Way Truth Life

The disciples world was about to be turned upside down. Normality as they knew it would be no more. They had dropped everything they had to follow Jesus. They believed him to be the Messiah that was going to overthrow Rome and put Israel back in power. He has told them that He is going to Jerusalem to be crucified. All the disciples dreams of ruling with Jesus were dashed. There was certainly a great deal of uncertainty about their future. We see here that their hearts were troubled. They were sad about losing Jesus and they were anxious about what life would look like going forward.

For many of us today we may find ourselves in the same spot. Our lives as we know it has been turned upside down. We don’t know when or if we will get back to our normal life. You may be asking, “ Well what do I do?” I have good news for you this morning. Jesus has the answer. It is found in John 14:1-7

Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled

Believe in God

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Promise of Glory (John 14:1–3)

There comes a time when we have to believe where we cannot prove and to accept where we cannot understand. If, in the darkest hour, we believe that somehow there is a purpose in life and that that purpose is love, even the unbearable becomes bearable and even in the darkness there is a glimmer of light.

How can we believe in God when times are difficult? Shouldn’t He protect us from difficulties? It is in the difficulties that affords us opportunity to believe in God. When we don’t see any hope in our situation or understand what is going on in our situation, we can trust God to bring ultimate goodness out of it. You may say that doesn’t make sense. Let me help you understand why we can believe in God in difficult times.

He proved to us His love for us by giving us everything he had to give. He gave us His Son Jesus Christ.

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

Now if He is willing to give us His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sin and secure our eternity, doesn’t He have the ability to bring out goodness in our temporary difficulty?

Believe in Jesus

Jesus let’s the disciples know that there are many dwelling places in the Father’s house. He was telling them that their is a greater future ahead for them than they will find here on earth. The fact that He was not the Messiah that they pictured him to be was inconsequential. There was something much greater than what they thought. Jesus was telling them that He was going to establish and eternal kingdom in heaven.

He also told them that He was going to prepare a place for them in heaven and that He was going to come back and get them so they could be with Him forever.

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Promise of Glory (John 14:1–3)

An earthly house becomes overcrowded; an earthly inn must sometimes turn away the weary traveller because its accommodation is exhausted. It is not so with our Father’s house, for heaven is as wide as the heart of God and there is room for all. Jesus is saying to his friends: ‘Don’t be afraid. In this world, people may shut their doors upon you. But in heaven you will never be shut out.’

For the believer, we can expect difficulties in this life. The worse this life can do to us is end our life. If it does, then Jesus promises us eternity with Him. This is a hope that cannot be taken away and a reality that will come to pass when we leave this world. Every one of the disciples except John entered their Father’s house through martyrdom. There life was taken for their belief.

There is hope in Jesus Christ. Hope of eternity. Our current situation is temporary. We could be delivered from it this side of heaven or the other side.

I find it interesting that Thomas still didn’t get it and asked “How do we know the way?” Jesus answers his question perfectly.

Perhaps you don’t see the way in your current situation. Listen at what Jesus says!

I Am The Way, and The Truth,and The Life

Jesus tells Thomas that He will get him where he needs to be. Jesus will also get us where we need to be. You may ask how?

Jesus is the way

The journey of our life is the way or path we walk. Jesus promises to guide us through our walk through life. Let me give you an example: Let’s say you are looking for directions to a friends house. You don’t have your phone or GPS so you have to go old style. You pull over and ask someone for directions. They tell you to go 2 miles, go through the fourth red light and take a right, go another mile or so and take a left at the third stop sign. Then go down about 5 blocks and turn right at the big intersection. Then go down to the seventh street and take a left. The house you are looking for will be the 21st house on the right. You will be lost before you get there. But let’s say the person you ask says I live next door to where you are going and heading that way. I’ll hop in and get you to where you need to go. Instead of the directions being your way, the person is now your way.

This is the way Jesus helps navigate us through our lives. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us to where we need to go. He tells us places to avoid (Sin) and places we need to go (path of righteousness).

Our job is to listen to the Holy Spirit and do what it is that He tells us to do. For example if we have sinned, the Holy Spirit will convict us so that we can repent. Another example is that He will put a passion in our soul for the direction we should go. We need to step out in faith and go!

Jesus is the truth

Jesus teaches us moral truth because He is truth. Jesus establishes boundaries for us that are safe to operate in. It is when we step outside the boundaries that Jesus has established that we are no longer walking in truth. Why is this? Because Jesus always walked in moral truth. Anything that you find written in His word regarding morality is truth.

Jesus fulfilled the law. He was without sin yet tempted in every way. He lived the perfect life. Because he did this, he can guide us into truth.

A person that teaches truth must embody it them self.

A person’s character does not really affect the teaching of geometry or astronomy or Latin verbs. But if someone proposes to teach moral truth, that person’s character makes all the difference in the world. An adulterer who teaches the necessity of purity, a grasping person who teaches the value of generosity, a domineering person who teaches the beauty of humility, an irascible person who teaches the beauty of serenity, an embittered person who teaches the beauty of love, is bound to be ineffective. Moral truth cannot be conveyed solely in words; it must be conveyed in example.

William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: Edinburgh, 2001), 184.

You can trust Jesus to help you live in truth!

Jesus is life

All of us desire purpose and meaning in life. A life lived with and for Jesus is life. A live apart from Jesus is surviving. There is a big difference. Surviving is stressful living without an eternal future. You can only accomplish what the world has to offer and you can only have it for the time you are here on earth. Living is having peace with God doing what you were created to do. Ultimately you will leave this world and live forever with Jesus.

Application

For the disciples, life as they knew it would never be the same. They would never return to their old lives. Their knew life in Jesus was to make disciples and proclaim the gospel all over the world. I would say that they were quite effective in their purpose because we are here today because Jesus was their way, their truth, and their life.

Jesus will show you the way that you are to live your life by the indwelling of His Spirit. He has given us truth in His word and reveals it through His Spirit. He will enable you to live out your purpose by the power of his indwelling spirit.

Friend you may be going through an uncertain time in your life right now. It could be related to COVID-19 or something totally different. You may be saying I don’t know what to do or where to go. Jesus is the way the truth and the life

If you will draw near to Jesus, He will show you what to do in your current situation. Once you follow in obedience to Him, He will reveal the truth in the situation. (The Why) Once you know the truth you can walk in God’s intended purpose for you in this situation.