Jesus—The One and Only

I want you to take God’s Word and find Colossians chapter 1; and, when you’ve found it, look up here. Last week, we talked to you about the one true God, and we told you it’s not enough to believe in one god—if you believe in one god, and he’s the wrong god, that’s doubly dangerous. There is one true God. He is Jehovah, the triune God of the Bible. And, today, we’re talking on this subject: “Jesus—the One and Only.” Let me tell you why I’m preaching this: There are so many people today who want to make Jesus just One among many—He’s just One of the ways to Heaven.

As a matter of fact, recently, there was a conference—a parliament of world religions—and let me tell you what a minister said, from one of the mainline denominations; and, I’m not going to give the name of his denomination, because I’m sure there are others in his denomination who would be hurt, if I gave his name. But, here’s what this man said—listen to this: “So, what’s the big deal about Jesus?” That’s what he said: “So, what’s the big deal about Jesus?” And, this is—he is—the Executive Director of the Council for a Parliament of World Religions. His name is Ficca, and he warned that we, as Christians—listen—we ought not to attempt to make converts; we ought not to attempt to share Jesus; we ought not to evangelize. And, here’s what he called Christian evangelism: “ethnic cleansing.” Well hey, folks, that’s in the world today.

And, you know, just recently, that Peter Jennings, in a primetime special, put on a program—I saw it until I could take no more, and turned it off—“The Search for Jesus.” And, he had some so-called theologians, a part of the Jesus Seminar, who pooled their ignorance. They were searching for Jesus. They never found Him, because they were looking in the wrong place. I’d just as soon trust a group of blind men in a dark cave, blindfolded, with some lightning bugs in a jar, looking for the noonday sun as, as to help these people to find the true Jesus.

A while back, Bryant Gumbel, on television, was interviewing Larry King—the other way around. And, Bryant Gumbel said to Larry King—and Larry King’s a Jew, “Larry, if you could ask God question, what would you ask Him?” He said, “I would ask Him if He has a Son.” That’s a good question.

Now, let me tell you something, folks: Of all of the people—of all of the people who have ever lived on this terrestrial ball—ever, since creation to this time—scholars estimate there have been about 60 billion—about 60 billion; about 6 billion on Earth, right now. And, I can tell you, that out of the billions, and billions, and billions who’ve ever lived, only a handful of people have really made a lasting, dramatic imprint upon society. But, there is one person who stands head and shoulders above all the others, and His name is Jesus. Out of all 60 billion, I want to tell you that this man, Jesus—who is more than a man, as we’re going to see in a moment—has received more attention, more devotion, more criticism, more adoration, and more opposition than any of the 60 billion who have