Week 5: Way, Truth, Life (John 14:6)
Week Five: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
1. Opening Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can see you, know you, and have precious fellowship with you. Open our eyes to see more and more of Jesus so that we can see more and more of You. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.
Read: All of John 13:33, 36 and 14 to understand the context
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. NLT
Context & Teaching Notes
This chapter teaches an exclusive gospel. No universalism (the hope that everyone will someday be in heaven), but a narrow way—salvation through Jesus alone. Philip wanted tangible evidence, the privilege of seeing the Father (v. 8). But that is precisely what he had seen for three and one-half years; anyone who has seen Jesus has seen the Father.
The thought of death troubles human beings and always has. Jesus had spoken to the disciples about his death (13:33, 36), and they were troubled. Now he said to them in essence, “Stop worrying.”
It is important to remember that the chapter divisions in the Bible are not the work of the original writers. (The fourth-century AD Codex Vaticanus, which contains the oldest system we know about for dividing the NT, separates the fourth gospel into fifty units.) What we label as ch. 14 continues the previous “chapter” without any necessary break. The admonition “do not let your hearts be troubled” must be read in the context of Jesus’ announcement of his imminent death (13:31–33) and his prediction of Peter’s betrayal (13:38).
3. Discussion Questions
How does this I AM statement of Jesus have the power to affect your understanding of faith as “relational trust”?
How do your beliefs of Jesus identity and mission shape, or form the way you live?
As you live out what you profess and what Holy Spirit is doing in you, what kind of disciple are you becoming?
How might this revive or bring new life to your faith community?
In this passage, where do you see Jesus’ humanity? Where do you see His divine authority?
How DO I recognize truth and live a life that God uses and blesses?
How might I move from complaining about the spiritual darkness and moral decay of today and bring light into my world?
How might I be part of reviving new life among the people of God in my church?
As we navigate our spiritual journeys; who is to accompany us, and how might we grow into flourishing and discerning disciples when our hearts can be so troubled in our present world?
What does it mean for you to follow the Way?
What resonated with you and what might you be resisting in these themes?
Ask Holy Spirit to reveal one area in your life to be with Jesus who is the Way, because He is the Truth, and the Life.
You are invited to take a simple actionable step into following Jesus, based on this lesson with a quote from Gary Moon: “Do your next right thing with Jesus until you find Jesus doing the next right thing through you! “ (Moon, Gary. Apprenticeship with Jesus. Baker Books, 2009, p. 241.)
4. Formation Practice (See the Website for the Examen Practice)
We encourage you to continue using the Examen. You may want to download Reimagining the Ignatian Examen: App from your App Store. It can be used on your phone or your tablet.
We have prepared a practice on Christian Meditative and Contemplative. Download from the church website.
5. Closing Prayer
Consider closing in prayer using Psalm 1 or other Psalms that mention way or path.