CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #27: Jesus said, "I AM the Way, the Truth, & the Life."

 

We're in the midst of a new series - studying the "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John. 

This week’s topic: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)

OT Background: Exodus 26:33; Leviticus 16

NT Fulfillment: John 14:6

Share about a time when you were lost.

How about a time when you got caught in a lie?

Synopsis: It’s likely Jesus is here contrasting himself to the many ways in the OT that God prescribed for how the Jews could approach and relate to him. The systems of the sacrifices, temple, the curtain, tabernacle, and other means of worship were temporary “ways” to God. As the NT makes clear, these things in and of themselves did not cleanse or make people acceptable to God, but they were avenue by which God’s people could walk in faith and follow after Him (see Hebrews 8-9).

Jesus contrasts himself to anything before him they thought led them to the Father. He is the only one who provides the way to the Father, but He is also at the same time to the full revelation of the Father (truth). Jesus is telling them there’s nowhere else to look; nowhere you need to look or can look to find the true path to God. Jesus is that one way and that one path. He offers what Israel looked for and needed, and He replaced all prior things set up as temporary means by which man relates to God. All of these pointed to him and accomplished limited things (such as only making people ceremonially clean but not truly clean), and He is now here and able to accomplish salvation and redemption fully.

READ John 13:18-14:1

• How have you experienced confusion and worry like the disciples?

READ John 14:1- 4

Jesus says, “Hey, it’s me! You can trust me!” He calls us to change our perspective of who and what we put our faith in.

READ John 14:6-7

Jesus describes Himself as the way, the truth, and the life.

• What do each of these terms mean?

WAY

TRUTH

LIFE

• What does trusting in God look like practically?

READ John 14:15-31

• How does Jesus continue to guide His followers today?

• Where does the Holy Spirit dwell?

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #26: Jesus said, "I AM the Resurrection & the Life."

 We're in the midst of a new series - studying the "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John. 

This week's topic:  I Am the Resurrection, and the Life (John 11:25)

OT Background: Genesis 1-3; Isaiah 53:10
NT Fulfillment: John 11:17-27 

• What about heaven are you looking forward to the most?!
• When you think about the resurrection, what amazes you?

READ John 11:11-37 

Synopsis: Jesus doesn’t just talk about what He can do or give, but who He is. He doesn’t just give bread (like Moses) but He is the bread. He doesn’t merely reflect light; He is the light. 

The OT background isn’t as clear here as other statements, but most commentators believe Genesis 1-3 is partially in view. God is the Creator and Life-giver, granting life to creation and breathing life into Adam. However, the first Adam chose sin which brought about death for mankind and brokenness for the creation. Jesus comes as the second Adam, righteous and blameless in all his ways, comes to undo what Adam did and reverse the curse (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15). Where Adam brought about death and decay, Jesus gives life and restoration. He provides not only resurrection and life to individuals who believe in him but for the entire world.

While many of the Jews wanted things from Jesus without having to receive and believe in Jesus, the offer of Jesus is himself. He doesn’t give bread and allow people to reject submission and belief to him, nor does He offer to give life apart from that life being found in him. These are free and gracious gifts, and they come only in and through Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life. He is the 2ndAdam, bringing resurrection and life where the first Adam offered us only death. 

• Why do you think we mourn when someone dies? Why is death such a sad and scary thing to most people? 
• Why do you think Jesus responded to the people by weeping? What is different about Jesus’ emotion versus the emotion of the people? 
• Why do you think that bringing life is such an important part of Jesus’ ministry? 

READ Romans 6:11-14

• What does the resurrected life with Christ look like?
• How does the power of Jesus bring you hope and comfort?

Pastoral Prayer - At The Well (Based on John 4)

Written by Rev. Dr. Todd Jenkins

Creator God, 

we seldom expect to encounter You 

in the middle of our daily sojourn, pandemic or not. 

We are so busy doing what we always do, 

that our focus is distracted. 

We heave the empty water jar of our lives onto our shoulders, 

and strike out toward the well -  

the place where our parched lives might have a chance to be quenched. 

It’s the same old path,

worn deep into the dirt by our tired feet. 

