Jesus said so

Yesterday the devotional reading was from John 14. The particular passage that stayed with me was verse 6 in which Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

You know that speaks volumes. The entire Bible has much to say and one part relates to another part. Sometimes you don't understand what something has to do with something else. But it comes to you as you study, meditate, listen and follow through in obedience.

I did a mini-study of the verse and this is what I've found:

"I am the way" ... "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10: 9)

"through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5: 2)

Jesus is ... to everyone, all peoples. Through Him we have access to the Father, to God. There is none other.

"And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 2: 17-18)

The institution of the tabernacle, i.e., sanctuary, holy place where God met with His people, and its construction, is first mentioned in Exodus 25. At that time the High Priest was the only one who could enter the Holy of Holies (Holiest of All) once a year. The people had rules, commandments the Lord set forth for them to follow. Forgiveness of their sins of disobedience / ignorance were asked of God through the High Priest on a yearly basis.

"Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing." (Hebrews 9: 6-8)

It wasn't until the birth of Jesus (which Christians celebrate at Christmas), son of God and son of Man, that a final offering would become available. The new High Priest became Jesus and the Holiest of All was made manifest through Jesus. Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus the High Priest became the final, once-and-for-all offering for the entire human race.

"to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh," (Hebrews 10: 19b-20)

It is for you and me individually to believe and accept Jesus died for us.

"I am the truth" ... "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1 :14)

"For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)

The Old Testament tells what will come and has now come to pass, yet there are many who do not know, do not understand, do not see, do not meditate. Only in the here and now... do not consider.

"... For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice." (John 18: 37)

"I am the life" ...
To know, to believe, wholeheartedly, to allow your faith to be greater that what seems, that is when Jesus is in your midst, when fine-tuned awareness is present.

"Jesus said to her (Martha, when her brother Lazarus had died), 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die'..." (John 11: 25-26)

Caiaphas was high priest when talks began of killing Jesus. How truly sad he didn't realize the extent of a prophecy he made to the council of chief priests and Pharisees: "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." (John 11: 49b-50) "and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad." (John 11: 52)

Isaiah 53 is a prophecy of His life, His death.

"No one comes to the Father" ... "God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, ..." (1 Timothy 2: 3b-6a)

"Except through Me." ...
To be at peace within, come to Jesus and share His life. If you are only seeking your own desires and wants and must haves, regardless of anything else, death is imminent.

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10: 9-10)

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4: 12)

Jesus says to us, "I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life, No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Philippians 4: 8 reminds us again: "...whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."