Jesus is Life

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:68

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:3-6

 

The Gospel of John provides the setting for this final post on life that is truly life. John’s gospel is rich with references to the Trinity. It is rich with Christ. Two themes that we have been exploring are brought to a perfect conclusion by John. We have looked 1) at God’s Word being life and 2) that parents must present life to their children. In the first chapter, John identifies Jesus as the Word of God. Then, in chapter 14, He says that Jesus is life, the life. Christ does not lead toward the illusory life that I Timothy warns us to avoid. No, following Christ leads to life itself, for he is the life.

Notice Thomas’ question in verse 5 that sets up Jesus’ powerful reply in verse 6. Jesus says, “You know the place where I am going.” A puzzled Thomas responds, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 

With this question, Thomas behaves very much like your children. Even though Jesus has spent three years teaching his disciples about the kingdom of heaven, they fail to grasp the big picture and think only of the moment in front of them. Likewise, it seems your children will often question your commitment to them if you do anything other than what they desire at a particular moment. They have a difficult time grasping that your actions, though often imperfect, are designed with a single goal in mind – to lead them to Christ.

You must not become impatient with your children about these situations. Rather, follow the model the Christ lays before you. Continue to point them to the One whose very words are life. Don’t expect your children to immediately and fully understand that the reason you don’t get ice cream as often as they want, the reason that you discipline them, the reason that you don’t let them play at a friend’s house, and the reason for a myriad of other situations is that you are leading them towards life itself. Christ cannot be apprehended by mere reason. Yet, over time, faithfully present Jesus as life itself.  He provides life for you and for your children in his time. So, Jesus tells Thomas that he is the Way. He doesn’t provide Thomas with a detailed explanation of how to find the way. He simply states that if we know him and follow his directions, that is enough. It is enough because Jesus and his commands (words) are life.  Think about the conversations you have with your children. Do you point your kids to Christ or to something else? Is Christ real to you? Are his words your life?

For this reason, your parenting must be grounded in life—that is, in Christ. Like Thomas, your children don’t know the way on their own. They need your words to point them to Christ (Proverbs 6:20-24). The world is interested—and fully invested—in leading your children away from Christ. This is why you must not love the world. Note this quote from influential educator John Dewey:

Faith in the prayer-hearing God is an unproved and outmoded faith. There is no God and there is no soul. Hence, there are no needs for the props of traditional religion. With dogma and creed excluded, the immutable truth is also dead and buried. There is no room for fixed, natural law or moral absolutes.” [John Dewey, “Soul-Searching,” Teacher Magazine, Sept. 1933, p. 33.]

The culture of the 21^st Century has come to embrace Dewey’s idea of God.  In contrast, patiently but powerfully present Christ and his ways to your children. Don’t settle for counterfeit words. Your children need the formative instruction provided only by God’s word. Shepherd Press has just published a new book that can help you in this important task. This is the theme of Instructing a Child’s Heart. This book has valuable foundational material that will help you to present Christ to your children.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Give your children nothing less.

Let me know your thoughts on this series of posts.

 

 

Comments

[Dan Delavan]

Great post!! I can't help but think of Colossians 2:8-10 "See to it that no one take you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, AND IN HIM YOU HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE..."

By caving in every time to the ice cream, etc. that you mentioned, we are training our children that Christ is not enough: they really are not complete unless they have ice cream or...

Thank you for directing our attention to true life.