People of The Way.

Great Gathering this week. Loved worshipping with Jenna Davis (http://www.jennadavismusic.com/).

The Art of Living.
John 10:10 says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
I came that they (A)may have life, and have it abundantly.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
I came so they might have life, a great full life.
I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”


John 8:31 says, “31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

The truth gives freedom to be you...The best version of you…the best possible way to live.
If…Then...The truth will set you free
Live as I made you to live…
Jesus is not inviting us to know things in our heads, believe
Inviting us to live in such a way that we experience something, the living god
Not interested in a head full of facts, live a certain way

Before they were called Christians (AD 60), they were called Followers of the way or “People of The Way”…known for how they lived…the way…huge meals…make sure everybody has enough…needy…share…take care of each other…widows and orphans…compassion…poor and needy

If you make the Christian faith this floaty spiritual thing…you miss Jesus’ message…
Knowing comes from living….then you know the truth

THE WAYS OF JESUS

Matthew 6:12 says, “12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Center of the new way of living is to live as we have been forgiven and to extend forgiveness to others.

See Matthew 18:21-35 says, “A Story About Forgiveness"

Live as if you’ve been forgiven by god…and when you’re wronged, set them free…
WHO DO YOU NEED TO FORGIVE…SET FREE?

See Matthew 6:25-34.
What is a better way to live? Full of panic, bound by worry, anxiety or not.
Where do you need to be set free from panic, worry, stress, anxiety.
Living as if you trust god, don’t worry don’t be anxious
Let god take care of you

See Matthew 11:20-30, “The Unforced Rhythms of Grace"

Take my teachings, my yoke, my way
Different rabbis had different sets of rules, which were really different lists of what they forbade and what they permitted. A rabbi’s set of rules and lists, which was really that rabbi’s interpretation of how to live the Torah, was called that rabbi’s yoke. When you followed a certain rabbi, you were following him because you believed that rabbi’s set of interpretations were closest to what God intended through the Scriptures. And when you followed that rabbi, you were taking up that rabbi’s yoke.

One rabbi even said his yoke was easy.
The intent of a rabbi having a yoke wasn’t just to interpret the words correctly, it was to live them out. In the Jewish context, action was always the goal. It still is.

See James 1:22-25 & James 2:14-25.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Every once in a while, a rabbi would come along who was teaching a new yoke, a new way of interpreting the Torah. This was rare and extraordinary.

Where are you weary? What is the burden you now carry? Could your soul use some rest? What do you need to learn about the unforced rhythms of grace?

See Matthew 18:15-17.
Who has hurt you? Do they know about it? Or are you just spreading it all over the place?

See John 17:20-23.
Who do you have junk with? What are you avoiding? Who are you severed from? What funky relationship?

See Matthew 20:25-28.

I came to serve you, when you live in my flow you serve and give your life away
People that are selfish live in a world that is shrinking…those that give and serve their world gets bigger and its growing…you are here as a gift to the world…try living this way as a servant wired by god to give to others

How do you orient your life, as one who is serving? Have you come to serve and give your life? In giving our life away, we find it!

See John 20:24-31.
Bunch of stuff Jesus did that is not in the bible, but what I’ve written down is so that you would believe and that by believing you might have life…live it out…believe it so that it will affect how you live so you will have life in his name

If it’s a head thing…you’ve missed it…you believe so that you begin to live…start to live a certain way…just try it…take a leap and try living…the best way

If you were to visit a church gathering in the first 200 years, “I want to be a Christian” they would say begin living the way and teachings of Jesus…to begin living this way…not to start believing a particular way or getting all of your questions answered...if it stuck after a year or two…you would stand up in front of the community…and say it is true…you would say I have become a “follower of Jesus”…