Title: The Way, the Truth and the Life
Date: October 26, 2008
Text: John 14:6
Introduction
- A pioneer missionary in Africa tells how he was taking the gospel to a new tribe, far to the north.
- With his bearers, he arrived at a village, a point beyond which his porters refused to go.
- The missionary appealed to the local chief . Was there someone in his village who could act as his guide to the distant northern tribe?
- The chief summoned a man, tall, battle scarred, carrying a large axe.
- A bargain was made and the next morning the missionary set off through the bush, following his new guide. The way became increasingly rough and the path had all but disappeared.
- There was an occasional mark blazed on a tree, occasionally a narrow path. Finally the missionary called a halt. He asked the guide if he was sure he knew the way.
- The man pulled himself up to his full height. "White man," he said, "you see this axe in my hand? You see these scars on my body? With this axe I blazed the trail to the tribal village to which we go.
- I came from there. These scars I received when I made the way. You ask me if I know the way? Before I came, there was no way. I am the way!
Background
- Jesus was telling the disciples that he was leaving them, that he would die but that he would return
- Thomas responds to Jesus, that they don’t know where he is going, so how can they know the way?
- Jesus response is to make this statement: “I am the way, the truth and the life – no one comes to the Father except through me”
- In making these 3 statements, Jesus is describing 3 ways in which he is showing us the way to heaven
- Today we are going to examine these three statements
I am the Way
- Jesus’ first statement is the He is the Way
- What does this mean, that Jesus is the way?
- The greek word “hodos” literally means a travelled way, a road, a journey - It also means a course of conduct, a way of thinking, feeling, deciding
- How does this meaning relate to Jesus?
- 1. Jesus went before us
- In the Roman army, the prodromoi were the reconnaissance troops who went ahead of the army to blaze the trail and ensure that it was safe from ambush for the rest of the troops
- Jesus is the prodromos, the traulblazer showing the way to heaven – the word is translated as forerunner, or the one who goes before us
- Jesus is the one who is our trailblazer – he has prepared the way for us
- 2. There are 2 ways to live
- Matt 7:13-14
- Two roads – one is wide and easy to follow, one is narrow and crooked
- The easy way is the way everyone else is going
- It is easy to follow, just follow the crowd
- It’s fun for the moment, but unless they repent and change direction, they will end up going over the precipice, and land in the fires of hell.
- The narrow road, representing following Jesus, is more difficult
- 2 weeks ago, went to South Lake Tahoe and saw the salmon run in Owen’s Creek
- Thousands of salmon had swum upstream to find a mate, and spawn
- The Christian life is a little like that – it can be a struggle to follow Jesus’ example, but at the end there will be a reward
- Rom 2:7
- Jesus is the way
I am the Truth
- Jesus is the Word of God
- John 1:1, 14 – he is God’s spokesperson
- He spoke God’s word, and gave it to us as truth
- John 17:17
- He says “I am the truth”
- He personifies the truth that sets us free
- John 8:32
- Jesus is the truth that sets us free from sin, from bondages and from everything that hinders us from going to heaven
I am the Life
- John 1:1-4
- Jesus was the creator of all things – he is the one who created life and gave it to us
- Heb 1:3 - He upholds all things by the word of his power
- He came to bring life
- John 10:10 – I am come that they may have life, and have it to the full
- John 11:25 – I am the resurrection and the life
- It is through Jesus that we have life, life eternal
- So Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
- He shows us the way to heaven
But we have a problem
- Rom 3:23 - Man has sinned, all of us
- Rom 6:23 - The result of that sin is death, eternal separation from God
- We have all been on that wide road, the easy road
- God’s gift to us is eternal life
- Jesus came to stand in our stead, and paid the price for us
- He offers that to every person
- He is the way the truth and the life
- This is what we remember as we celebrate communion, remembering what Jesus did in our place, and celebrating that we have been freed from death and given eternal life
Communion
- 1 Cor 11:23- 29
- People who take part in communion, should be believers
- If you wish to be a believer, and have not done so before, you can ask Jesus right now to forgive you of your sins, and ask him to come into your life, as your personal Lord and Savior
- You can do this right now
- PRAYER
- If you prayed this prayer right now, your sins are forgiven, and you now have a special relationship with God
- He is proud to call you his child
- He has given you a fresh start in life and he has promised to never leave you or forsake you!
- Our God is an awesome God!
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