introduction

I Am the Way

The Amazing Claims of Jesus

In the movie Talladega Nights, racecar driver Ricky Bobby begins to say grace at a meal with his best friend, Cal, his sons, Walker and Texas Ranger, and his wife, Carley.

Ricky: Dear Lord Baby Jesus . . . we thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Domino’s, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell . . .

Carley: Hey, you know, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don’t always have to call him “baby.” It’s a bit odd and off-putting to pray to a baby.

Ricky: Well, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I’m saying grace. When you say grace you can say it to grownup Jesus, or teenage Jesus, or bearded Jesus or whoever you want . . .

Cal: I like to picture Jesus in a tuxedo T-shirt, ’cause it says, like, “I wanna be formal, but I’m here to party, too.” Cause I like to party, so I like my Jesus to party.

Walker: I like to picture Jesus as a ninja fighting off evil samurai.

Cal: I like to think of Jesus, like, with giant eagle’s wings. And singing lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd, with, like, an angel band. And I’m in the front row, and I’m hammered drunk.

Carley: Hey Cal, why don’t you just shut up?

Cal: Yes, ma’am.

When you ask people today who they think Jesus was, their responses usually aren’t as outlandish as the characters in Talladega Nights, but they’re still intriguing. Some will reply that Jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived. Others will call him a wonderful moral example, a prophet, or even the Son of God.

But when you ask these same people whether they have read the first-century accounts about Jesus’s life and ministry, many will admit they have not. These four documents, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and known as the Gospels, provide us with eyewitness records of what Jesus did and said.

In our search to find the real Jesus, it’s crucial to consider these written records. In this booklet we will focus on one of those four books—the one written by John. We’re going to look at 4 (of 8) astonishing statements in which Jesus describes who he is and then backs up his claims.

Jack Kuhatschek