Sudden Impact 5: "I AM" statements of Jesus
Thesis: The I Am proclamations of Jesus in John’s Gospel reveal that Jesus is the Messiah and that He is the same God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3. Jesus 6th impact statement reveals that he is the only path that leads to truth and to eternal life.
Text: John 14
Key Verse: John 14:6
"Jesus answered, ’I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’"
Review: I AM the bread of life
I AM the light of the world
I AM the door (of the sheepfold)
I AM the Good Shepherd
I AM the Resurrection and the Life
Introduction:
Today we are going to focus in on Jesus’, "I Am proclamation, I am the way, the truth, and the life ..." In this section of the Gospel of John we once again see Jesus asserting His divine nature. It’s interesting that once again a question is addressed to Jesus and He answers with a profound reply.
The question was asked by Thomas, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Thomas’ question has been asked probably by 1,000. "How can we know the way?" Men have tried many ways but have found them lacking truth and life. For example:
Man’s Quest:
Greece said …..Be wise, know yourself
Rome said…….Be strong, discipline yourself
Judaism said …Be holy, conform yourself
Epicureanism says…..Be sensuous, enjoy yourself
Education says ….Be resourceful, expand yourself
Psychology says ….Be confident, fulfill yourself
Materialism says….Be acquisitive, please yourself
Pride says….Be superior, promote yourself
Asceticism says….Be inferior, suppress yourself
Diplomacy says….Be reasonable, control yourself
Communism says….Be collective, secure yourself
Humanism says….Be capable, trust yourself
Philanthropy says ….Be unselfish, give yourself
(Swindoll, pages 270,271)
Others have developed dysfunctional ways to view the way of life!
Optimism: By looking through rose-colored glasses, we can convince ourselves that we live on Fantasy Island, existing under cloudless skies and surrounded by oceans of love, affirmation, and support. There’s only one problem -- Lack of reality.
Pessimism: It is easy to turn life into a grim existence. If something bad can happen, the pessimist is convinced it will. The problem here is an obvious lack of joy.
Suspicion: Suspicion is a deeper trench than pessimism. "Everyone is out to get you. You can’t believe anyone anymore. Their major problem? --Lack of trust.
Fatalism: The fatalist says we may as well accept our lot, nothing can be done to change it. "Just bite your lip and endure to the end." "If you can check out of responsibility, do it! Stay uninvolved." What’s the problem here? -- Lack of hope.
Illustration:
Man has been on these quests for years asking, "Which way is the right way", excited when they first enter into their false ways claiming they have found the way only to discover that it was temporal and not everlasting. Then in turn, these individuals do as Rollo Mays states, "It is an old and ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way."
Mankind is looking for the way
up. The problem is they are lost and running in the opposite direction getting further away from God and deeper into chaos and insanity.
Video Clip from In Focus Videos “Road Trip”
We need as Christians, to open up the Word of God and show people which way is up.
We as Christians need to make a stand and quit following the lost. There is a bumper sticker you will see on vehicles which should give us a message.
Don’t Follow Me…I’m Lost
I believe we should stick it above our T.V. set, on Humanistic books on government buildings, at secular Universities because it would save a lot of people a lot of heartache.
T.S. Jesus has answered the question many are asking today: "How can we know the way?" Let’s look at His answer to this question.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
I. Christ is the only way up.
A. The definition and meaning of the way.
1. Greek word Hod-os is defined as progress, a road going somewhere.
2. Tenney defines way, as meaning a path over which or direction in which one moves.
3. In the Old Testament way is used in many instances of God’s ways. His will and command.
a. Deut. 5:33
"Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess."
b. Deut. 8:6
"Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him."
c. Deut. 10:12
"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down".
d. Deut. 26:17
"You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him."
e. Psalms 44:18
"Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path."
f. Psalms 119:15
"I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways."
g. Isa. 55:9
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
4. New Testament usage of the word way, signifies a traveled way or road.
a. Word is also used figuratively in the New Testament as meaning --
1.) Of Moral Conduct: Matt. 7:13, 14; 21-32; Acts 14:16; Romans 3:16, 17; James 5:20
2.) Of God’s will and purpose and truth: Matt. 22:16; Mark 12:14; Acts 13:10 (etc.)
