The Glory-Land Way
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on
me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him
not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
(John 12:46 &47)
That light that came into the world,
was, and is Jesus, Who remains the WAY, TRUTH and Life, and the only WAY to
either that TRUTH or LIFE!
Once again, I choose from among the
gospel songs of my youth, and my present, (I at least continue to sing them as
do many others I have found in my various travels, as they convey so much of
the message of the gospel), for the title of today’s dissertation.
I would begin by stating that what is
to be presented here, is not completely and uniquely original, as I have heard
portions of what is presented in the sermons of others as well. I intend no plagiarism,
I intend to share, hopefully the gospel shared through those messages, this old
hymn I chose for a title, and through the scriptures whose Authorship is
certain.
The old song mentioned in the title
states that the writer is in the glory land way, a phrase that conveys only a
way travelled to get to the destination sought, not the destination itself.
Being in that WAY is something to be
boasted of, if the boasting is of the WAY, and not of the one that has found
it.
Some are indeed in THE WAY, unfortunately
others are only in the way of those who would sincerely seek to be in that WAY.
The old hymn goes as follows:
“I’m in the way, the bright and
shining way, I’m in the glory land way.
Telling the world that Jesus saves
today, yes I’m in the glory land way.
List to the call, the gospel call
today, Get in the glory land way;
Wand’rers come home, O hasten to obey, and get in the
glory land way.
Onward I go, rejoicing in His love, I’m
in the glory land way:
Soon I shall see Him in that home
above, O I’m in the glory land way.
I’m in the glory land way, I’m in the
glory land way, Heaven is nearer and the way groweth clearer, For I’m in the
glory land way.
In the verses of scripture I opened
with, we find that Jesus DID come to save the world, and to provide the means
of salvation to all who would hear His message and believe it, having faith in
more than the message of words, but faith in the message lived and to be died
for as well.
John 12:34-50
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that
Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up?
who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light
with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he
that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the
children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself
from them.
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they
believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled,
which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of
the Lord been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said
again,
40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that
they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be
converted, and I should heal them.
41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of
him.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on
him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be
put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not
on me, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on
me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him
not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the
last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent
me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting:
whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
This passage of scripture came after
miracles had been performed, after God’s Own voice sounded from heaven to assure those
hearing It that what had been spoken by Jesus was indeed to glorify Him, and that
those words conveyed His will for that people.
Still there were many who chose to
question Jesus, to deny what was being given them, to criticize and nit-pick, while
clinging to righteousness not held by those claiming it.
Despite the clarity of Jesus message,
they refused to understand its simplicity and clarity.
These were in the way, not in the
WAY, and they remained firmly in the way as God’s own Son gave them the WAY
back to the God they professed to worship.
Jesus was lifted up, just as he
foretold, even though the scorn of those unbelievers refuted that that could be
possible.
Had he not been lifted up in
sacrifice on that cross, redemption would have remained impossible, the Way
could never have been made clearer or heaven been nearer for those who choose
to believe.
The old hymn speaks of the need to
listen to the call that was given by Jesus in order to get in THE WAY, and the
need to hasten to obey that call, particularly for the “wanderers”.
Those wanderers of that time, and
this remain the same, those wandering through a world, wandering through the
years of a temporal life enroute to the destination that awaits at the end of
that wandering.
All are wanderers! All are wayfarers!
All are mere sojourners among all others that occupy the same frame of time and
space allocated them to make choices, take a path toward either the destination
intended by God, or the destination chosen for themselves by refusing to hear
and heed that “gospel call” spoken of in the old hymn.
Hearing that call is not enough if the
call goes unanswered. Just as the Pharisees that refused to confess their
belief among their fellows denied that very belief, so too does the failure to confess
and share that belief today.
That confession may mean
unpopularity, will result in condemnation by the politically correct, just as
it did in the time the Pharisees refused to confess belief, standing in the way
of those seeking the WAY.
When the world seems set against you,
when your belief is held in contempt because it disagrees with a majority whose
only belief is in themselves, and in the wisdom and way of man, you will find
yourself either in the WAY, or in the way!
John 14
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
In closure, I ask the simple
question, are you in the way, or are you in THE WAY?
Jesus’ message to all at that time
and this as well was, and remains;
“Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
I urge all to choose to get in the
WAY, and even more so to get out of the way of those seeking to find that WAY!
Amen and Amen
CMc
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