Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT
McCarthyites was the disparaging name given in the 1940s to Americans who followed Senator Joseph McCarthy and his attempts to discredit others during “the Red Scare,” a Soviet fear-induced period of accusations. In a comparable way, did you know that followers of Jesus were not originally called Christians, and it was not their preferred name? The title “Christian” was given the early disciples with derogatory intent, identifying them as a sect following a misguided leader, the rabbi who “thought he was God.”
The earliest disciples called themselves Followers of the Way. This is incredibly significant. Jesus did not come to form another religion. Though Christianity is listed along with Hinduism, Buddhism, and many other religions, the truth is that it is exactly what He said – it is following Him, the Way.
Following Jesus is both a journey and the path you walk on. It’s not static. It is constant motion, constant life. Following Jesus is not just one choice but a lifetime of choices. Trusting Christ for our salvation is the vital first step, but it was never intended to be the end. We are forgiven, we belong to Jesus, but we have not reached our destination. We have not fulfilled our “best life.” We have not reached our God-given potential; we are not yet the image of Christ.
Followers of Jesus are always on the way. We are always on the journey, actively following. Our significant purpose in following Him is to learn from Him and learn HIM, which includes learning to show the way for others to join us in following Jesus. In Matthew 4:19 we learn that Jesus’s invitation to the first disciples was crystal clear: Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
That’s the same thing He says to us today. Life with Jesus is not a prayer we pray, a church we join, a habit we develop. It’s the Way, the person we follow. It’s our life. It’s a walk with Him and we’re all just on the way. We are always with our lives and words inviting others to follow Him too. It’s not always easy, but it’s always that simple. And it is always more than worth it.
- Jesus, You truly are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Everything about following You leads me to truth and fullness of life. I choose to follow completely and closely, and never lose sight of You. I will follow You home.