Focusing on Jesus's words in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," this sermon explores how this sixth "I AM" statement in John's Gospel reveals Christ's exclusive claim as the only path to God. Pastor Matt explains how these statements build in clarity throughout John, showing Jesus's increasing revelation of His divine identity. Against cultural relativism that claims "your truth" and "my truth," the sermon emphasizes that truth is not a concept to be defined by individuals but a person to be known and followed. For non-believers, Jesus offers forgiveness for the past, direction for the present, and hope for eternity, while for believers, His way guides our walk, His truth anchors our knowledge, and His life enables our abundant living through abiding in Him.

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' sixth "I Am" statement from John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This statement, made during Jesus' farewell address to His disciples, represents His most controversial claim of exclusivity. Pastor Matt explains how the previous five "I Am" statements progressively revealed Jesus' identity, culminating in this definitive declaration.

The sermon unpacks a crucial interpretation: Jesus is "the way because He is the truth and because He is the life." This means Jesus perfectly reveals what is true about God and possesses the life we need to overcome our spiritual deadness. Pastor Matt contrasts this absolute truth with cultural relativism ("my truth"), emphasizing that sincerity without truth is still deception. For non-believers, Jesus offers forgiveness of past sins, direction for the present, and certainty of eternal life—something no other religion provides. For believers, this statement provides a discipleship pathway of walking in Jesus' steps, anchoring in His truth, and drawing strength from His presence.

Join Lead Pastor Matt Sturtevant, Pastor Brian Cropp, and Pastor Luke Myers for an in-depth discussion of the fifth "I Am" statement from Jesus in the Gospel of John. In this episode, we unpack Jesus's declaration "I am the resurrection and the life" from John 11, exploring the profound truths about spiritual life, death, and transformation.

What We Cover:

• The story of Lazarus and what it teaches us about resurrection power
• Understanding the difference between physical life and spiritual life
• Jesus's dual role as the giver of life and destroyer of death
• The critical question: What will you do with Jesus?
• Why community matters in removing our "grave clothes"
• The distinction between God's role and our role in spiritual transformation
• Two judgments we all face: salvation and stewardship
• Understanding conversion, regeneration, justification, and sanctification
• Why you can't be spiritually "sinless" on this side of heaven (but you can sin less!)

Behind the Scenes: Hear about the unplanned technical difficulties during the 9:30 service that became a perfectly-timed sermon illustration about being connected to the power source!

Key Takeaway: Life in Christ is personal, but never private. We're called to grow in community, take next steps of obedience, and help others experience the transformation that comes from moving from spiritual death to spiritual life. Perfect for anyone wrestling with questions about faith, salvation, spiritual growth, or what it means to truly follow Jesus.

This sermon explores Jesus' fifth "I am" statement from John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life," alongside the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection. The pastor explains how significant it was that Lazarus had been dead four days—past when Jews believed resurrection was possible—making this miracle undeniably divine.

The message reveals two profound truths: Jesus is the giver of life (physical, spiritual, and abundant) and the destroyer of death (the last enemy, a real enemy, but a defeated one). Just as Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb but had the community remove his grave clothes, Jesus gives us new spiritual life while using fellow believers to help us walk in freedom. The pastor emphasizes that while we're all born physically alive but spiritually dead, Jesus offers resurrection now, not just in eternity, calling us to surrender to Him and experience true life in community with other believers.

Pastor Matt examined Jesus' "I am" statements from John 10, where Christ describes Himself as both the door of the sheep pen and the good shepherd. As the door, Jesus divides (keeping some things in and others out) and demands a decision about which side we choose to be on. As the good shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep, calls them by name, protects them, and gathers them from all nations.

Pastor Matt outlined four practical responses for believers: dependence (recognizing we need Jesus daily), obedience (following His voice through Scripture), community (belonging to a church family), and protection (standing firm through Scripture and spiritual support). He emphasized that "the Spirit of God will never lead you to act contrary to the Word of God," providing numerous examples of misguided spiritual "promptings" that contradict Scripture. The sermon concluded by challenging listeners to consider which side of the door they're on and whose voice they're following.

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' dual metaphors of Jesus as "the Door" and "the Good Shepherd" from John 10, unpacking the rich shepherd-sheep imagery found throughout Scripture. As the Door, Jesus creates a necessary division between those inside and outside His fold, requiring a decision that determines our eternal destiny. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep intimately, calls them by name, protects them from danger, and ultimately laid down His life to purchase them.

The sermon emphasizes that Jesus came to gather His flock from both Jews and Gentiles, breaking down the wall of hostility between them as described in Ephesians 2. Pastor Matt concludes with four practical applications: dependence on the shepherd daily through prayer and Scripture, obedience to His voice, commitment to community with other believers, and receiving His protection through truth—reminding us that "the Spirit of God will never lead you to act contrary to the Word of God."

In this Sunday Extra podcast, Pastor Matt expands on his sermon about Jesus' statement "I am the light of the world" from John's Gospel. This declaration occurred during the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), when Jews commemorated God's guidance through the wilderness as a pillar of fire. Throughout Scripture, light symbolizes God's holiness, truth, glory, life, guidance, righteousness, and fellowship, while darkness represents sin, ignorance, Satan's realm, and separation from God.

The discussion explores how believers are called to walk in Christ's light and reflect it to others, with Pastor Matt noting that "to be a follower of Jesus is to be in a spiritual battle." The podcast also examines why there are four Gospel accounts with different perspectives: Matthew presents Jesus as King to a Jewish audience, Mark portrays Him as Servant to Romans, Luke depicts Him as the Perfect Man to Greeks, and John emphasizes His deity as the Son of God to all people. This explains why John's Gospel contains the seven "I AM" statements that reveal Christ's divine nature.

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' profound statement "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), highlighting its rich historical context during the Feast of Tabernacles. During this feast, four massive 75-foot lampstands illuminated the temple, symbolizing God's presence that guided Israel through the wilderness and the hope for the coming Messiah. By making this declaration in the temple treasury near these celebrations, Jesus was boldly claiming to fulfill what the feast represented.

Throughout Scripture, light symbolizes God's character and work, while darkness represents sin and Satan's realm. Pastor Matt explains that Jesus is a light that reveals sin but also shows the way out, gives life like phototherapy treating jaundice, guides believers like a lighthouse through storms, and shines through His followers. The practical application is threefold: step out of shadows by confessing sin, follow the light through daily dependence on Christ, and shine your light by sharing your faith with those still in darkness. As Pastor Matt emphasizes, "The world looks and feels darker than ever... But the good news is the light of the world is shining."