When one embarks on a journey to the home of a famous person, directions will be easily obtained from the many who know him. If he is a king or president, the area surrounding his dwelling will be shown in special detail on a map. Yet, at the journey’s end, it may be that only through much patience and persistence a few minutes of conversation are gained with the great man because of the multitude of business he has. If he is a good man his desire is to accommodate all, but he is limited in his power to do so. Such is not the case, however, when one sets out on a journey, as it were, to meet the King of Kings.
The Lord Jesus Christ is this King of Kings. From eternity past His dwelling was with God the Father in heaven. He was one with the Father in nature and glory, creating and ruling over all things that are. After the first man Adam had sinned, it was promised him by God that a person Who would be both God and man would come into the world to redeem fallen man from his sins, reconcile him to his offended Maker, and destroy the power of the devil who had overcome him. For centuries following, God’s holy prophets continued to foretell the coming of His Son, and His miraculous birth through the womb of a virgin was heralded by angels. The dual nature of God and man in the Lord Jesus Christ became most evident during His public ministry begun at age thirty in which many divine attributes were displayed in conjunction with His manhood. By His miracles He healed innumerable sicknesses, raised the dead to life, and cast demons out of many. By His teachings He made known the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and how heaven is obtained. When through envy the religious leaders of the people sought to kill Him, He withdrew from the multitudes, yet continued to instruct His chosen disciples.
When Jesus was telling His disciples of the mansions in heaven He was going to prepare for them after His crucifixion and resurrection from the dead, one of them asked Him, “Lord, we know not wither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (Jn. 14:5). Jesus’ answer to this question is the clearest claim ever uttered to a soul seeking heaven: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (v. 6). In the Old Testament numerous types, or examples, were given to show the way of salvation by Christ, as the ladder Jacob dreamed of, “set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” (Gen. 28:12). The plain teaching of the New Testament is that man must have a mediator to enter God’s presence, and I Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” Concerning Jesus Christ as Mediator, one of the Puritans, Thomas Manton, said: “Sin hath made such a breach and distance between us and God, that it raiseth our fears, and causeth backwardness to draw nigh unto him, and so hindereth our love and confidence in him. How can we depend upon one so far above us, and out of the reach of our commerce? Therefore a mediator is necessary, one that will pity us, and is more near and dear to God than we are. One in whom God doth condescend to man, and by whom man may be encouraged to ascend to God.” (The Works of Thomas Manton, Vol. 1, pp. 480,481; Banner of Truth Trust).
Not only is Jesus man’s way, his mediator to go to God, He is so to the exclusion of all others; He is the truth. The happy objects of Jesus’ miracles were not deceived; they were healed indeed. Neither will be the sin-sick soul who comes to Him, trusting in the promise, “and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I Jn. 1:7).
Man not only needs forgiveness, he also needs life, and to this need Christ answers, “I am the life.” God “hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21). The soul that truly believes this will not continue to live in sin as one spiritually dead, but will live unto God, and will one day go to be with God and Christ in heaven. Dear reader, believe the scriptures, yield yourself to the God-man, and the promises of His grace are yours.