John 4:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can get to God the Father except by means of me." That's a pretty strong claim. Circle "the." He said I'm the way. He didn't say, I'm one way, I'm a good way, I'm one of the ways. Saying, "All roads get to heaven" is stupid. That's like saying I can dial any phone number and get home. There's one number that will get me home.
He says, I'm the truth. That means any other way is not the truth if He's right. He claimed to be God. He says, "No one can get to God the Father except by me." Even if you don't believe Jesus Christ is who He said He was, you still use Him as a reference point. Every time you write a check, every time you date a contract, every time you put down an appointment in your little blue book what's the reference point? 1991 years from what? Jesus came to earth. God came to earth in the form of a man so we could know what God is like. His name was Jesus Christ. He split all of history into A.D. and B.C. Every time you write a date, Jesus is the reference point. He said He was who He claimed to be.
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Jesus Shows He Has the Power He Claimed to Have
He said "All power on earth and in heaven is given to me." Because He was God He could do everything God could do. In
John 10:18 He says, "Nobody takes my life from me. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again." No force could keep Him in the tomb. The Romans killed Him, they put Him in a tomb, they put the big stone in front of the tomb and then sealed it with the Roman seal and they posted a 24-hour guard. They were only trying to prevent the inevitable.
He had all the power in the world. He said, They can't stop me. I can give My life way and I can take it up again. (That's where they get the phrase, "You can't keep a good man down!")
Jesus Does What He Promises to Do
Mark 10:34 "They will mock and flog and kill me but after three days I will come back to life." The cross was no surprise to Jesus. It was all part of God's plan.
When you think about it there's humor in the Easter story. How would you feel if you'd been the guys who put Jesus to death? You publicly executed this man in front of thousands of witnesses who had seen Him die. Then you have Him buried, a stone put over, sealed and a 24-hour guard. Three days later this guy's up and walking around the city again. What do you say if you meet Him on the sidewalk?
"The angel said, 'Don't be frightened. I know you're looking for Jesus who was crucified. He's come back to life again just as He said He would.'" Circle "just as He said He would." He did what He promised. When God makes a promise, you can count on it.
That's what it means. Because Jesus did rise, He is who He said He was, He has the power He said He had and He kept the promises that He made. So what?