John 14:1-6

I. Introduction

a. Scripture: John 14:1-6

And as always, I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

II. Contextualization

a. Feast of the Passover - In the upper room with the Disciples

b. He is there for the Last Supper with them - Just washed their feet

c. He has just predicted His betrayal...”Lord is it I???” All confused - Identified the betrayer with dipped morsel of bread…and it was Judas… - really this was a final a warning to Judas…Jesus washed His feet, shared the Word with Him and warned Him…Judas had time to change his mind...

Gives the betrayer permission: - “what you do, do quickly”

d. Jesus is still there in the upper room…reclining and relaxing w/disciples…will spend a great deal of time there with them over the next couple of chapters, in order to teach them....this is a special time....it is their very last meal together in this life....and that’s where we left off last time.

III. Major Points

1. Faith is the Key to Hope

2. Heaven is Real

3. Jesus is THE Way

IV. Point #1: Faith is the Key to Hope

John 14:1

Explanation

a. Jesus is aware of the disciples’ state of mind…worried, anxious, perplexed....there are several reasons:

He is leaving soon and they can’t come

There is a traitor in their midst

Peter, the adored leader, is told he will deny Jesus 3 times that night

Jesus know the anguish and pain and fear that was coming

b. Also: Jesus doesn’t just know THEIR anxiousness and fear....remember, He has His own to deal with.

John 12:20–23 NASB95

Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

then look at verse 27:

John 12:27 NASB95

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

John 12

The weight of the sin of the world was on Him

So not only does Jesus know THEIR anxiety and fear, He empathizes with it because He has his own to deal with....

c. So He wants to encourage them…but not just an empty “cheer up platitude…He goes further…He wants to truly comfort them with something that is REAL.

cherr u

d. Greek: pisteuete -” to believe” - “to have faith” - “to put stock in”

Jesus knows the Disciples have faith in God....but He also knows with what they are about to experience (watching Him die…being afraid for their lives) they may lose faith in HIM....and it is imperative that they believe in Him.

B/C the key to their hope is their faith…and their faith must rest in Him.

Illustration

I love to travel, and there is no better feeling than knowing I have a confirmed reservation. When Hannah graduated from Liberty with her Master’s degree, me, her and my in-laws arrived at a hotel at about 10 p.m., I walked into the lobby to find that they did not have our reservation. We were tired and there appeared to be no room at the inn....sound like a familiar story, huh? As a matter of fact, there were no rooms at any inns within 2 hours of Lynchburg, Virginia! See, it so happened that her commencement speaker was the newly inaugurated President, Donald J. Trump…and EVERYBODY wanted to be there. After arguing with a very old white lady and a very mean little Indian man, they finally contacted the booking company I had used and figured out that I wasn’t lying to them and I DID have a reservation after all... and there was no better feeling than knowing we had a reservation when we pulled up!...and for a split second I thought I had really messed up…but I KNEW I had made my reservations. I KNEW I had....and even as that mean little man rolled his eyes at me and shook his head while he looked at his computer screen and thought I was an idiot, I KNEW I had made my reservations. I KNEW it.

Application

Church: Christian’s have a guaranteed reservation in heaven! Isn’t that a great feeling?

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (). 

"By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (). 

a. Jesus knows OUR fear....anxiety....struggles…depression…temptations just like He knew the Disciples’…and His advice to us is the same as it was for them: rely on your faith....you have reservations in Heaven....you have a relationship with the God of the universe....and He loves you. You can rest your HOPE on that promise…on that faith…just like Jesus told the disciples to.....so no jatter what you’re going through right now…and more than just say “concerned mean something....it’s about a real faith that leads to a real Hope in Christ Jesus one day.

V. Point #2: Heaven is Real

John 12:2-3

Explanation

a. Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us…The Greek word for “Mansions” in verse 2 is the word “mone” - this word best means “dwelling place”....but those dwelling places are real....and could very well be all that a mansion is…and more!

But the point is that Jesus, the Carpenter (remember?) and now HE is busy getting it ready for us to spend eternity with Him.

In honor of Aaron being here today, my family is having lunch together over at the parsonage today....and in preparation for that, we had to clean…we were preparing for His arrival....God is doing the same thing...

Verse 4 seems a little complicated, but it shouldn’t be.

John 14:4 NASB95

“And you know the way where I am going.”

