Jesus is the Way - Names of Christ Advent Series
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.John 14:6
I was hopelessly lost.Driving through the busy downtown streets, panic crept in as I realized I had lost my way and Siri wasn't going to help me find the correct address. To make matters worse, I was already 10 minutes late for this important appointment.
After turning around several times and stopping once to roll down my window and ask a stranger for help, I did finally find my way to my appointment, arriving sweaty and anxious.
Finding Your Way
I'm horrible at finding my way. Years ago before phone GPS systems, my husband would carefully draw out maps to help me find my way to new places. Still, I would often call him because I'd gotten turned around.During these desperate phone calls, I would say things to him like, "I have no idea where I am but here's a McDonalds come up on the corner and I need to know RIGHT NOW if I should turn left or right!"Poor guy had no idea where I was, let alone how to give me directions in that moment. It's a miracle our marriage remained intact.These days, my phone GPS is my saving grace and more often than not I hear at least a few "recalcuating" messages before I get where I need to go.
Jesus is the Way
The truth is that many people in the world today are just as lost as I was, and I don't mean when it comes to driving.The world's message are thoughts like these:
- All roads lead to God.
- Coexist.
- Jesus was a great teacher like Buddha or Mohammed.
- If it feels good do it.
- Accept all lifestyles.
Many of these messages sound great to our human ears, but they are deeply flawed. Jesus says clearly in John 14 that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one comes to God the Father except through Him.See also: Why I Couldn't Finish “Girl, Wash Your Face”
Jesus is the Way - No Middle Ground
Jesus bold declaration of who He is leads to the most important question you will ever answer in your life. In Matthew 16, 15-16 Jesus asked Simon Peter,
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
You must either accept or reject Jesus as your Savior. There is no middle ground.C. S. Lewis wrote it this way,
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else He would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Jesus asked Simon Peter and He is asking you today, "Who do you say that I am?" How do you answer? John 14 gives you the answer.You can boldly proclaim, "Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
How Life Changes When You Know the Way
Claiming Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life changes everything not just about your someday, but also about your right now.Jesus suffered and died on the cross to take away your sin and mine, giving you eternal life. Your life looks completely different because you know where you are going.Remember the day that I was lost downtown? I knew I was officially lost when I turned down the car radio, as if that would somehow help me find my way.
When you are lost, everything changes about the way you handle the journey. You are anxious and agitated. You can't deal with the kids complaints. Forget trying to tune in to your spouse's conversation.The same is true with your faith. If you don't know Jesus, you are anxious. You are distracted. You struggle to find meaning and purpose.After you know Jesus as your Savior, you have a peace that passes all understanding. Of course problems and struggles still happen, but you have a different focus because you know exactly where you are going.You know the ending, and that changes the journey.Friend, today as you walk through your busy life, remember that you know Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life. Whether your day is busy with filling sippy cups or typing memos, caring for someone who is sick or driving to soccer practice, you know the ending.And that makes all the difference.
About the Author
Sara Borgstede is a busy wife and mom through birth and adoption. She and her husband, who is a pastor, were foster parents for 6 years to over 35 foster children. She is passionate about helping women find balance, reduce stress, and improve their health at The Holy Mess.A personal note: She is generous in creating free gifts that will help her audience. Check out her amazing Bible Journaling Freebies here. This is the sixth in the series of the Names of Christ.
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