Jesus the way of life

The Journey “to the unknown God”
The way of Life – the path of life – the path for true living

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV)

Thomas has a good question. How can we know the way if we don’t know where we are going? You must know where before how.

We don’t know where you are going.

Where is he going?
Jesus said they knew – Thomas said they didn’t hmm, why the difference?

i. What was Thomas (This Thomas) known for? Doubting, a lack of faith.

1. So we can say that a prerequisite for knowing, is believing, right? Living by faith, will keep us on the right path.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. NIV

ii. Going to the Father

1. Not a destination, but a relationship.

So how can we know the way?

How do we get there?

i. I am the way (another relationship)

ii. No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn 17:3)

1. Eternal life is to be connected, one with God forever)

Ø How do you get to my house from your house Jirina?

You leave your house and walk to the bus stop and get on a bus to the metro station, then you take the metro to florenc metro stop and then you change lines to the yellow line and you get off at Vysočanská and then you walk across the street to my house. Is that about right?

Well what if you found a good seat on the first Bus and it was so comfortable, it is cold outside and the heater is so warm that you decide you don’t want to get off? Would you get to my house? NO!

Ø Our journey as God’s people is like this also. Many get saved and go to a church and find a good seat. They come because they find something that they like! For example the music, the hugging or something else.

Ø That by itself is not wrong! What makes it unhealthy for you is if you do not remember that we are on a journey with many changes and when (not if) we make a turn in the road or we change buses and are required to get off your favorite bus and get on another where things might be different. NOT JUST CHURCH, BUT OUR LIFE AND ALL its CHANGES. Have we stopped and gotten comfortable someplace in our lives?

Phil 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Ø Our destination may require many changes to get to our final destination too. So if we become comfortable and say “I like it here I don’t want to change lines, we will never get to where we want and need to be!

o *** The result: We may find ourselves wandering from one bus to another checking the quality of the seats more than the destination of the Buses! Never arriving anywhere just traveling on a pointless journey.

Ø What is the goal that we have? To see that all of us become like Christ and arrive at the final destination “The Father”! Not that we have a ministry or do great things for God.

o A different place but the same path.

§ The fact is, who I am now will determine the changes and different roads that I will have to take to get to the destination of Christ likeness. I.e. Jana and Alan would have to take a totally different path to get to my house than Jirina. But the destination is the same.

Ø What is your destination and where are you now? There are many of you in your hearts you want to go to God. But like our example has shown.

o You may never have begun the journey or

o Maybe you have but have stopped and gotten comfortable in the journey and never continued on.

If I can deny knowing the destination, then I can deny knowing the way, therefore justifying my doing nothing. Do we do that? Have you ever heard people say “I don’t know what the vision of the Church is” But they have been here a long time?

Let me ask it this way. Where is Jesus going? What is his vision, calling, purpose, goals?

Right, to Love God and love people! A journey to the Father and a journey toward others.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV)