“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Growing in a relationship with Jesus Christ, we must keep in out hearts and minds who He is. As Jesus is preparing to go to the cross, He seeks to encourage and comfort His Disciples. He begins with a promise of eternity. He says to them, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:2-4) Eternal life was a subject Jesus had spoken of many times. When people were leaving after Jesus had spoken, Jesus asked the disciples if they would leave also. Peter had answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

Even at this time, Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Now we hear Jesus tell them who He is in response to Thomas’ question. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) As with the Disciples, we must keep before us who Jesus is.

Jesus is the way. He is the only way to the Father, therefore He is the only way to God. Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin and announced, “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12) Jesus is the only place where salvation can be found. He is the only way, because He is the one who was resurrected after the cross. He is the only way because He is the only one who took our sin and suffered our death. Paul would tell Timothy, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

Jesus is the truth. In the opening of John’s gospel, he would say, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Peter would speak of Jesus as He lived among the people with their sin and set before us an example of how to live in this world. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’” (1 Peter 1:21-22) Jesus lives and spoke the truth.

Jesus is the life. Jesus stood before Lazarus’ tomb. He had come to Martha and said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John11 :25-26) He turned to Lazarus’ tomb and called, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) To which Lazarus came out of the tomb, illustrating the fact that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He brings life to that which is dead. We are dead in our sins and through Jesus we have life through Him. John would give the reason for his Gospel. It was to tell that Jesus is life and offers life to all who believe. “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31) Life comes to us through Jesus Christ. Now may we walk with Him and know we will live with Him forever.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block