Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – Lent Four

                                The Lenten Journey: The Road Less Travelled

 “And you know the way to where I am going.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? (John 14: 4 -9)

               Yesterday, Susan shared a news story with me. It was about an American woman who was being interviewed and asked the question about how she would react if Jesus returned in the United States (of all unlikely places). She replied that it would be fine “as long as he entered legally.” Perhaps, she meant it as a joke, but I doubt it. If it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny. In today’s America, in his triumphant return, Jesus Christ would likely be deemed an illegal alien and deported.  Well, he has had to deal with hostile powers and principalities before. This would be right up his alley:  “Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.” (Ephesians 1:21)   

                 But that aside, the woman’s remarks illustrate a fundamental ignorance of Jesus Christ – who he is, what he is, what he has done for us, what discipleship means. Perhaps, unwittingly, she does see Jesus as some sort of alien, an outsider, an intruder, someone outside the rules and regulations of her world.  I am sure that she is not alone, throughout the world. The presence of Jesus invokes choices, sometimes radical ones, always life changing ones. “There is no neutral ground. If you’re not on my side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.” (Matthew 12: 30, The Message Bible)

                Like Thomas, so many people no longer know the Way. They have become unfamiliar with the paths of righteousness i.e. goodness, mercy, compassion, truth, justice and love. The Rev. Dr. Peter Holmes, in Sunday’s sermon, told the story about a recent Elon Musk interview in which Musk said that the problem with America (i.e. USA) is that there is too much emphasis on empathy, of trying to help others and going the extra mile. He treated empathy like a social disease which needs to be eradicated in order to make America great again, I suppose. Yikes!

                No, we don’t know the way. Sometimes, maybe often, we have absolutely no idea where we are going or where Jesus is leading us. So how can we know the way, we ask.

                There is a lot about the disciple Thomas, I can appreciate. He seems to want to follow Jesus but he is always looking for assurances, road-signs, evidence, and confirmations that the way ahead makes logical sense. He needs a spiritual GPS. He wants clear and precise directions, not spiritual mumbo jumbo, not vague religious platitudes.  Philip joins the chorus of those seeking clear answers: “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Give us the plain and easy road, dear Lord. “Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.” (Isaiah 40:4, NLT) Then we will follow.

                But this is the road less travelled and it’s not always filled with Holiday Inns and nice restaurants. It is a road that has some hills and valleys, bumps and obstacles, roadblocks and detours. Yet, even under these circumstances, it is okay to ask our Lord about how we can know the way. What strategies, what principles, what tasks, what direction, what plan will Jesus give us to know the way.

                “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”  It isn’t about maps, explanations, procedures or such; it is about our relationship with Jesus himself. We follow Jesus, not a CAA trip-tik. As we learn from him, see him action, watch him deal with others, even and especially the outcast, the immigrant, the poor, we are given insight and instructions for the way ahead to live a wholesome, thriving Christian life. “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.” (Psalm 25:4) We have been shown the path. It is to walk with Jesus all along the way and to do so in faith, trust and obedience.

                “In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.” (Ephesians 4; 1 -3, The Message Bible)

                Best you put on you running shoes for this.

 Dale