We are continuing to look at the I Am statements of Christ. In using the Greek form of the Hebrew Words translated as I Am, Jesus was directly stating that He was the One who led them out of Egypt, and even though He was in bodily form as a man, Jesus is, in essence, God. At the Last Supper, the Lord spoke about who He is and why He came. He said to them: "You know the way to the place where I am going" (John 14:4), the disciple Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' I love people like Thomas, someone who was not afraid to be real. He wanted clarification as to what Jesus was saying. Thomas asked; “where is this place you are going?” His devoted heart would not allow the thought of his Master going on without him. He had to know how he could follow to be with Him.
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7).
I don't think Thomas got the answer for which he was looking. Instead of a series of directions or things to do, the answer was a person, Christ Himself, "I am the way." This is the sixth of the seven “I Am” statements of Christ in the Gospel of John (6:35; 6:48; 6:51; 8:12; 10:7; 10:9; 10:11; 10:14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 15:5). Here again, Jesus was claiming to be the great I Am that Moses was told was the name of the creator of all things (Exodus 3:14). The words that He is the Truth and the Life are supporting statements to His saying that He is the Way. If we are looking for direction as to how to be right with God, we are to look at the person of Christ. We must come to Him and let Him fill our lives, for embodied in Him are all Truth and the Life of God that we need. If there was any other way to get to the Father, don’t you think He would have told us? There is no other way to be right with God. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). As human beings, we tend to prefer a set of rules, laws, rituals we can perform—something we can do to earn a reward. It gives us a sense of self-accomplishment and a sense that we are in control. But Jesus gives us no other way but Himself. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Albert Einstein, the great theoretical physicist, was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there either. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. "The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it. '"Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. "The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one. 'Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."
Do you know where you are going? Can you be real and humble enough to seek answers from Christ? He is the only way to God. Reach out today to Him. He is as near as a cry from the heart. Keith Thomas
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