3.) Way is used of Jesus Christ, the final and perfect revealer, and in His person and by His sacrificial death, the living and personal way to God, His holiness an salvation: teacher of the way in truth.
4.) Christ Himself one only "Way" to God (John 14:4-6); and the One who opens up the way into the Holiest by His sacrifice (Heb. 9:8; 10:19, 20).
B. Christ the Way (John 14:6)
1. Christ is the way to the knowledge of God.
a. Through His person, His life, His ministry.
2. Christ is the way to the favor of God.
a. To understand how holy and how righteous is the Divine ruler and Judge, is to understand that sinners forfeit His favor.
b. Our Savior is the divinely appointed Way to reconciliation and harmony with Him whose laws all men have broken.
c. Christianity is, in the Book of Acts, repeatedly spoken of as "the Way", i.e., the path by which sinful men return to the affectionate interest and regard of a righteous God.
3. Christ is the Way to the Father’s fellowship.
a. In coming to Christ a man becomes a son, he then experiences the grace of true adoption.
4. Christ is the Way to the Father’s presence and home.
Illustration:
THE WAY INDICATED
An open door which no man can shut, and a closed door which no man can open, are indications of God’s way. Rev. 3:8.
One morning at a hotel at Denver I inquired of the Lord what I should do that day. The answer came to my heart: "Write to Marion, and to Mrs. Reynolds, and finish your article for the Advocate." I wrote the letters and was writing the article when I remembered I had promised to call upon a friend the next time I was in Denver, and started to go to her. But I thought: "I asked the Lord what I should do, and He told me to write, He could have told me to call on Mrs. Silvey if that was what He had wanted." So I obeyed Him and went on with my writing. Just as I finished Mr. Morrow came in to take me to the train. As we entered the depot I met the friend on whom I intended to call. She and her husband were going to a wedding, in the same city and at the same hotel where we had meant to stop. She invited us to the wedding, and we had a long visit together. "I have been so busy all day I have not sat down a moment." she said. Then I saw the providence, and that my call upon her would have been no comfort to either of us, and I could say, like one of old, "Blessed be the Lord God. . . which led me in the right way." Gen. 24:48
--Mrs. Abbie C. Morrow
T.S. Christ is the only way to the next part of His answer to our question on truth. How can I know the truth?
II. Christ is the Truth
A. Truth defined
1. Alethia - truthfulness, dependability, uprightness in thought and deed of God, of men.
2. As absolute truth, spirit leads into. The truth is identified and mediated through Christ.
3. Word truth is used 20 times in John and used 100 times in the New Testament.
B. History & Culture of Truth
1. Truth is the Seal of God - According to the Talmud
a. The Jews speak much of truth.
b. What is the seal of the holy blessed God?
1. Rabbi Ruegben saith "Truth"
2. But what is "Truth"?
3. Rabbi Bon saith, "The Living God and King Eternal"
C. There is a Hebraic story of the great synagogue weeping, praying and fasting.
"At length there was a little scroll fell from the firmament to them, in which was written, TRUTH"
1. Rabbi Chaninah saith,
"Hence learn that TRUTH is the seal of God."
2. We may easily apply all this to Christ, who is "the way, the truth, and the life," John 14:8: He is the express image of His Father, the truth of the Father; whom the Father, by His seal and diploma, hath confirmed and ratified; as the great ruler both of His kingdom and family (303).
3. In the Old Testament it is used in reference to firmness, stability, fidelity, reliable basis of support.
a. It is ascribed to personal morality.
4. In the New Testament
a. Truth is related not only to fidelity and justice but also to knowledge and to Revelation. This is partly due to the intrusion of Greek culture with its more theoretical interests into the Jewish world.
b. Three concepts of Truth.
There are according to Tenney, three concepts of truth painted by the Bible. (827,828)
1. Moral Truth - Truth is an attribute of God and speaks of His trustworthiness, His faithfulness and men are to have this attribute.
