John 14:1-6 English Standard Version
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The question is always asked: Why did God provide only one way to heaven?
Wouldn’t it have been more “user-friendly” to create many individualized narrow paths for God’s individualized children leading to eternity with Him?
In an honest attempt to illustrate God’s perfect plan, I picture a kingdom on a mountain – there is one well walked, well surveyed road to the summit, leading right to the kingdom’s front gates – a free map is offered to anyone who asks.
Yet, most people do not follow the map.
Yet most people will want to trod down their own paths figuring them to be well tamped down with those experiences successfully getting them into their gates.
Wide roads are so much easier for people to walk on because there are probably uncountable numbers of people struggling for their own individual space on the road-nobody want to bump into anyone else, no one wants to trip over another.
Wide roads hold more cars, sport utility vehicles and trucks and busses and motorcycles and God knows what else, their drivers and all their passengers.
Traffic Gridlock: Everyone is trying to get to their own destinations all at once.
For the road to the kingdom is narrow, gridlocked not always easy to navigate.
Instead, the travelers choose other roads.
Wide and easy, relaxed smooth driving, with beautiful scenery on the way, they convince themselves, the road they’re on must genuinely lead to the kingdom!
However, those winding individualized paths never truly reach the summit.
Inevitably, at some highway off ramp, they either take a detour or get off at the wrong exit, getting lost and cannot find their way back or they simply dead end.
As people continue to trek up, down and all around the mountain, I picture the Savior calling to all travelers, “Come, this is the way. Follow Me.” Yet, many go their own way, forging other paths and avoiding the One True Road at all cost.
So as those twelve disciples are all sitting together in that Upper Room, Jesus says the Way, the Truth and the Life – His way is sure and His path is open to all.
All twelve of these disciples will each walk out of that Upper Room on different paths in their coming ministries and missions on earth – and Jesus is #1 focus!
Acts 2:43-47 English Standard Version
43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 8:4-8 English Standard Version
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city[a] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
So many children of God each individually commissioned by their Savior Jesus.
Acts 1:8 English Standard Version
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Different, individualized ministries and missions-yea unto all ends of the earth.
To all of those so many points of the globe a simple compass carries their feet.
Isaiah 52:6-8 English Standard Version
6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
So much good to be done, much grace, forgiveness and love of One God to share.
But One Message on Earth to reach literally all ends of earth – “Our God Reigns!
Only One Way for each of us to reach our promised heavenly homes –
John 14:6 English Standard Version
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
“Turn right and Go Straight!”
What a divine blessing to be given the exact directions to eternity!
There is no guesswork!
There is no “re-calculating” the journey.
Only Jesus paved the only way once and for all without mistake.
God didn’t send His Son to provide only one way to heaven out of a sense of arrogance or control, as some might believe.
He lovingly and painfully carved out the only path that would reach.
Across the impassable chasm of man’s sin and straight on up to the top of the mountain of our individual life’s journey, God gave His Son—the perfect Way.
Every other road, every other highway man travels will fall short of His glory.
It will dead-end.
But, there is One who calls… “Come and follow Me.”
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 16The Message
16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
Without you, nothing makes sense.
3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
like brand-names.
5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!
7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!
11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 