Honest Questions: Why Are Other Religions Condemned? (Matthew 11:25-30)
The question for today is, “Why are other religions condemned?” I believe there is a presupposition behind this question that we need to address. There is a thought or posture behind this question that we need to note before we answer it. The presupposition is that our understanding of religion is similar to how we view our coffee preferences and not our checking account. Our coffee preference is a matter of opinion. It is subjective.
If you were to ask me the best way to enjoy a cup of coffee, I would tell you that you should select a single-origin light roast coffee with citrus notes brewed with a Chemex. If you were to ask Pastor Aaron the best way to enjoy a cup of coffee, he would tell you to drink Folgers with half of a cup of creamer and five pumps of sugar. It does appear that one of these ways is superior to the other, but ultimately, it is a matter of preference and opinion. Our checking accounts don’t work the same. The balance of our checking account is a matter of fact. It is objective. We can’t walk into the bank and tell the clerk that we feel we should have two million dollars in our account. The clerk will report the actual balance.
Your balance is not a matter of opinion but a fact of reality. Many want to believe that religion is like coffee and not our checking account; it's about finding what works for you and acknowledging that all paths lead to the same place. This is not how Jesus understood religion or how the world's major religions understand themselves and others. Religion is the pursuit of truth and not preference. In our pursuit of truth, we will inevitably move away from things that are not true. This is what Jesus invites us to do.
Why are other religions condemned? Because Jesus said so. Jesus taught that there was only one path to God. He is not the only one who has made this type of claim. All major religions are exclusive, meaning they teach that their path to God is the only way.
Islam teaches that there is “one way.” Muhammad’s story started with purging Mecca of polytheism and idol worship. He believed these polytheistic paths were inappropriate. The central confession of Islam is, “There is no true god, but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.” That is a statement of exclusivity. Muslims disagree with Christians in significant ways. They believe that Jesus was not God and that He did not die on the cross, although they do hold to His virgin birth and His miracles. Clearly, Islam is not saying the same thing as Christianity. These two paths are going in different directions.
Eastern religions are often considered inclusive, embracing many paths, but they are not. Buddha, or Siddhartha, left the teachings of Hinduism, which led him on his spiritual journey to Nirvana. Buddhism rejects the “caste system” of Hinduism, which is a system that says, “Your birth is your worth.” If you were born into a poor working family, you must remain there for the rest of your life. Buddhism is considered a “heretical” version of Hinduism. Hindus teach that Buddha was an incarnation of one of the gods sent to preach falsehood to test the people. They believe Buddha’s teachings are false. Hinduism teaches many different things and appears open to many paths, but one must embrace Veddas, their sacred writings, and the caste system. Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists do not accept these things. Clearly, these religions do not say the same things. They contradict one another. Jesus taught that there was one path to God and called everyone to this path.
Big Idea: The path is open but narrow. In our passage today, we will see that Jesus made an exclusive declaration and an inclusive invitation. He called everyone to come to Him. The path to God is open to everyone, but there is only one path. Jesus' call does not discriminate but leads to denying all other paths. First, we will see Jesus speak about the narrow path to God. Second, we will witness Jesus welcome all to travel this path.
Matthew 11:25-27, “25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Jesus thanked God for hiding and revealing Himself. We are more comfortable talking about God revealing Himself than God hiding Himself. Why would God hide from us? Does this mean some people are looking for God and won’t find Him because He hides from them? No. God is not playing hide-and-seek. The events that happened before provide context to what Jesus was saying here.
Matthew 11:20-24, “20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
In light of the rejection showcased in these five verses, we can see that God’s hiding of Himself is an act of judgment, not injustice. God is turning off the lights on those who closed their eyes. He stops talking to those who have plugged their ears. “Hiding” is not about God not revealing anything to them but more about God not revealing anything to them anymore.
The Scripture teaches us that God reveals his nature to everyone (Romans 1:19-20). When that revelation is rejected, God is not obligated to persist in revealing Himself. We often assume that our opportunities to embrace God’s truth are limitless, so we can be lazy and put it off until the very last moment. But the Bible speaks about urgency. It talks about hearing the truth and responding today, not tomorrow. We must maintain a balance between God's patience and the “hiding” of God.
God is merciful and brings back those far away, but there is a time when God stops chasing us down because we keep running away. Every time we choose not to listen or see, we move farther away. The farther we get, the harder it is to come back. We must urgently respond to God’s truth because our opportunities are not limitless. Jesus didn’t tell us when God stops revealing and starts hiding. He simply tells us that this happens, which means we need to seek God with urgency. This search for God must be focused on Jesus.
The “all things” that have been handed over to the Son are explained in the following verses as the knowledge of the Father. This “knowing” is an intellectual act and a relational state of being. “Knowing” in the Hebrew mind meant more than acquiring information; it also entailed a dynamic relationship. Adam is described as “knowing” his wife Eve and then her bearing them a son.