2. Ontological Truth - Arises from the concept of one who is trustworthy, one who is truly genuine.
3. Cognitive Truth - A further outcome of moral truth is one that speaks truth and not falsehood.
c. Philosophical Concepts of Truth
Some philosophical concepts of truth are described in two ways.
1. Cognitive which says, if God is the ground of all truth, then whatever truths we know bear witness to Him. Augustine Hippo recognized this and wrote an apology for God’s existence from our knowledge of truth.
Others who wrote in this were: Augustine, Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Descartes. They varied some in their theories but basically concluded that all truth is ultimately God’s truth, and that our knowledge of truth depends ultimately on God.
C. Truth vs. the lies.
1. The New Testament warns us that there would be numerous attacks of false religions and cults (The Lies) against the genuine Christian faith. But these attacks would only cause the Truth to stand out more clearly.
2. The lies about God.
a. There are many lies that bring God down to a lower level in regard to His identity.
1.) World Religions say:
a.) Buddism - God is not a person.
b.) Transcendental Meditation - There is no difference between God and the creation.
2.) Cults
a.) Moonies, Jehovah Witnesses & The Way - God is singular and there is no Trinity.
b.) Christian Science & Unity - God is not a person.
b. There are those who want to bring God down to a lower level in regard to His uniqueness.
1.) World Religions
a.) Hinduism and Transcendental Meditation. There are three main impersonal gods and millions of lesser gods.
b.) Hare Krishna - There is one supreme god and many lesser gods.
2.) Cults
a.) Mormons - There are many gods.
b.) Worldwide Church of God - We can become gods.
C. The truth about God.
1.) God is a person. Throughout the Bible,
personal pronouns are used when referring to God.
a.) Matt. 5:45
"That you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
b.) Matt. 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
c.) John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, {[16] Or his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life".
d.) John 15:2
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes {[2] The Greek for prunes also means cleans.}so that it will be even more fruitful."
e.) John 16:13
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
2.) God is creator - He therefore could not be the same as the creation.
a.) Gen. 1:26
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, {[26] Hebrew; Syriac all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
b.) Matt. 3:16-17
"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
c.) Others: Matt. 28:19, Luke 1:35, Isa. 9:6, Heb. 3:7-11.
3.) There are three persons in one God - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
a.) Gen. 1:26
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, {[26] Hebrew; Syriac all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
b.) Heb. 3:7-11
"So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9 where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, `Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, `They shall never enter my rest.’" {[11] Psalm 95:7-11}"
c.) Matt. 28:19
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in {[19] Or into; see Acts 8:16; 19:5; Romans 6:3; 1 Car. 1:13; 10:2 and Gal. 3:27.}the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
d.) Matt. 3: 16-17
"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
e.) Luke 1:35
"The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called {[35] Or So the child to be born will be called holy,}the Son of God".
f.) Ia. 9:6
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, {[6] Or Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
3. The lies about Jesus Christ.
a. Christ is brought down to a lower level in regard to His mission. (What He came to do.)
1.) World Religion
a.) Islam - No God - a mere man. He did not die for man’s sins.
2.) Cults
a.) Moonies - Christ’s mission failed.
b.) Christian Science - Jesus did not die. His blood had no power.
b. The truth about Jesus Christ.
1.) Who He is.
a.) Jesus Christ is God the Son the second person of the Trinity. John 1:1, 14, 20:28; I Tim. 3:16
2.) The name of Jesus Christ is the only name given for salvation and is above every other name. Acts 4:10, 12; Phil. 2:9-11.
3.) What He did.
a.) While remaining 100% God, He became 100% man. I. Tim. 3:16
b.) He personally experienced every temptation that any man has ever known, and yet He remained completely sinless. Heb. 4:15
c.) Though He did not deserve it, He lovingly took the punishment for man’s sins upon Himself by dying on the cross, providing an opportunity for all mankind to go free. I Peter 2:21-24.
T.S. Since Christ is the Truth and not a lie, He is the only one that can give us life -- REAL LIFE!
III. CHRIST IS THE LIFE
A. The meaning of the Greek word Zoe (life.).
1. Definition: Means of sustenance, of supernatural life belonging to God and Christ, which believers will receive in the future, but which they also enjoy here and now.
