Acts: Life On Mission - Week 1 - Three Stepping Stones

Acts: Life on Mission - Week 1: "Three Stepping Stones"

As we embark on our journey through the book of Acts, it's essential to remember that the early Christians were known as "Followers of the Way." This term isn’t just a label; it encapsulates the essence of what it means to live a life centered on Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made an exclusive claim that He is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). This claim, while challenging to the world’s desire for relativism, remains the cornerstone of our faith.

The Apostle Paul, facing persecution for his faith, boldly declared, "I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors" (Acts 24:14). Paul’s words echo through the ages, reminding us that following Jesus often means standing against the tide of popular opinion. In a world that often seeks to find its own path, the call to follow Jesus as "the Way" requires us to step onto a path that Jesus Himself laid out.

The Way: A Path of Stepping Stones

Imagine "The Way" as a path with three significant stepping stones that every follower of Jesus must walk on. These stepping stones represent the journey Jesus invites us to take, a journey that reshapes our lives and reorients our priorities.

Stepping Stone 1: "I’m a Sinner"

The first stepping stone is the recognition of our own sinfulness. As G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "We’re all in the same boat, but we are all seasick." We are all sinners, unable to save ourselves because we are all in need of rescue. But what does it mean to acknowledge our sin?

The world often associates sainthood with moral perfection, but Chesterton also pointed out that "a saint only means a man who knows he is a sinner." This awareness of our sinfulness is crucial because it drives us to seek God. The law given to the Israelites served to reveal their sins, and in the new covenant, God gives us a conscience that convicts us of our sins.

Thomas Aquinas captured this truth when he said, "The heart is restless until it rests in God." In our restlessness, we often turn to substitutes for a relationship with God—wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. These pursuits are ultimately sinful because they center our lives on ourselves rather than on God.

St. John of the Cross described our desires as "an infinite cavern that can only be filled by God." When we try to fill this cavern with anything other than God, we fall into sin. Jesus, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). This teaches us that no earthly pursuit can satisfy the deep longing in our souls—only God can.

So, the first step on "The Way" is to recognize our sin, name the vices that lead us astray, and understand that only God can truly satisfy our deepest desires.

Stepping Stone 2: "Jesus Is the Center"

The second stepping stone is making Jesus the center of our lives. During a visit to Christ Church in Oxford, known for its breathtaking architecture and historical significance, I noticed a recurring theme in the design of many ancient churches. In these churches, the rose window—a circular stained glass window—depicts Jesus at the center, surrounded by His followers.

This design isn’t merely decorative; it’s deeply symbolic. When Jesus is at the center, everything else falls into place. When we make mistakes, it’s often because we’ve allowed something other than Jesus to occupy the center of our lives.