I Am the Way

The point: Proclaim the gospel with the expectation that God will use it for salvation.

The 'Celestial City' (heaven) from Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is used as a metaphor for heaven, and the gospel texts are 'simple signposts' guiding people there, illustrating the clarity and directness of the message.

Now I wish to begin this evening a relatively brief series of messages entitled Simple Signpost to the Celestial City. Taking the term the Celestial City from John Bunyan's term for heaven in his immortal work, The Pilgrim's Progress, I plan to preach on some of the most simple and clear gospel texts given to us in the scriptures. And my aim in doing this is quite straightforward and uncomplicated, and it is basically a two-fold goal. First

0:00 - 0:44 Read in full sermon

Driving home: all of the building materials needed to construct a road from earth to heaven for sinful men, all of those materials are to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Jesus being 'the way' is likened to having all the necessary building materials to construct a road from earth to heaven, emphasizing His sufficiency for salvation.

road leading from one place to another. And in the context, Jesus had just spoken of the Father's house, heaven, the celestial city. And in this particular personal claim, the Lord Jesus Christ is declaring that he is the way. That is, all of the building materials needed to construct a road from earth to heaven for sinful men, all of those materials are to be

3:43 - 4:22 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This is life eternal, that they should know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.

Martin reminds listeners that Jesus made these claims in the days of His flesh, in the upper room with His disciples, underscoring the directness and authority of His words.

verse 11 said, I am come with reference to my sheep, that they may have life, and that they may obtain life, and have it. More abundantly. Now these are the amazing personal claims of the Lord Jesus. This is not something a prophet said would be true about the one to come, nor an apostle looking back, speaking about the one who had come. This is Jesus in the days of his flesh, gathered with the eleven in that upper room,

8:23 - 9:00 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Oh, no, no, my friend. If you've bought into that nonsense, you listen to Jesus. Listen to the meek, lowly Jesus.

Martin describes the common argument that people have no complaints with Jesus as a good man, but only with the narrowness of His followers, to highlight the error of separating Christ from His exclusive claims.

Now the sobering deduction, conclusion, no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. No one cometh unto the Father, but by me. Now you see, it has often been said in days past, and is said right down to the present hour, that people have no complaints with Jesus as a good man. A good man.

9:41 - 10:15 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whosoever will enter in by that door may be saved. But to him who refuses to use that door. The Bible holds out no hope at all.

Martin quotes Bishop Ryle's commentary on John 14:6 to powerfully reinforce the doctrine of Christ's exclusive mediation and the futility of other means of salvation.

Listen to old Bishop Ryle. How the old Bishop could hit the nail on the head in some of his comments on gospel portions. Commenting on this. In this very text, the old Bishop said.

14:42 - 14:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Answer honestly in your heart the searching questions based on Jesus' claims.

Martin asks listeners to imagine a private, intense interview with him in the elders' prayer room, where he asks them the searching questions, to create a sense of personal urgency and direct address.

I want to give you some searching personal questions based upon Jesus claims and his own conclusion. I want you to envision that. We dismiss the. Whole congregation and set up appointments that they had to go through the next three to four days.

17:15 - 17:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Cling to Christ with a death grip in terms of His word, affirming that reality is what Jesus says it is.

The accumulated theories of all philosophers regarding life, death, and beyond are metaphorically called a 'dung heap of human ignorance' to emphasize the utter insufficiency of human wisdom compared to Christ's truth.

Mummy what happens when I die? Where do I go? And take all that the philosophers. Have said and pile it up.

23:42 - 23:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Know what it is to have passed from death to life, experiencing communion and delight in the Father through Christ.

The parable of the prodigal son is used to illustrate spiritual death (lack of communion with the father) and spiritual life (restored fellowship and delight in the father's presence and ways).

You know what it is. To say I once was dead. As the father said of the prodigal. This my son was dead.

24:54 - 25:02 Read in full sermon