the
first
splash
he
jumped
in
after
the
dad
to
try
and
save
the
kids
the
tourist
trying
to
help
was
rescued
and
revived
and
survived
the
father
and his
kids
died
it
was
a
tragedy
that
devastated
the
region
and
when my
first
child
was
born
only
a
couple
of
years
later
I
remembered
this
dad
his
name
is
Shane
I
remember
holding
each
of
my
kids
first
my
oldest
and
then
as
he
grew
and
then
my
second
and
my
third
I
have
thought
about
that
event
every
single
time
I
know
I
would
do
the
same
for
them
even
as a
normal
flawed
average
dad
I'm
going
in
but
Jesus
is
saying
here
is
that
there's
no
other
way
to
find
this
kind
of
confidence
in
God
our
father
a
confidence
that
God
would
love
us
even
more
extremely
than
I
love
my
own
children
the
way
to
find
that
confidence
in
God
is
to
see
the
way
Jesus
lived
to
show
us
God's
love
there
is
no
other
religion
that
declares
God
loves
us
with
perfect
father
grade
love
God
is
not
a
disconnected
uncaring
creator
he's
not
a
frustrated
angry
boss
no
other
religion
declares
that
once
we
are
in
you
can't
be
fired
from
that
religion
God
is
not
malicious
every
other
religion
philosophical
system
even
the
no
religion
is
right
way
says
that
if
you
follow
their
special
advice
and
live
in
a
particular
way
and
obey
their
rules
then
you
will
achieve
the
goal
of
life
but
Christianity
is
good
news
not
good
advice
Jesus
has
not
come
to
show
us
how
to
strive
in
life
instead
he
did
the
striving
in
his
life
for
us
he
didn't
come
to
show
us
a
mountain
of
good
living
to
climb
to
the
top
or
die
he
climbed
it
and
he
died
measuring
up to
the
standards
of
God
our
father
must
be
done
for
us
because
we
are
incapable
of
living
up
to
his
standard
Ephesians
2
explains
why
we
can't
do
it
from
verse
1
you
were
dead
in
your
transgressions
and
sins
in
which
you
used
to
live
all
of
us
also
lived
among
them
at
one
time
we
were
by
nature
objects
of
wrath
God's
diagnosis
of the
human
condition
is that
we are
in danger
of death
we are
in a
state
of
real
and
present
death
all
people
all
around
us
all
look
very
much
alike
usually
you
walk
down
through
Chatswood
their
bodies
are
active
their
minds
are
sharp
and
creative
their
personalities
are
overflowing
with
pep
and
zest
but
in
the
area
where
it
matters
most
the
human
soul
for
many
there
is
no
life
for
everyone
without
Jesus
there
is
no
life
we're
all
blind
to
the
reality
demands
and
the
glory
of
our
creator
God
we
simply
do
not
love
him
he
is
dead
to
us
and
spiritually
us
to
him
there
is
a
wonderful
book
called
Deeper
written
by
Dane
Ortlund
about
what
it
might
look
like
for
you
to
explore
a
relationship
with
God
in
an
ever
deepening
and
deepening
way
and
he
talks
about
our
bleak
spiritual
situation
like
this
there's
a
quote
we
were
not
drowning
in
need
of
being
thrown
a
life
preserver
we
were
stone
dead
at
the
bottom
of
the
ocean
Jesus
pulled
us
up
breathed
new
life
into
us
and
set
us
on
our
feet
and
every
breath
we
now
draw
is
owing
to
his
full
and
utter
deliverance
of
us
in
all
our
helplessness
and
death
Jesus
saves
that's
us
we are
helpless
hopeless
and in
great
peril
unless
something
is
done
for
us
to
save
us
dead
people
cannot
do
anything
for
themselves
we
cannot
act
to
save
ourselves
and
the
very
next
verse
in
Ephesians
2
declares
the good
news
of
Christianity
like
this
because
of
his
great
love
for
us
God
who
is
rich
in
mercy
made
us
alive
with
Christ
even
when
we
were
dead
in
our
transgressions
it
is
by
grace
that
you
have
been
saved
in
seeing
our
state
of
spiritual
death
God
acted
with
grace
he
knows
our
true
state
and
what
is
required
to
fix
it
and
we
might
try
to
climb
the
mountain
to
God
to
be
good
enough
to
get
up
to
the
mountaintop
to
him
but
we
are
dead
on
the
mountain
frozen
and
forgotten
so
Jesus
climbs
it
for
us
to
die
in
our
perilous
place
to
lift
us
to
the
mountaintop
he
went
to
the
cross
to
be
the
way
to
God
for
all
people
Christianity
isn't
good
advice
on
how
to
improve
your
life
it's
not
mountaineering
tips
it's
not
swimming
instructor
lessons
it's
life
altering
news
there
is
only
one
way
you
can
have
your
sins
forgiven
and
be
saved
one
way
to
be
raised
from
spiritual
death
one
way
to
know
God
as
the
father
and
that
is
Jesus
himself
it's
so
sweet
to think
about
this
Jesus
claim
is
exclusive
of
all
who
do
not
believe
in
him
but
it
is
the
most
inclusive
claim
God's
grace
allows
the
weakest
and
the
worst
to
come
not
just
the
strongest
and
the
brightest
not
the
best
mountaineer
or the
best
swimmer
everyone
it excludes
no one
when
someone
says
and
I
heard
this
a lot
growing up
even
from
those
who
were
in
churches
with
me
in
the
country
I'm
good
and
so
I
know
I'll
find
God
or
maybe
someone
you
know
has
said
something
like
that
surely
a
moral
person
will
go
to
heaven
or
