Carina Francke 

“Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” John 14:6
 
While dining together, the heartbeat of our circle of friends announced that he would be leaving the country. “To do what?” “Have you lost your mind?” “Are you now deserting us too?” These were but a few of the questions that bombarded him. Fortunately, this jovial but potentially explosive conversation ended in peace.
 
Jesus breaks similarly shocking news to his disciples at the dining table. But not before encouraging them, telling them not to let their hearts be troubled, to trust in God, and also in him (Jesus). (John 14:1) It is as though he wants to communicate to them that they believed in him before the shocking news, why should they doubt now, or stop believing?
 
His news entails his leaving for a “No Access” zone. The purpose of his journey? He was going to prepare a place for them and when the job was done, he would come back and take them to be with him where he was. His words, “You know the way to the place where I am going,” (John 14:4) make them doubtful. So much so that Thomas knit his eyebrows together in a questioning frown – he and the other men really did not know!
 
Jesus lifts the veil: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7) Do you understand the depth of what Jesus is saying? Without faith in Jesus, no one has access to the Father. Without Jesus in your life, you will never really know God!
 
Let us consider the meaning of each of the three components of Jesus’ name:
 
Jesus as the Way: Nowadays, you get into your car and hit the road to any destination. Our spiritual journey to eternal life with God also demands a road (way) to get there. Jesus Christ is that way – the bridge that spans the chasm between sinful humanity and holy godliness. Remember though: no movement, no progress. “But I don’t know the way,” you excuse yourself. Honestly? With Jesus as your compass and fellow traveller to bring you safely to your destiny? And what about the Spirit and God’s Word that also guide you: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'” (Isaiah 30:21) The question posed to you is: “When you hear, do you listen and respond?”
 
Jesus is the Truth of God that sets you free. He is the source and teacher of truth (Mark 12:14) and the realisation of all God’s promises. Merrill C Tenney defines truth as the reality and the ethic expressed in a person. (His Name is Wonderful, CR Swindoll, p89) Therefore, you need to live out the truth. Follow Jesus, the Messiah, the One who is the expression of truth.
 
Christ as the Life: The Son of Man is the source of everlasting life (John 6:27). He binds his godly life to ours – now and unto eternity. He is the truth about God and the very life of God himself. Without the Life, there is and will be no life.
 
Prayer: My Father, thank you that Jesus is the way, truth and life for broken and seeking people. Open our spiritual ears to hear your voice even clearer. Amen

Carina Francke 

Jesus het vir hom gesê: ”Ek is die weg en die waarheid en die lewe. Niemand kom na die Vader toe behalwe deur My nie.” Johannes 14:6, 1983-vertaling
 
Tydens ‘n eetgeleentheid kondig die hartmens van ons vriendekring aan dat hy binnekort na die buiteland verhuis. “Om wat te gaan doen? Is jy van jou sinne beroof? Is jy nou ook ‘n droster?” was maar enkele van die vrae waarmee hy gebombardeer was. Genadiglik is hierdie gemoedelike, maar potensiële plofbare gesprek, in vrede beredder.
 
Jesus breek soortgelyke skokkende nuus met sy dissipels om die etenstafel. Maar nie voordat Hy hulle bemoedig nie: hulle moenie ontsteld (bevrees, opgewerk, geroer)wees nie, en hulle moet in God en in Hom (Jesus) glo. (Johannes 14:1). Dit is asof Hy vir hulle wil sê dat hulle voor die ontstellende nuus in Hom geglo het, waarom nou twyfel of ophou glo?
 
Sy nuus behels dat Hy weggaan na ‘n “Geen Toegang” area. Die doel van sy reis? Hy gaan ‘n plek vir hulle regkry en sal daarna terugkom om hulle te kom haal om by Hom te wees. Sy woorde: “julle ken die weg na die plek waarheen Ek gaan,”(Johannes 14:4) maak hulle onseker. Soveel so, dat Tomas se wenkbroue ‘n vraagfrons trek – hy en die ander manne weet rêrig nie!
 
