WHERE ARE WE GOING? – (3)

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6

Read the story here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:1-9&version=NIV

Listen to story here:  http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/John.14  

“All roads lead to Rome.”  Many Americans today think, “All roads lead to God.”  Jesus’ statement that “no one comes to the Father but by me” is shocking to us.  It is not politically correct, to say the least.  We would rather believe that any religion, any faith, any philosophy will work equally well.  But will it?

Let’s look at the source of that proverb.  It traces to a Latin saying: “Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam,” which translates, “A thousand roads lead men forever to Rome.”  This proverb was based on the ancient Roman road system which radiated out from the capital, like spokes around a wheel.  These Roman roads were designed so that Roman troops and supplies could travel to anywhere Rome ruled.

So “all roads lead to Rome” means that different paths can take one to the same goal.  These Roman roads were singularly designed that way.  But does this proverb apply to all situations?

Clearly, Robert Frost doesn’t think so.  In “The Road Less Traveled,” the traveler

says:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood…

And his conclusion:

I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

shows that one path led to a very different result than the other.  

Different path; different result.

Logic and observation tell us, that although in some instances different methods can end up with the same result, more often than not opposite methods produce opposite results.

 Even if all Roman roads lead to Rome, all American roads certainly don’t end up at the same destination.  In 1956 the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System was created (commonly called The Interstate).**  In the 50+ years since then, hundreds of roads have crisscrossed the USA.    

Try this experiment.  The next time you get in your car, fill in this sentence:  All roads lead to my destination.  Let us know where you land!

*attributed to Alain de Lille in 1175 AD. 

**Federal Highway Administration – List of Road Songs Celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. (compiled 2006 by Richard F. Weingroff).  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/roadsongs.htm

WHERE ARE WE GOING? – (2)

“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6

Read the story here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:1-9&version=NIV

Listen to story here:  http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/John.14  

How does a person get to God?  What is the way to take?

Another word for a “way” is a path, a trail, a road.  Jesus was saying he IS the path that

connects us with God the Father. 

A common self-reference among the early Christians was "disciples," meaning "followers of a teaching."  But in Acts these followers were also referred to as "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22).*

It’s kind of a strange image, thinking of Jesus (person) as if he were a pathway (object).  But isn’t that the same thing we’re doing to God by thinking of him as some kind of destination or place we need to get to?

Jesus : path :: God : heaven.

We need to rethink the analogy.  God is a person.  A VERY important person.  So how do we get access to an important person?  Through another person!  Have you ever tried to get a job and you knew someone who knew the boss.  Bingo!  The job is yours through personal connection.  Your friend was the WAY to the boss.

you : your friend :: your friend : boss

Jesus is the WAY to the Father.

*Wikipedia

WHERE ARE WE GOING? – (1)

I am the way …. John 14:6

“You know the way to the place where I am going” John 14:4

Read the story here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014:1-9&version=NIV

Listen to story here:  http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/John.14  

Jesus said: “I am the way.”

But where are we going?

Watch  Going As Fast As Possible!  for an interesting view of our modern how-and-where movements.  And that is just in Singapore!  I could post time-lapse movement videos from New York, Tokyo, Jakarta … you name it.  We are all pretty much moving as fast as we can … but where?

The first step in planning the way is knowing the where; we plan the route after we set the destination.   In daily life we think we know.  Going to London, take a plane.  Going downtown, take a car or bus.  Then you can get on MapQuest, plot coordinates into your GPS, or just ask Siri.  With modern technology, it’s easy to find the way.

Jesus told his friends at dinner one night, “You know the way to the place where I am going.”  Thomas, confused, said “We don’t even know where you’re going!”

What was Thomas’s problem?  He wasn’t listening.  Jesus had just said, “My Father’s house has many rooms; …  I am going there to prepare a place for you.” 

Not that I blame Thomas – at the time Jesus was saying a lot of strange things about leaving, and he was giving speeches like it was his last meal or something.  Rather disturbing.  Who would understand that Jesus could know he was about to go into heaven and be with God the Father? 

But that’s exactly what Jesus meant.

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”

Translation: I am the way to God.  The only way to God.  You have access to him and know him because you know me.

So, now do you know where Jesus was going that night?  He was going to heaven to be with the Father.  If you want to go too, you know the WAY.