We Know the Way

We Know the Way

Intro -

End of the series...setting up another where we look at the details of the way of Christ.

...This week we are facing a question that lives in all of our hearts. It is a question that lives in us when we think about our lives, our families, our careers, new jobs, new friends, new opportunities, even issues in the life of the church.

And we ask it, all of us, almost the same way. “Which way should I go?”

What should I do? What is my life all about?

Today, I want us to confront that tendency, that common human condition, and allow God’s Spirit to fill us and remind us that we know the way. Our “guts,” or intuition - that feeling in our souls reminds us that we know the way, even if we don’t like where it is pointing!

So we are going to look at another moment in scripture where our own nature is on full display, and where Christ reminds us all that we know the way.

John 14:1–11 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 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. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Pray

[No Matter Where You Are in Life, God is Always Calling You Home.]

No matter where you are in life. God is always calling you home. That is one of the first thoughts that guided me in pulpit ministry as I transitioned from associate pastor at Valdese First Baptist to my first Senior Pastor role. At the time, I was looking at another potential ministry job outside of Valdese - one that promised more money and came from a church that was stable, and that had a million dollar budget.

I had agonized over the decision between that done deal - they had offered me the position at this point - and the opening of a position at a very small, very poor church - at least by comparison - here in Valdese. No done deal, by far.

And in that decision, that phrase kept rolling around in my mind. No matter where you are, or what you are doing, God is calling you home. And every time I protested and said “but I don’t know the way!” I remembered the truth of our scripture today. A truth that we all must admit to ourselves if we ever hope to live our the life of Christ for ourselves, our families, and this world.

[We Know the Way]

We know the way. Oh we might not admit it. We might fight against it. But we know it! And in this moment in our text, Thomas knew it too! He just didn’t want to admit it.

After all, following a Savior who was soon to die seems like it takes a lot of work! It doesn’t seem as comfortable and easy as the conquering King of the world!

Suffering, sacrificing, giving of yourself to all people - that seems hard. And make no mistake, that is the call of Christ.

And we feel that too sometimes.

Being a follower is hard. It can lead us to some pretty uncomfortable places! And in my case, it lead me not only to a little church with a handful of people and a small budget, with tons of infrastructure and people problems - but it lead me away from a big office, a huge down payment on a house, all moving expenses paid, a big salary - the good life. The salad days, as they have been called.

For others it leads to places like Mexico, or Haiti, or India and Africa - the very ends of the earth! The places where comforts are few and needs are many. Some it leads to the inner cities of America. To others it is to live simply and work the land. In all cases, the way is clear and obvious - but it isn’t always easy to accept.

[struggling]

That is how it was for me. The obviousness of my decision caused me to take a deep look at myself and listen to a voice that was persistently reminding me that even though there was nothing wrong with money, or comfort, that the way of the follower didn’t go through that place.

You know the way, Jeff. Don’t run from it. Don’t be scared to take a risk, to offer what you are for what you feel God calling you to be.

And for Thomas, and all of us here today, that same truth remains. We know the way. No matter how far we stray from the ideal life God has for us, no matter how many excuses we offer for our straying - no matter the justification or the reasoning - we always know the way back home. No matter where we are or what we are doing.

[gps]

But do we listen? That is the question. Do we listen to the Holy Spirit - the GPS of our lives - or do we think we know the way better than it? That is an important question for us today. Because like Thomas, we face the call of Christ to follow every day. We are extended the opportunity to go where He tells us to go, and do what He tells us to do. And not just in the big things either! Even in our private faith practices, there is a call to humility, trust, time. Every moment we are being pulled either from God or toward God. But make no mistake, the Holy Spirit, our GPS if you will for life, is always yelling at us “redirecting, redirecting!” And if we would just listen to it instead of insisting on our own ideas, we would get to exactly the place where God intends for us to be!

[Jonahpic]

That is the entire story of Jonah, right? This man who had a clear as day message from God. He had not only his reason for his life, but the EXACT plan that God had for him!

All those things that we ask for, right? We always want to know what we are supposed to do with our lives, or our decisions. And Jonah had that! But church, if we are honest, we do too! Even if we don’t listen to it. God is always calling us home - towards the place we are supposed to be.

So like us, Jonah didn’t listen. And eventually, while on a boat running from God, going toward the place he wanted to be rather than where God wanted him, a storm starts to overwhelm them. And Jonah, in a moment of clarity and/or hopelessness, offers to let them throw him overboard to save them all.

To him, being thrown into the sea was a better prospect than listening to God.

But don’t judge him! We can be like that too! We endlessly bargain and justify what we want to God, both in prayer and in our actions! And we do it so much that eventually we would rather just turn away from God than confront the one we have ignored.

I see it all the time.

But it is in those moments - for Jonah and us - that we can find truth. We can find the life waiting for us. We can find our way!

Jonah 2:7–9 ESV

When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

[read]

He is the way! He has always been the way! And moreover, Jonah, like us, knew the way!

But still, there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. And that difference church is painfully easy if we would just remind ourselves!

Jesus is the only way to go. His example. His words. His life. His call for us. The Spirit He left that guides our thoughts and actions. It is the only way to go. Now we still have to discern it. We still have to test what we feel against scripture. We still need to allow logic and reason a place at the table. But ultimately we know the way! Our souls long to do the things that please our God! Our spirits consistently yearn for God’s peace, mercy, and justice. God is calling to us all, every day, and we want to go there, but like children trying to look cool, we don’t follow Him even though we want to and in fact know that we should.

[a more excellent way…]

But you can. And you should. All the ways we go in life will lead to difficulty - even God’s way. But only His way is correct. Only His way will lead us to hope. Only His way will lead us to peace. Only His way will lead us to grace! It is only by walking His way that we can be sure - no matter the outcome or situation - that we are right where we are supposed to be!

Maybe it’s hard. Maybe it isn’t glamorous. But church, it is the path we are to walk. And walking it, brings us right to where we need to be.

It won’t always be easy. It won’t always be fun. But it is a more excellent way, as Paul puts it.

So we are going to close the church year - up until Advent - looking at just what that way is for us. Where that Spirit will ALWAYS lead us. This most excellent way - the way of love.

But for us today, we start by admitting that we know the way. Admitting that the voice in us is always calling us home - to the place God is and wants us to be. And acknowledging that - to turn from the way we are going, and run home to be with our God.

[invitation]

And we do that, church, by inviting His Spirit into our lives. To make ourselves aware that God is welcome in us, and allow Him to flood our hearts and our minds with His call for us. It is His glory, His plans, and His Spirit that we must long for. And I pray that today, we can all be overwhelmed by His presence, His plan - His ways - that call to us all to come follow.