Jesus lig die sluier: ”Ek is die weg en die waarheid en die lewe. Niemand kom na die Vader toe behalwe deur My nie. As julle My ken, sal julle my Vader ook ken. En van nou af ken julle Hom en sien julle Hom.”(Johannes 14:6) Verstaan jy die omvang van wat Jesus hier sê? Sonder geloof in Hom, Jesus, het niemand toegang tot die Vader nie. Sonder Jesus in jou lewe, kan jy God ook nooit waarlik ken nie!
 
Kom ons loer na die betekenis van elk van die drie komponente van Jesus se Naam.
 
Die Weg Deesdae klim jy in jou motor en vat die pad na enige nuwe bestemming. Ons geestelike reis na die ewige lewe by God, vereis ook ‘n pad (weg) om daar uit te kom. Jesus Christus is daardie weg, die brug wat die kloof tussen sondige menslikheid en heilige goddelikheid oorbrug. Onthou egter: geen beweging, geen vordering nie. “Maar ek ken nie die pad nie!” maak jy verskoning. Rêrig? Jesus is dan jou reisgenoot en kompas om jou veilig by jou bestemming te bring. Sy Gees en sy woord ook: “..jou ore sal ‘n woord agter jou hoor wat sê: Dit is die weg, wandel daarop wanneer julle regs of wanneer julle links wil gaan.”(Jesaja 30:21, 1933/1953-vertaling) Die vraag is net, as jy hoor, luister jy en doen dan?
 
Jesus is die Waarheid van God wat vrymaak (Johannes 14:6). Hy is die bron en leermeester van waarheid (Markus 12:14) en is die realisering van al God se beloftes. Merril Tenney definieer waarheid as die realiteit en die etiek wat in ‘n persoon uitdrukking vind. (His Name is Wonderful CR Swindoll p89). Waarheid moet dus geleef word, ook deur jou. Volg Jesus, die Messias, die Een wat volkome aan waarheid uitdrukking gee.
 
Christus as die Lewe Die Seun van die mens is die bron van ewige lewe (Johannes 6:27). Hy verbind sy goddelike lewe aan ons s’n – nou en tot in ewigheid. Hy is die waarheid oor God en die lewe van God self (very life of God). Sonder die Lewe is daar geen lewe nie.
 
Gebed: My Vader, dankie dat Jesus vir gebroke en soekende mense, die weg, waarheid en lewe is. Maak ons geesore oop om u stem al duideliker te hoor. Amen
 

Carina Francke 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. … I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:1,5, NIV
 
Looking down from a helicopter onto hectares of Cape vineyards is a breathtaking experience. During high season, the lush landscape entices one’s adventurous spirit. Jump and free fall! A blanket of lush green foliage lies below and should cushion one’s fall, right! Or, maybe not!
 
On the ground in the vineyard, you remember the Sunday school lesson about the vineyard, the gardener, and you: a branch of the vine. The first thing you remember is the pruning part. If the branch on the vine bears no fruit, it is swiftly cut off. On the other hand, if it does bear fruit, correct pruning will result in the bearing of more fruit. Graciously for us, we are not pruned by pruning shears, but by “… the word I, (the vine Jesus) have spoken to you.” (John 15:3) The “word” Jesus is talking about, is the God-inspired Scripture that even today is still our compass to live correctly. (Kindly read 2 Timothy 3:14-17)
 
But back to the branch and the fruit. As a believer, you are a branch of the vine, Jesus Christ. He says to us, ”Remain in me (the vine) and I will remain in you.” (John 15:4) Said differently, make your home in me (the vine), as I make mine in you. Why the emphasis? Like the branch, it is impossible for the Christ believer to bear fruit if he/she does not remain in the vine. Why not? “… [A]part from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Not even bear a bunch of grapes! You see, your source of vitality and fruit is the vine, but only if you remain in it. If you seek severance, you wither and are eventually thrown into the fire. (John 15:6)
 
You see, Jesus the vine, is the source, the provider of the juice of life that produces fruit. Reality check: we are mere bearers of fruit. But only for as long as we stay in him and He in us. It makes one wonder how to you stay in Christ, the vine? He answers the question: If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask, it will be done. (John 15:7)
 
