February 5, 2018

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO LEAD US HOME (part 2)

John14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Today, let me give some simple perspective in these verses before we finish them. If you did not have the chance to read the previous devotion, please do that for proper understanding.

Jesus answers Thomas with the following statements:

“I am the way” – Who we should follow
“I am the truth” – who we should trust
“I am the life” – Who we should depend on

“I am the Life”
In verse six, Jesus was trying to explain to Thomas that there is no way without Jesus, and there is no truth without Jesus. Now Jesus is trying to teach Thomas a wonderful lesson. There is no “life” without Jesus. Just a few chapters earlier in John we are told “In him was life; and the life was the light of men”. (John 1:4) in chapter one and verse three, we are told “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made“. So our life STARTED because He created it, and our life is SUSTAINED because He controls it. So what makes us think that our life can be SATISFIED without Him? In fact, a little earlier in John, Jesus claims in chapter ten verse ten “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly“. So everything about our life, the creating of it, the continuing of it, and the conquering of it, are all in Christ.

Now Jesus answers the first question of Thomas. Where is Jesus, and hopefully us, going to? Jesus replied that nobody arrives to the Father, or the Father’s house, without Christ. That is the destination: HEAVEN! You see there is nothing in our lives here on earth that is ever really a destination. All the experiences and circumstances in our life are just stops along the way before we get to our final destination. I guess Thomas might have thought that Jesus was speaking of some earthly location earlier in the chapter, but Jesus was speaking of our heavenly home. Jesus made it clear that the only way to end up there is to follow Him. That is why in verse three of this chapter, Jesus made this statement about heaven, “that where I am, there ye may be also“. Jesus said if you follow me, then you will end up at the same place that I am going, because where Jesus is, there you will be. Jesus is speaking of our “eternal” life.

So if I may draw all of this together. Jesus is teaching all of us a lesson through the answer He gave to Thomas. Here it is:

1. I CREATED THE START OF YOUR LIFE
2. I CONTROL THE SUSTAINING OF YOUR LIFE
3. I COMMAND THE STEPS OF YOUR LIFE
4. I COMPOSE THE SATISFACTION IN YOUR LIFE
5. I CONQUERED THE SECURITY OF YOUR ETERNAL LIFE

I am able to lead you home, Thomas. Any other questions?