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Knowing the Father, Living like Jesus

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During His final hours in the Upper Room before His crucifixion, Jesus shared with His disciples perhaps His most important teachings. In John 14:5-14, we find this statement: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

With these words, Jesus responds to the question of Thomas, asking that Jesus show them the way to where Jesus is going, to show them God the Father. Keep in mind, their world had just been turned upside down. Jesus predicted one of them would betray Jesus, and that Peter would deny Him. Jesus had told them He was leaving but they cannot follow, yet that they know the way. They are confused and hurting, because they did not understand, nor did they know what Jesus is about to do.

Jesus responds to Thomas’ question with “I AM.” He once more reminds them that He is ‘Yahweh,’ or ‘The Great I AM’ that created the universe. The Jews had already attempted to kill Jesus for making such statements, as equating Himself with God was considered worse than treason in Judea.

Often ‘Yahweh’ is used with something descriptive, such as Jehovah Rapha, the God or ‘Great I AM who Heals.’ Jesus now states “I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE” [emphasis added]. He declares: He is one with God the Father, and there is no other way to obtain access to God but through Him. Anything which is contrary to His teachings is false, and ultimately leads to eternal death. His presence in human history is to provide us with eternal salvation, not simply life, but to have an eternal relationship with God the Father. The Book of Revelation makes it clear that we all face an eternal future, but only those who truly know Jesus will have eternal life with God the Father.

To know Jesus is to know the Father. Jesus goes on in verse 11 to tell His disciples to look at the works the Father did through Jesus as proof of His Divinity. He also says in verse 12, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do… What kind works did Jesus do? While sometimes miraculous, His most significant works were reaching into the lives of the hurting. Can we, can you and I, collectively and individually, examine to our actions, our deeds, and see them as evidence of our relationship with Jesus, to demonstrate we are His disciples? Consider the previous day, the previous week and try to recall the specific instances, moments, actions when we loved and blessed someone else sacrificially the way Jesus did? Have you reached out and touched an untouchable? Have your actions be shaped and formed because Jesus has saved you?

By Bill Emmerling
Pastor-Gallup Christian Church