“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’ ” –John 11:25-27
For the past couple of months, we’ve been taking a deeper look at each of Jesus’ I AM statements, as recorded in the Gospel of John. We’ve seen that Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the I AM, the Door of the Sheep, the Good Shepherd, and the Resurrection and the Life. Let’s take a look at His next two statements today, then we will cover His final and perhaps most earthshaking statement in one more future post.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
“ ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ -John 14:1-6
In His answer to Thomas’ question, Jesus claims three titles, each one significant.
The Way…
Christ is the only One by whom we can be saved (Acts 4:12), and He has called us to follow the narrow way. Any other ways lead only to destruction. Interestingly, the early church was later called followers of “The Way”, and that truly is one of the best titles for us as believers. It signifies that we have one focus—to follow in the steps of Christ as we walk the way He walked.
The Truth…
Pilate asked the question we all ask at some point in our life: what is truth? (John 18:37-38) In light of Jesus’ words, perhaps the question that is more to the point would be: Who is truth? Who is our source of truth? Too often we look inward to ourselves searching for some sort of truth to make our lives meaningful, or we look to other fallible humans to provide us with some sort of moral compass. But Jesus is clear—He Himself is The Truth, He is the source of all truth. When we truly internalize this, it should bring a beautiful clarity to our lives, especially when we recognize that The Truth is also our Creator.
The Life…
The Lord has done something amazing: He has created us from dust and breathed physical life into our mortal frames, then He has breathed spiritual life into our immortal souls. Through Christ we receive eternal life starting now, because when we partake of the source of life Himself that is when we truly begin to live.
The True Vine
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” -John 15:1
The fact that Christ is the True Vine is a beautiful picture. It harkens back to His being the source of all life and also builds on that concept throughout the rest of the passage. In the next verse, Jesus explains one of the ways the Father continually gives life to those in Christ: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:2-3)
Through the trials and difficulties of life, the Father is pruning us so that we will produce more fruit. So how exactly are we to produce fruit? By good works done in our own strength? No. Jesus tells us in the next few verses: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:4-8)
Apart from Christ our Vine we can do nothing, but through abiding in Him—seeking Him through His Word, seeking Him through prayer—we can bear much fruit and prove that we are His disciples. But what fruit exactly are we to bear? “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:9-14)
The fruit we bear as disciples of Jesus, as those who abide in the Vine, is love. The love of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The love that lays down its own life for others. The love that has great joy in sacrifice. The love that gives those who practice it the title of friends: “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:14-17)
Our True Vine has given us this command, fellow branches, so let us seek to love one another with His love!
Written by NBB Alumna: Bethany Boone
