Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 192

"The Way" to God

Text: John 14 : 1 - 11

“THE WAY” TO GOD

The Jews prided themselves in their knowledge of God. In one encounter with Jesus, the Jews made bold claims of their relationship with God. The first was with reference to Abraham. They declared, “Abraham is our father” (John 8:39). The second was with reference to God. They claimed. “We have one Father – God” (John 8:41). However, the Jews rejected Jesus and even took up “stones to throw at Him” (John 8:59).

Jesus told the Jews in that encounter that they were not of God at all. If their claim to any paternal relationship were to be examined, they would be found to belong to their “father the devil” (John 8:44). Few statements could be more staggering or more clearly stated than that!

In a totally different context now, Jesus nevertheless reiterated an important truth to His Disciples. They must understand what He was trying to say to them in this statement.

“I am The Way, The Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6

Jesus was NOT offering a system of theology to His Disciples. He was not offering ways and means to reach God! He was the WAY to God. He was the TRUTH of God. He was the very Word of God. He offered LIFE itself!

PAST “WAYS” TO GOD

The Scriptures recorded a number of “ways” in which people approached God. (When we speak of “ways” we refer only to the forms of worship adopted). Let’s take a look at some of these ways.

1. Raising of a simple altar

Noah raised an altar and worshipped God by giving “burnt offerings” (Genesis 8:20). Abraham was also known to raise altars for the purpose of worship (Genesis 12:7, 8). God accepted their worship.

2. Tabernacle Worship

It was the Lord Himself who ordered the construction of a special sanctuary for the purpose of worship in the days of Moses. The Lord said,

“And let them make Me a sanctuary,
that I may dwell among them…”
Exodus 25:8

3. Temple Worship

After the great Solomonic Temple was consecrated, the Lord especially appeared to Solomon and gave him this word.

“I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself
as a house of sacrifice.”
2 Chronicles 7:12

4. Jesus – the New and Living Way to God

We have an important theological comment on the subject of Jesus being the way to God in the Book of Hebrews. Let us take time to examine this text carefully.


“Therefore, brethren, having boldness 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,
and having a High Priest over the House of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:19-22

What Jesus said to His Disciples, “I am the Way…”, contained deep theological truths that were not fully comprehended till much later! Let us delineate some of these truths as captured in this text.

a) Jesus was The Way into the very Presence of God Himself (The Old Testament spoke of “The Holy of Holies”). No one could enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum except the High Priest and that only once a year.
b) Jesus provided “a new and living way”. This was unheard of in the past!
c) He was the MEANS that made it possible to have such an access to God!
d) He is our great High Priest as well!
These great theological truths were not comprehended by Thomas in his conversation with Jesus. The Lord understood the struggles His Disciples had when they sought to fathom what He meant when He spoke of Himself as being “The Way, The Truth and The Life”.

ACCESS TO GOD THE FATHER

What a joy and privilege all believers have because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! The Apostle Paul commented on this privilege of having “access” to God through Jesus in his famous epistle to the Romans.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have ACCESS by faith
into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:1-2

Let us take time to reflect and rejoice that we have wonderful access to the very Presence of God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. “I am The Way…”