THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE

John 14:1-6 (NKJV)

Introduction

"Some verses become so familiar that we stop hearing them."

We see them on shirts. We see them on bumper stickers. We hear them quoted at church.

Yet when Jesus said these words, He wasn't giving a slogan.

He was making one of the boldest claims ever spoken.

Not:

"I know the way."

Not:

"I can teach the truth."

Not:

"I can give life."

Jesus said:

"I AM the way, the truth, and the life."

And before we understand the Way, the Truth, and the Life...

we must understand the first two words:

I AM

Jesus Said

I Am the Bread of Life John 6:35 ““I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.”

I Am the Light of the World John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.””

I Am the Door John 10:9 “I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.”

I Am the Good Shepherd John 10:11 ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

I Am the Resurrection and the Life John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

I Am the True Vine John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

I. The Who - “I Am”

John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Before Jesus tells us what He is...

He tells us who He is.

The phrase "I AM" reaches all the way back to Moses at the burning bush.

When Moses asked God:

"Who shall I say sent me?"

God answered:

"I AM WHO I AM."

Exodus 3:14 “God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.””

Every Jewish listener understood the significance.

Jesus wasn't merely identifying Himself.

Jesus was declaring His divinity.

Illustration

Imagine someone standing in church today and saying:

"I am God."

We would either call him a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.

Jesus leaves no middle ground.

Application

The question is not:

"What do you think about Jesus?"

The question is:

"Who do you believe Jesus is?"

II. The Direction - “The Way”

John 14:4–6 “You know the way to where I am going.” “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Thomas asks:

"Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"

I love Thomas.

He asks the question everyone else was thinking.

Jesus answers:

"I am the way."

Not a way.

Not one of many ways.

The way.

We are all born lost

Isaiah 53:6 “We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.”

"The reason Jesus had to become the Way is because Isaiah tells us that all of us have gone astray. Not some of us. Not the really bad people. All of us. Like sheep, we've wandered from God's path and chosen our own way. The problem is not that we couldn't find a way to God. The problem is that we chose our own way instead of His. That's why Jesus didn't come merely to point out the way—He came to be the Way."

Every person is trying to find their own path.

Some trust religion.

Some trust morality.

Some trust good works.

Some trust themselves.

Jesus says:

"No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Illustration

You can have many roads leading to Raeford.

But there is only one bridge across a river when the others are washed out.

The issue isn't whether you like the bridge.

The issue is whether it gets you across.

Jesus is God's bridge between sinful man and a holy God.

Application

Salvation is not found in a church.

Not in baptism.

Not in good deeds.

Not in being a Baptist.

Salvation is found in Christ alone.

III. The Word - “The Truth”

John 8:31–32 “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””

Most people today say:

"That's your truth."

Jesus never said that.

Truth is not something we create.

Truth is something we discover.

And Jesus says:

"I AM the truth."

He doesn't merely teach truth

Many religious leaders teach truth.

Jesus embodies truth.

Everything God wants us to know about Himself is revealed in Christ.

When you want to know:

God's love

God's mercy

God's holiness

God's grace

Look at Jesus.

Illustration

A map can tell you about a place.

But actually standing there is different.

Jesus is not simply a map pointing to God.

Jesus is God standing before us.

Application

Truth is not found in culture.

Truth is not found in popular opinion.

Truth is not determined by majority vote.

Truth is found in Jesus Christ.

IV. THE DESTINATION — "THE LIFE"

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”

"I am the resurrection and the life."

"Church, if Jesus is the Truth, then every promise He makes is trustworthy.

When He says He'll never leave us, that's true.

When He says our sins are forgiven, that's true.

When He says He's preparing a place for us, that's true.

And because His promises are true, we can have confidence when we come to this final statement: 'I am the Life.'"

Everyone in this room is headed toward a cemetery.

That's reality.

But Jesus says death does not get the final word.

Jesus gives purpose.

Peace.

Hope.

Joy.

Forgiveness.

Life forever

The greatest promise of the Gospel isn't merely heaven.

The greatest promise is Jesus Himself.

Because heaven without Christ would not be heaven.

Illustration

A child isn't excited about a destination because of the building.

He's excited because of who is waiting there.

We long for heaven because Jesus is there.

Application

Those who know Christ possess eternal life right now.

Not someday.

Today.

CONCLUSION

We have become so familiar with this verse that we sometimes miss its power.

We wear it.

We print it.

We quote it.

But have we surrendered to it?

Because Jesus is saying:

When you're lost... I am the Way.

When you're confused... I am the Truth.

When you're dying... I am the Life.

The world is lost.

The world is deceived.

The world is dying.

And Jesus does not offer a program.

He does not offer a philosophy.

He does not offer another religion.

He offers Himself.

Alter Call

As I studied this passage, I kept coming back to one simple truth:

Jesus didn't say,

"I can show you a way."

He said,

"I AM the Way."

He didn't say,

"I can tell you some truth."

He said,

"I AM the Truth."

He didn't say,

"I can improve your life."

He said,

"I AM the Life."

The question this morning is not whether you know this verse.

Many of us can quote it.

Many of us have seen it on a plaque.

Many of us have worn it on a shirt.

The question is:

Do you know the One who spoke it?

Because there is a difference between knowing the verse and knowing the Savior.

Perhaps today you are here and you've been trying to make your own way.

Isaiah said:

"All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way..." Isaiah 53:6

Friend, your way will never get you to the Father.

Religion won't.

Good works won't.

Church membership won't.

Only Jesus.

Today you can stop trying to find a way and trust The Way.

Maybe you're here this morning and you've been listening more to the world than to the Word.

You've become confused.

Discouraged.

Pulled in different directions.

Jesus says:

"I AM the Truth."

His truth still stands when everything else is changing.

Today you need to come and recommit yourself to His truth.

And perhaps there is someone here who is carrying the weight of fear.

Fear of tomorrow.

Fear of sickness.

Fear of death.

Fear of what comes next.

Jesus says:

"I AM the Life."

Because He lives, we can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, the grave is not the end.

Because He lives, eternal life is available to all who trust Him.

Final Appeal

So this morning I simply ask:

Are you following your way or The Way?

Are you trusting your truth or The Truth?

Are you holding on to this life or have you received The Life?

The altar is open.

If you need salvation, come.

If you need to recommit your life to Christ, come.

If you need prayer, come.

If you simply want to thank the Lord for being your Way, your Truth, and your Life, come.

Jesus has already made the invitation.

The only question left is:

How will you respond to the Great I AM?