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The continuation of lesson 53 of the Discipleship Making process.
In summary of part one of this lesson, we learned of the prophecies Jesus used to encourage, strengthen and console His disciples, shortly after Judas departed the Last Supper, during the part of the meal known as the Maggid (the telling of the Passover story), of His impending death, for He knew full well that He would redeem His people by stretching out His arms upon the cross.
Read: John 13:36 - 14:31
It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus did more than just console the disciples He told them truth (forth-telling). The central issue of these passages of Scriptures we are studying today is what Jesus said concerning Himself. I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. To many this is a difficult statement! They like to say there are many ways to the Father.
Jesus statement, “I am the way, and the truth and the life” was the sixth of seven “I am” statements He used in the gospel of John. The others were: 1) I am the bread of life (6:35), 2) I am the light of the world (8:12), 3) I am the door (10:7 & 9), 4) I am the good shepherd (10:11 & 14), 5) I am the resurrection and the life (11:25) and 6) I am the true vine (15:1 & 5). Each time Jesus used the “I am” (In Hebrew “I am” is pronounced “Yah”) He was invoking God’s memorial name (Exodus 3:13-15).
Moses was chosen to deliver and lead God’s people. He worked miracles and declared God’s law (teachings or instructions). Like Jesus, Moses before he died, prophesied to God’s people about the one (Moses prophesied concerning Jesus and Jesus prophesied concerning the Holy Spirit) who would come. He would be like Moses, delivering and leading God’s people, working miracles and declaring God’s law (teachings and instruction) (Deuteronomy 8:15-18; Matthew 17:5; John 8:58).
In order to help His people identify who the coming one would be, God had Moses appoint Joshua as the prophet who would follow him (Deuteronomy 31:14 & 23).
The name Joshua (Yah-shua) means “I Am Salvation". And that is precisely Jesus’ name in Hebrew, Yah-shua. It was not Moses’ responsibility to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because he had sinned (Moses disobeyed God (sinned) when he struck the Rock a second time to bring forth water. God originally told Moses to strike the Rock of Horeb with his staff when the children of Israel became thirsty and it would bring forth water (Exodus 17:6). When the children of Israel became thirsty a second time God commanded Moses to speak to the Rock instead of hitting it and it would bring forth water. But Moses became angry with his rebellious people and struck the Rock a second time. (Numbers 20:3-13) The reason God would not let Moses lead his people into the Promised Land was because, as a prophet, Moses had given Israel a false sign. From 1 Corinthians 10:4 we discover that the Rock from which the water came forth was Christ. Jesus said, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” Since Jesus is the Christ, God was in effect saying that He would permit His Son to be stuck by the rods of men only once for salvation and after that they merely needed to speak to Him. “Whoever will call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved”. (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13). It was and still is Joshua’s (Yah-shua’s) responsibility to lead God’s people into the Promised Land.
In chapter 7 of the book of Acts, Stephen a man full of the Holy Spirit, brought a railing testimony against the Sanhedrim, the ruling council of the Jews, concerning their treatment of Jesus (Acts 7:37) and all God’s prophets before Him. For that, He was stoned to death, making him the church’s first martyr. The Israelites had refused to hear God speaking even when He spoke through men just as they had requested. Jesus had already spoken to the chief priests and Pharisees about their failure to hear and obey God’s voice (John 5:45-47) and even used the parable of the landowner (Matthew 21:33-46) to make the same point.
Since Jesus was the one of whom Moses prophesied, He commands His disciples to, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” Then He offered then two proofs as to His identity. The first proof was the words that He spoke (Hebrews 1:1-2) to them: His forth-telling words could be verified in the Law and the Prophets and His foretelling words would come to pass. The second proof Jesus offered them was the miracles He performed (John 14:11).
The point of the lesson is, since Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life, how important is it to believe Him and observe everything He commands us to do?
With that, allow me to leave you with these questions to consider until my next posting:
- What do you think the statement “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” means?
- Do you believe that the statement, “No one comes to the Father, but through Me” is true?
- What kind of statement do you make to others who contend with you that there is more than one way to come to the Father?
Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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