For this reason, this branch shamelessly requests the farmer’s help to enable me to keep on believing that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 4:15); to keep on believing the Good News I have heard (1 John 2:24); to do what God commands (1 John 3:24) and to live the rest of my life, in love, within the body of Christ. (John 15:12)
 
Prayer: Father, here, in the luxuriant vineyard with vines heavily loaded with grapes, I thank you that your presence envelops me like a thick, green blanket every day. Honour and glory be to you. Amen
 

Carina Francke 

”Ek is die ware wingerdstok, en my Vader is die boer. … Ek is die wingerdstok, julle die lote. Wie in My bly en Ek in hom, dra baie vrugte, want sonder My kan julle niks doen nie.” Johannes 15:1,5, 1983-vertaling
 
Dit is asem-intrek oomblikke wanneer jy vanuit 'n helikopter afkyk op hektare wingerd in die Kaap. Hoogseisoen is dit 'n geilgroen bedekte landskap wat jou waagmoedig wil maak. Spring uit en vryval! Doer onder lê mos 'n dik kombers van groen wat jou landing doeksag en stroopsoet sal maak. Of nie.
 
Op die grond in die wingerd, onthou jy die Sondagskoolles van die wingerdstok, die wingerdboer, en van jou, 'n loot aan die wingerdstok. Jy onthou heel eerste die snoei gedeelte. As die loot nie vrugte dra aan die wingerdstok nie, word dit summier afgesny. Dra die loot wel vrugte, word dit reg gesnoei sodat dit meer vrugte kan dra. Genadiglik nie met ’n afknip snoeiskêr nie, maar met: “die woorde wat Ek (die wingerdstok, Jesus) vir julle gesê het” (Johannes 15:3). Die woorde waarvan Jesus praat, is die Godgeïnspireerde Skrif wat steeds vandag ons kompas is om reg te leef. (Lees gerus 2 Timoteus 3:14-17)
 
Maar terug na loot en vrugte. Jy as gelowige is 'n loot, ingeënt op die wingerdstok, Jesus Christus. Hy sê van ons:”Julle moet in My bly en Ek in julle.” (Johannes 15:4) Anders gestel: Maak jou huis in my, soos Ek myne in jou maak. Waarom die klem hierop? Net soos 'n loot, is dit onmoontlik vir die Christusgelowige om vrugte te dra as hy nie aan Jesus, die wingerdstok vasgeheg bly nie. Hoekom nie? “… want sonder My kan julle niks doen nie” (Johannes 15:5) Nie eers 'n trossie druiwe dra nie! Jy sien, jou groeikrag en vrugte kom van die wingerdstok solank jy daaraan vasgeheg is. Soek jy losmaking, verdroog jy mettertyd en verdroog tot 'n onvrugbare loot sonder vrug en wat vir niks anders deug as om afgesny en weggegooi te word nie. (Johannes 15:6).
 
Jy sien, Jesus, die wingerdstok, is die bron, die voorsiener van die lewensap wat vrugte voortbring. Ons is in der waarheid maar net die draers daarvan. Maar net vir solank jy in Hom bly en Hy in jou. Wat 'n mens laat wonder hoe bly jy in Christus, die wingerdstok? Hy antwoord self: As jy jouself tuismaak by My en my woorde is tuis by jou, kan jy verseker wees dat wat jy ookal vra, sal Ek na luister en daarop reageer. (Lees Johannes 15:7)
 
Om die rede vra hierdie loot skaamteloos vandag die wingerdboer se hulp om my te help om aan te hou glo dat Jesus die Seun van God is (1 Johannes 4:15); om te bly glo in die Goeie Boodskap wat ek gehoor het (1 Johannes 2:24); om te doen wat God sê (1 Johannes 3:24); en om vir die res van my lewe in liefde te leef met die liggaam van Christus. (Johannes 15:12)
 
Gebed: Vader, hier tussen die geil groen wingerdstokke, swaar gelaai met druiwevrug, sê ek dankie dat U teenwoordigheid elke oomblik in my lewe soos 'n dik groen kombers om my vou. Lof en eer aan U! Amen
 
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