The Way

OPENING SLIDE

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever noticed how much of life is spent looking for the right way?

When we travel somewhere we’ve never been, we rely on GPS to tell us the best route.

When we’re assembling a new piece of furniture, we look for the instructions because we don’t want to do it the wrong way. (WELL, MEN DON’T 🤣)

When we’re facing a difficult decision, we seek advice from people we trust because we’re trying to find the right way forward.

The reality is, our world is full of voices claiming to know the way.

One voice says, “Follow your heart.”

Another says, “Find your own truth.”

Another says, “All roads lead to the same destination.”

Every religion, every philosophy, and every self-help guru claims to have discovered the way to a better life.

But here’s the question that matters more than any other:

How do we know which way is right?

When it comes to something as important as finding our way to God, we had better check the source.

There are many voices claiming to know the way—but only One who claimed to be the Way.

That isn’t just a modern question.

It’s the very question the disciples were asking on the night before Jesus went to the cross.

Their world had just been turned upside down.

Jesus had told them He was going to be betrayed, Peter would deny Him, and to top it off, He was leaving.

They were confused.

They were anxious.

They were wondering what came next.

Then Thomas asked the question many of us would have asked:

“Lord, we don’t know where You are going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus’ answer is one of the most exclusive—and at the same time one of the most comforting—statements ever spoken:

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

Jesus makes a statement that no one else could make.

Everyone else has to phrase it in a different way.

Other people can claim to show you the way, or teach you the way, or point you in the right direction.

Jesus did not offer any of these options.

Instead, He said, “I am the way.”

This morning, let’s open God’s Word to John 14:1–11 and discover why Jesus alone could make that claim.

“As we walk through this conversation between Jesus, Thomas, and Philip, we’re going to discover three life-changing truths about The Way.

Let’s begin by looking at verses 1-4 of John 14.

John 14:1–4 NET 2nd ed.

1 “Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. 4 And you know the way where I am going.”

SERMON

MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE

I. The Way Provides Comfort

Imagine the emotions in the room that night.

Jesus had just told His disciples that one of them would betray Him.

He told Peter that before morning he would deny Him three times.

Then He announced that He was leaving—and they could not come with Him.

Their world was collapsing.

The disciples weren’t simply confused; they were deeply troubled.

That’s why Jesus begins with these words in verse 1.

John 14:1 NET 2nd ed.

1 “Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me.

Jesus doesn’t begin by explaining everything that is about to happen.

He doesn’t tell them all the details of the cross.

He doesn’t explain the resurrection.

He doesn’t provide them a timeline.

Instead, He calls them to trust.

Sometimes God calms our fears by changing our circumstances.

Other times He calms our fears by reminding us who is in control.

Jesus says, “Believe in God; believe also in Me.”

Their comfort wouldn’t come from understanding everything.

Their comfort would come from trusting Someone.

Then Jesus provides one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture.

There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house!

The Greek word translated as "rooms" (monai) doesn’t describe temporary lodging or a motel along the road.

It refers to permanent dwelling places—abiding homes.

Jesus is saying, “You belong there. This is your permanent home.”

But there’s another beautiful detail.

Throughout John’s Gospel, the phrase “My Father’s house” referred to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Earlier Jesus cleansed the Temple and called it “My Father’s house.”

Now He expands that picture.

God’s dwelling place is no longer centered in a building made with stone.

God’s dwelling place is wherever His family lives with Him.

Then Jesus says:

I am going away to make ready a place for you!

Many people picture Jesus spending the last two thousand years building mansions in heaven.

But that’s probably not the image Jesus intended.

His disciples would have recognized the language of a Jewish wedding.

In first-century Jewish culture, after the betrothal, the bridegroom would leave his bride and return to his father’s house.

There he would prepare an addition—a new dwelling attached to his father’s home.

When everything was ready, he would return unexpectedly to receive his bride and bring her home.

That’s exactly the imagery Jesus uses.

He is the Bridegroom.

His disciples are His bride.

He is leaving for a time.

Then Jesus follows it up with verse 3.

John 14:3 NET 2nd ed.

3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.

Jesus doesn’t simply promise a place.

He promises His presence.

He doesn’t say, “I’m taking you somewhere.”

He says I will come again and take you to be with me, SO THAT WHERE I AM YOU MAY BE ALSO!

That’s the heart of Christian hope.

Heaven is wonderful because Jesus is there.

The greatest comfort for the believer isn’t golden streets or gates of pearl.

Our greatest comfort is that one day we will be with Christ forever.

Finally, Jesus says in verse 4, “You know the way to where I am going.”

Notice He states it as a fact.

Not, “Do you know the way?”

But, “You know the way.”

The disciples already possessed everything they needed.

They just hadn’t yet realized that the Way wasn’t a road.

The Way was standing right in front of them.

Life has a way of troubling our hearts.

