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Friday, December 20 John 14 | I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life Author: Dr. Rob Pacienza

Today, we continue to reflect on the coming of Christ, the One who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). As we anticipate celebrating His birth, we remember that Jesus is not only a babe in a manger but also the King of the world and the only source of eternal life and salvific truth.

What was one of the cardinal tenets that makes Christianity so controversial and deemed by many as countercultural, even in Jesus’ day? The answer is its exclusivity. Like our own culture, Greco-Roman culture was tolerant of many belief systems but not exclusive claims regarding faith and religion. Jesus claims to be the exclusive way to God.

John 14:6 is a powerful declaration from Jesus during His final moments with His disciples before the crucifixion. In preparing them for His departure, He offers this profound truth: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This statement not only clarifies Jesus's nature but also reveals the purpose of His incarnation.

First, Jesus says, “I am the way.” This speaks to the fact that salvation comes through Christ alone. All saving faith is consciously focused on Christ, who alone could restore a relationship torn asunder by sin. During Advent, as we reflect on His birth, we celebrate that God sent Jesus to be the way to Himself. Without Christ, we would be lost in sin, separated from God. His coming offers us the way back to the Father.

Next, Jesus declares, “I am the truth.” In a world filled with confusion and deception, Jesus stands as the embodiment of divine truth. He came to reveal the nature of God, bringing light into darkness. His words and actions show us the character and will of God, and His life is the ultimate expression of truth in action. This Advent, we are reminded that in the birth of Jesus, amidst a world riddled with deception and darkness, truth and light came to Earth.

Finally, Jesus states, “I am the life.” He came not only to show us the way to the Father but also to give us abundant, eternal life. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered death, offering life to all who believe in Him. Advent is a time of joy because we celebrate the gift of abundant life bestowed by Christ and him alone. He is the source of eternal life, and in Him, we find hope beyond this world.

Isn’t it amazing that at this moment in John’s Gospel, in John 14, the moment of the disciples’ deep distress, Jesus didn’t say something like, “Believe whatever you want to believe as long as it brings you comfort, as long as it makes you happy?” No. Jesus told his disciples what they needed to hear—the truth. And the beautiful thing is that after he had accomplished his cross work, they would be commissioned to take that message into a dark world that desperately needs to hear that same truth.

This is what makes Christianity unique. Religion says, “I have the truth, and I can be saved by performing that truth.” Christianity declares that truth has come down in the person of Jesus Christ, and he has come to set us free from slavery to sin and death. We’ll never be able to live well enough to achieve salvation. That’s the whole point. Jesus became our substitute. Out of his love for God and for us, he lived a perfectly righteous life before the Father. He died the death of deaths so that we don’t have to. And he rose again that we might have the abundant life, both now and forevermore.

As we prepare for Christmas, John 14:6 challenges us to center our hearts and lives on Jesus. Let us take time to evaluate where we are placing our hope and trust. As we anticipate His second coming, let us recommit ourselves to following Him wholeheartedly.