The Father-Son relationship is described exclusively—the words “no one” and “except” show that. Someone knows the Father, but it’s only the Son. Someone knows the Son, but it’s only the Father. The Father and Son are unknowable. You can’t start a relationship with the Father or the Son on your own initiative. The door is locked from the inside out, and the Son is the one who can open the door. There is one path, but it is open to all. After giving a strong statement on exclusivity, Jesus shows His desire to be inclusive. There is one door, but all are welcome to walk through it.
Matthew 11:28-30, “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The invitation is to all. Yes, the door is only opened from the inside by Jesus alone, but here Jesus is saying, “I’ve opened the door; come on in.” Notice who is called to come. Those who “labor” and are “heavy laden.” The wording has changed from “wise” and “children” in verse 25. This language shows that it is not about intellectual ability but awareness of inability and dependence. Only those who see that they are laboring, that they are heavy laden, that they are burdened, that they are in need, will come to Jesus for rest. This rest doesn’t mean we don’t work. Jesus offers a different yoke and not the freedom from a yoke.
The yoke described here most likely refers to the yoke of a human and not an animal, which would be designed for one and not two. In this passage, Jesus did not describe Himself as being yoked with us but instead spoke of giving us an easy yoke to bear. Even though a yoke is often used to describe a burden, its function is to make a job more manageable. Jesus still expects obedience. Jesus’ demands are greater than those of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). But unlike the Pharisees, He can help us bear that burden (Matthew 23:4).
Jesus offers us a yoke and rest at the same time. The “rest” that Jesus gives is not the gift of not working but rather a refreshing experience that allows the recipient to work more. This is like taking a slower pace on a long journey to ensure you can make the total distance. The nature of the yoke is connected to the character of Christ. He is gentle and humble (“lowly in heart”), which is why His yoke is easy and light. Jesus opens the door for us to have a relationship with God. This path He invites us on leads to our flourishing because He promised to nurture us along the way as a gentle and humble guide.
The path is open but narrow. Jesus invites everyone to come and follow Him. He is inclusive and exclusive. His exclusivity shows us that He will not tolerate any competitors. His inclusivity shows that He longs to see people of every age, race, and gender come to Him for salvation.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ. Be like Jesus: Be narrow but open. Often, we are narrow in a bad way. It’s good to be narrow in understanding how to come to the Father. Yes, it is only through Jesus Christ. But, we need to be open in our conversations and invitations and not narrow. We shouldn’t be narrow by only speaking about Jesus to those we like or those who are nice to us. We must speak only about Jesus (narrow) to as many people as possible (open). Do you find that openness in your heart? When you are scrolling through your social media feed and see someone celebrating something you believe shouldn’t be celebrated, what’s your response? Do you think to yourself, what would it take on my part to share the hope of Jesus with this person? That’s when you know you have fully embraced this principle.
Maybe you are here and not yet following Jesus. I am excited you decided to join us this morning and explore the teachings of Jesus with us. Please take two things away from this message. First, I hope you see that Jesus is exclusive. You can’t spiritually date Him. He can’t simply be one of many religious interests. He won’t allow that. Faith is an exclusive relationship. One path, not many. Committing to Him doesn’t mean you resent others on a different path, but it does mean you see the truth that only one path leads to life, and the others lead to condemnation.
Yes, it feels arrogant to say your path is the only right one. But that is not what Christians say. We say His path is the only path. Jesus said that first, we are just echoing His words. Second, I pray that you will not wait to consider the decision Jesus calls you to. Don’t hesitate. If you push the truth of God away, He may hide His truth from you. I don’t know when that happens. I don’t know at what point God decides to hide. But maybe that’s Jesus' point here. You don’t know either. What if right now is your opportunity? Could we really say that God owes you more than one? What if this is it? Please, take this moment. Whether you decided to explore Christianity more by continuing to attend our service or you choose to place your faith in Christ today, I encourage you to take a step toward Him and not away from Him.
Life-Level Application
Head: Read Matthew 5:17-20 and 23:1-4. In what way does Jesus’ expectation concerning the righteous behavior of His followers exceed that of the Pharisees? How is Jesus’ yoke (teachings) easier or lighter than the Pharisees’?
Heart: Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. How is the message of Christ seen as folly to the world? What does Paul say the Jews and Greeks were seeking? In what way do both the Jews and Greeks find what they are looking for in Christ, yet in an unexpected way? How has Christ satisfied your deepest needs in unexpected ways?
Hand: Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-13. How does Paul rely on the Holy Spirit's work in ministering to others? How can you model this same posture in sharing the message of Christ with others?
Habit: Read Jeremiah 7:5-7. How does worshipping other gods cause harm? How does this sense of self-inflicted harm change your perspective of those who don’t yet follow Jesus?