I am reading Eugene Peterson's book The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way. Like most of Peterson's work he is a thought provoking author. This is the third of a series by him in books that he entitles "Conversation". The other two books are Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places and Eat This Book.
What I love about Peterson is that he provokes me to think. In this case its thinking and asking the question -- In what way is Jesus the way?
It caused me to preach a message in early January on that theme at Mad City Church, where I serve. I got finished and almost immediately thought -- I can't leave this at that, I've got to preach another one, part 2. There's so much that is being stimulated in my thoughts, prayers, and hopes. Bottom line, if Jesus is the way...and he is "the way" in front of "the truth"...then he is both the way To God, as well as the Way From God.
It's another way of saying, if we ever needed a good way of understanding the character and heart of God we only need to look at Jesus. Now, that's not new for many believers, but it is important because it breaks down the false dichotomy of the "Old" Testament and "New" Testament notion of two types of God. That isn't something that most people struggle with as much as it's a silent "wonder". How could God appear so differently in the O.T. than what we see in Jesus. The answer is that Jesus is the one that explains the Father. "When you have seen me, you have seen the Father.".
Stay with me and I'm going to write out some the "ways" in which Jesus is the Way. Or join me, read the book and comment along:
Amazon.com: The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way: Eugene H. Peterson: Books
What I love about Peterson is that he provokes me to think. In this case its thinking and asking the question -- In what way is Jesus the way?
It caused me to preach a message in early January on that theme at Mad City Church, where I serve. I got finished and almost immediately thought -- I can't leave this at that, I've got to preach another one, part 2. There's so much that is being stimulated in my thoughts, prayers, and hopes. Bottom line, if Jesus is the way...and he is "the way" in front of "the truth"...then he is both the way To God, as well as the Way From God.
It's another way of saying, if we ever needed a good way of understanding the character and heart of God we only need to look at Jesus. Now, that's not new for many believers, but it is important because it breaks down the false dichotomy of the "Old" Testament and "New" Testament notion of two types of God. That isn't something that most people struggle with as much as it's a silent "wonder". How could God appear so differently in the O.T. than what we see in Jesus. The answer is that Jesus is the one that explains the Father. "When you have seen me, you have seen the Father.".
Stay with me and I'm going to write out some the "ways" in which Jesus is the Way. Or join me, read the book and comment along:
Amazon.com: The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way: Eugene H. Peterson: Books
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