"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"

TEXT: John 14:1-6 "Let not your heart be troubled: 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; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go, ye know the way. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."

 

INTRODUCTION-- John's account of the Last Supper of Jesus with His disciples covers 5 chapters. (John 13-17)
  1. The promises of Jesus in vs. 1-3 were specifically for his close disciples, but hold a germ of comforting promise for all believers.
  2. Simon Peter especially needed comfort, in view of what Jesus had told him in the preceding verses. John 13:33, 36-38 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you..........36 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered, Whither I go, thou canst not follow now; but thou shalt follow afterwards. 37 Peter saith unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee even now? I will lay down my life for thee. 38 Jesus answereth, Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice."
    1. In Luke, Jesus had another word of comfort for Simon Peter. Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: 32 but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren."
    2. Jesus's prayer was answered, and Simon was a source of strength again.
  3. Hope is extended to all the disciples in our text, however, and it is to be channeled in a certain course.

     

LESSON-- John 14:6
  • Jesus is "the Way."
    1. Other "Ways" have preceded that of Christ's, but had the same source.
      1. The Patriarchal Period. Genesis 18:19 "For I have known (Abraham), to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."
      2. The Mosaical Period. Deuteronomy 5:32.33 "Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess."
    2. The source of the Christian's Way is still God, but it is through Christ.
      1. It is not a sectarian way (or, an adjunct to a former Way). Acts 24:14-15 "But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 15 having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust."
      2. It is a narrow Way. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it."
      3. It is the Way of correct knowledge. Acts 18:24-26 "Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John: 26 and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately."
    3. So, the Way of Christ is unsectarian, strict, and based on knowledge. (Christianity is called "the Way" in Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23: 24:22.)
  • Jesus is the Truth.
    1. Some are cynical about truth, treating it as abstract. John 18:37-38a "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?"
      1. Such cynicism is based on the fact that human "truth" changes.
      2. The truth of God never changes. Psalm 117:2 "For his lovingkindness is great toward us; And the truth of Jehovah endureth for ever. Praise ye Jehovah."
      3. This unchangeable truth is to be found in the Word of God. John 17:17
        1. Christ is that eternal, constant truth. John 1:1, 14
        2. Our faith is based on that truthful word. Romans 10:17
    2. The truth is to be obeyed, in order to be saved. 1 Peter 1:22-23 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently: 23 having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth."
  • Jesus is the Life.
    1. Many look into the Word of God to seek eternal life, but fail to see that Jesus is the answer to their search. John 5:33-40 "Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth. 34 But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved. 35 He was the lamp that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light. 36 But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not. 39 Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; 40 and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life."
    2. Eternal life is in the Son of God.
      1. John 1:4-5 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not."
      2. 1 John 5:9-12 "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. 11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life."

         

    1. Jesus is not treated by many as the Way, Truth, and Life of salvation. He is a stumbling-block to them.
    2. But one day all shall acknowledge Jesus, because..... "God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
    3. Therefore walk in His Way, digest His Truth, and reap His Life.