Jesus said, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.'” – John 14:6
We never want to lose
sight of Easter. Because every Sunday is a celebration of The Resurrection.
Because Christ lives, He is the way, truth and life.
Your life in Christ
is always in the present. In light of
Easter Jesus is our only way to the Father. After all, what other man has ever
returned from the dead?
Only when we do the
Jesus truth, in the Jesus way, do we get the Jesus life.
For without the way.
There is no going. Without the truth. There is no knowing. Without the life.
There is no living.
Without the way.
There is no going. Hold onto this
promise. "I am the way." Jesus
won't let you down now. 'I am the Way.' In Him you see the Father. In Him you
will meet God. His teachings will guide your feet. His presence will sustain
your spirit. In all the twists and turns your future path may take, hold fast
to Jesus, He is the Way.
"In my Father's house are many dwelling
places."- John 14:2 Jesus said, “I
am the Way.”
"I go to prepare a place for you."
-John 14:3 Jesus said, “I am the Way.”
"I will come again and will take you to
myself, so that where I am, there you may be also," –John 14:3 Jesus
said, “I am the Way.”
"If you know me, you will know my Father also."
-John 14:7 Jesus said, “I am the Way.”
"From now on you do know him and have seen
him." -John 14:7 Jesus said, “I am
the Way.”
"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." -John 14:9 Jesus said, “I am the Way.”
Jesus is the Way. He
is the truth. Without the truth. There is no knowing.
Jesus is the way for
those who dwell in an abyss of misery, futility and pain. Jesus is the way for those going through the
motions. Jesus is the way for those who fear their questions are too basic. So
bring your questions. Even your hardest questions to the God Jesus makes known.
For this God can handle them. Indeed, this God
wants them. And when you are next to your wits end. When your hearts are
troubled. And your blood pressure is racing with anxiety -- look to Jesus, the
one who preached God's mercy and taught God's love. Who healed the sick, opened the eyes of the
blind, and made the lame to walk. And then conquered death so that even the
grave can no longer claim you. Because what you see in Jesus...this is what God
looks like. This is who and what God is. Love, perfect love, for you, for all
of us, and the whole world.
Jesus is the Way. He
is the truth. He is the life. Without the life. There is no living.
The life you live is
not your own. The life you live is rooted in Christ. "You are, for the sake of Christ, loved and treasured and of value in
this world. Apart from your perception.
Another's evaluation. Or your own feelings or failures. It’s a reality that
comes from outside of you, hanging there on the cross."[2]
This does not mean
that we are free from suffering, failure or loss. We often fail and fail
miserably. The stuff of self identity is the difference between the words
"do" and "done". In
the words of John the Baptizer, "I
must decrease. He must increase." The life you live is not your own.
The life you live finds its identity in Jesus Christ.
St. Paul reminds us,
"And since Christ is in you, then
even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life
because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the
dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you." -
Romans 8:10-11.
The life you live is not your own. The life you live finds its identity in Jesus Christ
O God, You make the
minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have
commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this
world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever. Amen.[3]
[1] Baptized into Christ copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Pr. James Wetzstein, Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso, IN 29 March 2014
[3] Collect for Easter 5, Lutheran Service Book copyright © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St., Louis
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