By following in his Way come to share in his glory
One of the names the early Church used for itself was “The Way”. We first read of it in The Acts of the Apostles (see: Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4, 24:14, 26). That may well be an extension of a use already found in the Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3; 40:10-11), where God’s people are seen being led in God’s Way. But it’s probably most influenced by Christ’s words in John’s Gospel — “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6); Christ claims to be the summing up of all that “The Way” means in relationship to God.
That’s quite a thought: in this Collect for the Second Sunday of Lent, we’re identifying with a movement, by name, that stretches back into history something like two thousand years, and it could quite possibly be considerably more.
We’re reminded too, in this Collect, that by following Christ’s Way we can look forward to sharing his glory. That’s his post-Easter glory, his resurrected glory. That’s what we, too, have to look forward to, following our own earthly death, resurrection to the glory of heaven; where we will be with God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — for all eternity.
I think we, as Christians, have lost something over the years by not using the name, “The Way”, more as a way of describing ourselves. “The Church” seems to be a little too solid, too stuck in one place, too much as if we’ve finished our journey, and too much as though it’s something for members only. Perhaps that’s because we have difficulty separating the church as a building from the Church as the people of God.
“The Way”, on the other hand, reminds us that we’re still on an amazing journey; a journey that anyone can still join us on because we’re still travelling, and haven’t yet arrived at our destination; a journey with Christ — the way, the truth, and the life — into eternal glory.
Will you join me on this journey, on The Way?
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Additional Collect for The Second Sunday of Lent
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council
About Paul Sibley
Andrew Gosden (now 18) has been missing from his Doncaster home since 14 September 2007. The search continues.
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I’ve been listening to Dallas Willard’s “The Great Omission” over the past few days. In it he talks about how the word ‘Christian’ is only used 3 times in the New Testament. In comparison, the word ‘disciple’ is used hundreds of times and ‘the way’ is used dozens (I think).
He brings this out to highlight the importance of becoming disciples of Christ and not ‘just
Christians’ (which he unpacks in great detail). We are to become disciples of The Way.
So yes, I will join you.
Thanks Kay.
I’ve seen you mention that book before, on your blog. I really must treat myself to it sometime (I’ve got a few unread books to get through first). Willard seems to talk a lot of sense.
On a side note, how do you get on with listening to books being read? It isn’t something I’ve ever really tried — listened to odd chunks of book, but never a full book. Do you get them as cd’s, or mp3′s?
I get them as CDs and listen to them in the car on my commute to work. I very rarely listen to the radio and I’m so used to listening to a book on CD that music in the car actually makes me a bit nervous.
Sometimes I’ll download a book to my iPod via Audible.com and listen to the book via my iPod Bose docking station. I prefer the CDs though.
I don’t know how you feel about it, but I’d be willing to fileshare the CD via Yahoo messenger. You could then burn it to CD or put it on an iPod.
I can certainly see how listening to books would be a good thing on car journeys. If I’m going a long way on my own, I will usually switch to a radio station that has a lot of talk.
I appreciate the offer with fileshare, but I would prefer not to, thanks.