Read John 14:1-6 NIV (focus on vs. 5-6)
1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“
Today’s reading is a continuation of yesterday’s. Jesus has reassured his friends that He is preparing to go to heaven but that he will return for them. But Thomas is still a little freaked out! He tells Jesus that they don’t really know where he is going, so how in the world can they know how to get there! Thomas is afraid. He understands that Jesus is leaving them but he isn’t sure how to carry on without him. I love Thomas’ honesty here. I think if we are honest with ourselves, we all share a little of Thomas’ uncertainty at times – we just might not be bold enough to put words to it in public. Especially when it comes to things like heaven. But Jesus gives Thomas some old school mapquest directions to his heavenly destination.
In short, Jesus says, It’s me…I am the way to get there. “I am the way, the truth and the life.” All you need to focus on is believing in me and following me – I will get you there. Only I know the way.
Jesus’ words here actually make me think way back to some of his first interactions with the disciples. To many of them he simply said, “follow me”. And that is still what he is asking of us today. He knows the way. It’s through Him. In Him is truth and real life!
John 3:16-17 NLT
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