2. Zoe is found 35 times in John and 133 times in the New Testament.
3. Zoe is used in reference to Christ being life. It is the central theme in John. Note John’s purpose for writing his Gospel John 20:31.
"But these are written that you may {[31] Some manuscripts may continue to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
4. History and culture and use of the term Zoe.
The term life is used in the Old Testament in the popular sense. Orr notes: "It meant life in the body, the existence and activity of the man in all his parts and energies." (1888). The Old Testament thought, was the body was necessary for life and they had no desire to be separated from it. They also believed that the source of life was when a man had a relationship with God. Orr states, "The real center of gravity in life was in the moral and religious part of man’s nature. This must be in fellowship with God, the source of all life and activity" (1888)
The concept of life is noted by Or as very complex. The term Zoe corresponds very closely to the Hebrew word hay yim, and means the Vhal principle, the state of one who is animate, the fullness and activities and relationship both in physical and spiritual realms (1889).
Zoe is the chief theme in the New Testament. In the Old Testament this life was through fellowship with God in the New Testament it is through Jesus Christ the Mediator.
In the New Testament as well as the Old Testament, the center of gravity in human life is in the moral and religious nature of man. (1889)
John’s main theme is life. He wrote the book to show the readers how to have life. John shows that life represents Jesus the logos as the origin and means of all life to the world. God gave Jesus life in Himself who in turn, gave life to the world. John’s prevailing meaning of life is in reference to those activities which are the expression of fellowship with God and Jesus Christ. These relationships are called "eternal life." (1889)
B. Life is in Christ. (Application)
1. The miracles of raising the dead, which Jesus wrought were intended not only for the assuagement of human sorrow, but for the satisfying of human aspirations. He drew the attention away from the great work to the greater Worker (108).
2. In Him was life, and by His incarnation and sacrifice He brought the life of God to this world of sin and death. (Pulpit 108).
3. The key thought to this chapter is that the life of Christ gives and is received by faith.
a. Note: Pulpits thought -
Christ presents Himself as the Divine Object of faith. It is no arbitrary connection which is exhibited in these words of our Redeemer as existing between faith and life. Life is personal, and spiritual life comes from the Lord and Giver of life to those who believe. Faith is spiritual union with the Christ who died and rose for us and is the means, first of a death unto sin and a life unto righteousness, and then of all which this spiritual change involves. A life in God is a life eternal. (108).
C. Christ’s many promises of life and life more abundantly.
a. Communion with Christ
1.) Rev. 3:20
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
b.) Life and life more abundantly
1.) John 10:9-10
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. {[9] Or kept safe He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
c.) Knowledge of God’s will
1.) John 7:17
"If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."
d.) Rest for the soul
1.) Matt. 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
e.) Christ’s peace promised
1.) John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
f.) The joy of the Lord
1.) John 15:11
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
g.) Gates of Hades shall not prevail against
1.) Matt. 16-18
"And I tell you that you are Peter, {[18] Peter means rock.} and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades {[18] Or hell will not overcome it. {[18] Or not prove stronger than it."
Conclusion:
Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
If we ask ourselves what we need for salvation, and therefore what all men need, we shall see that we need (1) to know that there is a God and a heaven; (2) we need to become acquainted with our Father; (3) we need forgiveness of sins; (4) we need a new heart, a new life, to fit us to live with our Father in His holy home; (5) we need every motive, hope, fear, duty, love, to enable us to live a true life; (6) we need the Holy Spirit to give life and light to guide us and teach us day by day, and be to our lives what the spring sun and rain are to the earth; (7) we need a perfect example and ideal life before us. Now all these are found in their fullness only in Jesus Christ. In Him we find every golden chain let down from heaven to lift us up to heaven. Jesus is the way across the chasm between sin and holiness, the evil heart and God.
Altar Call: How can we know the way?
#1 When you meet Christ you see He is the way. It becomes very clear.
#2 Once you have met and get to know Christ, you become aware of truth, what it looks like, how it functions, what it does and does not do.
#3 The final point Christ makes here is once you accept Him as the Way, you find direction, this direction leads you into truth, on the discovery of truth you learn the meaning of life and this life is everlasting.
