Sabbath School Lesson for November 30-December 6, 2004
Overview and Introduction of Lesson 10, The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Memory Text: “No one has seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:18 NKJV
The first half of John’s Gospel focuses on the signs, dialogues, and teachings of Jesus; but in the middle of his record, a shift occurs and the focus is on the glory manifested in God’s Son. The seven familiar “I AM” statements form a bridge that tie the two halves of the book together. He called Himself “the bread of life”, “the light of the world”, “the door”, “the good shepherd”, and “the resurrection and the life”, as He presented Himself through miracles and the sermons He delivered.
But as we enter chapter 13, when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He again sadly revealed that He would be leaving them soon. Thomas, unnerved by this possibility, asked Jesus how they could follow Him, if they didn’t know where He was going.
Jesus then made the clear statement that He was the way, the truth, and the life. As John 1:18 informs us, Jesus is the only One who has seen the Father. He, therefore, knows the way back to His Father’s loving arms. He invites us to enjoy the abundant, eternal life that can only be experienced through His Son.
To see Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, we examine these topics…
- Sunday: I Have Given You an Example–By washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus becomes an example of the humble servant we are to be.
- Monday: I Will Certainly Come Again-–By promising His return, Jesus gives us hope.
- Tuesday: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life–By showing Himself to us, Jesus reveals the way to His Father.
- Wednesday: I Am the Truth–By living an honest, righteous life, Jesus shows us what truth is.
- Thursday: The Scriptures and the Truth–By pointing us to the Scriptures, Jesus becomes real to us.
Sunday: I Have Given You an Example
Jesus’ unusual behavior in washing the disciples’ feet is what sets off His farewell address in chapters 13-17. They were humbled and awed that their Master would lower Himself to a servant’s level by willingly washing their dirty, dusty feet when they arrived at the upper room to celebrate the Passover meal.
Peter’s response and refusal, when Jesus began washing his feet, represented the sentiment of most of his companions. They were confused by the shocking event they were witnessing.
Afterwards, Jesus recommended that they follow His example, and some churches today still thankfully follow the practice of this ordinance of humility by washing each others’ feet before partaking of the communion service. It prepares hearts to humbly receive the blessings of the holy emblems of unfermented bread and wine, representing His innocent, broken body and blood when He became the sacrificial Lamb.
Bible Verses:
John 13:1-5
- Why do you think John is the only Gospel that records Jesus washing their feet?
John 13:6-10
- What motivated Peter to make such remarks?
John 13:11-20
- Why is it important to include the ordinance of humility before we partake of the communion emblems?
Monday: I Will Certainly Come Again
Thomas wondered where Jesus was going, but Peter wondered why he couldn’t follow Jesus there. He courageously offered to die with Him if necessary. But Jesus deflated Peter’s bold stance by predicting that he would deny his Master three times before the cock crowed.
Sensing the troubled minds of His disciples, Jesus then went further to predict His resurrection and later return to bring them home with Him to heaven (John 14:1-3).
Although some Bible translations refer to heavenly mansions that Jesus will prepare for us, the original language indicates that they will be rooms, not mansions. These rooms, as rooms in an inn, point out the closeness and welcoming love we will have when we get to heaven. Jesus, as a Babe in Bethlehem, may have had difficulty finding a room in an inn, but we will be welcomed with open arms when we get to His Father’s house.
When saying “I will come again” in John 14:3, Jesus used the Greek use of the present tense called “futuristic present”. We might then translate His statement as “I will CERTAINLY come again”, providing us with even more assurance of its fulfillment.
Bible Verses:
John 14:1-3
- Without Jesus’ return, what would His death and resurrection alone have accomplished?
- Why do we need the Second Coming for the plan of salvation to be complete?
Tuesday: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
The disciples were quite mystified when they heard the uncomfortable news that Jesus would soon be leaving them. Jesus told them in the upper room that He was going away to prepare a place for them in heaven; but they still weren’t sure how, why, or even where He was going.
Thomas worried about not being able to follow Him if they didn’t know where He was going. And Philip thought that seeing God the Father would help–at least they would know their destination better. Therefore, he asked Jesus to show them the Father.
Of course, Jesus expressed dismay that they hadn’t yet realized that He and the Father were one. Everything Jesus did, all the things He taught them, was for the purpose of showing them the character of their loving Father God. Jesus was the way to the Father. We come to Him through His Son, the way to truth and life.
Bible Verses:
John 14:5-6
- How can a person be the “way” to something? Give an example.
John 14:7-11, 1:18, and Exodus 33:18-20
- What qualifies Jesus to be one with the Father, and what does that mean?
- How are we able to see God?
- What does it tell us that Jesus was the only one to see the Father?
Wednesday: I AM the Truth
Jesus called Himself the truth. We know He is intimately connected with the truths found in God’s holy word. God’s Son is referred to as Logos, the Word.
He is also called the Light of the world. Jesus, who came to us in human flesh, enlightens our minds as we search for God’s truth. He helps us interpret the world around us, in addition to other religious truths found in the Bible.
God is so anxious for us to know Him that He sent us the truth in human form so we could better understand Him. Truth is no longer just a concept for humanity. It’s a Person–our Lord Jesus Christ, His uniquely-born Son.
Bible Verses:
John 1:14, 17, 8:32, and 15:26
- How is truth associated with Jesus?
Thursday: The Scriptures and the Truth
Most Christians discover that the more they know and study the Bible, the more they know and understand about God, including His Son Jesus. Christ confirmed that Moses spoke of Him (John 5:46). And Peter, speaking to the disciples at Pentecost, mentioned David as a source of Messianic prophecy (Acts 1:16).
The whole Bible can be used to learn about Jesus. When the resurrected Jesus appeared to some disciples on the road to Emmaus, He gave them an intense Bible study about Himself that included “all the prophets” in the Scriptures (Luke 24:27).
Besides learning about the Messiah, the Scriptures reveal many answers that can be found nowhere else. God’s written word not only reveals the existence of God, but also His role in the universe. In its pages, we discover our origin, the meaning of life, and even what the future holds for our sin-filled planet. Humanity has always desired to know these truths.
Bible Verses:
John 5:38-40, 5:46-47
- How does abiding, or being held and kept, in God’s word help us have life?
- What does Moses’ writings tell us about Jesus?
Acts 1:16 and Psalm 41:9
- What prophecy did David mention about Jesus?
Luke 24:27
- How do we know Jesus is in ALL the Scriptures?
- Why would this have been an easy Bible study for Jesus to give, and why was it important for the two disciples to hear it?
Friday: Final Thoughts
We find in Jesus’ farewell address (John, chapters 14-17) consolation, promises, predictions, and exhortation. Jesus tried to soothe them, promising the Holy Spirit to be His surrogate, then predicted their grief, and reminded them to remain faithful.
The simple act of washing the disciples’ feet before His farewell remarks caused such intense emotions that you could almost feel the tension in the air. In their culture, the head was the noblest part of the body, and the feet ranked the lowest. Lowering His head to come close to their feet as He washed them represented God’s willingness to come down to their level to minister to them in their most deplorable condition.
Judas, we can imagine, felt dismay and resentment over Jesus’ humble, undignified behavior, harboring ideas of future grandeur for Christ and himself in the near future. Peter, on the other hand, felt Christ’s overpowering humility at the gesture. He even refused to let His Master serve him, until he learned that his refusal meant he could have no part with his Lord.
In order for us to be faithful followers of Christ, we, too, must humble ourselves and serve others. Experiencing humility, even if it never matches that of God’s Son, is the only way to find our way to heaven, the source of life and truth.
Next Week: The Father, the Son, and the Spirit
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