ADVENT - “The Way, The Truth & The Life”

During our time this week, we’ve witnessed Jesus describe Himself as the One who satisfies our spiritual hunger, the shepherd who compassionately cares, and the light that guides us through moments of darkness. Today, Jesus makes his boldest claim yet - that when we lay eyes on Him we see God. Before we begin, I want to provide space for you to pause, consider the picture you have of God and then pray that it would be shaped and molded by a growing and intimate relationship with Jesus. 

What comes to our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us. It influences our words, thoughts, actions, emotions, and sense of identity. We all have a different viewpoint of who God is and what He should do. When we hear the word "GOD," our minds try to figure out who He is, what He's like, what He's passionate about, etc. 

In our quest for understanding, we naturally gravitate toward attempting to explain God away. We foolishly believe the best way to understand something is to reduce it down. We break complicated things down, like God, into their parts. Seeking to understand and to explain are essential in our pursuit of God, but, if we make those matter too much, we will miss what our heart is looking for: God Himself.

The ways of God run against the wisdom of the world in which we live. We tend to rely on knowledge that rests on our understanding and comprehension. Yet, we don't understand God by breaking down principles and doctrines but by looking up and having our eyes expanded. What we will see in today’s passage is that Jesus came to confound our expectations of what God is truly like. Let’s take a moment and read John 14:5-14:

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Often, we view these words of Jesus only through the lens of salvation and what awaits us in heaven. Yes, it encompasses those aspects, but there is something deeper Jesus wants us to understand. Jesus isn’t talking about a place we will go to someday; He’s speaking about a person who wants to be in a life-giving relationship with us every day.

It all comes back to Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God.  If we want to comprehend God's heart, we need to look no further than Him. In Jesus, we see God. We begin to understand God's character, nature, and heart by setting our eyes on Him. Jesus invites us to imagine: to lay aside what we think about God and instead picture something bigger and something greater. Imagine the deepest desires of our soul being filled. Imagine the burdens of our hearts being held, honored, and redeemed. Imagine those pure longings of our hearts being satisfied in Christ. 

This full life Christ offers isn't something that merely lies in the future. We don't have to wait to experience this connection. The Holy Spirit resides within us. It made its home inside our heart. The way we get to experience security and comfort right here, right now is walking in His ways.  

REFLECT

Before we wrap up our time together, we want to provide you some space to respond to what we read and maybe to what God is trying to say to you. First, take a moment to process this question…Where do you need to see Jesus with fresh eyes?

Another question to consider is this… How could catching a glimpse of Jesus in this area help you understand God’s character and heart more clearly?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for revealing Your heart to humanity with the loving, compassionate, and forgiving picture of Jesus. You want to be seen and known through Your Son. May I keep my eyes constantly on Him, for by doing so, I catch a glimpse of Your nature. Amen.