In St. johns Gospel, Jesus proclaims what has become one of the most controversial statements ever made.
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
The New Testament insists that the One true and living God, the Creator, is the God of Israel; and that He has acted decisively within history to bring Israel’s story to its proper goal, and through that, address and rescue, the world.
Jesus, in embracing Israel’s entire history of deliverance is preparing the disciples to see Him as the One destined to lead mankind from the power of sin, the devil and evil, into the Holy Presence of God.
Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)
Knowing the depth of the disciples’ faith in the God of Israel, Jesus asks them to believe in Him as well.
The proper approach to the question of personal destiny, is faith in a personal God.
Any hope of immortality must be founded upon a personal relationship with a living God.
Jesus tells His disciples that His Father’s house has many rooms and that goes to prepare a place for them and that He, “will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also” (John14:3).
Jesus, who is our destination, is also our forerunner, our escort, and the way we must go!
Thomas speaks for the disciples when he expresses uncertainty. “‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:5-6)
Jesus, God incarnate, has come to recover and restore fallen humanity, mind by mind, heart by heart, and spirit by spirit starting with His disciples. The Way is for the heart. The Truth is for the mind. The Life is for the spirit.
The Way is the only means of reaching the Father – Jesus is the mediator between humanity and the Father – He alone is the path to salvation.
The Truth defined the righteous standards of the Way – Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God – the Word made flesh is the full expression of God’s truth.
The Life provides the living example of a person rightly related to the Father – Jesus is the source of all life – the life He offers is not merely physical but spiritual and eternal, fulfilling the promise of abundant life.
Thomas a` Kempis wrote of Jesus’ claim, “Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. If thou remain in my way thou shalt know the truth, and the truth shall make thee free, and thou shalt lay hold on eternal life.” (The Imitation of Christ)
Jesus says that anyone who has faith in Him will do what He has been doing and not only that, he will go do even greater works than these because He is going to the Father. The works the disciples would do were not more miraculous; but they were greater in extent.
Jesus preached to crowds throughout Palestine but His disciples spread the Gospel throughout the known world. Jesus mostly dealt with the Jewish people but His disciples dealt with Jews and Gentiles. The Book of Acts begins with a few dozen disciples but by the Second chapter of Acts 3,000 new disciples are added to the church. Jesus raised the dead to life, but the disciples were able to witness the spiritually dead come to life in greater numbers than they could have ever imagined!
The work Jesus began in Israel was carried on by His disciples and has been passed on to us that we may, through the power of the Holy Spirit, proclaim the good news for all the world to hear.
Jesus says He will do whatever we ask in His name so that He can give glory to the Father. Our Lord goes so far as to say, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
Hudson Taylor, 19th Century missionary to China once said, “I used to ask God to help me. Then, I asked God if I might help Him. Finally, I ended up asking God to do His work in me and through me, If He would be so pleased.”
Jesus promised that as we discover the will of God and align our prayers to fulfill His purposes, our prayers will become as powerful as His own.
Our Gospel lesson is full of wonderful promises Jesus made to His disciples that are still true today.
Jesus promises us a future home in eternity, He promises us a way to that future home, and He promises us divine power to do the work He has given us to do.
All of these promises are preceded by a single command that is at the same time a stipulation for receiving their benefits – Believe In God, Believe Also In Me!
We need not rely on ourselves – For Jesus is the Way
We need not live in uncertainty – For Jesus is the Truth
We need not fear death – For Jesus is the Life