Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:5-7
Now that I have wrapped my my study of the last four books of the Old Testament (Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi), I start anew using a book that I never completed but I am now going back to - an homage to my brother in Christ and mentor Warren Snyder, who introduced me to this book - The Character of Jesus. The Kindle version of the book I have includes the below inscription which for me serves as an inspiration to dig in to the contents.
For this morning, I focus on the book's introduction where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:
- While there is much to study about Jesus, including his ideas, sermons, etc. the book's focus as the title implies is his character or as the book shares "sum of the qualities by which Jesus is distinguished from other men. His character is the sum total of his characteristics, his moral traits, the features of his mind and heart and soul. We are to think about his quality, his temper, his disposition, the stamp of his genius, the notes of his spirit, and the form of his conduct."
- "A man is better able to appreciate the ideas of Jesus if he first of all becomes acquainted with Jesus' character."
- The book emphasizes its study of Jesus' character using the scientific method of study - looking at "a few definite and clean cut facts. This man Jesus was an historic character. He lived his life upon this earth....in dealing with his character we are handling something concrete and comprehensible....Not only is this the scientific method, it is also the New Testament method. It was just in this manner that the disciples came to know Jesus. They did not begin with the mystery of his person, nor did they begin with sayings which were hard for them to understand. They began simply by coming near him, looking at him with their eyes, listening to him with their ears."
- The book shares how there are three ways by which we can enter faith (1) the ecclesiastical door, (2) the dogma door, and (3) through knowing and loving (the character of) Jesus. This latter door is the focus as "to be a Christian is to admire Jesus so sincerely and so fervently that the whole life goes out to him in an aspiration to be like him."
- "There are six channels through which light will come. We may come to know him through the words he spoke, through the deeds he did, and also through his silences. We may know him also by the impression which he made first upon his friends and secondly upon his foes, and thirdly upon the general body of his contemporaries."
A review John 14:5-7 is key to serve as a reminder that Jesus IS the Way, Truth, and the Life." There are no other ways to Truth as God is the source of all (see Colossians 1:15-16).
Comment and discuss this post.
My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of
amazing grace and compassion for me - giving me truth and providing for all things. Thank You! I am not deserving. My
sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus. Help
me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You. Help me love You
with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.
Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.
Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help
us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as
their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach
and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help
me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and
every day.
