John 14:6
The Way, The Truth, and The Life
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Acts 9:1-2
Saul's Search for People Belonging to the Way
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Acts 16:16-18
The Way to Be Saved
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
Acts 19:23-31
Disturbance About the Way
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
Acts 22:1-5
Paul Persecuted Members of the Way
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”
2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
Acts 22:10-16
Paul Now Admits to be a Follower of the Way
10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Matthew 7:13-29
The Wide and Narrow Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Jesus says that He is the Way, as well as the Truth and the Life...His Way and the Way of life stands out...The Way is the Path toward God...We learn more about the Way in Luke's writings...And as we look at the word Way and how it is used in Luke's Book of the Acts, we learn something about the Way...Luke uses the word the Way and way several times throughout his Book of Acts...The Way and the people of the Way were being distinguished as those who believed in Jesus...The group of the Way was originally a small group of people...And this small group would have a huge impact of how future people would live their lives and think about God and the One who called Himself the Way...And the number of people in the Way did grow quickly over time...
The people of the Way were distinguished from other people...The Way was and is following the Way that Jesus lived His life on earth...The Way is The Way to be saved...The Way is to the Way to be saved of your sins by the One who called Himself the Way...The Way means being saved by Jesus Christ, but also more...Luke also reveals it is a focused and particular Way of Life...The Way is a path of Life you take and the course you intentionally choose in life...The Way of Life means following Jesus teachings and leading and doing your best to follow Him each and everyday in what He taught and what He did in His life...And it means focuses on worshiping His Father, who is God...The Way is getting closer to God and Jesus...
St. Matthew wrote that Jesus said that life and what He teaches is like entering through a narrow gate...For life is rather easy when we travel through the wider gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many will enter through this wide gate...It is just easy to do as we choose to do, without any rules or boundaries...But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it...Jesus' Way does have rules and boundaries...The rules are not always fun and easy...Rules and boundaries are like that...They do make life more narrow...The wide path offers us more fun and has false prophets...This way will have troubles and problems when we follow this path...But if we are able to hear His Words and follow His Narrow Path, and His Way when these troubles and problems do come up, which they always do and will - our lives will feel more like the house that is built on the rock and the foundation of His Teachings will stand this test of life...For following this Way, His Way strengthens our foundation and worshiping God strengthens our life...His Way strengthens us...He gives us an inner strength that withstands the storms and winds of life...