I Am The Way, The Truth and The Life
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Questions:
List the other “I Am” statements
Explain the Trinity???
In the previous chapter, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, showing that he is here to serve them and displaying what they should do. He also hints at the upcoming betrayal of Judas and the fact that Jesus will be leaving his disciples. And Jesus explains that where he’s going, his disciples can’t follow…. Just yet.
And at the beginning of chapter 14 he reassures them...
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Jesus tells the disciples he’s going to prepare a place for them. He emphasizes the fact that they will be reunited with him one day. But the disciples at this point don’t understand the full picture.
Thomas is confused saying “hey you’re saying we’ll know how to find you after you leave but we don’t even know where you’re going? We don’t have the directions.
And essentially says, “I’m all you need.” There isn’t any map for where to go. The map is Jesus. The way is Jesus. “The way, the truth, the life.”
And remember what we said about what “I am” means? Jesus is claiming to be God by stating “before Abraham, was I am.”
And again, he re-emphasizes that truth. The disciples still feel like God hasn’t been revealed to them and Jesus is right in front of them explaining that he is God! If you know Jesus, you know the Father.
The opposite is said to some of the Pharisees. Jesus says to the Pharisees in another passage, “if you don’t know me, you don’t know the Father.”
They are one.
But let’s break down what Jesus means by this “I am” statement.
He first says “I am the way.”
If you don’t already know, I’m directionally challenged. I know Maddie knows this. If we park at a walmart and spend more than 5 minutes in there I’ll probably forget where we parked. On trips I tend to at least miss 1 or 2 turns or exits. Living here stretches me because people don’t always just give an address that i can plug in to get somewhere. They give me a description. “It’s just North of that big ole tree right off the highway and then you’ll exit and head east till you get to the second stop sign and then…
I’m lost every time.
I need my maps most of the time to tell me where I’m going. Because without a guide I ultimately get lost.
This is true for us in life altogether. Whether you want to admit it or not we’re all directionally challenged when it comes to finding purpose and a positive direction in life.
Jesus is proclaiming that He is the way. The ONLY way.
Jesus is the only right way.
so then the question is, “how do we follow HIS way?”
It comes through salvation.
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
How are we saved?
by faith alone. not by works!
But Jesus also makes it clear that this doesn’t just look like having a testimony of “I prayed the sinner’s prayer and now I live how I want. But hey I know Jesus and I’m safe from being thrown in hell!”
Many people, especially in the South where Christianity is common, have fallen into cultural Christianity.
we just go to church cause we know it’s the right thing to do.
we say we believe in God but if we examined our life in no way are we following His way.
Salvation is free. It can’t be earned at all.
We receive it because of the grace of God. Which is undeserving love.
But what does grace applied to our life look like?
Well later in the same chapter Jesus says this
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
If you love Jesus, you’ll keep His word. in other words, we actually follow the truth that He’s laid out for us.
2. Following His Way means holding to His Truth found in His Word.
But as we know, we’re flawed imperfect humans, bound to mess things up. So What should we do?
Make a habit of reading the Word of God. Not just to check off a box or simply gain more knowledge. But to constantly examine our lives through God’s lens.
Listen to this verse.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
We always talk about how important our Bible reading is. This the Word of God. and this verse lets us know that this Word of God is living and active. And it’s no there so we can just add more useless knowledge to our brains. It literally dissects our life.
A book that is Over a thousand years old has the ability to speak into you life today because it is from God. But, are we utilizing it in this way?
Are we willing to Set our assumptions and pride aside to allow the Spirit to direct us through the truth that’s found in Scripture?
I guarantee there’s an area in your life that you’re not so proud of. That if you were honest, it doesn’t reflect Christ at all. It doesn’t line up with His truth. Are you willing to allow Scripture to speak into that? More so, are you willing to listen to The conviction of the Holy Spirit telling you to get back on track with HIS way?
Remember what we’ve talked about throughout this entire series. What voice are you listening to? The voice of the Good Shepherd leading you into eternal life or another voice leading you through a door that leads to pain, suffering, And ultimately death.
Remember what Jesus said in John 10:10?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
This “life” Jesus is talking about only comes through following His way. And following His way through salvation. And as sinners bought with the blood of Christ, we’re not brought out of the darkness and into the light with a new heart that is set on living a life according to His truth.
3. The promise of eternal life is the truth that is only found through following His Way.
At the beginning of the passage Thomas was confused about where Jesus was headed. Jesus reassured the disciples that because they know Him. They know the Father. And in that, they will know the way because they’ve already discovered the way that is Jesus.
Response:
Do you know Jesus? If not, are you willing to place you faith in Him tonight?
If you do know Him, are you willing to examine your own life right now by holding it up to what His truth says?