Summary of The Way series.
Like Herod, Caiaphas had a way that ran parallel with the way of Jesus. Whereas Herod operated out of secular Rome, Caiaphas operated in the sphere of religion. Both ways are equally wrong and still compete against the way of Christ.
When Jesus came to earth, he did not take the world by storm. There were few who actually took Jesus seriously and followed him as the way. Most followed other ways, and these other ways are still active in the world pulling at the hearts of humanity. We need to recognize these other ways for what they are and not be seduced by them.
Exile and return is a major theme of scripture. When Israel went into exile in Babylon it seemed on the surface that everything was over and God was dead. Yet in exile, a voice came through, preaching hope to a hopeless and defeated people. For those in "exile" now who need hope, there is still a voice speaking the redemptive purposes of God.
Most people want their lives to matter. They want what they do to count for something, but many who do great things have their exploits forged in the furnace of obscurity. When there, God can do his greatest work in us to prepare us for our most significant hour.
Walking the way of Christ does not remove us from making decisions. Often these decisions are emotionally charged and in some cases, they become part of our legacy. When face these decision, conventional wisdom can collide with God's wisdom. What do we do? A key moment in the way of David gives us insight that will ultimate bring clarity.
Walking the way of Christ never minimizes the challenging of finding His will for our lives. We err when we try to make the difficult decisions of life without understanding where true life lies. Once Christ truly becomes our all in all, we can truly rest in him.
The narrative of Abraham and Isaac is troubling, yet powerful. It speaks many things to us, but at its core it foretells the way of Christ in a way that is both challenging and life-giving. It teaches us the way of trust and obedience which are key components of walking in The Way.
One of Jesus best known and most controversial statements was "I am the way, and the truth and the life." Most people would say they want the abundant life Jesus came to give, and recognize the truth about Jesus, yet they fail to realize the importance of Jesus as the way. There are many "ways" we can go in life, but the Jesus Way is better.