John 12:4 NASB95

But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said,

He is saying if you guys thought REAL hard about where I’m going, you’ll figure it out.

And the place that He has lined up for us is REAL…It’s a place where all things are made new and whole after things have fallen apart and been so corrupt b/c of sin....where we even get a new body....

Who all is looking forward to a new body, amen?

Illustration

Harvard Scientists have discovered a DNA power switch that controls genes for regeneration, with the potential to adjust the range of regeneration. It is hoped that the discovery will one day lead to the ability to regrow limbs, like the salamander, or mimic the jellyfish's ability to regenerate their entire bodies after being cut in half.

But it's Christians who should be most excited by this discovery, for we know the One whose hand is on the switch. After all, God wrote the DNA code, amen???!!

What makes this a double discovery is that it was found among what scientists call "Junk DNA," DNA that was allegedly left lying around by Evolution, with no real purpose. What an incredible treasure to find amongst the so-called "junk!" Finds like these demonstrate that there really is no such thing as "Junk DNA," just junk science!

Rather, there is a purpose behind all of the code our Creator has written into our DNA. Just because we have yet to discover its purpose doesn't mean that it has no purpose. It just means there's a lot we don't know.

But there is no excuse for ignorance when it comes to regeneration.  The Scriptures inform us that it is God's intent to one day make full use of that whole-body regeneration switch!

When Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die," wasn't He also saying, "Don't worry, the code for whole-body regeneration is real and I know that code!"?

Application

Church: God has been planning all along from us to get those new bodies....the full ones, right?

And some people believed, even in those days that heaven wan’t a real, physical place…they believed it was more like a state of mind....

Church: Heaven is REAL…it is a physical place that our faith promises us....that we can put our faith in…believe in....to put stock in.

And God has been planning this all along....

How many of you are glad, heaven is real, amen?

Heaven IS real.

VI. Point #3: Jesus is THE Way

John 14:5-6

Explanation

a. So Thomas seemingly has to take Peter’s place....you’ll remember that Peter isn’t talking right now....He just got himself majorly humbled and got his feelings hurt when Jesus stopped his big talk and arrogance by telling him he would deny Jesus 3 times that very night?

b. Now Thomas steps in....”NO we DON’T know where you are going…help us out Jesus!…we don’t know where you’re going, how can we possibly know the way?”

c. Then in verse 6, Jesus does two things:

He tells them about WHO He is (the truth and the life)

You cannot approach God without going through Jesus.

Illustration

We were in the mountains up in Blue Ridge a couple of weeks ago and the roads to get to our cabin were very steep and narrow....with long drops off to the side. In fact, if Hannah had not had 4 wheel drive in her Jeep, I’m not sure we could’ve mad it…IN fact let me take just a minute and read from the actual rental agreement we had with the rental company for the cabin…this is what it said about the driving situation:

For this home 4 wheel or all wheel is best but the drive is not tough. Here are the tricks…keep a constant speed, don’t stop, drive at a consistent moderate speed and don’t let your wheels spin. Spinning your wheels will not get you anywhere and it will damage the roads that the homeowners maintain. They key is to relax and maintain a steady speed. At this cabin you need to pull out of the driveway back up a good distance and get a running start up the hill. If there is snow or ice we suggest that you park at least one car at the top of the hill if you do not have all wheel or 4 wheel drive.

Of course, I can tell you, they were right about all of that. There was only ONE way to get there…and it was a very narrow road....and it was pretty difficult. You couldn’t get there in just any normal fashion.

Application

Church: Getting to God....getting to eternity is a lot like that....it seems treacherous…it’s not something you can do in just any way…You can only make it with Jesus....the road is narrow....when you get off the path, watch out. You’re going to get hurt.

Jesus is THE way…the door…the gate.....He is the Truth....the very essence of all that is good and truth and every word he says is truth....and no one can come to the Father except by Him....

You cannot REACH the Father by way of Heaven or even prayer if not by Jesus...

People who don’t pray by Jesus…who say they are praying who aren’t Christians, who are you praying to???

wasting your breath.

JESUS is the ONLY way.

VII. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning, are you following that Jesus? He’s the only way....there is only one way to Heaven....and Heaven is real....and no matter what you’re going through, remember....don’t let your heart be troubled....your faith is the key to your hope....lean on it....lean on Jesus.

b. Let’s Pray