This month's memory verse is one of my favorites.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The quote from Jesus is in response to a question from one of His disciples. Just moments earlier, Jesus had just said He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. That is when Thomas asks… “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
I think in today’s day and age, Thomas would have asked, “Can you send me a pin drop location?” Thomas wanted to know the exact route to take in order to follow the path that Jesus would be taking. “Hang on a second, Jesus, let me plug this into my GPS.” He wanted turn-by-turn directions and a clear destination he could see and verify for himself.
Jesus doesn’t do that. Instead, He gives Himself and declares He is the way.
I’m not sure that many would sign on to be a follower of Jesus if they knew the full reality of the road that they would have to travel. Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship. He warned, “In this world you will have trouble.” The path of following Christ involves carrying a cross, denying oneself, and facing opposition from a world that rejects His truth. My guess is that each of the disciples would have had second thoughts after Jesus simply said, “Follow Me” if they knew what was ahead.
Jesus makes it clear that if you want to come to the Father, there is only one option. Salvation is exclusive to Him. It doesn’t involve relying on your own understanding, good works, a GPS, Google Maps, or a Rand McNally Atlas. There are no alternate routes…Jesus is the Way.
Thor