Gospel of John

John 14:6

How many ways are there to God?

This is an important question today. It is important because almost everyone claims to believe in God. It is important because almost everyone wants to establish some kind of relationship with God. It is important because people want to find a way to connect with God.

John offers us only one answer:

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How does this relate to sports? How much faith, trust and need for a connection do we put into “our” teams and individuals and what happens when inevitably both are broken because our focus is on things of this earth rather than God? Feelings of despair, betrayal, anger and insecurity emerge.

There is only one that wipes away all those negative feelings, Jesus Christ. Athletes speak of the sacrifices they made for their careers, but let us not forget who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He longs for a relationship from us because he is “the way and truth and the life.”

Stephen

Gospel of John

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

John 12:25-26 (New International Version)

We find these words in the twelfth chapter of John. The Apostle John continues to point to Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus words in this section challenge us to ask one simple question, “What do you love?" Do you love your life more than Jesus? Would you rather enjoy the pleasures of the world more than loving Jesus? These are tough questions to consider. Jesus offers us a great assurance in this section; our desire to serve Jesus over ourselves is seen by the Father and will be honored. Jesus often challenges us to consider our love for Him over our love for other things. John himself would write in 1 John that we should not love the world.

If you are like me, you realize that this is challenging. Loving God is my desire, but yet, I find the pleasures of this world so tempting. My desire for success, money, and satisfaction in this life will only leave me empty. I have experienced this first hand and can attest to the truth that the world does not satisfy. There is no greater joy in life that losing my life for sake of finding and serving Jesus Christ. For I have tasted His goodness and have found the treasure that will not be destroyed.

This is an ongoing question for each of us to consider, where does your love lie? Friends, as you read these blogs week in and week out, our goal is that it points you to Jesus. Not just the Jesus who is recorded in history, but the Jesus who gave His life for you and me. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior.

I hope you know Him today.

Tim