All along the way, O Lord, 

we catch glimpses of other people, 

but we turn our gaze away, 

because we have felt, 

far too often and far too deeply, 

the judgment in their stare, 

and the condemnation in their voice. 

That’s why we go in the heat of the day, 

hoping to avoid the crowds. 

And, truth be told, 

sometimes the shoe is on the other foot, 

and we are perched in the judgment seat. 

 

Who could have imagined

the disciples would have left the very flesh and blood 

of the Incarnate One at the well — 

our well — 

while they slipped into town in search of food. 

But there You were, 

sitting in what little shade there was, 

as if You were waiting on us to arrive. 

And when we did, You didn’t hesitate; 

You just spoke to us as if You’d known us all along, 

asking us to use what we had — 

an empty jar — 

to provide You a drink.

 

Of course, we had to point out 

that You had no bucket,

and the well was deep, 

but that didn’t seem to bother You, 

because You were drawing from 

a different well altogether; 

a well sunk deep into the heart 

of divine love and mercy. 

And then You looked into our eyes. 

It was as if Your gaze could see 

to the very core of our beings; 

as if You knew everything we’d ever done, 

as well as all the stuff we’ve left undone 
and scattered like wreckage across the narrative of our lives. 

 

Never had we experienced this before, 

our whole lives being laid bare before someone, 

and feeling, not judgment, condemnation, and rejection, 

but grace, mercy, and forgiveness! 

 

Our lives will never be the same. 

So, of course, we’ll drop our water jar 

and run back to the very people we’ve been trying to avoid, 

because we know they need to experience the same catharsis. 

 

Give us courage, O God,

to go back to all of the places we call our home villages, 

and to share the good news of divine love with all who will listen, 

and even to those who won’t, 

because the seed we plant 

may one day grow into the fruit of grace.

 

Give to each of us, who thirst for You, 

that living water of Your Spirit:
water of refreshment,
water of healing,
water of cleansing,
water of life.

 

Visit us with Your presence, 

Saturate us with Your Spirit.

Bathe us in Your streams of living water.

 

We pray these things, in the name of Christ, the Living Water, who taught us to pray by saying these words: 

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #25: Jesus said, "I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd."

We're in the midst of a new series - studying the seven  "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John. 

This week's topic: I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18)

OT Background: Psalms 118:20 (gates = door); Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23 (cf. Isaiah 40:11; Numbers 27:15-18; Micah 5:4)

NT Fulfillment: John 10:1-18

•        Are you an office door opened or door closed?
•        Why is there a sheep pen door? Or cattle gate?

READ John 10:1-10.

Synopsis: In John 10:1-18, Jesus makes two of the I Am sayings together. He claims He is the both the door through which the sheep enter as well as the Shepherd who knows the sheep and lays down his life for them. The metaphor of the door does not have the rich OT background as shepherding imagery does. But, Jesus is both the only way (door) a person enters into the people of God and the one who gives his life for the life of sheep, whom He knows and protects. He is the one who gathers the sheep and cares for them (shepherd) and He’s also the means by which they enter and are kept safe (door).

Jesus is talking to the Pharisees in this conversation. The claims to be a good shepherd and Israel’s true shepherd was (in part) a rebuke against them. As the influential teachers in Israel, they should have led the people to truth. They should have put the people before themselves. They should serve God’s agenda rather than their own. But the Pharisees are like the bad shepherds in Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23, leading them astray through false doctrine, prioritizing themselves over the sheep, and abusing them. Through this metaphor, Jesus at once lumps the Pharisees into the camp of the false prophets and bad shepherds of the OT while claiming to be the true and good shepherd those same OT passages promised (Ezek. 34:11-16, 22-24; Jer. 23:3-4). 

Jesus comes not to pile burdens on but to relieve them and carry them himself. Jesus comes not to scatter the sheep but to gather them. Jesus comes not to devour the sheep but to defend them. Jesus comes to seek out, rescue, heal, and feed the sheep. He will do so because He loves the sheep and they belong to him. This is proven and accomplished by him giving up his life for his sheep.

