Jesus: The Great "I AM"

Introduction

Good morning and welcome and Happy Easter!

If you will, start turning in your Bibles to .

In just a moment I will be reading the first 14 verses of that chapter.

As most of you know today is a day of great celebration in the Church!

Today is the day when we celebrate the hope realized through Jesus Christ!

And this morning, Easter Sunday 2018 we are going to be looking at the eternal promise that Jesus Christ made to his disciples all of those years ago.

When we think about Jesus and what Jesus means to us, there are many things that come to mind.

Jesus is our Bread of Life.

He is the Light of the World.

Jesus is the Door to which we enter heaven.

He is the Good Shepherd that keeps watch over his flock.

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, which we will see in our Scripture for today.

He is the Vine and we are the Branches.

He is the Resurrection and source of Eternal Life.

Jesus is our one and only Hope.

Jesus is many things and all of those things are possible by what Jesus did for all of us.

Jesus came here, lived a sinless life, and offered himself as the sacrifice for all of us and for all of our sin.

But that is only part of the story.

As important as Jesus’ perfect life and perfect sacrifice was, it would have been incomplete if it did not have one more part.

And that one thing was Jesus’ resurrection on the Third Day.

On Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the dead.

Jesus defeated, death, hell, and the grave for all time and for all of us.

And we can have that same victory in Jesus this morning if we can lay aside our own sin and accept Jesus a the only Way, the Only source of Truth, the Only way to Eternal Life.

That is what Easter really means and that is at the center of Jesus’ promise to the Disciples here in .

So, if you have found in your Bible, I’d invite you to stand with me this morning.

Again, I will be reading the first 14 verses.

John writes this . . .

Scripture Focus

John 14:1–14 NIV - Anglicised

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 14:1-

Do Not Be Troubled (vs. 1-4)

So, now setting the stage for what is going on here, in the scriptures just prior to our focus this morning, Jesus had just given his disciples a lot of bad news.

He had told them that he was going away.

He had told them that he would soon die.

He had told them that one of the Twelve disciples was a traitor.

He had told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times.

He had told them about Satan being at work against all of them.

He had even told them that there would come a point when they would all fall away and lose hope.

So at this point many of the hopes and dreams of the disciples had been crushed.

They had been imagining this great Kingdom being set up on Earth fully of glory and power and what Jesus was giving them in return was heartache, bitterness, and struggle.

And the worst part of it all, Jesus wasn’t even going to be there with them to go through it.

And at this point Jesus knows that he has to offer them a little bit of comfort.

Something that would restore at least some amount of hope in them.

So he tells them . . . .

John 14:1 NIV - Anglicised

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

Matthew 14:1

And just like in typical Jesus fashion he is straight to the point.

These were all Jews who had faith in God the Father.

And if they truly believed that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah then the same trust they put in the Father they can also put in Jesus.

Which I believe is exactly the message that many of us need to hear today.

There have been many things happen to us that leads us to discouragement and quite honestly can destroy our faith.

And there are many people in the world, and maybe even here this morning who have a strong belief in God the Father, but don’t really understand who Jesus is and what Jesus is all about.

Well, Jesus is the One who the Father works through.

Jesus is the One whom we put our hope and faith in, that leads us to a relationship with the Father.

We get to the Father through and only through Jesus.

And Jesus is saying here that the same faith that we place in God the Father, we can also place in Him.

And part of the reason for this is part of the mission that Jesus has.

He tells them this . . .

John 14:2–3 NIV - Anglicised

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.

John 14:

Which is why Jesus is going away.

And Jesus is not going away to build our mansions in heaven.

What Jesus is referring to here is his death and resurrection.

In order to complete the redemptive mission that God the Father has given Jesus, he must go away.

He must offer himself the sacrifice.

He must rise again.

He must stand by the side of the Father.

And He must return when God the Father tells him to.

It is all part of the eternal plan that guarantees a place for all of those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

It is all of our salvation and eternal hope.

But after explaining this Jesus says something that somewhat confuses them . . .

John 14:4 NIV - Anglicised

4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

I AM the Way, Truth, & Life (vs. 5-11)

And Thomas’ response . . .

