I AM

Posted on by

“I AM”

 

Scripture: John 14:6

Main Theme: Jesus said three things about Himself in this verse, and we will look at what the implications are for each title.

 

 

  1. BACKGROUND
  • Jesus has just told the disciples that He is going away. He has told them that the purpose of His leaving is to prepare a place for them. Keep in mind that Jesus told them that there are many mansions already in His Father’s house, so Jesus is not talking about a specific dwelling place, rather He is speaking of the cross, which will prepare a way to the dwelling place that is already prepared, but until the cross, Jesus has to prepare the way to the dwelling place. Without His death on the cross (Hebrews 9:22), there is no place for any human being in heaven. He then makes a wonderful promise, that of returning to receive His own. Then Jesus says that they know the place and the way to where He is going. Finally, Thomas, tells Jesus that they don’t know where He is going, much less how to get there. Now the stage is set for the next three things Jesus says. Before we look at these, keep in mind Jesus says, “I am”. The first time we hear those words in Scripture is in the Book of Exodus, as Moses asks God His Name, and the reply Moses receives, found in Exodus 3:14, “I AM THAT I AM:”, which tells us without a doubt that Jesus is GOD because it was Jesus Who was speaking to Moses.

 

  1. “I AM THE WAY”
  • Jesus is the road, the route, the mode or means by which one can go to heaven. Jesus did not say, “I am one of the ways”, or, “I am the best way”. Jesus said, “I AM THE ONLY WAY”, for one to go to heaven.
  • “ I AM THE TRUTH”
  • To fully understand what Jesus meant, we need to see something that happens between Pilate and Jesus. Please read the following: John 18:37 “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
  1. Notice how I have highlighted and underlined the two times Jesus told Pilate concerning the truth. Each tells us something we need to know. The witness that Jesus had to bear was two-fold. First the truth of sin. Sin is deadly, and it always brings death. Death to a marriage when sin is involved, such as adultery, death to a relationship, friendship, when one sinfully betrays the confidence of another, death of a job, when caught doing something dishonest, etc. Finally, sin can cost the eternal death of a soul, which God gave the breath of life (Genesis 2:7), and that soul will never die, as it will spend eternity being eternally damned in a hell created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), or in heaven because one believed that Jesus was telling the truth about sin and that Jesus Himself is truth.
  2. Jesus is also saying that He IS THE TRUTH. Whenever we read the Bible, we are reading the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and it tells us the truth, about God, and mankind. Jesus, in John 1:1, is called “the Word”. The Bible states something concerning the character of God that we cannot ever say of ourselves. Please read these verses: Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” and Hebrews 6:18 “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”. As one can easily see, God cannot lie, it is an impossibility. Therefore Jesus is not only truth, but He is the complete truth.

 

 

  1. “I AM THE LIFE
  • Exactly what did Jesus mean when He says the He is “The Life”? A statement that can easily be explained, and for good reason. We cannot get to heaven based on our life. Even at our very best, God calls all of our righteousness “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). You may be thinking of rags dirty that simply needs washing but you would be incorrect. In the Old Testament time, a menstruating woman would use rags. Things back then were much different than “modern times.” However, suffice it to say that what God is telling us is that our very best, we are filthy beyond our imagination. If this is true, and it is, then how can someone as filthy as me ever make it to heaven?
  • I need you to read the following Scriptures to help you understand. Romans 3:10-11 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” Now read these verses next: Romans 3:20-27 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”
  • Having read the above verses, let us look carefully at what God is telling us. First of all, on our own, we are not worthy of heaven, because we are not righteous on our own we are unrighteous on our own. Therefore, we on our own have no way to make it to heaven. Now, look carefully at the following words: ; “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe”. No person makes it to heaven based on their own righteousness, because we have none. However, one’s entrance to heaven is based on the righteousness of Jesus. As one famous preacher friend of mine puts it, God allows us to “switch life” with Jesus. God has offered salvation in and through His precious Son Jesus, Who willingly died on a cruel Roman cross so that God and man could be reconciled, hence the ministry of reconciliation as we read here: 2 Corinthians 5:19 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
    Hebrews 2:17 “Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
  • Only through the life of Jesus are we saved. Jesus is the Only Way, He is the Only Truth, and His Life is the Only Life that will guarantee one for heaven, however, you must accept His offer of eternal life for it to be in effect for you. I could offer you a check, but if you never cash it, then it’s no good to you. God has through His precious Son Jesus paid for your sins. You can believe Him, confess to Him that you are a sinner unworthy of heaven, but that you believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that He was resurrected on the third day, and that you want Him to come into your heart and make it His home. If you fail to do so, then you are calling God a liar, and when you draw your last breath, you will immediately go to a devil’s hell. Then at the final judgment for the lost, God will judge you, and honor your decision to reject the gift of His Son to pay for your sins, and sentence you forever to the lake of fire, to pay your own sin debt. God is a gentleman, and He will not go against your decisions made on earth. Contrary to what some believe, there is no opportunity to change your mind after death, for your eternal destiny was determined by one thing, what you did when given the chance to have your sins paid for by Jesus, did you accept Him, or reject Him. That is not a temporary decision, it is an eternal one, and I beseech you to think about what you will do because your decision will lead you to either heaven or hell for all eternity. I sincerely hope you choose wisely.

Leave a Reply