Bible Text:

When our daughter was in middle school, she went to Jumonville for a week during the summer. In an impromptu debriefing after she returned, she began to cry. Actually she was sobbing almost uncontrollably. When we asked her why, she replied that she was deeply troubled about a friend she had in school who happened to be Jewish. Someone had said to her that past week that her friend was going to hell because she did not believe in Jesus. 

I shall never forget the pain and the fear that that statement caused. Certainly it is not the standard teaching at any United Methodist summer camp; however, one person had made that statement to our daughter that particular week. 

If that had been your child, how would you have responded? What would you say? 

There is a text in the gospel of John which at least could be read with that understanding. Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” How do you read this? I see several options.  

First, you can read it to me that only believers in Jesus get into heaven. It’s that plain and that simple. It’s direct and straightforward. Come to Jesus or end up in hell. 

Some Christians sincerely believe this. If you don’t accept Jesus, you are bound for the wrong place. Some even believe you have to be a higher level Christian to make the grade—not just an average believer, but a mature and extra obedient one. 

Interestingly, Jews do not make that claim for non-Jews. Even Muslims, who are sometimes hard-nosed and doctrinaire, do not say they are the only way to salvation. But some Christians insist that all non-Christians are doomed to eternal punishment. 

Tony Campolo, an evangelical Christian, speaks to this matter when he writes:

To say that millions who have never yet accepted the gospel will burn forever, and then to go on about life relatively unconcerned, seems to me evidence of an almost inhuman emotional callousness.[i] 

Others are not quite sure how to read this text. Paul may have been one of those who was uncertain. He reflects it in the New Testament reading that you heard today. Very early in Romans he writes his thoughts. They are not easy to understand. Let me read them to you and then tell you what I think he is saying:

When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all. (Romans 2:14-16) 

In other words, Paul is saying if you are not a believer in Jesus, but you live according to the highest that you know, God does not condemn you. Paul does not wish to condemn any righteous person to hell. 

Let me tell you the way I read this statement by Jesus: “No one comes to the Father but by me.” I read it as saying that Jesus is the most complete path to God. Others may have something of God. Others may even have a lot of God. But only in Jesus do we find the fullness of God. 

It would be like an artist’s painting. Jesus is the full picture, framed and ready to hang. Or it might be something like the courses in a good meal. Others may provide the appetizer, or the soup or the salad. Jesus is the main course with dessert. At one point he says, “I am the bread of life.” 

The text for today is not a statement of condemnation. Rather it is an expression of how close Jesus is to God. Jesus calls us to that same closeness. He invites you and me into intimacy with God. 

If this is true—if I read this text correctly—what does it mean? 

ALL MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS POINT TO GOD 

First, all major world religions point to God. T.S. Eliot once wrote, “No person has ever climbed to the highest stages of the spiritual life who has not been a believer in a particular religion.[ii] 

I am not an expert on world religions. I am far from it. But I do believe that many non-Christian believers are deeply spiritual. 

Here is another interesting image from T. S. Eliot: 

As we dig deeper into our own religion, if we are lucky, we break through to someone else digging toward us from the core of their tradition… and we discover new patterns of faith that illumine our own journey.[iii] 

Bill Moyers recently retired at the end of 2004 from a long television career. He reflects on his own faith in these words:

I respect the Christian story—my own story—even more for having come to see that all the great religions grapple with things that matter, although each may come out at a different place; that each arises from within and expresses a lived human experience; and each and every one of them offers a unique insight into human nature.[iv] 

In other words, all great religions point us to God. 

I helped lead the Taizé service this past Wednesday evening here at Christ Church. One of the choruses we sang in that service caught my attention. Listen to these words:

     In God alone my soul can find rest and peace,

     In God my peace and joy.

     Only in God my soul can find its rest,

     Find its rest and peace.

These words are composed by someone in the Taizé Christian community. But I think they could be sung by people of many faiths. Most major world religions point to God. 

AFFIRM OUR OWN TRADITION WITHOUT DEMEANING OTHERS 

Secondly, this text suggests to me that we can affirm our own tradition without demeaning others. That’s a lesson some Christians still have to learn. Perhaps our God is too small. Perhaps our egos are too large. We certainly don’t have all the answers. 

