I gave my father’s eulogy in 2004.  It was a solemn moment, and I put my heart and soul into the words I wrote and my preparation and delivery.  Usually, not one given to emotion I almost lost it right out of the chute and took a deep breath and settled into the message.

I quoted several Bible verses that day, but the prominent and thematic one was from John 14 which was pointed to a promise of a heavenly home with Jesus after we have run the race here. A comfort and assurance to my father, to the attendees, and to me.

Now if you are not familiar with John 14 , most of which is a monologue farewell lesson from Jesus to His 12 disciples. The verses I quoted were, “In my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:2-4).

Comforting encouragement and oft quoted in funerals or going home celebrations. I must confess, that I did not understand the fullness and depth of what Jesus’ words were meant to convey to the disciples.

Here Jesus is, on the eve of His Crucifixion, the most famous Passover weekend since the original Passover, and He in His Divine Nature was revealing His heart and character to the disciples.  The teaching is commonly referred to as the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17).

The intensity  piques when In verse 5, Thomas (the doubting twin), matter-of-factly  states that they do not know  where Jesus is going and how could they?   Jesus replies with the sixth “I am” of the seven “I am” statements – “I am the way, and the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me.” John 14:6 – ESV.

Phew, what a statement!   Here is this Rabbi/Teacher they have been following for three years now saying He is the only way to The Lord.  Of course, He has made the claim before, too many verses to record here in various gospels, yet John thematically drives his gospel deep into the ground that Jesus is who He said He is – that He is God.  Indeed, He is the Great I am.

If you want to learn who Jesus really was, there are many great books out there by brilliant men such as Augustine or various other scholars who devoted their lives to Biblical and Theological studies,  but the first place in my opinion to start is the fourth gospel of the book of John.

So, who is Jesus to you – is He a teacher, a prophet, a resurrected prophet or leader from the Bible, or do you agree with Simon Peter,  in Matthew 16 – “You are the Christ; the son of the Living God.” Matthew 16:16.  Jesus reaffirms this in John 14:6, and continuing forward we shall see He is indeed the Great I am.  He follows through all the way to Golgotha and the empty tomb come Sunday.

I have no definitive survey or answers on what percentage of modern Christians, believe they have assurance of eternal life, simply by the grace of Jesus Christ.  Nevertheless, I saw numbers as low as 10 percent to as much as a third of those of us who claim to be Christians. The reason is the dilution of the scripture by the work of man and the distortion and deception by the enemy, attempting to corrupt the truth of the gospel.  Another erosion of truth is there are other ways to salvation besides faith in Christ.  Yet, that is not what Jesus claimed here in John 14:6.   And to quote Pastor Irwin Lutzer, of Moody Church, “If that offends you, I can’t help you.  It’s not me, it’s the offense of cross.”

Believe scriptures such as John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:13, and one of the lesser known quotes – “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”.. (Jude 24)

I cannot say it any better than that. Believe in God and believe in Jesus – they are one in the same, and the only way to the life everlasting. Amen