FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE: All Roads Lead to Rome 8-11-24

FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE: All Roads Lead to Rome 8-11-24

 

INTRODUCTION

 

It is still uncommon to have an open discussion about religion in our society.  “Proper” society tells us that we should not discuss religion or politics.  The popular notion of today’s society is that religion, like almost any other topic, is a relative truth dependent upon one’s own perspective.  While this may make for a more cordial society, it does not lead to a more truthful society.  Tenets from most religions vie against the idea that we can all be right about the ultimate question- is there a God out there?  The notion that all religious ideas and non-religious ideas can lead us into the afterlife or non-afterlife seems preposterous.  How could such diverse ideas lead to the same place?

 

One of the proponents of multiple paths is Ophrah – described by Christianity Today as one of the most influential spiritual leaders in America today – perhaps even all over the western world where her program is shown.  Oprah Winfrey claimed on her show that it’s a big mistake to believe there is just one way to salvation: “There are millions of ways to be a human being and many paths to what you call ‘God’; . . . there couldn’t possibly be just one way.”  (Oprah, February 15, 2007.)  She is described as a ‘postmodern priestess – an icon of church free spirituality’ by Christianity Today, and her tribe is growing. Oprah embodies the values of the new age, and people like what she is saying.

 

The Bible has many passages that comment on the uniqueness of Christianity and the central role on Jesus in salvation history.  

 

Let us pray.

 

I.  “ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME”

 

Max Lucado in a video program based on his book 3:16 Stories of Hope, has a wonderful lesson on the oft heard statement, "All roads lead to heaven". He then gives us an imaginary discussion with a travel agent. "

 

You tell him you need a flight to Rome, Italy. So he looks on his screen, and he offers, "Well, there’s a flight to Sidney, Australia, at 6:00 a.m."

 

"Does it go to Rome?" you ask.

 

"No, but it offers great food and movies."

 

"But I need to go to Rome," you say.

 

He says, "Well, let me suggest Southwest Airlines."

 

"Southwest Airlines flies to Rome?"

 

"No, but they win awards for on-time arrivals."

 

You’re getting frustrated, so you reiterate "I need one airline, to carry me to one place—Rome."

 

The agent appears offended: "Sir, all flights go to Rome."

           Max Lucado, video based on the book "3:16 Stories of Hope", (Lionsgate, 2007

 

A.  Philosophical ideas

 

Omnism - the idea that all religions and deities are legitimate.

 

Pluralism - the idea that all religions are equally valid and that all people should treat all religions and cultures with respect.

 

Universalism - the idea that all people will eventually be saved in a religious or spiritual sense.

 

Inclusivism - the idea that all believers will go to heaven but also those who never heard the gospel.

 

      B.  Biblical perspective of other religions/gods

 

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.”

           1 Corinthians 10:14-21 NIV

 

Exclusivism - the idea that only those who believe in Jesus will be permitted into God’s presence.

 

II.  THE ONE TRUE GOD

 

           A.  Old Testament perspective

 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV

 

“Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”

           Psalms 115:2-8 NIV

 

"Back in my Bible college days I struck up a friendship with a man from the Far East. Before his conversion to Christianity, the worship of man-made wooden images and human-like deities was a way of life. As a little boy, the question came to his mind one day, 'Why do I worship gods of wood and stone? They can’t talk, and they don’t seem interested in me.'

 

He went to his father and asked why he was taught to pay homage to muted gods who appeared lifeless and oblivious to the world. 'Why should we worship objects that we create?' my friend had asked.

 

Good questions for an inquisitive boy. To his disappointment, his father could not provide any satisfactory answers. Not long after, my friend walked away from his idols and looked toward the heavens for help, answers, a sign – he just wanted to know the truth. As he did for Cornelius in the New Testament (Acts 10:25-31), God sent this young seeker a Christian missionary. Gradually, the knowledge of the Sovereign God who loved humanity came alive to him through the Scriptures. He found out quickly enough that when you serve the one and only true God, there is no place for idols."

          Michael G. Moriarty, The Perfect 10: The Blessings of Following God’s Commandments in a Post Modern World, p. 59.

 

           B.  New Testament perspective

 

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

           Mark 12:28-30 NIV

 

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

      Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV

 

“So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “Lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

           1 Corinthians 8:4-6 NIV

 

III.  JESUS IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER

 

           A.  God and Jesus

 

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

           John 17:1-3 NIV

 

          B.  Jesus is the way to the Father

 

“. . . then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.””

           Acts 4:10-12 NIV

 

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

           John 14:6 NIV

 

"Without the Way, there is no going; without the Truth, there is no Knowing; without the Life, there is no living."

       Unknown

 

“No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

           1 John 2:23 NIV

 

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”

           1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1. He is not a way. HE IS THE WAY!

2. He is not a truth. HE IS THE TRUTH!

3. He is not a life. HE IS THE LIFE!

           Tony Abram, Sermon Central, November 18, 2006.

 

During the 1990’s in an NCAA Division II national championship cross-country race in California, a bizarre twist of events took place.

 

Mike Delcavo and 127 of the best runners in the country were battling for glory over the 10,000-meter course. About three miles into the race, Delcavo was somewhere in the middle of the pack, when he realized that the runners had made a wrong turn.

 

So he yelled out, “You’re going the wrong way,” but they didn’t listen.

 

Only four others followed Mike when he turned in the right direction, and suddenly, he found himself in the lead.

 

However, that lasted only about a mile. Mike and the runners who followed him were soon reunited with the larger pack who, having gone the wrong way, actually shaved about a half a mile off the course, and were now in the lead again.

 

The final blow came when, because so many of the runners had gone the wrong way, the officials changed the official course route to accommodate their error. So when Mike Delcavo finally crossed the finish line, he was number 103 overall.

           George Witten, Allworship.com, “Stay the Course”, nd.

 

CONCLUSION

 

While the world and pop-theology may see all roads leading to Rome.  A Biblical perspective proclaims a single God.  Jesus is the way to the Father.

 

From my perspective, the only thing that matters is what God thinks.

 

An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with disapproval, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire and said, "How could you call that a strike? There are 40,000 people here who are of the opinion that the last pitch was a ball!"

 

The cool headed umpire replied, "That may be true, but my opinion is the only one that counts. Take a seat."

 

INVITATION

 

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins     and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.