The Way, the Truth and The Life

I am the way, the truth and life John 14.1-14 (https://www.biblegateway.com NRSVA)

‘I am the way, the truth and life’ is one of the most memorable things that Jesus ever said. It echoes similar sayings in the other Gospels, where Jesus repeatedly talks about ‘the way’. It’s always ‘the way of the cross’, which we’re expected to take ourselves if we wish to do the same works that Jesus did. It’s also essentially the same idea as ‘Jesus the gate’, which was central to last Sunday’s Gospel reading.

‘The truth’ is that Jesus has been sent by God, and ‘the way of the cross’ reveals what God is like. ‘The life’ is in part the reward for following the way. But it’s also what we get when we encounter Jesus, a relationship with God which even death can’t bring to an end.

‘I will do whatever you ask in my name’ isn’t a magical promise to get us out of a tight fix whenever we need it. It’s just a natural consequence of believing in Jesus and what he presents.

Jesus also says, ‘The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do.’ In other words, his disciples become Jesus’ representatives, doing what he would have done and acting in his name. Whatever they ask for in that spirit of faithful obedience will be granted, in order to bring glory to God. And because there will be so many followers of Jesus, their collective achievements will exceed his own, but only because they are following his trail-blazing example.

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Methodist Bishop

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