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Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6
The Way
Jesus is the Way or the Gate through which we can enter to have fullness of life as God intended us to have. Through faith in Jesus, we have access to His life and become part of His fold.
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9,10 (emphasis mine)
The Truth
Jesus is the Truth, the Shepherd whom we follow and look to as our example. The apostle Paul writes,
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1
Paul modelled a life that was lived according to the example of Christ. The apostle always pointed to his Shepherd as the Truth and the example of fullness of life. Fully aware of his own weaknesses and failings, Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers to examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith and not to make his apparent failings an excuse for not doing what is in line with the truth (see 2 Cor 13:5-9)!
Many Christians look for a spiritual leader that they can follow. Once they find someone they admire, they begin to trust and follow that person. As they do so, they begin to follow his or her example and find security in having someone lead them who apparently has it all together. All is well until the image of a perfect spiritual leader is destroyed by the realisation and the fact that the leader has weaknesses and failings like every other human being. Sadly the pattern is often repeated and the "follower" looks for someone else they admire to lead them until they are let down again.
However, Jesus is the leader we are to follow because He is our Great Shepherd and the Truth by which we model our lives.
Imperfect leaders are not an excuse for believers to lower Christ's example of righteousness for their own lives!
The Life
Jesus is the Life. Jesus is the way to fullness of life. Jesus is the example of fullness of life and Jesus is the provider of fullness of life. The believer must go to Jesus to have life. He is the Source of living water. Jesus says,
"These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." John 5:39,40
Jesus invites us to have fellowship with Him and to participate in Eternal Life. The words eternal life don't only refer to the duration of life but more importantly they refer to a quality of life, the substance of life that originates from God Himself in Christ. We are invited to drink deeply from the river of delights (Ps 36:8) and to be filled with life to the full! Our Shepherd enables us to come in and go out and find pasture. It is Christ Himself who empowers us to live the life He modelled. Hallelujah!
How about you?
So let me ask you:
- Do you trust in Jesus as the Way to life?
- Do you look to Him as the Truth of how you should live?
- Do you depend on Him for fullness of life?
