I AM THE WAY, TRUTH, AND LIFE
Notes
Transcript
Context:
Context:
In the previous chapter, Jesus has just washed His disciples feet.
Washing feet is symbolic of our role in the Body of Christ.
Everyone in Israel would wear sandals or be barefoot, and they had to wash their feet before a communal meal.
When Jesus washed his disciples feet, he was doing the work of the lowliest servant.
Then, they had their supper...
After the foot washing, Jesus shares about the person who would betray Him.
Judas got up and left..
New Command...
This new command is Love!
Love one another, just as I have loved you.
Jesus just got down and washed His disciples feet.
Then, Jesus tells peter that you will deny me.
Read 14:1-11
Read 14:1-11
Here We Go
Here We Go
V.1
The disciples were in a depression, or a down state.
Jesus just said He is going away, and that 1 of you will betray men, then Peter will deny who I am, and that Satan is working against them, and that all of you will fall away.
Imagine being one the disciples, you were having a great time at dinner, but then Jesus unloads all this stuff that is about to happen.. I think you’d be down and depressed too.
For us today, it would be like Jesus saying, “the Holy Spirit is going to leave you soon, so sorry...”
When you truly have a relationship with Jesus, you would not want Him to leave.
You wouldn’t want to do life without Him.
Jesus knows what they are feeling...
So, He tells them, DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED.
Did you know that you are responsible for the condition of your heart?
Before we get to that, does anyone know what heart means in the Bible?
It’s not speaking of a physical beating vessel.
Heart is mentioned almost 1,000 times in the Bible.
In short, The heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell.
Our hearts are evil, wicked, and deceitful… apart from God.
Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
So, when the fall happened, when Adam and Eve sinned… it affected the deepest part of us, our mind, emotions, and desires.
Once you are saved, you are given a new heart.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Once you have a new heart, you will change the way you live.
There is always a change after salvation.
Your mind changes, emotions change, and even your desires will change.
So, you are responsible for the condition of your heart after salvation.
My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
If you are troubled, depressed, scared, down, here is God saying:
DON’T LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. TRUST ME. BELIEVE ME.
Why would trusting Jesus help me?
Jesus is Sovereign.
No matter what life throws your way, you can be okay because God is the one who is in control.
Jesus went to heaven to prepare room for us.
If you’re saved, you have a spot waiting for you in heaven.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Once you understand how much you are loved by God, it will change you.
Life is hard, no one said it would be easy. However, life with Jesus is hard too.
But, when you understand that NOTHING can separate you from the love of God..
That should bring peace and comfort.
It takes your heart from being troubled and brings you to praise!
If you are troubled, down, sad, depressed, anything… Take your focus off of yourself, and put it on Jesus.
V.3-4
Jesus is speaking about His return in the air.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Jesus then tells them, You know the way to where I am going..
V.5
V.5
Thomas didn’t know the way, so he thought.
We are like Thomas at times… God shows us something that he wants us to do, and he makes it obvious, but we say “Man.. I don’t know what He wants.”
So, Jesus being the great guy He is, decides to make it clear for them.
V.6
THE WAY
He doesn’t merely show them the way, JESUS IS THE WAY.
We live in a world of universalism, where all roads lead to heaven, false...
Jesus is saying, “Hey, all that stuff about doing good, doesn’t matter what you believe, is wrong.. No more confusion. I AM THE ONLY WAY.”
Many people think they can live their life and do good, and that will get them to heaven… False… There is no heaven apart from Jesus.
THE TRUTH
Jesus doesn’t just teach truth… He is the TRUTH.
All these religions that teach weird things.. Jesus is saying, “No more confusion, I AM THE TRUTH.”
How does v.6 bring us comfort?
Believing that Jesus is the way will comfort your heart because you have access to the Father.
Through Jesus, we are able to bring all of our pain, problems, and praise to the Father.
The LIFE
Jesus is the only person who can give you salvation.
There is no salvation apart from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Life doesn’t mean life on earth… Since everyone who is unsaved is dead, they are dead because of sin.. They can only have life through Jesus.
JESUS IS THE KEY TO REAL LIFE.
V.7
Jesus is telling His disciples, if you really knew Me, you’d know the Father.