“Shine, Jesus, Shine”*

The Lamp and the Light (2)

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path …

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

I am the light of the world:

he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,

but shall have the light of life …

I am the way, the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Psalm 119:105; John 8:12; 14:6b, KJV

God’s word gives us light-direction for life. Jesus is the light-the living Word of God showing us—

• the way to the Father,
• the truth about the Father,
• and the abundant life given by the Father.

Jesus has shown us the way, for he is the way:

“And your ears will hear a word behind you,

“This is the way, walk in it,”

whenever you turn to the right or to the left … 

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your judgment as the noonday …

I have chosen the faithful way;

I have placed Thine ordinances before me.”

Isaiah 30:21; Psalm 37:5-6; 119:30, NASB

Jesus is the light—follow him, don’t turn to the right or left, walk the way he walked in love and truth. His way is truth for Jesus is the truth:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

(and we beheld his glory,

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,

full of grace and truth …

Jesus saith unto him,

Have I been so long time with you,

and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;

and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? …

For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

THOU ART MY SON,

THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE?

And again,

I WILL BE TO HIM A FATHER,

AND HE SHALL BE TO ME A SON? …

unto the Son he saith,

THY THRONE, O GOD,

IS FOR EVER AND EVER:

A SCEPTRE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTRE OF THY KINGDOM.”

John 1:14; 14:9; Hebrews 1:5, 8, KJV

Jesus is God the Son.

• He is the way to God, there is no other.
• He is the way to truth for he is God and no lie can be found in him.
• He is the way to life for he is the living Word of God.
• He is the way out of the valley of the shadow of death, for he is the Light of life.

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light:

they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,

upon them hath the light shined …

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God …

In him was life;

and the life was the light of men …

And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

I am come a light into the world,

that whosoever believeth on me

should not abide in darkness.”

Isaiah 9:2; John 1:1,4; 12:45-46, KJV

In the beginning light burst forth out of darkness by the word of God. Jesus is the Word. He is God. He broke through the darkness to bring us his light, his glory, his life. When his light shined on us, life was born, physically. After sin entered the world, darkness reigned once again, until the Light of life shined into death’s darkness when Christ rose from the dead. For all who believe, the Light of life has shined into our darkness, dispelling death and giving life, abundant eternal life.

I invite you to listen to this link: https://youtu.be/J3iB30gCqAc. It is the song, *“Shine, Jesus, Shine,” by Graham Kendrick. Make it your prayer. And now, I leave you with this blessing of light:

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace.”

Numbers 6: 24-26

With that, it is time to—

“Arise, shine;

for thy light is come,

and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”

Isaiah 60:1, KJV

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Does the Light of life reign in your heart or the darkness of sin and death? Come to the Light and sin and death will flee.

In The Way

In The Way

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way …

Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it.”

Psalm 1:1a; Matthew 7:13-14, KJV

The two men unfolded the map on the hood of the van(this was before the days of GPS). “We’re not lost,” one declared to the teen mission group, “we just don’t know which way to go.”

We are born in a world not knowing which way to go. We walk in the broad way of pleasing ourselves, choosing what we want when we want it, and crying loudly if anyone denies our desires. We practice the opposite of Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

We can only see what’s in front of us. Our personal understanding is limited. That is why we are told—

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

When Jesus taught what’s recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7, he began by describing how to enter the blessed way—the narrow way. Then he proceeded to contrast the narrow way—the way of life, with the broad way of destruction. He wasn’t teaching how to enter the narrow way but what that way looked like. Jesus taught—

“Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven …

And this is the will of him who sent me,

that every one which seeth the Son,

and believeth on him,

may have everlasting life:

and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Matthew 7:21; John 6:40.

Also, in John’s gospel we are told Jesus—“is the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (14:6)

Unlike our map showing many ways to our destination, Jesus makes it clear, in life, two ways exist—but only one leads to the Father and everlasting life.

It is the way—

• Of holiness: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, BE YE HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Peter 1:15-16, KJV
• Paved with the grace of God and faith: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9, KJV
• Of Jesus: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23, KJV

If you want to know which way to go, follow Jesus. His way is—

• Uncluttered with stumbling stones of sin:

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;

for his seed remaineth in him:

and he cannot sin,

because he is born of God …

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not;

but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself,

and that wicked one toucheth him not.”

1 John 3:9; 5:18

• Free from potholes of shame before God:

“For the scripture saith,

WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM

SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.”

Romans 10:11, KJV

• Not walked alone:

“And I will pray the Father,

and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever …

I will not leave you comfortless:

I will come to you …

To whom God would make known

what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory:”

John 14: 16,18; Colossians 1:27, KJV

• Paved with righteousness and life:

“Being then made free from sin,

ye became the servants of righteousness …

But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.”

Romans 6:18,22, KJV

On our mission trips, the Lord always lead us the right way when we looked to him. He was always with us and always brought us home. In life, Jesus has gone before us, goes with us, and will take us home to be forever with him. As we start a new year, it’s a good time to check our direction and ask ourselves, “What way am I traveling in—Where will this way lead me?”

 

Knowing the Way

“I’m going away.”

“You can’t come now.”

“Follow me.”

“But how can we follow when we can’t come with you? We don’t know the way nor where you’re going?”

Clouds of confusion casted shadows of sorrow over the perplexed disciples. None of the Lord’s words made sense.

Jesus explained –

• “Let not your heart be troubled:
• ye believe in God,
• believe also in me.
• In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
• I go to prepare a place for you.
• And if I go and prepare a place for you. I will come again, and receive you unto myself:
• that where I am, there ye may be also.
• And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

I believe Thomas spoke the heart of all the others when he asked:

“Lord, we know not whither thou goest;

and how can we know the way?”

Thomas, so much like us, wanted to follow the Lord, wanted to understand, but he couldn’t quite grasp what Jesus was saying. Jesus answered –

“I am the way;

the truth;

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

If ye had known me,

ye should have known my Father also:

and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him.”

Now it’s Philip’s turn to try and get this straight. We have to appreciate Thomas’ and Philip’s confusion and willingness to ask the unspoken questions. For their confusion brings Jesus’ comments to light for us.

“Jesus saith unto him,

Have I been so long time with you and

yet hast thou not known me, Philip?

He that hath seen me hath seen the Father:

and how sayest thou, then,

Shew us the Father?

Believest thou not that I am in the Father,

and the Father in me?

the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself

but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me;

or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”

John 14:1-11.

• Jesus had told his confused children where He was going – to his Father’s house.
• He told them why – to prepare a place for them.
• He even told them the way – he would come back and get them and take them to his Father’s house.

These men knew God but had not known him before as Father, even though many times Jesus explained this to them. He didn’t chide them for their confusion. Instead, he gave them himself – a picture from the inside out of the Father.

Thomas and Philip believed in God, but Jesus wanted them to believe God is his Father. That he is God the Son. He wanted them to understand he alone is the only way to the Father.

In a brief statement, Jesus is the way to the Father. Believing him is the first step to following the Way to the Father’s house.

In the next post, we will walk a little deeper into the way. How did you come to know the way to the Father? How would you explain the way to others?