Finding Jesus, The Way - Part Two

Jesus, The Way
Finding Jesus, The Way - Part Two

In our last lesson we left off with noting that Jesus left it up to the Holy Spirit to complete the work of guiding the apostles into all the truth. Therefore, to truly find Jesus and what His Will is for us today, we must also turn to the rest of the books of the New Testament.

We find Jesus in the Acts and the Epistles. First in the Book of Acts. We see the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit who would guide them into all the truth - Ac 2:4 "The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak." We see the Holy Spirit:
Guiding the apostles and early church in its formative stage - Ac 13:2 "While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, the Holy Spirit told them, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them."’, 4 "After Barnabas and Saul had been sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus."
Guiding them into all the truth - Ac 15:28 "The Holy Spirit has shown us that we should not place any extra burden on you."
Revealing things taught during Jesus’ ministry not recorded in any of the four gospels Ac 20:35 "By everything I did, I showed how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, "More blessings come from giving than from receiving."’

Second, in the Epistles. The words of the apostles (i.e., the epistles) were to be received as if from Jesus Himself! As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth - 1 Co 14:37 "If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know that I am writing only what the Lord has commanded." And to the church at Thessalonica - 1 Th 2:13 "We always thank God that you believed the message we preached. It came from him, and it isn't something made up by humans. You accepted it as God's message, and now he is working in you." As Jesus said it should be - Jn 13:20 "I tell you for certain that anyone who welcomes my messengers also welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." The Holy Spirit did in fact guide the apostles into all the truth - Jn 16:13 "The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen."

With the gospels, the book of Acts and the epistles (including Revelation) we find the teachings of Jesus and about Jesus completely, fully, and finally revealed! No more revelation is needed. We have all that is needed to live godly lives - 2 Pe 1:2-3 "I pray that God will be kind to you and will let you live in perfect peace! May you keep learning more and more about God and our Lord Jesus. We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness." We have all that is needed to be complete - 2 Ti 3:16-17 "Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds." Not even an angel from heaven appeared with new doctrines - Ga 1:8-9 "I pray that God will punish anyone who preaches anything different from our message to you! It doesn't matter if that person is one of us or an angel from heaven. I have said it before, and I will say it again. I hope God will punish anyone who preaches anything different from what you have already believed." Our task is to simply remain true to what has been revealed once and for all - Ju 3 "My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people."

With the writings of the New Testament, we are able to see Jesus through the eyes of completeness! All we need to know to follow Jesus as The Way is there, for us to learn it, and live it! No other revelations are needed. Having said this, let me finally emphasize that we only find Jesus when we truly obey Him. Obedience was emphasized by Jesus. He said we must abide in His word to be His disciples - Jn 8:31,32 "Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."’ Jesus abides with us as we keep His commandments - Jn 14:21,23 "If you love me, you will do what I have said, and my Father will love you. I will also love you and show you what I am like." - "Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them." This is how we truly know Him - 1 Jn 2:3-5 "When we obey God, we are sure that we know him. But if we claim to know him and don't obey him, we are lying and the truth isn't in our hearts. We truly love God only when we obey him as we should, and then we know that we belong to him."

Finding, knowing and obeying Jesus is illustrated in baptism. When we come to Jesus in faith and repentance, and submit to His command to be baptized - Ga 3:27 "And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes." Having received (or "put on") Christ in baptism, we are now in Christ, where all things are
"new" - 2 Co 5:17 "Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new."

Yes, all things are "new", for in finding Jesus by keeping His commands we find a better life; forgiveness for our sins; reconciliation with God our Father; the privilege of being in the Lord’s church (and not some denomination begun by men); the assurance of eternal life. Have you found Jesus, or are you following some cheap imitation of the real thing...? Which at best is a misconception fostered by honestly mistaken people. Or at worst a slick promotion marketed by those seeking numbers rather than disciples? You have truly found Jesus if you are heeding the implications of His "Great Commission". Accepting the authority (power) He has in heaven and on earth - Mt 28:18 "Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth!" You have truly found Jesus if you have been baptized (upon faith and repentance) as He commanded - Mt 28:19 "Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," Then being careful to observe all things that He commanded - Mt 28:20 "and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world." Such are the only ones who have the assurance: "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." They are ones who have "found" Jesus! Let Jesus be your way to everything that is truly good! Trust and obey Him today!