There Is No Other Stream

Jesus is the only way of salvation.  images

Those are not my words, they are from Jesus Himself:  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6

Today, we can feel the abrasiveness of that statement in the atmosphere of inclusiveness.  It seems downright intolerant!  Can you imagine how that statement is going to sound 10 years from now? It will cause an outrage. . .literally.

I am giving myself to young leaders who will stand at the end of this age with a great tolerance for people and a rugged intolerance regarding truth.

Here is one of my favorite passages from C.S. Lewis:

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I am dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.”

C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair

 

Unknown's avatar

About Rich Stevenson

Rich is the Executive Director of The Malachi Network (www.malachinetwork.org), a ministry focused on making the name of the LORD great among the nations. This network serves young leaders in missions and church planting. He also serves as Executive Pastor at Wesley Church in Quarryville, PA. And in the summer, you can find him leading Avalon Beach Church in Avalon, NJ. Prior to his present ministry, Rich pastored in Southern New Jersey, planted a church in Wilmore, KY, established a network of churches, served as an adjunct professor at Asbury College. Rich is the author of five books: Secrets of the Spiritual Life—10 Lessons from the One Thing Passages (Baker Books, 2003) A Voice from Home—The Words You Long to Hear from Your Father (WaterBrook Press, 2005) Let’s Dance – A New Way of Relating to Jesus (1elevenmedia, 2017) 40 Days of Easter – Walking with Jesus from the Resurrection to the Ascension (1elevenmedia, 2017) Scattered Sheep – For Those Prone to Wander (1elevenmedia, 2017) He graduated from Asbury College in 1984 with a BA degree in Philosophy of Religion and Asbury Theological Seminary in 1987 with a Master of Divinity degree. In 2010, Rich received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Union Biblical Seminary in Yangon, Myanmar. Rich has been married to Tania since 1982 and they have been blessed by amazing children and grandchildren.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a comment