Preach the Word - 4
PREACH THE WORD!
So many times in our lives, when we finally get to a point where we begin to ask questions, there is a great possibility that we ask the wrong questions with the wrong intentions. Allow me to use this passage of Scripture in this introduction, this is not my sermon passage but I am using it to illustrate the point I am making about our questions.
James 4:1-6 4 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
There are six words used in interrogating any situation or circumstance, these words are; what, when, where, who, why, and how.
- What - is the main word meaning a request for specific information
- When implies at what time
- Where implies in or at what place
- Who is what person
- Why is for what reason
- How implies by what means , in what way
Today as we transition from our belief in Scripture to the next essential of our faith, our belief in God, we need to make sure that we are asking the right question and hearing the right answer. Our reading and studying must be for comprehension and our listening skills must be toned to gain understanding. Let’s listen to a dialogue between Jesus and His disciples and how the most powerful focal point to God is presented.
John 13:33-14:6
33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”
Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And 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 where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
In the text we find three things happening and they are repeated; Jesus initial statement, leading to a question from His disciples, and finally Jesus answers their question.
· The statement John 13:33-35 – Listen to it again
· Peter’s questions verses 36 and 37
o Appears that Peter missed the point
o Notice the love and longsuffering of Jesus
o Even in this teaching is taking place
· Jesus answer John 14:1
o Further explanation and a new statement
· Let me ask you something – New Hope
o How many of our conversations and interactions do we consider as random, chance, or just part of the day?
o How frustrated do we become when it appears that others are not listening to us?
· Jesus’ statement in verse 4
· Thomas question verse 5
· Jesus answer in verse 6
o John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
· Many times the spot light shines on the first part of this verse and it should;
o “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
· Let’s bring the lights up on the second part and explore what it is saying to us.
o No one comes to the Father except through Me.
· The disciples are asking where, why and how questions when it should be who?
· The result of the first statement and questions is a troubled heart, a disturbed heart, distressed, and anxious
o With good reason Jesus has said that He will leave them for a time and they can’t come (our babies)
· But Jesus gives the antidote
o Let not your heart be troubled (or as the NASB says “Do not let your heart be troubled”)
o New Hope this is gospel to me, it is good news,
o Just like when you go to the doctor and he says that you have this symptom but it is controllable
o The words from Jesus do not let your heart be trouble is comforting, knowing that I can control this
o And Jesus prescription is not a what, not a where but it is a who
o You believe in God, believe also in Me (you trust God, trust also in Me)
o Jesus is saying; Trust Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Me and I shall direct your paths
o Brothers and Sisters I am learning how to live this imperative and you too should learn it also
· So what are you saying preacher?
o My brother, my sister, if you have a trouble heart this moment then you have the power to let not your heart be troubled
o Trust God and trust Jesus also
o My fellow member of the human race, you need Jesus to be real in your life, He must be your Lord and Savior and you must trust that.
§ Let me keep it simple – YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
· The result of the second statement (verse 4 – and where I go you know and the way you know), the question and the answer, gives us our focal point, the key, reveals the secret to access to the Father, God all mighty
· In many situations and conversations that you may encounter the issue may appear to not be with God. Many people from various walks of life will tell and express to you that they believe in God. The issue that they have is with Jesus. Jesus as the Christ, Jesus as the Son of God and thus the deity of Jesus Christ.
· Out of some confused questions from some scared disciples, we get this magnificent statement from Jesus
o I am, do you remember the passage in Exodus 3:13-14
§ Exodus 3:13-1413 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
o “I am the way, the truth, and the life
§ Not some or one of many ways, truths, or lives
§ Only one way, the truth is not plural and the life is eternal
· No one comes to the Father except through Me
o Powerful
o A level of understanding God not available anywhere else
o He is the gateway to the Father and to the Holy Spirit (verse 16-18)
o John 14:16-18 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
o Having preached the doctrine of God, our plan now is to focus on Jesus and Him crucified.
In conclusion, listen to this quote from Thomas Kempis as he comments on this claim of Jesus; “Follow thou me. I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth; the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life blessed, life uncreated. If thou remain in my way thou shalt know the truth, and the truth shall make thee free, and thou shalt lay hold on eternal life.”
Let us pray.