Jesus – the way, the truth, the life
by Gillian Heintze, member, LCA International Mission committee
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Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6).
Read John 14:1–7
Jesus was with his disciples in the upper room celebrating the Passover. He had washed their feet, an evening meal had been served, and the Lord’s Supper (as it is now known) celebrated. Then Jesus tells his disciples that he will be betrayed by one of them and that he is going to die. The disciples become distressed and, to comfort them, Jesus says these amazing words, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me’. Jesus’ words are striking and memorable. He doesn’t say, ‘I am a way, and a truth, and a life’.
Very directly he says that he is ‘the one and only way’ to salvation; for all people to get to the Father. Jesus died on the cross at Calvary where his shed blood and selfless sacrifice broke the barrier between sinful us and the holy God.
Jesus Christ is ‘the truth’ who opens up our understanding of God and gives us knowledge of God – a truth that has parts that seem silly to our so-called ‘wisdom’. Jesus not only teaches the truth, but he is the truth, as he is both God and man when he took on human form more than 2000 years ago.
Jesus Christ is ‘the life’ who breathes his own resurrected life into our fallenness, through faith. Every person is born spiritually dead in trespasses and sin, incapable of saving themselves or of communicating with a holy God. But Christ is the source of all spiritual life and in him is eternal life for all who trust in him. As we are reborn in holy baptism and granted the gift of faith in him, we are made a new creation in Christ. It is by faith in him that the Spirit of God lives within us now and throughout eternity.
Jesus said ‘No-one comes to the Father except through me’. There is no other way to God; no other truth about God; and no other life apart from God, than that which is revealed in Jesus.
So, how can we know ‘the way, and the truth, and the life’?
- Be in daily prayer with God.
- Daily read his word and make it a part of our lives.
- Seek out Christian fellowship.
The above is like taking medicine – do it daily and your spiritual life will be nourished.
Lord of the Harvest, we pray for LCA International Mission committee, as they promote awareness of, interest in, and support for, the work of LCA International Mission. Amen.
The devotions from this week are taken from LCA International Mission’s 40 Days – A Lenten Devotion and Prayer Guide. They are written by a variety of people who are connected with LCA International Mission. Some are LCANZ members who support International Mission in different ways, and others are from partner churches throughout the region. You can download the full prayer guide here.
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