Do You Know Jesus?

John 14:1-9

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

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] 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?[b] 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.”[c] 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.[d] From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 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’?

> In the hours leading up to John 14, Jesus had just completed his public ministry in Jerusalem. 

> He had washed the feet of his disciples, predicted his own betrayal by Judas, and foreseen Peter's denial. 

>He also told the disciples that he would soon be leaving them. 

>These events, particularly the prediction of betrayal and departure, understandably caused the disciples fear and uncertainty. 

>Jesus then began to speak words of comfort and assurance, attempting to calm their anxieties. 

>John 14 picks up in the middle of this ongoing conversation, with Jesus addressing the disciples' troubled hearts. 

As we look at the beginning of our scripture text, we see...

> The disciples had reason to be troubled. Jesus had just told them that one of them was a traitor, that all of them would deny Him, and that He would leave them that night. All of this would legitimately trouble the disciples, yet Jesus told them, let not your heart be troubled.

> Jesus never wanted us to have life without trouble, but He promised that we could have an untroubled heart even in a troubled life.

> Jesus is urging His followers to continue to believe in the Father and to continue to believe also in Him.

> In My Father’s house are many mansions: Jesus spoke with complete confidence about heaven, here spoken of as His Father’s house. Jesus didn’t wonder about the life beyond this earth; He knew it and told His disciples that there was room for all in heaven (many mansions).

> here will be many such dwelling places. Jesus could see what the disciples never could – millions upon millions, even billions from every tribe, language, nation in His Father’s house. He may have even smiled when He said, many mansions.

> Then Jesus says, I go to prepare a place for you: Love prepares a welcome. With love, expectant parents prepare a room for the baby. With love, the hostess prepares for her guests. Jesus prepares a place for His people because He loves them and is confident of their arrival.

> I will come again to receive you to Myself: Jesus promised to come again for the disciples. This was not only in the sense of His soon resurrection or in the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also had in mind the great gathering together of His people at the end of the age.

> That where I am, there you may be also: The entire focus of heaven is being united with Jesus. Heaven is heaven not because of streets of gold, or pearly gates, or even the presence of angels. Heaven is heaven because Jesus is there.

> Then in verse 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

 - Thomas should be praised for honestly and clearly explaining his confusion. He thought Jesus was simply going to another place, as if it were another city.

And Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

> Jesus didn’t say that He would show us a way; He said that He is the only way.

> He didn’t promise to teach us a truth; He said that He is the truth.

> Jesus didn’t offer us the secrets to life; He said that He is the life.

> Jesus’ way would be the cross; He would be convicted by a group of liars; His body would soon lie lifeless in a tomb.

> Because He took that way, He is the way to God;

> Because He did not contest the lies we can believe He is the truth;

> Because He was willing to die He becomes the channel of resurrection – the life to us.

> No one comes to the Father except through Me: Jesus made this remarkable statement, claiming that He was the only way to God.

>  (7-8) Knowing the Father and knowing the Son.

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

> Jesus explained why He was the only way to God; because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God.

> The disciples certainly had learned and known much about God in their three years of apprenticeship under Jesus. Yet Jesus understood that since they had not yet seen the full revelation of God’s love at the cross and His power at the resurrection, there was a sense in which they would only now know and see God.

> in verses 9-11, Jesus explains His unity with and dependence on the Father.

> I Have been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me: This means that Philip had been close to Jesus yet still did not understand Him. The same is possible and true for many of us today.

> He who has seen Me has seen the Father: This gentle rebuke reminded Philip of what Jesus often said; that to know Him was to know God the Father. To see the love of Jesus was to see the love of God the Father; seeing Jesus in action was seeing the Father in action.

> The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority: Jesus repeated something emphasized in the Gospel of John; that Jesus lived and spoke in constant dependence upon God the Father and did nothing outside His authority and guidance

> Believe Me: “Here Jesus calls on Philip and the others to believe Him, not only to believe in Him. Faith includes a recognition that what Jesus says is true.” 

> To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. Simply. Fully. Without reservation.

>On one occasion, in Matthew, before Jesus healed two blind men, He asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They answered, “Yes, Lord,” and He healed them “according to [their] faith” .

>The men simply trusted the power and goodness of the Lord, and they received their sight.

> Now, closing in the last three verses, Jesus leaves the confused and fearful disciples, these words of comfort.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

> Most assuredly: Jesus began the first of three assurances given to His disciples on the night of His departure.

1)The first assurance answered their fear, “This is the end. The work is over and we all got fired.” They didn’t get fired; they got promoted, and promoted to greater things.

 > Jesus just encouraged the disciples to trust in, to rely on, and cling to Him in faith, because of who He is, the words He spoke, and the miracles He has done. Now Jesus described the benefit or blessing that comes to this one who believes.

> Jesus expected those who believe in Him to carry on His work in the world. He did not expect the disciples to disband after His departure, but to carry on His work in even greater magnitude (greater works than these he will do).

> Jesus would leave behind a victorious, working family of followers who would spread His kingdom to more people and places than Jesus ever did in His life and ministry.

Closing

This leads us to this question: How well do you know Jesus?

Just like He prepared the disciples to continue to share the good news of Christ.

As a follower of Christ, He has given each of us a roll to fulfill.

Just as we spoke about Wednesday evening. Life is not about getting God to give you everything you want.

It is about living a life of honoring and glorifying Him.

He did not leave us behind to bicker and quarrel, or to do our own thing, but to work together in the unity that Christ instills in our hearts and lives!

Allow the Truth in His Word to guide your heart.

Or maybe you are here and have never turned your life over to Christ

Allowing Him to be the Lord and Master of your life.

Just as we read today, Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!

No one can come to GOD except through Him!

First, you must admit that you are a sinner. Romans 3:23

Next, You must believe that He is the who He says He is.

That He came to earth to live as an example. He came to live as God in the flesh, but also knowing that He was preparing the way to give the greatest gift, any of us could ever receive.

He was scourged and beaten; then He hung on a cross, and died.

His death was the sacrifice that made a way to live with Him in eternity, if we choose to place our faith and trust in Him.

Lastly, we must confess His as our Savior and Lord!

In just a minute, we will have a time of invitation and if you want to know more about accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, come down the aisle and let us step you through.

Pray