Christ is "the Way"
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Way
The Way
Are you familiar with the term “the way?” It was a well known term in the first century, and was not necessarily a good thing, but it identified “Christians.” We are starting today to look at Christ the way in many aspects over the next few weeks.
Christian - how would you define a Christian?
Most would say a “follower of Jesus” A believer in salvation through Jesus Christ.
It can tell someones identity or a body of believers identity (personal, local, universal church)
Christianity - how would you define Christianity?
Someone who lives by the words and teaching of Christ.
Common held beliefs in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles
In early church they were “the Way”
Saul persecuted the Way (Act9:2, 22:4)
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
We can know from these verses, Saul was sold out in persecuting those of the Way; and they were both men and women.
4 “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,
Paul, formally Saul, telling his testimony as a convert to Christianity spoke of the persecution against those of the Way (Christians).
It made others speak evil of the Way (Act19:9, 23)
9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
People of the Way were kicked out of Synagogues, they were hated by idol makers and the religious Jews.
Just as a reminder: Remember religious people need saving too, just so you know!
23 About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way.
Small disturbance was the silversmiths, the idol makers were loosing money because of the way so they wanted to incite a riot
Paul was converted to the Way (Act24:14, 22)
14 “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
(expand)
Paul taught, educated, and challenged people about the Way.
22 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.”
Now today, the term “the Way” may not be familiar but the use in the early church it meant something and this series is going to look at it then and what it means to us today.
Meaning of “The Way”
Meaning of “The Way”
What did “the Way” mean to those it was used with. There is the origin, the probable and the possible meaning.
Probable origin:
Jesus teaching (Mt7:13-14)
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Jesus teaching of the broad way
Jesus teaching of the narrow way
(Expand briefly on both)
Jesus claim (Jn14:6)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Jesus claimed I am the way
The way to truth
The way to the Father.
(expand briefly)
(Transition) It would be likely that the origin was from Jesus Himself because of those statements and it lad to the use of them when you couple with what would be probable meaning
Probable meaning
To the teaching of the gospel
The
To the conduct due to the teaching of the gospel
To the way of salvation (Act16:17)
17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”
People heard, people believed that what was being proclaimed was the way of salvation.
To the true way of God (Act18:25-26)
25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; 26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Apollos had information, but was given the accurate information the “true” way to God more accurately.
(Transition) - So, drawing a quick conclusion, of the point, not the sermon, that the possible meaning of “the Way” is in both doctrine and life.
Throughout this series there are many things, per se, topics we can cover that would come under Christ is the Way as it pertains to Christians in doctrine and in life. Or to the unbeliever to come to now Christ is the Way to eternal life with God.
Christ the Way
Christ the Way
Over the next 13 weeks we will broach many topics that will demonstrate, illustrate and validate that Jesus is the way, that Christ is the way.
The way to God (Jn14:6; Eph2:18)
Jesus tells us He is the way, I read the (Jn14:6) previously
Through Him we have access to the Father according to (Eph2:18)
Briefly: Jesus is the way, the only way to have access to the Father in heaven.
The way to truth (Jn18:37; Jn8:32-26)
Jesus came to bear witness to the truth as he stood before Pilate
(This next scriptures are inserted here so can give the gospel message, stop, show the truth needed because of the grievousness of sin)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Stop: if you sin, you are a slave to sin! Jesus came so we can be set free from the bondage of sin (give demonstrations of sin using the law (idols, lies, murder, lust, honor parents, etc.) Law cannot justify you, the Law educates you of sin, Jesus is our justifier and He wants to set you free. (invitation opportunity will be provided at the end of this message this morning)
The way to life (Jn10:10, 11:25; 1The4:13-18)
He came to give life, life full or in some versions of (Jn10:10) says more abundantly.
Life in which he is the resurrection and those who believe in Him will never die according to (Jn11:25).
One day He is going to return and call us up to meet Him in the air. And we will always be with Him as it says in (1The4:13-18)
The way of love (Jn13:34; Mt5:43-45)
Jesus commanded that we love one another (Jn13:34)
Love of your neighbors and even love of your enemies (Mt5:43-44)
The way of joy (Jn15:11, 17:13)
Jesus has given us His joy so our joy may be full (Jn15:11)
I want to give you the next one, I want you to read it, let it sink in for a minute
13 “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.
Think about this, we know Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Lk19:10) but according to his verse another reason He came, and He spoke is that His joy may be made full in YOU!
The way of peace (Jn14:27, 16:33)
From Jesus joy, to Jesus peace that He brings and leaves (Jn14:27)
Peace that has overcome the world (Jn16:33)
The way of unity (Jn17:20-23; Eph2:11-17)
Unity through belief, I was going to just summarize this one but then rethought it and here it is.
20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Once lost, without hope, separated and far from God, but then brought near by the blood to the unity of the faith of all people, Jew and Gentile alike and brought near to God (Eph2:11-17)
The way of prayer (Lk11:1-13, 19:1-14; Heb4:14-16 and 1Jn2:1, 1:7)
The way of prayer that is exampled, that is faith filled, that is persistent and consistent (Lk11:1-13, 19:1-14)
Prayer that brings us boldly before the throne of grace and mercy (Heb4:14-16)
To our Advocate with the Father for when we sin as we are walking in the light (1Jn2:1; 1Jn1:7)
The way of forgiveness (Mt6:12-15, Lk23:34)
that forgives because we have been forgiven (Mt6:12-15)
As demonstrated by Christ Himself when he went to the cross (Lk23:34)
The way of bearing fruit (Jn15:1-8)
Jesus tells us He is the vine, and we need to stay connected to Him, and we will cover this much more just as the rest of them I have touched on as we weeks go on through this series.
The way of service (Jn13:12-17; Gal5:13; 1Pt4:9)
Service like the example gave in foot washing (Jn13:12-17)
To love one another through serving one another (Gal5:13)
Service through being hospitable to one another (1Pt4:9)
The way of suffering (Lk24:25-26; 1Pt2:20-23)
Christ had to suffer according to (Lk24:25-26)
So we should not be surprised if we suffer for righteousness (1Pt2:20-23)
And one more and we will conclude this introduction to this series.
The way to glory (2The1:10-12; Col3:4)
One day Jesus will be revealed in glory for all to see (2th1:10-11) but I want to give you (v.12)
12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the way, for the people of the way, so that we may glorify the name above every name, and that His glory may be seen in us.
(invitation slide- Jesus is the way-3) invitation (Song) (Prayer) (Exit)