I Am the Way...Pastor Phil Strong

6-26-11

John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me”.

I’m not sure that there is any other single statement of Jesus that is any more controversial.

I listened all week as we sang the song, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father…”

            We sang it with such energy and such enthusiasm and it didn’t feel threatening or like an ultimatum at all… but more like an invitation; an opportunity. It felt like Jesus was longing to lead us somewhere; to introduce us to someone: to offer us direction and clarity… and we seemed anxious to learn.

● It appears to me that if there is a God, and if this God wanted to engage us: 1) he would maintain the right to do it in a manner of his own choosing (hence, the title “God”!) 2) since we as creation are so used to approaching life methodically and predictably, he would always retain the ‘element of surprise’  as a means of interacting with us 3) he would likely do it in a way that was identifiable and accessible to all; he would make sure that the ‘way’ was available and even affirm our right not to choose it            After all, if it was really that important, it’s absurd to think that God would allow for such ambiguity; that he would leave the pursuit to our own discretion--- hoping that we would eventually figure it out, even if only by the process of elimination.

 “way”- The word/expression is used in the OT and NT as a means of setting before us (2) courses/approaches to life: ‘wisdom’ and ‘folly’. Having continuously portrayed the contrasting ways and their ‘fruit’, it then says, “Choose your way” [Remember, freedom guarantees your right to believe anything you want, but doesn’t guarantee that what you choose to believe is right!]

● Jesus used words associated with this declaration like “repent”, “believe”, “follow”. To ‘repent’ is to consider another way, but it’s not limited to just accepting a new set of facts. It necessarily involves ‘believing’--- trusting in and reordering your life in order to accommodate the change of direction. The word ‘follow’ actively positions us as on the way.

In one small, yet powerful statement, Jesus addresses (3) of the most fundamental needs of humanity:

            “way”--- a path to follow; a means of  pursuing and realizing the life that our hearts desire. A means of reconciling the inner-turmoil that says, “Something’s missing; something’s not right!”

            “truth”--- a viable representation of the way things really are; a way to help us make sense of ourselves; of our world.

            “life”--- something greater than just existing; something more than just pleasure: it doesn’t last long enough. We need an approach to life that allows us to connect with God and with others in such a way that makes us more fully human… more fully the people that we were created to be.

If there is no…

            way: life is confusing and ambiguous. “Where do I go to find the answers when I can’t find them within myself?”

            truth: life is uncertain and pointless; uncertainty leads to chaos--- there is no “story”, no “conclusion”, only a mass of opinions and contradictions.

            life: there’s only existence; no intrinsic value to us. “If this is really all there is, what’s the point?” [this has far-reaching implications] 

Jesus was always helping people “in”, not trying to keep them “out”.

Far from being narrow and intolerant, Jesus was wonderfully eliminating any obstacles that might keep us at a distance from God.

“through me…”

            Why is it that we have adopted this mental image of Jesus “standing in our way; blocking our way”, as if he is an obstacle to be maneuvered? [“You’re gonna have to get through me first!”]

            “through”- by means of; on account of; for this reason.

“If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself…”

            Maybe Jesus wasn’t being harsh and exclusive… just honest. To deny yourself is to admit that what you need for life cannot be secured apart from God; that the resources for the life that your heart desires are not resident within us apart from God.

To love is to know other desires besides God.

The choice to love, then, is what prevents love from being reduced to some sloppy sentiment or cliché, but is portrayed as a denial of all of the other things which are competing for our heart’s attention.

● There’s really no such thing as “partial commitments” or “selective devotion”… it’s not satisfying and securing and it’s definitely not the love that our hearts are looking for [e.g. wedding: ‘forsaking all others… until death…]

            “devotion”—considering no other options: saying ‘yes’ to Jesus means saying ‘no’ to everything else upon which we might depend for life.