We learn from other traditions. Continuing again from Bill Moyers’ writing:

Buddhists have taught me about the delight of contemplation and ‘the infinite within.’ From Muslims, I have learned about the nature of surrender, from Jews about the power of the prophetic conscience, from Hindus about ‘realms of gold hidden in the depths of our hearts.’ From Confucians about the empathy necessary to sustain and fragile web of civilization. Nothing I take from them has come at the expense of the Christian story. 

Occasionally here I get an objection because we teach a class on Tai Chi or Yoga. Even the Labyrinth has come under fire from time to time. The Labyrinth is a tool from many ancient traditions, but it has been used by Christians since the middle ages. Remember the statement from Bill Moyers above: “Nothing I take from these other traditions comes at the expense of my Christian story.” 

John Wesley wrote some words on tolerance once. He said, “Every wise person will allow others liberty of thinking… and will not insist on their embracing his or her opinions. 

Someone e-mailed me after the Saturday night service to remind me that Jesus never condemned anyone to hell. Don’t you find that interesting? The only time Jesus even came close is in a parable he told about a man who ignored the plight of the poor and ended up permanently separated from God. 

We can say “yes” to Jesus without judging or condemning others. We can gladly invite others to participate in God’s great adventure revealed in Jesus. 

The closing hymn for today is one that is familiar to most of you. It is entitled “Blessed Assurance.” Today we are going to sing in the refrain, “This is our story, this is our song, praising our savior, all the day long.” We have a story to tell, but it does not condemn others. We affirm who we are without hesitation and without ambivalence, but also without judgment. 

LIVING RESPECTFULLY IN A MULTI-CULTURAL WORLD 

Thirdly we can live respectfully with each other in a multi-cultural world. This is the world we have, like it or not.  

Carl Sandburg was once asked, “What is the ugliest word in the English language?” After some thought, he said, “Exclusive.” 

A while ago I spent a few days in Detroit, hosted in a meeting by a colleague. I learned what I probably should have already known—that Detroit has a huge Islamic population including many Iraqis. His observation was this: “The Islamic community has been rich for the Christian community of Detroit.” 

I grew up in mostly white, mostly Christian Mt. Lebanon. I recall very few persons of other religious faiths—a few Jewish people, but no others. The issues in Mt. Lebanon in those days were ecumenical issues, but not interfaith issues. I may have even had a different take on today’s text back in those days. 

Today I am well aware of other religious expressions around me. I serve as a member of the board of directors of the South Hills Interfaith Ministry. Service on that board has caused me to re-think my own journey—especially when I am asked to lead a closing prayer. I believe I can celebrate my Christian faith without demeaning or degrading Hindu or Jewish or Islamic neighbors. 

How did Elaine and I respond to our daughter that summer day long ago? We said to her, simply, “Honey, God’s love is bigger than anything we can imagine. God will not condemn your friend just because she is not a Christian.” 

ONE FINAL WORD FROM THE TEXT 

Let me offer one final word from the text for this morning. Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except by me.” There is no reason to assume that Jesus was talking about the afterlife here.  

There is a story of a Sunday school teacher who was working with 5-year-olds in her class. She was trying to teach them that the only way to heaven was to trust in Jesus. At the end of the class she asked them some questions and asked them to respond. “If I sell everything I have and give the money to the church, will I get into heaven?” 

“No,” replied the class members.  

“If I volunteer to do a lot of stuff around the church, will I get into heaven?” 

“No,” they replied again. 

“If I love my family, and I’m kind to animals, will I get into heaven?” 

Again the class responded with a solid “no.” 

“If I give a piece of candy to every child I meet, will I get into heaven?” 

For a moment the class was not too sure about this question, but then decided the answer was also, “No.” 

“So what do I have to do to get into heaven?” the teacher asked. 

From the back of the room came a child who said, “You have to die first.” 

You don’t have to die to get to know God. Jesus is saying here, “I want you to know God in this lifetime—here and now. I want you to know God through me.” Knowing Jesus is the clearest, fastest way to God—right now. 

Is this not what Jesus is saying to us here? He makes no exclusive claims of superiority. He’s not putting down other religions. He is saying, simply and beautifully, “If you want to know God clearly, look at me.” 

For you and me, it’s as simple and as profound as that.