Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” [John 14:6]
The Way
“You know the way to the place to where I am going.” Jesus told His disciples [John 14:4]. But Thomas, the apostle, replied, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” [John 14:5] I can see where the skeptical Thomas is expressing his hidden doubts about where Jesus is heading, as well as his commitment for following Jesus to that unknown destination. Jesus is trying to tell His disciples that He is heading back to heaven to be with His Father. If the disciples wanted to do the same, they must follow Jesus who is showing them the way to get to heaven.
If you don’t know where someone is taking you and you are unfamiliar with your surroundings, the uncertainty of following the way the person is taking you can be quite disturbing. A bond of trust has to be established to reduce the anxiety and fear so you can take the journey together without hesitation.
Likewise, if you don’t know where you are, how will you ever get to where you want to go? For example, without the modern tool called the Global Positioning System (GPS), I would be “lost” before I took my first step. Why, because I wouldn’t know which direction to begin my journey. That wonderful invention, GPS, gives me very accurate information on where I am, as well as, provides me accurate, trustworthy information for directions to a specific destination. I have established a bond of trust for relying on GPS to show me the way.
Jesus told His disciples then, and all of us now through Scripture, that He is the Way. We just have to believe in Him, trust Him, to show us the way to His Father in heaven. We can rely on Him always to keep us on the right path to His kingdom. He will never forsake us.
Isn’t it more comforting to have a trustworthy companion, a map, a compass, or a GPS instrument to show you the way on a trip across the country? How about the roadmap of life? Having a trustworthy source for mapping out your life to help expedite your journey and avoid life’s many hazards along the way is what we all long for to make our life’s journey as pleasant as possible. We can trust Jesus to show us the Way to His eternal kingdom and everlasting life. He promises to be by our sides every step along His righteous path to heaven.
The Truth
What is “Truth”? Don’t we all want to know the truth about any given subject? We want solid, valid information we can always rely on to build our life experiences on a foundation of truth. But, at the same time perhaps, we don’t always want to hear the truth, because sometimes, the truth can hurt or smack us with the reality of who we really are. Or, as the character Marine Colonel Nathan Jessup (portrayed by actor Jack Nicholson) said in the movie, A Few Good Men, “You can’t handle the truth!” And so it goes. So, can you handle the truth?
Moreover, we don’t like it when someone isn’t telling us the truth, do we? No one likes a liar, so in today’s society and justice systems, to establish “honest to goodness” truth in a court proceeding, we make a witness “swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God”. That’s a pretty powerful “oath” to bring truth out in the open for others to ascertain a person’s guilt or innocence. That “truth” becomes the cornerstone for which to build a legal case in a trial.
Jesus declared the He is “The Truth”, i.e., He is the Word of God, in the flesh and everything He says is coming from God, the absolute source of all Truth in the universe. So if you follow Jesus and all His teachings, you are a believer in the Truth, which comes from God. Not a “man-made” truth that can change based on circumstances, personalities, or the man-made laws. No, believing in Jesus as “The Truth” gives you a solid foundation, a bedrock to anchor your life and serve as your “rock of salvation” in the storms of life. Even if it hurts, accept the whole truth about yourself, your actions, your thoughts, your feelings and then compare them to “The Truth” to help transform you to become who Jesus wants you to be in this life. His “Truth” will set you free.
The Life
What is “life”? Is it just the opposite of death? Doesn’t everything that lives in this world eventually die? As far as I know, that is true with one exception; Jesus Christ. Jesus is God and Man. He lived on this earth with His disciples, was crucified, died, and buried. BUT, through the power of the resurrection, He came back to life, in the flesh, for all of His disciples, and many others to see and hear him speak. He, and He alone, conquered sin and death for us.
God the Father gave Jesus the power over sin and death. Jesus is “The Life” which was delivered on the cross for all of us to no longer have a life of bondage to sin and death. Jesus offers us a life of freedom for all eternity by believing in Him. Believing in Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior means our spirits will never die, but continue living for all eternity in His kingdom until the end of time when a new heaven and a new earth will be created.
That is the real “life” I want to experience and I hope you want that life as well. I pray that if you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and His offer of eternal life that you will do so soon. And when you do, ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life so you too can experience the peace of Christ that is beyond all understanding.
In all matters of life, allow God to teach you wisdom about “The Way”, “The Truth”, and “The Life”, and then apply what you learn on a daily basis in your life’s journey. So that, “when you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.” [Proverbs 4:12]
Live, Learn, Love and Grow in Jesus!!
Blessings,
Jerry
