God has an amazing life of adventure and purpose waiting for us all. But very few people find it. A lot of people think “I tried the God thing, but it didn't work.” The problem is that the promises of God don't happen without the practices of Jesus. AND Most people aren't taught what those practices are. OR how to live them out in a busy life in the real world. Good News! Jesus promised, “I am the Way.”
In other words, if we learn to do what Jesus did, we’ll discover the pathway to purpose THAT God has for all of us. This Lent season we will explore the 7 practices of Jesus to help you grow spiritually. Religion doesn’t lead to real life– following Jesus does. This is “The Way” is our series leading up to Easter
The followers of Jesus for the first 100 years were known as the followers of The Way - The way of Jesus. The pre-christian label was a by-product of Jesus' famous statement from John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” As John noted, Jesus came to give His followers life, and life to the fullest. John 10:10
The problem is many people don’t understand what this means. Jesus tried to let us know how difficult it will be to stay focused in his most famous teaching when he said Matt 7:13-14.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it
Last week, We encouraged everyone to experience the promises of God by being in community. The Center offers a lot of ways to do community. The are bible studies, meditation and yoga groups, biblical recovery, community meals, breakfast church, pantry life or just inviting people over or out to dinner.
This week we look at another “Way.” The Way of The Lord. It’s an age old question, even King David, the greatest leader of Israel and a man after God’s heart asked, in Psalm 25: 4-5
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
It’s a heartfelt request every Christian will ask themselves. How do I follow in the way of God now that I have dedicated my will and life to Him? What is the way of the Lord?
The simplest of answers might be to follow the commandments of Jesus. An instruction might be to open Deuteronomy five and memorize the commands of God and if you need a fail safe in your decision making of how to adequately apply the rules, just remember Jesus’ reduction of all the commandments by using the his words: “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” This will lead to life in line with God's moral teachings. However, it's a slippery path of rules and human decision making.
So what does it look like to really live the way of the Lord?
To answer the question, let’s take a look at Acts 18 starting in verse 24. As you locate the scripture, let me give you a little background. Paul has been traveling around the known world to visit believers and to establish groups (churches). On occasion, he would have others accompany him on these journeys. They were usually those with a similar heart and a willingness to establish new communities of faith. One couple, Priscilla and Aquila from Corinth, worked beside him in Ephesus and stayed behind to shepherd this new church plant after he went on to other areas. That’s where we pick up the story..
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor in the Spirit and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
The scripture is a great rubric for us in what it means to live in The Way of the Lord. The Way of the Lord is both taught and caught.
The Way of the Lord is best taught by people willing to listen and reason. The more questions a person has the better their understanding and future witness. Paul taught in Corinth for a while. Priscilla and Aquila were his students. When he decided to leave, they wanted to learn more so they went with him. Good teachers foster the yearning of learning. It’s a continued hunger that you can’t get enough of.
Who was your best teacher? Mine was mister Wells, 6th grade social studies in Carmel Indiana.
The Way of the Lord is also caught. It's the idea that real learning is not just words and memorization.. At the core, its Christian apprenticeship: watching, doing and repeating.
Who was/is your personal example of what it means to be a Christian?
Paul learned the scriptures from one of the great Pharisees in Galamia. In his righteousness, God slowed him down and spoke to him directly. However, it wasn’t until his divine appointment with Ananias as well as several other disciples in Damascus that Paul embraced the way of Jesus.
The Way of the Lord is:
Knowing the scriptures,
Understanding one's belief to the point of defending it,
A yearning to be learning from mature Christians in word and deed
Accountability to a community of believers
Embracing of the power of the Holy Spirit to foster our willingness to live as Jesus did
Simple right? So why aren’t more people living the way of the Lord in one of the more Christian nations on earth? The answer is distraction. Americans are distracted by the false idols of our day:
Technology - phones, internet, television, social media
Consumerism - wanting and needing stuff
Success is subjective. The sole pursuit of the world’s definition is empty when it costs us our souls.
Comfort - God doesn’t call us to live easy lives—He calls us to live meaningful ones.
Approval - Living for the praise of people is a trap that leads to nothing but anxiety and disappointment.
Control - When we obsess over control, we’re essentially telling God, “I’ve got this.”
Self - True life is found in self-denial, not self-worship.
Walking in the way of the LORD involves a commitment to live according to God's commandments and teachings.
Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
It’s a perfect reminder of the necessity of trust and reliance on God for guidance and direction.
As 1 Peter 1:15-16 exhorts, "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" This call to holiness is integral to walking in God's way, reflecting His character and commitment in all aspects of life.
The Way of the LORD is a path that requires trust, obedience, and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Through the Scriptures, believers are encouraged to walk in this way, trusting in God's guidance and living in accordance with His will.
In the simplest of terms, the way of the Lord is to be a witness to everyone we meet along the way because you may be the only representative of Jesus they will encounter.
Creative:
Chosen Clips Teaching With The Chosen: Jesus Calls Nathanael, John 1:45-51 or The 12 Apostles Find Out They're the 12 Apostles (The Chosen Scene) 2:57-6:31 or 5:16-6:47
References: https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_way_of_the_lord.htm#:~:text=The%20Way%20of%20the%20LORD%20is%20a%20comprehensive,is%20the%20ultimate%20fulfillment%20of%20this%20divine%20way.