find
God
one
day
those
statements
are
very
exclusive
the
premise
behind
their
exclusive
claim
is
that
the
moral
find
God
not
the
bad
but
the
good
there
is
an
exclusive
claim
in
that
elevates
one
type
of
person
over
another
and
their
way
of
life
over
another
Jesus
says
it's
those
who
acknowledge
they
are
bad
and
come
to
him
those
who
acknowledge
they
are
dead
and
at
the
bottom
of
the
ocean
that
cry
out
to
him
trust
him
in
his
work
they're
the
ones
who
are
in
those
who
see
their
sin
and
offense
against
God
the
humble
are
in
and
the
proud
are
out
friends
the
sweetness
of
Jesus
exclusive
claim
is
this
the
way
to
God
is
not
a
way
of
life
it's
a
person
Christianity
is the
most
inclusive
exclusive
claim
because
it's
open
to
all
people
even
the
worst
of
us
you
see
how
that
kid
20
years
ago
sitting
up
in
that
mezzanine
needed
to
hear
that
that's
why
this
passage
is my
favorite
not
because
it's
just
don't
be
troubled
let me
tell you
how
to
live
it's
do
not
be
troubled
I
am
the
way
to
your
father
and
here's
how
this
exclusive
claim
of
Jesus
leads
us
away
from
arrogance
to
humility
if
you
belong
to
any
other
religion
or
philosophical
system
that
says
you're
in
because
of your
efforts
or your
standards
or the
way
that
you
do
life
your
belief
your
knowledge
or your
culture
then
you
have
to
in
so
many
spheres
of
your
life
you
have
to
feel
superior
over
other
people
who
are
out
if
you're
a
secular
person
who
thinks
that
all
religions
are
only
ever
partly
right
then
you
have
to
feel
superior
to
those
poor
fools
who
think
that
one
religion
is
completely
true
remember
the
parable
I
told
you
at
the
beginning
about
the
blind
man
and
what
we
know
is
an
elephant
the
point
of
that
parable
is
every
religion
has
part
of
the
truth
the
elephant
and
yet
none
see
the
complete
truth
but
did
you
notice
how
I
told
you
that
story
I
didn't
tell
you
what
they
found
you
guessed
at
the
end
but
I
didn't
!
you
because
the
only
way
you
could
possibly
say
that
the
blind
men
are
holding
part
of
an
elephant
and
not
a
snake
or leaf
or a
tree
or a
wall
or a
rope
is
if
you
can
see
the
elephant
as
if
you
are
not
blind
you
think
every
religion
is
blind
that
means
you
think
you
are
not
the
only
possible
way
to
say
nobody
has
superior
knowledge
unmerited
grace
this
means
that
when
you
talk
to
pretty
much
any
Buddhist
atheist
it's
likely
that
they
are
better
than
you
but
Christian
you
are
not
saved
because
you
are
better
by the
way
you
have
taken
but
by the
way
that
Jesus
took
Christianity
is
the
only
exclusive
claim
that
creates
a
spirit
of
humility
amongst
all
people
who
received
the
gift
of a
relationship
with
God
their
father
by
grace
we
are
to
really
know
God
as
our
loving
father
by
receiving
Jesus
offer
not
earning
it
in
response
Christians
should
be
the
most
loving
to
anyone
who
disagrees
with
them
the
most
forgiving
to
those
who
wrong
them
the
most
patient
with
those
who
try
them
the
most
humble
and
gentle
with
anyone
unlike
them
only
by
grace
not
by
their
own
way
could
that
be
you
the
gospel
I
had
embraced
and
I'm
still
not
sure
whether
I
had
heard
this
in
churches
I'd
gone
to
when
I
was
young
but
when
I
was
sitting
up
there
in
that
mezzanine
I
expected
God
to be
mad
like
an
angry
boss
at
a
worker
because
I
felt
like
I
couldn't
measure
up
and
that
any
love
from
God
I
had
to
earn
verses
8
and 9
of
John
14
say
this
don't
you
know
me
Philip
Jesus
answered
even
I
after
I
have
been
among
you
for
such
a
long
time
anyone
who
has
seen
me
has
seen
the
father
how
can
you
say
show
us
the
father
see
what
Jesus
was
saying
to
Philip
they
don't
make
their
own
way
to
the
father
have
you
been
around
me
for
so
long
that
you
don't
know
me
Jesus
claims
to
be
the
way
to
God
Jesus
died
to
be
the
way
to
intimacy
with
his
father
because
we
could
never
make
it
walking
that
way
never
live
a
perfect
life
like
him
Jesus
offers
us
his
way
lived
out
and
the
prize
life
with
God
the
father
life
eternal
with
God
our
father
and
then
it's
our
joy
while
we
live
to
follow
Jesus
way
of
life
to
please
our
father
God
who
will
never
let
go
of
us
even
as
we
stumble
and
fail
along
the
way
before
you
heard
from
Jesus
today
or
maybe
even
right
now
does
God
feel
like
a
angry
or
frustrated
boss
to
you
or
like
the
good
loving
father
that
he
truly
is
do
you
sense
the
sweetness
and
even
the
embrace
that
God
is
willing
to
bring
in
this
good
news
is
your
journey
with
God
mere
knowledge
about
God
or
a
safe
intimate
relationship
with
God
in
Acts
4
verse
12
says
this
about
Jesus
salvation
is
found
in
no
one
else
there
is
no
other
name
under
heaven
given
to
mankind
by
which
we
must
be
saved
let
me
say
it
one
more
time
the
way
to
God
is
not
a
way
of
life
it's
a
person
so
I
invite
you
follow
Jesus
with
me
Jesus
is
the
way
as