John: I AM...the Way

I am the Way… [John 14:6 NAS]

I was born with absolutely no sense of direction.  As the old joke goes, I must have been behind the door when that skill was handed out.  If I am going to attempt to go somewhere, I always obtain finely-detailed, indisputable directions.  Of course, there is always the helpful soul who says, “Just follow me.  I’ll take you right there,” then takes off like a shot, leaving me in a cloud of exhaust fumes. My children think it is amazing that I am able to get anywhere.   I’m really not too bad with a map or an excellent set of directions, but nothing compares to having a friend make the trip with me – so that I can relax and drive, while my friend studies the directions/map and tells me how to get where we are going. 

In 1978, Morris Venden wrote a wonderful book, Salvation by Faith and Your Will.  The first chapter is a fascinating parable about a Christian and Jesus meeting up on the road to heaven.  The Christian picks up Jesus from the roadside, and He immediately offers to drive.  The car is new and the Christian is dubious about this stranger, so he declines the offer.  A few miles later, he is almost rundown by a semi, shooting across all lanes of traffic, and ending up on the opposite side of the road.  Jesus quietly offers to drive.  The Christian again declines.

Several more mishaps later, finalizing in a jarring roar into the ditch, the Christian is banged-up, bewildered and exhausted.  Jesus places a comforting hand on his shoulder and offers to drive.  The Christian finally accepts, and as Jesus edges the car back into traffic, they steadily begin to make progress toward the beautiful city on the horizon.

Jesus is the Way.  He is not here to find the way, to make a way, or to point out the way, He is the way.  He will never grab the wheel, nor shove you out of the driver’s seat.  He waits for your invitation.  Are you ready?

Here, O Lord, Your servants gather, hand we link with hand;

Looking toward our Savior’s cross, joined in love we stand.

As we seek the realm of God, we unite to pray:

Jesus, Savior, guide our steps, for You are the Way.

Exodus, John: I AM

The Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?  Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.”  [John 8:58 NAS]

This curious name – I AM – first crops up in the Bible in the book of Exodus:  God confronted Moses at the burning bush, commanding him to return to Egypt and rescue the Hebrew people.  Moses had the audacity to argue with the Almighty, throwing out one excuse after another, until he finally asked, “Ok.  When I go there, they are going to want to know on whose authority I am asking for the Hebrews’ release.  They are going to want a name!! What am I going to tell them then?”  God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.  Tell the people of Israel, I AM sent me to you.”  [Exodus 3:14 NAS]

Jump forward to the book of John.  Jesus is in a heated conversation with the Jews, when the crowd through Abraham into the conversation.  Jesus replied, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”  Snorts of laughter spewed from the Jews.  What?  Abraham lived only 2000 years before Christ.  They saw His statement as absurd.  The next one out of His mouth must have absolutely blown them away.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.”

Every self-respecting Hebrew in the crowd that day would have known that Jesus’ statement was directly linked to the verse in Exodus 3.  They all went to rabbinical school – they would have seen the connection immediately.  This dusty peasant Teacher with His radical ideas was claiming the name of God.  And not just any name – the I AM.  Not the I was, or the I am, or the I will be – I AM [no beginning, no end: an everlasting presence].  You could just hear the wheels turning in their heads:  Who in the world did this guy think He was?  Who, indeed…

Who is He in yonder stall at whose feet the shepherds fall?

Who is He, in deep distress, fasting in the wilderness?

`Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!

`Tis the Lord, the King of glory.

At His feet we humbly fall

Crown Him, crown Him Lord of all.

John: Rabbi

Two disciples heard John, and went after Jesus.  Jesus looked over His shoulder and said to them, “What are you after?”  They said, “Rabbi” [which means “Teacher”], where are you staying?  He replied, “Come along and see for yourself.”

John 1:37-39a [The Message]

My mother married Dad six months after she graduated from high school.  When my oldest brother turned five, he began to display symptoms of a mental or emotional disorder, and Mom was very frustrated that she did not have the knowledge or tools to help him.  Finally, in her late 40’s, Mom decided to go to college and earn a degree in special education.  She eventually settled on elementary education with additional training as a reading specialist.

Mom taught first and second grade because she felt that those were the crucial years for establishing life-long reading abilities.  She loved her little students with a passion, and often described the thrill of seeing a light come on in a child’s eyes when they finally understood the concept she was teaching.  There is no greater joy for a teacher than to see that look of wonder on a child’s face when clouds of frustration part and the sunlight of discovery shines through.

Jesus was many things to many people when He was here on this earth, but He was without question a master Teacher.  He wove wonderful stories using common everyday scenes and circumstances to illustrate His point – knowing that the next time they saw sheep on the hillside or a woman with dowry coins on her headdress, there was a good chance that they might remember His words.

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear.

Things I would ask Him to tell me if He were here.

Scenes by the wayside, tales by the sea,

Stories of Jesus – tell them to me.