The Living Word VI

The Way to The Father

The Living Word VI

I would like to continue with our series “The Living Word” from the book of john the 4th gospel.

John wrote this gospel to bring correction to the many false teachings going around and to encourage the believers.

In the gospel of John, he showed.

Jesus as God, in human flesh.

John’s audience is the whole world.

John tells us who Jesus is.

John’s book is all about Jesus.

Today we are on the chapter 14 of John.

From 40 miracles recorded in the Gospels, John chose 7 miracles to present Jesus, and 7 I Am statements.

1 I am the bread of life (John 6:35, 48)

2 I am the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46)

3 I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7)

4 I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)

5 I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)

6 I am the way the truth and the life (John 14:6)

7 I am the true vine (John 15:1)

And from the 4 discourses

1 sermon on the mount

2 The kingdom of heaven

3 Olivet discourse

4 the upper room

This is the upper room discourse

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

Right here Jesus is in a private setting, he is in the middle of his last meal with his disciples, the public is shut out of this meeting is just Jesus and his twelve disciples.

Just a little earlier he washed the disciples’ feet giving them an example or servanthood. Jesus Told his disciples he was going to die, that one of them was going to betray him and that in just a short amount of time he was living, so they were worry and trouble, probably everything they believed was about to be over.

Let’s pray

Jesus the way to the Father

Joh 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

The Greek word here is (Tarasso), agitated, troubled, believe in God believe in Jesus, He said this because it is possible to change the emotional condition of our hearts if we change our focus.

Your heart is agitated, go back to what Jesus promise you, to what your Heavenly Father has shared with you. Your heart will come to peace.

They knew they could trust Jesus, for 3 and half years they walked with Jesus, and He provided food for multitudes when they needed, they saw many miracles, healings, he saved them from a storm, walk on water, you believe in God believe also in me.

Our hearts will respond to whatever we are focusing on.

Joh 14:2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

Jesus said many rooms

Rooms, a place, some translations takes the liberty to call a mansion, please don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a mansion sitting in a private 20 acres lot, Jesus said a place.

Rev 21:16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The size of the moon just the city.

Whatever you will get, will be an upgrade from what you have here, a little shack in heaven is better than any castle in hell. Some of the apartments my rich friends lived in Brazil, were about 6.500 thousand square feet 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, bigger than any house I have ever lived in. It could be a apartment like that.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

I will guide you there I will take you there.

Joh 14:4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

Joh 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Is very important for us to listen to what Jesus is saying right here, Jesus came to introduce us to our Heavenly Father, he is the way to the Father.

Many stop on the way, short of meeting God as a loving Father because of their own struggles with their earthly fathers.

I was one of them

I could handle Jesus, He was the good guy who died in my place took upon himself my sins, my iniquities and was punished for me. What a great friend He loves me and gave his life for me and I don’t deserve it.

But it was very difficult to accept a Heavenly Father.

My father had lie to me, broke promises, abuse me verbally, he was an angry man, most of the time absent, not a fair person (that was all before he became a Christian) early on I rejected him and the last thing I want was to have another father, I was done with that relationship.

Many call God, a she, an it, a force in the universe because they can’t accept Him as a father, and most had issues with their own earthly fathers.

One day I was listening to Dr. Bruce Thompson and he point out this passage to us, for the first time made sense to me, my heart was closed because of my bitterness, forgiveness and repentance was the way to open that door again.

After repenting and forgiving my dad and being delivered, I welcomed God as my Heavenly Father.

Many believe that salvation is the end of the road, is just the beginning.

Jesus Theology and relationship with God the Father was perfect it is perfect, and he demonstrated it to us, a perfect example. Jesus love and behavior was the same as of our Heavenly Father

Joh 14:7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Joh 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Joh 14:9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

This sounds pretty narrow minded, dogmatic.

When Jesus said

Mat 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

Mat 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Now you may be thinking pastor, are you telling me That, there is only one way to get to heaven? only one way to God,

Yes according to scripture according to the bible the bible.

Aren’t you being narrow minded?

You have no idea how narrow minded I ‘am, I believe in the whole bible. From cover to cover, do I understand everything, no I don’t, but I believe it.

Believe in the words of Jesus.

Joh 14:10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

Joh 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Jesus came to us as a perfect example of God our Father, the Pharisees and scribes present God as a powerful God and a God of justice, but was blasphemy to present him as a dad a loving Father, they missed how Moses became God’s friend, how King David love Him and was loved by Him,

Joh 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Joh 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

And Jesus said this not basing on the level of our faith, He will help us, there are some groups that believe that, if I just have enough faith I will be healed, if I just have enough faith this will happen Jesus went on and promises us The Holy Spirit, Dr Don Tredway is here and he is one of the father’s God gave me, a great friend who introduce me to the works of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

Joh 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commands.

Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—

Joh 14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Joh 14:19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

Joh 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Joh 14:21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

Joh 14:22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

Joh 14:23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Joh 14:24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Joh 14:25 "All this I have spoken while still with you.

Joh 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Joh 14:28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Joh 14:29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

Joh 14:30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,

Joh 14:31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. "Come now; let us leave.

Make Jesus the Lord of your life.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

To receive Jesus, we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, we need to ask Him to be our Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner,

I’m sorry for my sins,

I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner Healso took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.