John: I AM...the Life

I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.  

 [John 14:6 NAS]

Ladies and Gentleman, children of all ages
Anyone listening, I’ve got an announcement to make
There’s been some confusion about a certain Someone
A lot of discussion and a lot of debate
So if I may take just a moment to say who Jesus is to me

Jesus is life, yeah, Jesus is life,
The air I’m breathing
Why my heart is beating
Everything I’m needing
Jesus is life
Jesus is life

Imagine the deepest sea without a drop of water
An infinite galaxy without even one single star
That’s how I would be…so absolutely empty
Without Jesus’ life in me, there’d be no life at all
More than just a part,

He’s the very heart of everything I am

This is my position concerning my condition
This is my position, my life by definition

Jesus is life

-Steven Curtis Chapman

John: I AM...the Truth

I am the Way, and the Truth...  [John 14:6 NAS]

                                            

Truth [true, loyal, trustworthy, sincerity, honesty, genuineness

Falsity [false, untrue, misleading, misrepresent, dishonest, deceitful]

Have you ever been lied to?  Most likely the entire world could answer that question in the affirmative.  Have you ever been cheated, mislead, or deceived?  Again, the answer is “yes” for most of us.  It is, unfortunately, a common part of every day life that goes to the very core of human relationships. In answer to Thomas' inquiry, Christ made the startling statement that He was TRUTH [no falsehood, not deceit, no dishonesty: a pure, transparent life].                                                                                                      

When Jesus was being interrogated by Pilate, the discussion turned to His kingship or kingdom.  Pilate asked: “So – you are a King?”  Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king.  For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” [John 18:37 NAS].  Jesus came to earth as The Truth – living a life of total purity and honesty, revealing the true nature of God, and the truth of God’s unconditional love for humanity.

Pilate’s immediate reaction was brief and cynical.  One can almost hear his snort of derisive laughter as he asked, “What is truth?”  Truth according to whom?  The ruling political party?  The minority leadership?  The media?  The baldly deceitful religious leadership?   Pilate’s contemptuous view of “the truth” was so intense, he didn’t even wait for an answer, but stalked from the room.  There was very little “truth” to be found in the world according to Rome.

I’ve always wondered what Jesus would have said if Pilate had remained in the room to hear Christ’s answer.  It would not have changed the course of the Savior’s destiny, but it might well have saved Pilate’s soul.

Then, God of truth, for whom we long,
Thou who wilt hear our prayer,
Do Thine own battle in our hearts,
And slay the falsehood there.

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.