I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life

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I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
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Introduction

• One of Jesus most profound I am statements
• Sums up many of the points from the week

John 1466 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me.
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Introduction

• Context
• Jesus is speaking to His disciples, preparing
  them for the time after His death
• This is a trying time for the Apostles
• Unsure about the nature of the kingdom
• Argued about who was the greatest
• Ready to fight for Jesus freedom
• Jesus was preparing them for the work they had to
  do
• John 141-11

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Introduction

• Context (cont.)
• Jesus showed the Apostles that He was leaving
  them
• He told them WHY He was leaving them
• He was going to prepare a place for them!
• Remember John 821 Where I go, you cannot
  come
• The Apostles could go where Jesus was going!
• Jesus makes 3 distinct claims about Himself in
  this context

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I Am the Way

• Jesus was going to prepare a place
• Thomas asked the question How can we know the
  way?
• The answer from Jesus I am the Way
• A direct answer to Thomas question?
• More than that!
• Jesus was the way to the Father Himself

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I Am the Way
Acts 48-108 Then Peter, filled with the Holy
Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and
elders of Israel 9 If we this day are judged for
a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means
he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you
all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him
this man stands here before you whole.
Acts 411-1211 This is the stone which was
rejected by you builders, which has become the
chief cornerstone. 12 Nor is there salvation in
any other, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be
saved.

• Jesus was claiming to be the only way to the
  Father
• Definite article The
• Emphasizes the fact that there is only one
• No ambiguity in Jesus statement
• The Apostles understood it

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I Am the Way
John 147-97 If you had known Me, you would
have known My Father also and from now on you
know Him and have seen Him. 8 Philip said to
Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is
sufficient for us. 9 Jesus said to him, Have I
been with you so long, and yet you have not known
Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the
Father so how can you say, Show us the Father?

John 11818 No one has seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the
Father, He has declared Him.
John 1244-4544 Then Jesus cried out and said,
He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in
Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him
who sent Me.
Hebrews 1019-2019 Therefore, brethren, having
boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is,
His flesh,
Hebrews 1021-2221 and having a High Priest
over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a
true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 217-18 17 Therefore, in all things He
had to be made like His brethren, that He might
be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the
sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has
suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those
who are tempted.
Hebrews 414-1614 Seeing then that we have a
great High Priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
our confession. 15 For we do not have a High
Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to
the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need.

• How is Jesus the way to the Father?
• He revealed the Father
• If we obey Him, we obey the Father
• Jesus opened up the way to the Father
• He is the veil, leading to the Most Holy Place
• Through His sacrifice we can enter!
• He is our High Priest
• Vital role of Jesus
• Made the sacrifice, appeased God

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I Am the Way

• How is Jesus the Way to the Father?
• He is our Intercessor
• As an intercessor, He is an advocate for us
• He is the one and only Mediator between man and
  God
• Jesus is the Only way to God

Hebrews 723-2523 Also there were many priests,
because they were prevented by death from
continuing. 24 But He, because He continues
forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25
Therefore He is also able to save to the
uttermost those who come to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for
them.
1 John 211 My little children, these things I
write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 Timothy 255 For there is one God and one
Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ
Jesus,
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I Am the Truth

• Singular nature of Jesus statement
• We must conform to the one Truth that is Christ
• What is Truth?
• We see the absolute nature of Truth
• That which is right in all cases
• There are no exceptions
• Corresponds to reality, what is factual and
  absolutenot relative

Strongs 1 objectively. 1a what is true in any
matter under consideration. 1a1 truly, in truth,
according to truth. 1a2 of a truth, in reality,
in fact, certainly. 1b what is true in things
appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral
and religious truth
Vines the truth of God is indicative of His
faithfulness in the fulfillment of His promises
as exhibited in Christ the word has an absolute
force in John 146 1717 1837, 38
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I Am the Truth

• How is Jesus the Truth?
• He is full of Truth
• How is He full of truth?
• He reveals His Fathers word, which is truth by
  its very nature!
• Several times that Jesus said He would do the
  will of the Father

John 171717 Sanctify them by Your truth.
Your word is truth.
John 171414 I have given them Your word and
the world has hated them because they are not of
the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 53030 I can of Myself do nothing. As I
hear, I judge and My judgment is righteous,
because I do not seek My own will but the will of
the Father who sent Me.
John 82828 Then Jesus said to them, When you
lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I
am He, and that I do nothing of Myself but as My
Father taught Me, I speak these things.
John 83838 I speak what I have seen with My
Father, and you do what you have seen with your
father.
John 11414 And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth.
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I Am the Truth
2 John 9-119 Whoever transgresses and does not
abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have
God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has
both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes
to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not
receive him into your house nor greet him 11 for
he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
John 831-3431 Then Jesus said to those Jews
who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you
are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered Him, We are Abrahams
descendants, and have never been in bondage to
anyone. How can You say, You will be made
free? 34 Jesus answered them, Most assuredly,
I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of
sin.

• The word that He revealed is His doctrine
• That doctrine defines Truth for us
• There is only one doctrine of Christ
• It is this doctrine that frees us from sin

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I Am the Life

• In each lesson we have studied life
• I Am Jesus is eternal, and the source of
  eternal life
• I am the bread of life Jesus provides eternal
  life
• I am the vine the vine is the source of life
  for all the branches
• I am the light of the world the light of life
  (John 812), In Him was life, and the life was
  the light of men (John 14)

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I Am the Life

• Each I am statement comes around to Jesus
  providing life
• How is He Life?
• In Christ we are reborn
• Baptized into Christ
• Just what Jesus referenced in John 3
• Peter further explains Jesus teaching
• Paul also helps us to understand
• When we are baptized, we are raised to walk in
  newness of life

Galatians 32727 For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
John 33-53 Jesus answered and said to him,
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4
Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born
when he is old? Can he enter a second time into
his mothers womb and be born? 5 Jesus
answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God.
Acts 23838 Then Peter said to them, Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 34-74 But when the kindness and the love
of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us, through the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having
been justified by His grace we should become
heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Romans 63-43 Or do you not know that as many
of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were
buried with Him through baptism into death, that
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness of life.
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I Am the Life

• In Christ we have a hope of resurrection
• Another I am statement of Jesus connects the
  two ideas
• John 1117-27
• I am the resurrection and the life
• In Jesus we will be raised unto eternal life
• Question as to the resurrection
• Without a resurrection, Christ could not be
  raised
• If He is raised, then we know we can be raised

1 Corinthians 1512-1412 Now if Christ is
preached that He has been raised from the dead,
how do some among you say that there is no
resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no
resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not
risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our
preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

1 Corinthians 1515-1715 Yes, and we are found
false witnesses of God, because we have testified
of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not
raise upif in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For
if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not
risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith
is futile you are still in your sins!
1 Corinthians 1518-1918 Then also those who
have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If
in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are
of all men the most pitiable.
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I Am the Life

• In Jesus we have life
• He is the source of life
• That life is found through abiding in His word

1 Peter 122-2522 Since you have purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in
sincere love of the brethren, love one another
fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born
again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,
through the word of God which lives and abides
forever, 24 because All flesh is as grass, And
all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.
Now this is the word which by the gospel was
preached to you.
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Conclusion

• Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
• We must be in Christ if we are going to be in the
  way, have truth and have life
• Only through obedience can we have the blessings
  of Christ