IF/THEN Week 1: If You Know Me

IF/THEN

Announcements:

-This coming Sunday, January 7, will be a family service with communion. Also, the youth is having a get together at the church at 4PM. Parents you can reach out to Bro. Paul Ashby for more details.

-January 8 we will start our 21 days of prayer and fasting.

-January 20; community dinner

-January 24 there will not be Wednesday Night Online Bible Study. Instead, I am asking all of our church members to attend our first church business meeting of 2024. More details will follow about this on Sunday.

Week 1: If You Know Me

Tonight we’re starting a new 4-week teaching series called IF/THEN.

The premise of the series comes from the "If-Then" conditional statement, also known as an "if-else" statement.

This concept is fundamental in both computer programming and logical reasoning.

Its origins can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophy, specifically the work of the philosopher Aristotle.

Aristotle introduced the idea of syllogisms, a logical argument in which a conclusion is drawn from two premises, one of which includes a condition.

For example, "All humans are mortal, Socrates is human, therefore Socrates is mortal."

This statement can be translated into an "If-Then" statement as follows: "If someone is human, then they are mortal.

Socrates is human, therefore he is mortal."

You may be familiar with this concept from classes in math, science, or even computer programming… And over the next few weeks we’re going to see how this general concept applies to several key teachings of Christ.

Just as the IF/THEN principle is used in computer programming and logic, we also see a similar principle at work in the bible.

Today, as we dive into John 14:1-14 together we learn this; If you really know Jesus then you know some pretty incredible truths about salvation and living an empowered life.

Really knowing Jesus is really knowing life.

If you know Jesus, then you know life.

Main Teaching

It’s one thing to know about another person, and it’s a whole different thing to actually know a person through a mutually beneficial and encouraging relationship.

In a similar vein, it’s one thing to know about Jesus; The facts and figures of His life, the names of his siblings, etc… It’s a whole different thing to have a relationship with Jesus.

A mutually beneficial and encouraging relationship takes time to develop and years to cultivate.

That’s the truth in our human relationships and it’s true with Jesus.

What’s also true is that the more you get to know Jesus, the more you understand about the Father, the Spirit, and ultimately the Kingdom of Heaven.

As we’re about to see in our passage from John 14, if you really know Jesus then you know some pretty incredible truths about salvation and living an empowered life.

I’d even venture to say that If you know Jesus, then you know life.

John 14:1–5 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

To open our passage, Jesus tells the disciples, “do not let your hearts be troubled,” which begs the question, “what were they troubled by and why is Jesus addressing it?”

The disciples were likely troubled because Jesus had just told them that he was going away and that they could not follow him at that time (John 13:33).

This news would have been confusing and distressing to the disciples, who had left everything to follow Jesus and had come to believe that he was the Messiah.

So Jesus addresses the disciples' troubled hearts by reassuring them that he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house and that he will come back to take them with him so that they may be where he is (John 14:2-3).

He also emphasizes the importance of faith in him, telling the disciples that they must believe in him just as they believe in God (John 14:1).

Overall, Jesus' words in this section are meant to comfort and reassure his disciples in the face of his impending departure.

He wants them to know that he has a plan for them and that they can trust him to take care of them even when he is not physically present with them.

This entire exchange leads Thomas to rightly ask, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

And this is where we get our first powerful point; If you know Jesus then you know the Way.

Jesus is the Way (John 14:6)

Jesus tells his disciples that he is “the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can come to the Father except through him.”

At this point you would imagine that Thomas and the other disciples would begin to understand that knowing Jesus means recognizing that he is the only path to God and that all must follow him in order to have eternal life.

This truth, that Jesus is the only way to heaven continues to be a difficult reality to accept in a world that would love nothing more than to have a thousand differing paths to eternal life.

We must remember that only Jesus can lead us to true peace and salvation.

We must also remember that this isn’t only Jesus’ idea, it’s the Father’s as well.

This is the “way” it’s been set up.

And Jesus tells the disciples that if they really know Him then they know the Father as well – They are one.

At this Phillip speaks up and says, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

You can almost hear the frustration in Jesus’ response;

John 14:9–11 (ESV)

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Jesus Reveals the Father (John 14:9-11)

It’s hard to imagine that Jesus, who was gentle, lowly, kind, and compassionate would get frustrated, or even angry.

But it sure seems that in this instance He is perturbed at Phillips' request.

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?”

Through this interaction we even learn that the words Jesus speaks come on the authority of the Father.

To know Jesus is to know the Father because through Jesus we get to hear from the Father and see what He is like.

We get to see how He would respond in the situations that come up in life.

We see the “evidence” of the connection through the works that Christ does, the way He acts, and how He ministers.

Knowing Jesus means understanding that he is the perfect representation of God on earth and that by studying his life and teachings, we can come to know the Father more deeply.

In a world where people may have misconceptions about who God is or what he desires for us, we can look to Jesus as our guide and example.

That’s why we study Him, the Word, and His commandments.

If you know Jesus then you know the Father.

But that’s not all there is to it. There’s also something amazing and powerful about knowing Jesus…

Jesus Empowers Us (John 14:12-14)

John 14:12–14 (ESV)

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

This is arguably one of the more interesting and potentially confusing passages in scripture.

Jesus tells his disciples that they will do even greater works than he did because he is going to the Father on their behalf.

Think about that for a moment - Jesus is interceding, He is advocating and petitioning over the requests that you speak in His name.

This one truth alone could radically transform a person's prayer life.

"The power of prayer is not in the words we say or the formula we follow, but in the One to whom we pray.

It is God who answers prayer, not our eloquence or our effort.

When we approach Him with faith and trust, seeking His will and His glory, He will move on our behalf in ways that are beyond our imagination."

Knowing Jesus means recognizing that he empowers us to carry on his work in the world and to spread his message of love and salvation to others.

In a world where there is much darkness and despair, we can be a light to others through our faith in Jesus and our actions of love and service.

We can intercede, pray, and ask for miracles because we share our requests through Jesus to the almighty God.

Of course, we need to be careful with this amazing power.

We need to stay humble, grounded, and rooted in Christ as we pray for His will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Pastor John MacArthur warns;

“Prayer is not a means of getting what we want, but aligning our will with the will of God.

When we pray according to His will, we can be confident that He will answer us.

But if we pray selfishly, seeking only to fulfill our own desires, we will not receive what we ask for."

We have incredible - kingdom power in Christ.

We can know the Father through Christ.

We can experience eternal life because Jesus is THE WAY.

If you know Jesus then you know life… Full life… Abundant life.

John 10:10 (ESV)

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

This begs the next question, “What are you going to do about it?”

Conclusion

As we wrap up today, I think it’s worth recognizing that even those early disciples, who walked daily with Jesus, had their questions.

They had their doubts.

They didn’t fully understand all that Jesus was trying to reveal to them.

They needed help.

They needed things to be explained logically, sequentially, and clearly.

I know there are others here today who just need help.

There are people here today who’re “troubled.”

Let’s remember Jesus’ opening words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Why? Because He is taking care of eternity on your behalf, on my behalf, for His Church.

Yes He is the only way.

Yes He knows the Father, and they are one.

Yes we are going to do even greater things than He did because He’s interceding on our behalf.

And YES, He has a room prepared for you in heaven… It’s awaiting your arrival.

This is the “logic” of Christ, and this is how the Father has set things up.

So with that in mind I think the call today is to truly live, abundantly.

To share the love and the gospel with everyone you can.

To model your life after Christs and to live according to His commandments.

That’s the goal, for now, because eternity is just around the corner.

If you know Jesus, then you know life.

Let’s pray together.