Jesus said many wonderful and glorious things. He is God in the flesh, after all. To me, there is one statement Jesus makes, that has encouraged me over and over again. A statement many of us know and quote with the idea in mind that Jesus truly is the son of God. However, there is so much more to this statement than its use of proof. This statement is a guide for us in our faith for Jesus says in John 14:6 that, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

When Jesus is speaking this to His disciples, He has just humbled Himself to wash their feet, He told them that one of them will betray Him, and that He was going somewhere they could not follow. After this heaviness, you can almost feel the emotion in the air when Peter says he will lay down his life for Jesus and Jesus responds by telling him that he will deny Him before the rooster crows. This is a heavy evening for Jesus and His followers.

Jesus doesn’t leave them in distress though. He gives them a road map to stay on the path of righteousness:

“I am the way.” - Listen to and follow my words, instructions, and example. If you follow them, you will be on the correct path. The result of knowing the path is that you may guide others to and on it.

“I am the truth.” – I am not one of many truths, but the one true way to God. If you speak what I speak and speak how I speak, you will speak truth yourselves. The end result is you will live in truth & others will hear me after I am gone.

“I am the life.” – I am the source of physical and spiritual life. When this world beats you down, I am your strength. When the spiritual adversary attacks, I am your shield. The end result is that those around you will see how you respond to life differently than those who do not know me. Your life in me will bring you encouragement and bring the lost hope.

“No one comes to the Father except through me” – I’m giving you a map for after I am gone. Follow what I have said and done, and we will meet again. While you are waiting, I give you a mission to seek all who do not know me as you do and guide them to me. If they follow me as you have, the result will be that they will be reunited with God.

Jesus said many glorious things that were recorded for us to learn from. Let’s remember to not over-look His promises because we associate certain verses as “proof-texts.” We can and should use the Bible as our proof, but it is first & foremost the revelation of God and His promise to redeem those who come to Him through Jesus.