How can we know the way?

(Re-post by request.)

Do you recognize that verse?  We know it from the discourse of Jesus after he told his closest followers he would be leaving them soon. 

I can only imagine their feelings, their broken hearts, their unrest.  After all, these were the ones Jesus had personally invited to "Come, Follow Me."

Some of these men had worked as fishermen when they got the invitation to follow Jesus. The Bible says they left their nets and followed him.  For some, the following of Jesus was not an easy choice.  They would be leaving their families, their livelihood, their friends, and their way of life, to embark on the unknown.  Perhaps this is why the news of his departure hit them so hard.

In an attempt to bring comfort to his upset followers, Jesus spoke.   “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ 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. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”   John 14:1-4

We need to remind ourselves these were men who had placed their trust in Jesus, but at times he referred to them as "You of little faith."  The earthly mission of Jesus was drawing to a close.  He had spent his ministry here in teaching like no one had ever taught, performing miracles of restoring sight, driving out demons, raising the dead and more.  The followers of Jesus had heard his parables and had witnessed his encounters with the Pharisees.  And Jesus knew they believed in God. 

He was telling them there was no reason for their hearts to be troubled because they believed in God, and they could also believe him. Further, he assured them of the preparations already made and being made by Jesus to make everything ready for him to come back and take them with him.

The Scripture then brings us to the event that gives Thomas his nickname as "Doubting Thomas."  Continue reading with verse 5,  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”   ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If we believe that final sentence, "No one comes to the Father except through me,"  then we will find comfort and peace for our lives in knowing Jesus as the way.  His way becomes our way.  We will know Jesus as the truth when in faith we accept his truth.  And we can know Jesus as the life when we experience his life in us.  Our fears, our doubts, our struggles will cease when we know him like this. 

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