John 13:36-14:14. Believe -

John 13:36-14:14. Believe -

Setting the scene. Jesus preparing the disciples for his departure.

Judas left, Jesus said the disciples cannot follow him where he is going,

Main points: 1 (Confident/trusting in ourself or in Jesus?)

36 Peter asks Jesus where He is going.  Jesus responds you can’t follow now, but you will follow later. (Jesu taking about his death – and later Peter’s death, for Jesus’ name).

37 Peters is very motivated (confident) and ready in his mind to lay down his life for Jesus, and follow Jesus so close.

38 Jesus speaks the truth; amen, amen, Peter you are not understanding the plan, and you will deny me 3 times before the rooster crows. (What is Peter to respond? What about us? -No, your plan will not work, mine will, - Jesus).

Next point: Trust in God. –

14:1 My first bible on a phone, was stuck on this verse. Manny times at work it was a great help and blessing to me, - when there was many concerns and troubles at work – or thinking about how things was going at home – this verse gave me peace and put my mind in the right perspective, to set my hope in God and not on other things, to know that if my heart is getting troubled, I need to look to God and believe in Him, and believe in Jesus. That gives right perspective – and the troubles are less that God, - there will likely always be many different troubles, that can shake us and make our hearts be worried and troubled, but the antidote is to look to God, to believe, to believe in Jesus and what Jesus has done, - and that God is with me, and Jesus has died and rose again, to defeat sin, Satan, death, and free from God’s wrath for all who would believe. (What a great massage to a worried and actious generation – it is not about you but about who God is). The burden of the world was laid on Jesus, you don’t have to carry it.

Is your heart troubled? What are you to do? Look to God, believe in Him and believe in Jesus.

2-3 Jesus then tell them about where he is going and what Jesus will do, talking about his father’s house that has many rooms, and that Jesus is going before to prepare a place for them, and that Jesus will come again and will take them to himself.    

4 Jesus said they know the way – setting up what is to come.

5. Thomaswe don’t know where you are going how can we know the way? Good question. – That leads to Jesus amazing statement of who he is,

6. Jesus said I am the way. (I am – God and the only way to God, the only way of salvation, the only true way to walk in life is with me and in me). I am the truth – there is only one truth and that is found in Jesus, - the opposite of postmodernity that clam that there can be more truths even ones that oppose each other, - but postmodernity, clam has been torn down by its own definition, that there is no absolute truth, = but that statement can’t be true, because it clams an absolute truth. Why I am I spending time on this point, well because we are living in a world that thinks that truth is relative and I can make it up myself, you can hear people say, well that is my truth, or that is how I understand things therefore it is my truth, - that might be but it is not the truth. Because that is constant and does not oppose it self. Well, why then this push for many different truths? It is way to get away from accountability, a way from the Truth to create a truth I like better where I am God. No, one can correct me or guide me, I am accountable for no one… Only me and the truth I came up with. Until I make a new one, - and life becomes impossible, - or very hard to live, - how could you trust a person? In my truth, I did not borrow money – or opposite, well that bank said: in our truth you did not put money in our bank. Or there are not only man and woman, as God has created there are many different genders. This is silly, some of the people I run with said, there are only man and woman, - the end. People can feel like they are something ells, that does not make it true. In biology. We have seem it in there are more truths, and that carrying over to gender and sexuality, to the harm of many young people. When Jesus say he is the truth, that is great news, that in Jesus we see the truth of all things, we see God and who all things are created to be, and that is why Jesus can say and the life, the only true life is found in me, and in following me, I am the only way to the Father, - and that is also true, there are not many ways to God, there is only one and that is by Jesus Christ. No, other religions, not, other spiritual experiences, - God gives an invitation to all, that we are to extend that is the good news for all people everywhere all nations and tungs, - but there is only one way for all, and that is Jesus. Therefore there is only one way, one truth (Gods truth in Jesus), there is only real life in Jesus, and only one way to God, and that is Jesus. The invitation I very broad for all that will come, - but very exclusive; there is only one way to come and that is by faith in Jesus.

This statement from Jesus is so very important for us today, and how we live in the world, there is only one truth, and that is Gods, because there are absolutes and they are great and found in God and we see them in Jesus. This passage is highly theological but also highly practical, when your heart gets worried and troubled what do you do? Make a new truth? Make a new way, make a new God, - No, - instead we can look to God, believe in what God has created, and trust in Jesus for life, and walking with him we walk in truth.  

7. Jesus here say, that If you know me, you know my father, from now on you do know him and have seen him. – Jesus saying that he has shown them the father, in who he is.

8. Philip saying, what others could be thinking, we just need to see the father then we will not worry about anything, so Jesus Lord Just show us the father. – Well, as we read Jesus’ response, Philip had not grasped who Jesus was, he had not understood that Jesus was and is the true image off God. Jesus saying, you have been with me so long Philip and you don’t know me? (What about you? You might have been religious for many years but don’t know Jesus? – Is that a question that Jesus is asking you today? – Like the older brother in the story of the prodicial son).

Like with Philip – The one that has seen Jesus, has see the father, - therefore Jesus asks him how can you say show us the father?

10 don’t you understand Philip, That I am in the Father and the Father is in me? (joined with the Father). (In Christ we can be joined to Jesus and the Father by the Holy Spirt). Jesus adding that words Jesus is speaking is spoken on the Fathers authority, by the Father that dwells in me, and does his works. Jesus is saying to Philip, the words, the actions I do are what the Fater does and gives me authority to do. 11 Therefore believe that I am in the father, and the Father in me – and if that is too hard to understand believe, because of all the works I have done.   

12 The encouragement to the disciples, that if they believe in Jesus, and that God is in him and He in Jesus, - and therefore has Jesus and God in them, they will be able to do the works Jesus did and even greater works, - made possible because Jesus is going to the Father, - Then it is not our power but Gods power, via Jesus works, and the sending of the Holy Spirt God true and real presenst in us.  – Often the question here becomes – Can we do the things Jesus did, heal, raise the death, make water to wine, - short awenser is yes, if it is Gods will, therefore the power of God in us is not for our entertainment or our glory, - but as the next verse say, that it will bring glory to God as Jesus grant the request and God is golyfied in Jesus. therefore Jesus say 14 ask anything in my name I will do it, - if it is Gods will and that you believe in what Jesus has said in the passage that followed. Jesus’ life, and our life in Christ is one where we live for the Glory of Jesus Christ, and Jesus will give us all the power needed to live and do the works God has prepared for us to walk in. – That was the encourgemt to the disciples and to us. Not that we need more, but that we are encouraged to believe in Jesus, as the way, the truth and the life, that Jesus is the image of God, and that there is salvation, redemption, justification in his life and work, death, resurrection and coming back that we can be with Jesus forever, that we live for His glory, and God has showed who He is in Jesus Christ, and that he loved us, by sending Jesus. And given us the power to live our life in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirt.

Examples of greater works growth of the church to 1000 – to millions…