Jesus is The Way

19th Jul 2021

My grandson all of 4 years loves to ride his bicycle. I walk along with him. But his cycling rides are not just for fun but to reach a certain destination. One day it will be to a river to catch fish and another day it is to his little friend’s house to play. When I tell him I don’t know the way , he will quickly tell “grandpa look at the map” – meaning Google maps. So I would open the Google map and at every intersection he will insist that I look at the map and tell him which is the way to follow. He belongs to a generation born with technology and knows that he can find the way to any unknown destination with the help of “the map”.

All of us are seeking ways to reach our destinations, be it some physical destination or to achieve life goals. Experts come along to show us the way to achieve our goals in life. Like maps that show us the way to reach a geographical place , self-help books are there to show us the way to succeed in life. But since man is not just a material being, he seeks for meaning beyond this earthly life. Religion comes along to show him the way to eternal bliss. Religion gives man a set of laws, rules and rituals by practicing which man can reach God. Then we have godmen and gurus who as experts on life beyond death are certain that they can lead their disciples on the way to nirvana.  

The Bible on the other hand says that all are sinners and there is no way by which man can have eternal life. All of mankind is under the wrath of God and all of man’s good works cannot win the favour of a Holy God. Jesus came along not to show man the way to be reconciled with God, not to give man a set of laws to follow to win the favour of God  but to declare “I am the Way” and to offer Himself as The Way. That is a radical statement. We always expect a way as a path that leads to a destination, but what if the way is the destination. Then you don’t have to move any more. You don’t need a map to direct you to the destination. You are at the destination. Jesus is the destination. You don’t have to go on a path to find Jesus. On the other hand Jesus left His heavenly glory and came to seek the lost. And in order to redeem, reconcile and restore the lost, Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus on the Cross took on Himself the sins of the lost , bore the wrath of God and bore the punishment sinful man deserved. On the third day He rose again from the dead and offers Himself as The Way.  The destination. So now when anyone trusts in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross and believes that Jesus rose from the dead, is saved from eternal separation from God and receives life eternal.

We come, O Christ, to Thee,
  True Son of God and man,
By whom all things consist,
  In whom all life began:
In Thee alone we live and move
And have our being in Thy love.

Thou art The Way to God,
  Thy blood our ransom paid;
In Thee we face our Judge
  And Maker unafraid.
Before the Throne absolved we stand:
Thy love has met Thy law’s demand.

Edith Margaret Clarkson (1915-2008)