John 14:5 NIV - Anglicised

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

John 14:

Now, what Jesus is trying to tell them and trying to get them to do is to search their hearts for the truth.

He wants them to understand the truth about Him and his true nature.

Jesus has already told them that he was going to heaven and that he would be at the right hand of the Father.

What he wants them to do is open their souls to the Holy Spirit to confirm in them what he is saying is true.

And it is no different in here this morning.

Which is why Jesus tells them . . .

John 14:6–7 NIV - Anglicised

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:

And what I would like for us to do this morning is slow down a bit and let the words of Jesus sink in.

Again, Jesus says . . .

John 14:6 NIV - Anglicised

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

Do you believe that this morning?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only way?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only source of truth?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life?

It honestly boils down to, what do you believe this morning?

Do you believe in heaven and hell?

Do you believe in God the Father?

Do you believe in Jesus the Son?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

And this is not about giving the “right answer” because you are in church this morning.

This is about searching your heart and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak into your soul what is true.

It is really more about being willing to allow the Holy Spirit to speak rather than doing or saying the “right thing.”

Are you willing to do that this morning?

And it doesn’t have to be just about salvation either.

God speaks to us about many things through the Holy Spirit.

They key though is, are we listening?

And if we are, are we willing to respond?

And don’t be embarrassed if you realize that things are not what you thought they were.

In this narrative we are talking about Jesus disciples.

Jesus tells them . . .

John 14:7 NIV - Anglicised

7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

And they don’t get it.

John 14:8 NIV - Anglicised

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

So we have this back and forth, and here is the kicker . . .

John 14:9–11 NIV - Anglicised

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

John 14:9-

So, see don’t feel bad for not fully understanding it.

These disciples had been with Jesus for over three years.

Not just Christians, but they had been in the physical presence of Jesus Christ and they didn’t get it.

Jesus and the Father are connected.

God is living in Jesus and Jesus is doing the work of the Father.

And what Jesus is saying here is if it is too hard and too confusing to believe the concept of the Holy Trinity, WHICH CAN BE VERY CONFUSING.

Then at least believe the evidence of their truth.

The evidence that they saw every day.

The miracles, the healings, the touches, the deliverances.

All the things they had been doing for the last 3 1/2 years.

Jesus didn’t do those things just to do them.

They were also proof of who He was and who He is.

And this morning we should stop and think about the miracles that Jesus has performed in our lives.

And before we are too quick to answer, think about how you are even here today.

Because I would bet there was at least one time in your life when you thought it may be over.

But somehow God pulled you through.

And if not you, what about someone you care about?

What I have come to realize is that miracles happen every day, we just have to slow down and realize them.

And I will be honest with you, as hard as it is, sometimes even death is a miracle.

Because if the person is a child of God, death can be a deliverance from the suffering of this life.

As hard as it is on those here, to those who have crossed over, it is the greatest miracle that they have ever witnessed.

And we can experience the same thing, IF we are willing to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

IF we are willing to follow Him.

Believe in Him (vs 12-14)

And, what about this faith.

Jesus finishes up this section this way . . .

John 14:12–14 NIV - Anglicised

12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Let that sink in for just a minute.

Jesus is saying that those who put their faith in Him, will do greater things than he.

How is that possible?

What Jesus is talking about here are the multitude of lives and souls that are touched by our testimony.

The multitudes of people we come into contact with that by our witness, by our testimony, by our faith, by our life, also come to know Jesus Christ.

Also, come to know the way to heaven.

Altar Call

However, the question remains, what is our testimony?

Does our life reflect Jesus Christ?

Is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior?

That is the first step, and everything else follows after that.

Maybe you are here this morning and this is the decision you need to make.

You need to lay aside all things and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Maybe you are here and God is calling you to something and you need to surrender to that call.

Maybe God has laid someone on your heart and called you to come and pray for that person.

Maybe God has called you to come and be prayed for.

What I would encourage you to do this morning is hear the Holy Spirit speak and respond to that call.

Will you do that this morning?

The Altar is open. Will you come?