READ Ephesians 6:10-12 & 1 Peter 5:8

•        What is the goal of the enemy/thief/devil?
•        What happens to a sheep who is not in the protection of the door?

READ Psalm 138:7, and 2 Thessalonians 3:3 

•        God is a protector. How have you felt God’s protection in the past? 
•        How might we, as Jesus’ sheep, learn to be more attentive to His voice, and less easily deceived by those who seek to harm us? 

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #24: Jesus said, "I AM the Light of the World."

We're in the midst of a new series - studying the seven  "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John. 

This week's topic: I Am the Light of the World (John 8:12)

 

OT Background: Exodus 13:17-22; Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 
NT Fulfillment: John 8:12-30. See also John 1:4-5; 3:19-21; 9:5; 12:35-36).

 

·      Were you scared of the dark as a kid?

·      Do you keep flashlights and candles in your house? 

·      How is light useful? What can we do in the light that we can’t do in the dark?

·      What are things that are intentionally done in the dark? Why do you think that these things want to remain in the darkness?

Synopsis: Light is one of the most prominent themes in John’s Gospel. The world is lost and hopeless in darkness (John 1:4-14). The darkness cannot change its condition. Light must enter and invade.  One cannot see or lead others in the darkness, so light is necessary to guide us and walk forward. John picks up light from a rich OT heritage and shows how Jesus is the light.

 

READ Isaiah 60:1-3, John 1:4-9, John 8:12, and 1 John 1:5-7. 

Based upon the fact that in John 8:12 Jesus ties the idea of being the light with his people following after him in the light, the most likely OT background in mind here is the light of God’s presence leading Israel in the wilderness via the pillar of fire (Exodus 13-14). Just as the Israelites were led by the pillar of fire (light) in the exodus and saved from the Egyptians as they crossed the Red Sea, so also Jesus says those who follow him (light) will have life.

 

·      Describe what Jesus being the light of the world means to you. 

·      What kind of fear do those in the darkness have, when revealed by Jesus and his light? 

 

READ Matthew 11:28-29.

 

·      How does Jesus respond to people who come to Him? 

·      Why is understanding Jesus’ love and grace so vital to experiencing life in His light without fear?

·      How can Jesus’ light in our lives be transformative?

·      How can we be the light of the world? How does you understanding of Jesus’ light, love, and grace help you to be a light for the world? 

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS #23: Jesus said, "I AM the Bread of Life."

 

We're starting a new series this week! For the next 7 weeks, we'll talk about the seven  "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John. 

This week's topic: I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35)

OT Background: Exodus 16; Deut. 8:3; Ps. 78:23-25
NT Fulfillment: John 6:22-59, especially verses 28-35.

 

·      If you had to choose one meal to eat everyday for the rest of your life, what would it be?

·      Are you a white bread or wheat bread kind of guy?

Synopsis: Jesus enters a dialogue with Jews who had followed him because of his miracles—including the recent feeding of the 5,000—and yet they missed the reality behind them (He is the Divine Messiah). More important than solving their physical hunger for food through bread, Jesus offers himself as the Bread of Life to fulfill deeper longings and an eternal need.

 

READ John 6:25-35.

What perspective is Jesus pointing them toward?

 

READ Exodus 12:12-21.

How does bread actually connect the minds of the Jewish people to the heart of God?

 

READ Exodus 16:1-16.

There is more to the bread from God than the bread itself (Exodus 16). It’s not an earthly bread but a heavenly bread. It comes from above—from God—and comes down to us only by his grace and goodness. We need more than physical bread and we need it from someone other than ourselves. God will provide what we need most, and we should raise our eyes in faith.

 

READ JOHN 6:35-59.

Jesus takes this Old Testament background to bread for God’s people and He claims to be the bread of life. He explains the bread in the wilderness of Exodus was only a temporary provision, and that it points to a true and eternal bread from heaven God would later give. This bread is now before the Jews. The manna pictures Jesus, who is sent from God, comes down from heaven, must be taken by faith, who must be eaten/fully taken in, and who gives life.

 

·      Into what kind of life is Jesus inviting us? 

·      How can we be sustained by Jesus? 

·      How does this remind us of how much God loves us?