Parting Words- Part 1- Troubled Hearts

Introduction-John 14:1-6

Over the next several weeks we are going to walk through chapters 14-17 of the gospel of John.

This portion of the Word of God records the words that Jesus spake to His disciples just before He was to be arrested, tried, and crucified.

We might call these chapters His parting words to them knowing that He was about to face torture and death in front of their eyes.

It is important before we begin to look back to see the context of this conversation.

John 13:31-38

Here Jesus speaks of the fact that He is soon departing from them and of course this stirs up fear and anxiety in their hearts as they struggle to understand why He is leaving them.

Encouragement (Vs. 1)

This passage begins with an exhortation to the disciples that they need not be troubled by what Jesus has said.

The disciples were understandably shaken by Jesus proclamation that He would soon be leaving them.

The disciples had a deep love for Jesus and considered Him to be the Son of God.

They had witnessed Him perform miracles from giving sight to the blind to raising the dead to life.

They had heard Him preach with power and authority and it was to Him they looked for direction and leadership and now He was about to depart.

They must have been deeply concerned that they would be unable to carry on without Him.

They must have been fearful that they would not be able to withstand the opposition without Him.

They must have wondered where was He going and why must He go so soon.

Jesus answers their concern with a very simple statement saying to them basically don’t be afraid just trust me.

He called on them to simply trust Him just as they trusted God. Here again Jesus is equating Himself with God.

Whatever the circumstances we face that would trouble our hearts we must remember one thing, WE CAN TRUST JESUS!

We may struggle to understand the situations we find ourselves in and we may wonder why things are as they are but if we know Jesus Christ we know that He is worthy of our trust and that we need not be troubled because He is our hope and salvation.

Enlightenment (Vs. 2-4)

After Jesus has encouraged the disciples to trust Him, He provides a bit more detail as to what they can expect in the future.

He speaks first of the fact that in His Father’s house there are many mansions.

This statement is not so much about the grandeur of the dwellings there as it is about the space there is there for all who believe.

Jesus is assuring His disciples that there is room for them in the Father’s house. The father of course speaks of God the Father and the house Jesus speaks of is the place where the Father dwells.

Jesus tells them that if this were not the case He would have told them so. If there were limited space with the Father there would be concern that some of them may be left out but Jesus assures us that there is room for all.

Jesus then state that He is going to prepare a place there for them.

What a joy to know that Jesus is preparing a place there for you and I just the same if we have placed our faith in Him!

Then Jesus reminds them that He will come again and that when He does He will receive them to Himself that they may again be with Him.

What peace and comfort this must have brought to these troubled disciples. How good it is to know that Jesus is coming again and that we will one day spend all eternity with Him.

He then states that they know where He is going and that they also know the way.

The Explanation (Vs. 5-6)

Thomas is the first to speak up and at this point it becomes apparent that at least some of the disciples have failed to fully grasp the concepts Jesus has spoken of to them.

Thomas says essentially “Lord we don’t know where it is that you are going and if we don’t know where you are going how can we possibly know the way?”

The answer Jesus gives is a profound statement that presents three important truths that are vitally important to understand.

He declares first of all that He is “THE WAY”

We must be careful to rightly interpret this statement. Jesus is not saying that He knows the way and will reveal it to them but that He is Himself the way.

One may still then ask “the way to where?” This becomes apparent in the remainder of the verse when Jesus says that no man cometh unto the father but by me.

Jesus plainly states that the only way for man to get to God is through HIM!

Regardless of what the world would have you to believe there is not a multitude of ways to get to God, there is only ONE.

It is a sad reality that even many who profess themselves to be followers of Christ do not hold firmly to this truth.

60 Percent of Christians Aged 18 - 39 Believe Jesus Not Only Way to Salvation

This has important implications for those who have believed on Jesus this assures us that we are on the pathway to heaven and that we can be confident that we shall go to God someday.

This is also important because if this is true, there must be an urgency to tell the world of Jesus Christ that they may also have the opportunity to be reconciled to God.

Jesus also declares that He is “THE TRUTH”

There are so many people in the world today who are frantically searching for truth something that is absolute and unchangeable.

Truth has been defined as facts that correspond to reality

So many have searched for truth in philosophy, science, various religious teachings and yet they come up empty.

The truth is found in Jesus. If you want to know the truth then you must get to know Jesus.

How is this possible? Jesus is the living Word the very embodiment of the Word of God so if we long to know more of Him we must study the scriptures.

The third and final declaration is that He is “THE LIFE.”

Jesus is quite literally the source of all physical life and it is He who causes life to continue but it is more than this.

Jesus is the source of all spiritual life. No man can be made spiritually alive apart from Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV 1900

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

The only way that we can have spiritual life and the ability to relate to God is through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Jesus here has made a great effort to calm the fears of the troubled disciples.

He has encouraged them to trust Him in the midst of their present circumstances.

He has enlightened them to the realities of that which is yet to come and of the home that awaits them with the father.

He has explained to them not only where He is going but also how anyone who wants to get there must come through Him.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and without Him we would have no hope but in Him is found all that we need!