I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
Notes
Transcript
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?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
I’m sure most of us that have had the privilege of traveling with kids can remember any time we headed out for a trip, many times before we would get 5 miles down the road we would hear…what? “Are we there yet”?
Now, how many times did our kids know where we were going? They might be able to articulate the destination, like the grandparents house, the location of a vacation, the grocery store, etc. but you definitely couldn’t put them behind the wheel or even to give directions with confidence they would get there, correct? But, as they grew older they started to recognize familiar landmarks and before long, they were more interested in the music they’re listening to, the games they’re playing, or being on their phone than they are asking questions. Why is it they go from inquisitive to completely oblivious in just a few years time? Could it be that they’ve become comfortable in their journey and they are less concerned with the path or how to get there than they are being preoccupied with their desires until they reach the destination.
Christians, I feel many of us are on that same track in life. When we first accept Christ as our Savior we are eager to ask questions, wanting to know where we are, where we are going, and how we get there. After time, we lost focus on the path and get caught up in the distractions of life, maybe not losing track of where we are going, but not paying close attention to the route in which we are traveling.
This isn’t something new. As we look at the disciples we recognize how they spent every day with Jesus, they were along for the journey - and early on they asked many questions. They tried to soak up everything Jesus had to say, but the longer they spent time with each other, the more they seemed to lose track of the meaning of what Jesus was saying. At other times they misunderstood what He meant, and often didn’t want to ask for clarification.
32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
In this passage, Jesus has gathered the disciples into the upper room, and speaks to them of what is about to take place. Remember the time frame here, Judas has left the room after Jesus called out the intent to betray Him. Simon Peter has been called out for questioning Jesus when He began washing the disciples feet and is called out for his upcoming denial. You can probably imagine that there was uneasiness in the room, an unsettled feeling, and now Jesus could have easily admonished them for their disbelief, their lack of understanding, and the urgency due to the lack of time left with Him. Instead, Jesus gives words of encouragement and hope.
Promise of a Home in Heaven
Promise of a Home in Heaven
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.
Again, there was an unsettled feeling as the disciples were grasping what had just occurred. They were troubled, and Jesus give comfort to their troubled hearts. He encourages their belief - believe in God, believe also in me. Jesus was reminding them He was the Son of God, and it was the hope given with that statement that can bring comfort in the middle of trouble and carry us through. Believing in God, through His Son Jesus Christ can give peace to the most troubled heart.
As Jesus works to calm their troubled hearts, He also reminds them that this world is not their home. He comforts them with the knowledge that all things here are temporal, the heart aches, the pain, the concerns, the turmoil…everything that “life” has to give us is only temporary. Even if we live in the finest home, it is nothing compared to what is being prepared for us in heaven. He brings hope in the form of our promise of an eternal home. Jesus again acknowledges God as His Father, and as Christians we are adopted into the family of God.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
As a child of God, we then too have a room in the Father’s house. He is trying to confirm to them that God’s house is real, it does exist, and it is in heaven - the spiritual dimension that we cannot see or in many cases comprehend. I think we need to be reminded at times that our heavenly home is just as real as our earthly home. We have to remember this earth is not an eternal or permanent dwelling place of God, and it is not our eternal dwelling place either.
Oftentimes, we read the KJV as “mansion” and get excited, but the original word means “abiding place”, which can be the residence, the rooms, and the living spaces - regardless of how we want to view this we have a “place” in God’s house! And listen to the comforting and confirming words Jesus uses - “if it were not so, would I have told you”?
Jesus knew where He was going, He knew the home that was His, and He was reminding the disciples that they had a place in that home also. They were so much a part of the family that He was going to prepare their home, their rooms, all that they would inherit. Literally, I am going home to tidy up before you get here! But Jesus had a journey that He would have to travel before all this would take place - He would be arrested, tried, crucified, and would then be resurrected so He could be in the presence of the Father. And take note of what comes next - “If I go to tidy up for you…I’m coming back to get you”.
Not, I will just give you directions, but I will personally come back and take you home so where He is WE can be also. I don’t know about you all, but as family and friends go home to be with Jesus it makes promise so much sweeter to me, I want to be assured I go home to be with my Savior and with my family and friends also! Too often we view death as such a painful and permanent thing, but we must remind ourselves death is the passing of a believer into the presence of God in heaven. Literally, the last moment on earth ushers in the first moment in heaven for a Christian! Oh my, what can be must better than having an assurance like this? Even throughout the New Testament we are reminded of this:
Acts 7:55 (ESV)
55 But he (Stephen), full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
We even see with the resurrection of Lazarus, that Jesus has control over death - and if He is giving His disciples this assurance, the surely the assurance is given to us also.
You Know the Way
You Know the Way
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?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
He reminds them they know the way where He is going. This is one of the clearest passages that outlines the way a believer gets to heaven. Too often it is death that preoccupies us rather than the promise of heaven afterwards. Jesus has told His disciples time and time again how to get to heaven. But, they were shaken, they were not quite understanding why or how Jesus would be leaving them. He was young, alive, and well at this point; hard for them to imagine He would not be with them in a few more days.
Jesus didn’t take for granted, though, that the disciples - those he had spent every day with for the past three years - still needed a reminder of how to get to heaven. But notice Thomas - the doubter after His resurrection - asked the question (was it clarification, was it ignorance, was it not understanding) “Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way”? Doesn’t this sound like many of us today? Preacher I read my Bible, and I know what it says, but I still don’t know, or I don’t understand, or I don’t agree with…pick your topic. Often time the way to have a guarantee of our heavenly home is so simple we think it is too easy and surely there has to be more to it.
Jesus reminds the disciples the way they could get to heaven was through Him, and the same way we must get to heaven also. “I am the way, the truth, and the life”.
The Way - There is a difference between giving directions, and leading someone to the destination. Jesus not only tells us the way to heaven, but He has our hand and is leading us there! He IS the way.
The Truth - Anyone may tell you the truth, but Jesus lived the truth and BECAME the truth. John 10:30 tells us “30 I and the Father are one.”” - Looking at Jesus is like looking in a mirror and seeing the perfect truth of God. He IS the truth.
The Life - How many of us have ever read “self-help” books? Only to later find the author was a wreck and probably more of a mess that we are? Jesus not only told us how to live life, He actually lived it alongside the disciples so we could see a picture of a perfect life - life like God intended for us to live before sin entered the world. He IS the life.
This next statement, though, is the one we need to pay closest attention to “No one comes to the Father except through me”.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Jesus knew what would be happening shortly, He knew that He had to prepare the disciples, He knew the disciples needed to understand exactly, once and for all, who He was. Jesus plainly tells them, if they want to see a picture of God the Father, to look directly on Him. HE is the perfect revelation of God.
Closing
Closing
I am the way, the truth, and the life. Look at me, and you will see my Father. Believe in me, and you will have eternal life. Follow me, and I will take you to your home in heaven.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that God loves us so much He not only gave us the written promise of heaven, not only did He show us the way to heaven, but He sent His Son to LEAD us along the way. We do not have to go through life wandering or wondering whether we will make it to heaven, as Jesus has given clear instructions for us all.
Are you assured of your heavenly home? Have you trusted Jesus to be your way, your truth, and your life? Because you eternal life literally depends on your decision. Don’t leave here today not knowing if you will be shown your heavenly home, and not escorted out of heaven being told “I do not know you”.