Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
There are so many translations of the Bible out there, I thought I would bring one in that many have not read or have never even heard of before. It is called the German Common Language Translation (GeCL). It says something equivalent to our translations, “I am the way, and I am also the goal, since in me you have the truth and the life.” The questions is this, “What is the relation between the words way, truth, and life?” In the present context Jesus as “the way” is the primary focus, and “truth” and “life” are somehow related to Jesus as “the way.” Let’s look at two possible directions: The emphasis may be on the goal to which the way leads according to the GeLC translation. It could look like, “I am the way that leads to the truth (about God) and to the life (that God gives). The emphasis may be on the way itself. “Truth” and “life” may be taken as qualifiers of “way,” which is primary in the context. Then you could read it as, “I am the way that reveals the truth (about God) and gives life (to people).” Both interpretations are close in meaning and support each other but I am leaning toward the latter. The fact that Jesus says, “no one goes to the Father except by me” indicates that the way is the focus, and the Father is the goal to which it leads. God is the source of all truth and life. So in light of Advent, Jesus’ coming to this earth provided a pathway to the Father. He is the only way we have back to the Father. There are no other ways available to experience the life God provides. This is the message we proclaim at Christmas. Hallelujah! Our children did a fantastic job as they presented the message on Sunday. There were 21 preschoolers and 50+ elementary children heralding the story of redemption. We are so proud of them. What energy they bring to our church. We are so blessed! This Sunday our choir and ensemble will be bringing a powerful word about the holiness of God in this season. You will not want to miss this Sunday. We will continue our series, “Once Upon a Time” as we gather to worship the King. Let’s not have Findlay First Church of the Nazarene be the best kept secret in Findlay, Ohio. God is on the move and we are experiencing the glory of the One and only. Invite someone to attend the 3rd Sunday of Advent. Glory to God in the Highest! Joy in Jesus! Pastor Mike
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Rev. Mike McClurgSenior Pastor, Findlay First Church of the Nazarene Archives
March 2020
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