Sermon Cloud

July 27, 2008

The way - Walking with the first Christians 1

We were driving back from our two-week trip to New Mexico. My wife turns to me and says, "What are you preaching on Sunday?"

I replied, "Life is like a journey. A highway, if you will..."

Seriously, life is like a road. The WAY you live is the road, path, you take in life.

What is your way in life? What is your path, your road?

Christianity is a lifestyle. Before Christ-followers were called Christians, they were called people on "the way."

Acts 9:1-2 (NIV) ¹ Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

The way? Which way?

Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) ¹³ "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

The narrow gate, the hard (afflicted) way.

So, the right way is narrow and hard? Yes, the path to life has troubles. Literally afflictions. Being a Christian means facing difficulties in this life.

John 16:33 (NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

• Better a difficult road to life, than an easy road to destruction!

"those who find it are few."  The Lord's way is not as hard to find as it sounds. You know why few people find it? They don't look.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) ⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

All Jesus is saying is "To find the path to life, you have to look for it." That's all!

Which path are you traveling right now? If you're not on the Lord's path, look for it.

What does the Lord's path look like? How can we recognize it?

Listen carefully as Jesus talks to his followers:

John 14:1-6 (NIV) ¹ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ² In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. [[learn more in small groups this week]]
⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going." ⁵ Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" ⁶ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the way-the path, the road,

Jesus is the truth-the map

Jesus is the life-the fuel!

Have you heard the saying "All roads lead to Rome"?

Rome had built all these roads. You see them in the small group DVD lessons. They were smooth-for the time-and, yes, wide. The roads made it easy to get around.

I hear road, I think of cars and minivans.

Back then, most people walked.

Walking became a metaphor for life.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV) ¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

By walking, people got to know one another.

Whoever claims to abide in him [Jesus Christ] ought to walk the same as he walked. 1 John 2:6 (Tripp)

How did Jesus walk? By loving God and loving people.

Let's sing this song by Rich Mullins, obviously based on John 14 - "That Where I Am"