word-shaped life-songs

What if Jesus Merely Pointed the Way?

A true shepherd leads the way. He does not merely point the way. -L. Ravenhill

This is so true. I’ve been processing with friends—a few in particular—about the dynamic of “living it before leading it.” If you’ve paid attention to any of my posts anywhere, it’s no secret that I’m a follower of Christ. Hopefully, that is even more evident if you were to spend time with me. I desperately seek to follow Christ in word and deed, and I pray it’s evident. During my time of following Christ, God’s given me growing convictions about the church in America, the Bible Belt in particular, and as I pursue God, he seems to give me vision for what communities of faith could look like. Those dreams have been coming into focus for some time now, but “living it before leading it” is of paramount importance to me right now. I’m in the process of trying to pursue some of those things, and I’m just asking God to teach me while being open to whatever He might be molding me for in the future.

Then, I had the thought…

What if Jesus merely pointed the way? Where would we be? Answer: screwed. God has pointed the way to Himself again and again in many ways and through many people as we peruse the pages of Scripture, and every single one of them (and of us) stray, period. God’s way is holiness—complete sinlessness and complete righteousness. One stray word or deed or even thought makes us infinitely sinful before an infinitely holy God.

Yet…God, in His incredible grace, did not merely point the way to Himself, but He provided the Way in Jesus. Jesus, the Holy Son of God, never sinned and always obeyed. But, get this… He didn’t just say that “the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”… he did it. He laid down his life for us. He took what we deserved—the wrath of God—to give us what we didn’t deserve—the righteousness of God. And, that’s the grace of God! Jesus is the Way. Trust Him and live—and, live abundantly.

It’s interesting that the earliest Christians were called “The Way.” And, it’s tragic that many Christians today merely talk of following “the ways” of Jesus. Oh, how we treat Jesus as if He merely pointed the way we should go!  And, oh, how we arrogantly think we can attain it ourselves! If we render Jesus to merely an example, we render our lives to lifeless religion—always striving and never finding rest.

The gospel is not the “ways” of Jesus; it is the Way, Jesus Himself. Jesus must be Savior before He can ever become example. To flip that dynamic is to live death. If you treat Jesus as moral example only, you will never attain what must be given to you as a gift. God will have it no other way. And, thankfully He provides the gift and gives it freely to all who trust Him.

I’m thankful for the Good Shepherd today.