2020-05-10 – Year A – Easter 5 – The Rev. Christopher M. Klukas
Deuteronomy 6:20-25; Psalm 66:1-8; John 14:1-14
The Way
- Story about driving to visit Carrie while we were courting and ending up in New Jersey!
- I had a firm destination in my head, and if I wanted to get there I had to properly follow the directions.
- One of the earliest names that the followers of Jesus used for Christianity was simply, “The Way.” This name is found five times in the book of Acts.
- “In spiritual terms, sin is the way of death, and fellowship with Christ is the way of life.”
- Once we have found Jesus, the directions for how to get to the Father are quite simple. Keep driving towards Jesus and don’t turn to the left or the right!
- Unfortunately, staying on the way is not always as easy as it sounds.
- Pilgrim’s Progress movie. Based on the book by John Bunyan.
- This idea that there is only one way to God is not a very popular one today. Some might say it is too exclusive and that it seems conceited to claim that one religion is better than another.
- On the other hand, you could see it as inclusive. The way of life is open to all of us but we must make a choice which way we want to go.
- Jesus made it clear that there weren’t any other options.
The Truth
- The same could be said about the concept of truth. In the Post-Modern culture that we live in, it is popular to think that we can all fashion our own version of the truth.
- This idea is actually not so new. John 18:37-38 – Pilate asks Jesus, “What is truth?”
- People will acknowledge that there is only one right answer to certain questions. The mass of something. A notable date from history. Your mother’s maiden name.
- Why would spiritual truth be any less specific?
- It is important to love and respect people who believe differently. Our love shouldn’t be contingent upon someone believing the same way that we do.
- On the other hand, you can show love and respect while still holding on to the belief that there is such a thing as Truth, and that Jesus is the embodiment of that Truth.
- Again, Jesus has made it clear that there aren’t any other options.
The Life
- What about life? Some may say that they are just as alive as I am because we are both breathing and have a heartbeat.
- The life Jesus is talking about here is not the physical life of our bodies but the spiritual life of our souls.
- “4. What is the way of death? The way of death is a life without God’s love and Holy Spirit, a life controlled by things that cannot bring me eternal joy, leading only to darkness, misery, and eternal condemnation.”
- John 10:10 – Jesus offers us abundant life that begins now and lasts into eternity.
- Jesus’ life is abundant because it is full of God and full of joy.
- Let us all rejoice that by believing, we have life in his Name! But let us also remember that Jesus, our way, truth, and life, is not to be hoarded but shared.
- In Jesus our way to the Father is secure, but this is not a reason to look down on others who haven’t found the way. Instead, it is a call to reach out to them and help them find the way.
- Our mission as a church is loving our neighbors and helping them to find God, love God, and share God.
- Who has God put on your heart?
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
