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Sunday, February 9, 2014

John 14 continued (previous bog verses 1-6)

Back to John 14.6 The Lord Jesus says “ I am the truth”.

       Our culture has sometimes emphasized the need for truthfulness – meaning not lying ie  not telling an untruth, or not withholding the truth. A visit to the courtroom brings this to the fore. Whiles it is true of my Lord   ‘ He could not lie’, the meaning of ‘truth’ in the Bible is somewhat deeper. A study of dictionaries and concordances would be helpful, but let me give you my thoughts. ‘Truth’ is the revealing of the reality of a matter. John 1 – the Son of God is said to be “full of grace and truth”. i.e. He ‘the Word’ (communicator) gave full and final expression to God’s character of love and holiness. The truth about God, the truth(reality) of God was seen and felt by contact with Jesus Christ. Just to touch the hem of His garment was  power to heal. Just to accept His words was life (ch4.50, 5.24). To receive Him as the Lord from heaven was food unto eternal life (ch6.29,6.57). Paul understood this – Colossians 2.3 ”In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. In the final city of God, new Jerusalem, ‘the Lamb is the light “ meaning more than physical light. The ‘truth’ of Him revealed will be the eternal light of our spirits. ‘This is life eternal to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.’   -- All the fullness of truth, is in the SON. How blessed to be among those who know Him who is the truth!

John 14.6 “and the Life”  
          This may be known a little by viewing the contrast. Through the sin of Adam, we live in a dying world. We and all around us dies. Once we pass 50 or 60 years we look ahead to failing strength, memory loss, disease, tooth decay and we fight it by any means possible – in hope to live! Not a lot of people grasp the prospect of heaven so as to say “I sometimes grow homesick for heaven and the glories I there shall behold” 
     How different it would be to have real life where sickness, sin, sorrow did not interfere!

           What then is this “life”. We must needs turn our thinking from ourselves to God – he lives, He is the author of life, He gives life, He will resurrect people to life, He keeps the book of life – only real life is to live in Him.
But what is “life”- more than existence (the unbeliever will be conscious in eternal punishment but yet dead). Life can be illustrated by my newly born granddaughter. She was a girl in the womb, she breathed a first breath and then screamed to prove she was alive. Now we look into her eyes for recognition. At times I hold her fingers, waiting for her to hold my finger. The all joy breaks out when she smiles.- she is entering into life!
So it is with God – He doesn’t just give us eternal life wrapped in a box. No, “life” is a vital experience of God – now and forever. Our Lord Jesus lived on earth in joyful communion with the Father. Everyday, in every situation He could and did communicate with God His Father. Sometimes He would find a quiet spot and there spend time alone with God. This was “Life” to Him and this is the “life” He yearns to share with others.
Science thinks of life as molecules connecting together to make a living organism.

“I am the Life” – true life is only real when we are connected to The Son of God – as branches in the vine, as sheep in His flock, as children in His family!
         John the Apostle wrote in another place ‘whoever has the Son has life’ (1 John 5.12 )

At this point we must ask the question – am I on the way to God?  Do I know the truth revealed in Christ?   Do I have eternal life ?

If anyone is not sure, don’t go on until you are sure. Seek Him today and you will find Him. Call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved!

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