We worry about our health.

We worry about our families.

We worry about the future.

Like the disciples, there are moments when it feels as though everything familiar is slipping away.

Jesus reminds us that our comfort isn’t ultimately found in having all the answers.

Our comfort is found in trusting the One who does.

When your heart is troubled, remember that Jesus has not only prepared a place for you—He has promised His presence, both now and forever.

That promise naturally raises the question Thomas is about to ask.

Let’s move to verses 5-7.

John 14:5–7 NET 2nd ed.

5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on you do know him and have seen him.”

MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE

II. The Way Provides Direction

When Jesus says you know the way, Thomas pipes up in verse 5.

John 14:5 NET 2nd ed.

5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Thomas is often remembered as “Doubting Thomas.”

I think that’s a little unfair.

Thomas wasn’t refusing to believe.

He was asking an honest question.

In fact, he was probably asking the question every disciple in that room was thinking.

Jesus had just told them He was leaving.

If they didn’t know the destination, how could they possibly know the road?

Can you relate to Thomas?

Most of us have asked questions like that.

“God, what am I supposed to do?”

“Which direction should I take?”

“How do I know I’m on the right path?”

Thomas wasn’t pushing Jesus away.

He was leaning in for clarity.

And Jesus responds with one of the most breathtaking statements in all of Scripture:

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

This is the sixth of John’s seven great “I AM” statements.

Jesus isn’t merely giving directions.

He is the destination and the road that leads there.

The three descriptions belong together.

Because Jesus is the Truth, He can be trusted completely.

Because Jesus is the Life, He alone can give eternal life.

Therefore, Jesus is the Way to the Father.

In our Check the Source series, we’ve been asking an important question: Where are you getting your truth?

Our world says there are countless sources.

Culture says, “Follow your heart.”

Others say, “Create your own truth.”

Still others insist that all religions eventually lead to the same God.

Jesus leaves no room for those ideas.

He doesn’t claim to be a way, a truth, or a life.

He claims to be the Way, truth, and life.

In fact, the earliest Christians became known simply as “The Way.”

Why?

This is because following Jesus wasn’t merely adopting a new religion.

It was following the only Person who could bring sinners into the Father’s presence.

Then Jesus says something our culture finds offensive: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Those are exclusive words.

But they’re also incredibly gracious words.

Think about it.

If there were many ways to God, then Jesus never needed to leave heaven.

He never needed to suffer.

He never needed to die on the cross.

The cross itself declares there was no other way.

The good news isn’t that God has hidden the way.

The good news is that God has revealed the Way.

And His name is Jesus Christ.

Every one of us is following someone or something.

The question isn’t whether you’re on a path.

The question is whether you’re following the right Person.

If you’re looking for direction in life, don’t simply ask, “What should I do?”

Ask, “Am I following Jesus?”

Because when you’re following Him, you’re following the only One who can lead you safely to the Father.

Jesus’ answer should have settled every question. But Philip still had one request.

Let’s move to verses 8-11

John 14:8–11 NET 2nd ed.

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.” 9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person who 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 initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves.

MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE

III. The Way Provides Revelation

After hearing everything Jesus has said, Philip makes one final request.

“Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.”

I love Philip’s honesty.

He’s saying, “Jesus, if we could just see God, we’d finally understand.”

Jesus’ response is gentle, but it also carries a note of surprise.

“Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip?”

Then Jesus makes one of the most astonishing statements in all of Scripture: “The person who has seen me has seen the Father!”

Think about what Jesus is saying.

If you want to know what God is like…

Look at Jesus.

Want to know how God treats sinners?

Look at Jesus.

Want to know how God responds to broken people?

Look at Jesus.

Want to know how much God loves you?

Look at the cross.

Jesus is the perfect revelation of the Father.

He doesn’t merely speak for God.

He reveals God.

Everything Jesus did…

Every miracle…

Every act of compassion…

Every word of truth…

Every sacrifice…

Shows us exactly what the Father is like.

That’s why Jesus could say, “ The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds.”

Jesus wasn’t simply representing God.

He was revealing Him!

Our world has all kinds of ideas about God.

Some picture Him as distant.

Others imagine Him as angry.

Still others create a god in their own image.

But if you want to know the true God… Check the Source.

Look at Jesus.

Because when you’ve seen Jesus… You’ve seen the Father.

CONCLUSION

CLOSING SLIDE

The world is filled with voices claiming to know the way.

Jesus doesn’t simply offer another path.

He says, “I am the Way.”

The Way provides comfort for troubled hearts.

The Way provides direction for searching souls.

And the Way provides the clearest revelation of the God who loves us enough to send His Son so that we might live with Him forever.

If you want to know the way… check the Source.

If you want to know the truth… check the Source.

If you want to find life… check the Source.

Because the Source has a name—Jesus Christ.