I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Christian from Pilgrims Promise...
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature and a progenitor of the narrative aspect of Christian media. It has been translated into more than 200 languages and has never been out of print.
The entire book is presented as a dream sequence narrated by an omniscient narrator. The allegory's protagonist, Christian, is an everyman character, and the plot centres on his journey from his hometown, the "City of Destruction" ("this world"), to the "Celestial City" ("that which is to come": Heaven) atop Mount Zion. Christian is weighed down by a great burden—the knowledge of his sin—which he believed came from his reading "the book in his hand" (the Bible). This burden, which would cause him to sink into Hell, is so unbearable that Christian must seek deliverance. He meets Evangelist as he is walking out in the fields, who directs him to the "Wicket Gate" for deliverance. Since Christian cannot see the "Wicket Gate" in the distance, Evangelist directs him to go to a "shining light", which Christian thinks he sees.
Christian was sent on his way with simple directions to find the “Wicket Gate”. In case you don’t know the “Wicket Gate” is Christ Jesus - the narrow door through which we must pass to be saved.
These directions, help Christian find his way to the Celestial City. And if you can see it our passage for today does the same for us.
1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
4 “And you know the way where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Transitional Sentence: The world is full of ways, truths and lives that are supposed to get people to heaven, but there is only one true way to heaven.
1. The context of the statement:
a. The setting for today’s I Am statement John 13:21-38 ----
Jesus is reclining at the table with the disciples for the passover meal. During the discourse He tells them that it is time for Him to go away and where He is going they cannot follow. Of course He was speaking of His death which would soon come. But then He gives them a new command, Love one another as I have loved you.
Does that sound familiar?
On the heals of this comes Peter’s Question and Jesus’ answer.
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
Of course Peter jumps on this and says he will follow Jesus where ever He goes. Jesus knows better so He tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before a rooster crows...
This sets the stage for Jesus to tell them about where He is going.
b. In verse two Jesus tells the disciples about His Father’s house and why He is going there. John 14:2
2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
Any clues about what this looks like?
This is a picture of Jesus’ wedding to His Bride, the Church.
Describe the idea of a marriage in that culture. Jesus is going to prepare a place for His bride that He might bring her to be with Him.
Then Thomas confesses that they don’t know where He is going. Always in the here and now - never thinking beyond this world. Never thinking spiritually.
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
c. So Jesus tells them how to find Him where He is going.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Think about that. Three simple words and you can find Jesus and know where He is going?
2. The three words, the Way, the Truth and the Life… so let’s take a look at these three simple words.
a. The Way… What is a Way?
It can mean a method, or manner of doing something, but that isn’t what this Greek word means:
hodos - a road or a path.
That sounds familiar, Christian was given directions to follow, he was told to stay on the narrow path leading to the “Wicket Gate”. From there he would receive more instructions about the way to go.
b. The Truth… What is Truth? Is it relative or concrete?
The Greek word for this verse is:
alethia - conformity to reality or actuality, often with the implication of dependability.
The idea of divine revelation, or something that cannot be hidden is carried in the meaning. Something which is given by God - The Word.
The Hebrew word emeth means - firmness, constancy, faithfulness (unchanging)
c. The Life… What is Life?
The Greek word is:
zoe - Life, alive, eternal, Spiritually alive
3. How do these three words lead to heaven and the Father?
a. Word one: The Way.
Have you ever seen one of these? (Treasure Map) then show
(Map of Pilgrims Progress)
This is the way. A path to get us from where we are to heaven so that we can be with the Father - to the Celestial City.
He starts in the City of Destruction and along the way he comes to:
Slough of Despond, Village of Morality, the Wicket Gate, Interpreter’s House, The Cross, Difficulty Hill, Palace Beautiful, Valley of Humiliation, Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vanity Fair, Doubting Castle, Delectable Mountains, Country Beulah, Dark River and finally the Celestial City.
These were the adventurers of Christian in the book. They represent things that actually happen in our lives as Christians. Along the way Christian had a scroll which provided him help and comfort, and instructions on how to deal with these situations.
We have a scroll much like the one Christian had. It provides a particular way to live. Directions, comfort and knowledge. We call it the Bible. It is the way. It is the word of God and it is the path that leads us to the Father.
b. Word two: The Truth.
Jesus is the truth. He is the “divine revelation sent by God”. He is the x that marks the spot on the treasure map. In this case it is actually a cross not an x. Find Jesus and be saved and then come to the cross to remove your burden, just like Christian did in the Pilgrims Promise. If Jesus is the x that marks the spot there must be something that we have to do right. Well, a couple weeks ago Jesus called Himself the door. Doors have locks and locks need a key to unlock them. Then secrets on the other side can be reveled. The key for the lock of this door is faith, the key is to believe in the door, the key is to believe in Jesus.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Just remember one thing. The way to the door is narrow, stay on the path, do not wander off to the left or the right. The way that leads to destruction and the gates of Hell are wide and many follow that way. Be different follow the narrow path. Stick to the Truth. Stick to the narrow Door.
c. Word three: The Life.
Jesus is the resurrection and the Life. Jesus lived the life that we should strive to live and Jesus provides that life that let’s us live.
He lived a perfect life a life that each of us who believe in Him should try to emulate. We should want to walk in the Way.
He provides a life to those who believe in Him. Life that frees us from sin and allows us to live for God. He frees us from the fear of death, and provides a way for us to love one another. He provides the commandment that helps us walk with Him and show that we are His disciples.
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
He provides the eternal life that allows us to live with the Father for eternity. Take the key, faith, and use it to open the door, Jesus, because no one comes to the Father, for eternal life, except through Jesus.
Exit: Do you see the directions? Jesus wasn’t going somewhere that any of us could follow using directions based on what we see around us. But He provided a treasure map that leads to eternal life. When we find our way along this path we will find the Father when our time is finished here on earth.
The Way. A path to follow, a narrow path which is described in the Bible and through the direction of the Holy Spirit given to us when we open the door, Jesus.
The Truth. That which is reveled by God and is unchanging. God’s word, the Bible, and the Word, Jesus. Both were given to us by God and both are unchanging. The key to the treasure is faith, faith in Christ Jesus. The key opens the door and allows all those who pass through the door to meet the Father and have eternal life.
The Life. An abundant life here in this place as we walk along the way. And eternal life in the life to come.
Our Father’s house is very large and Jesus has prepared a place for all those who find the x on the map. He has prepared a place in the Father’s house because He wants all of His children, the Bride of Christ, the Church to be with Him forever.
Be like Christian. Follow the narrow path that leads to the door. Use your key of faith and unlock the secrets to eternal life through Christ Jesus.
Don’t be like Timorous and Mistrust who turn back from their journey because they came upon lions at the top of Difficulty Hill. They perished along the way.
Stand fast as you walk along the Way, the Truth will set you free and the Life is the goal.
Find the Father, find the Celestial City and eternal life.
Pray!
