Succinct is not a word that we use very often but I thought it might be worth the time to visit it this week. I think I just heard someone high in the grandstand of my mine cheering. A good illustration of succinct is as follows: “Everyone was happy when the politician made a succinct speech that did not last all evening.” Jesus was the master of succinct sentences. Have you ever thought about how Jesus dealt with the taboo topics of His day? Oh Yes! He had to deal with big government, corruption, suppression (of the poor), racial injustice. Jesus was even so bold as to deal with the woman at the well who to say at least was dysfunctional. He actually called her, “Lady”, and I am sure she had not been called that for a long time.” Some say this was the day in history when men began to change their attitude toward women. Yes, Jesus was life’s game changer and often it did not take a lengthy sermon to get it done.
Thomas asked Jesus this question one day, “how can we know how to get where you are going if we don’t know the way”? Jesus gives him a succinct answer, “ Jesus said to him,
“I AM the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through ME.”
I want to make a quick note or a succinct footnote for us to remember this. He said, I AM, this is found 20 times in the book of John and each time it beckons our attention to His Deity. I will close my letter with this succinct easily understandable revelation of who Jesus really is: He said,
I AM, THE LIGHT. John 8:12
I AM THE DOOR. John 10:9
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. John 10:11
I AM THE RESURRECTION. John 11:25
I AM THE WAY. John 14:6
I AM THE TRUTH. John 14:6
I AM THE LIFE. John 14:6
I AM THE VINE. John 15:5
SUCCINCTLY SAID, JESUS IS ALL WE NEED AND FOR THAT MATTER WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS.
He’s all I need. He’s all I need. Jesus is all I need. Thanks for reading this and remember, “IN THE BEGINNING GOD.” And at the end, it will be God also.
We believe in you,
Pastor Cleddie and GayNell Keith