I am the Way, they Truth and the Life.

Intro

I am week 6. Wrapping up next week.

We are in the life stage of teaching a teenager how to drive.

Honestly, shes pretty great. There have been some scary moments that challenged prayer life, but not bad.

I’m a worse teacher than she is a driver.

I like to mess with her and be difficult.

One thing is not telling her where we are going.

She says dad! I drive a lot better if I know where we are going, I know but wheres the fun in that.

Most of us, when we hop in the car there is a destination in mind. Especially with fuel prices. No more just joy rides.

I know where I’m going, so every turn is dictated by my destination.

THERE IS CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING WHERE IM GOING.

Many of us live our entire lives the way we typically wouldn’t even do in the car,

just going without knowing where.

Is there even a way to know that, aren’t we just all hoping for the best in this thing called life?

how can you know where you’re going.

There is a confidence in life, when i live knowing where I’m going.

I may not know whats behind every single turn, but can I know where it’s all headed.

John 14.

Setting:

Jesus is hours away from being arrested by the religious leaders that hate him, being handed over to the romans to be beaten, tortured and killed on a cross.

he has taken time to pull away and be with his closest followers, his disciples.

Jesus tells them that he is about leave them and die. He has a dinner with them. He tells them how he will be betrayed and how even some of them will deny him.

Image the mood of the room.

John 14:1

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.”

The disciples are confused. scared.

They thought jesus was going to set up his kingdom here on earth.

Overthrow the current government and take control, now you’re leaving.

They are anxious.

They spend 3 years just going and doing whatever Jesus said, and now where do we go.

What happens next?

That is anxiety, at trouble, that a lot of us can understand.

Unknown of what’s next.

Don’t be troubled. (overwhelmed with worry)

Trust me. (faith)

John 14:2-3

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 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.”

I’m not just leaving you, I’m going to prepare a place for you to be with me.

he’s telling them there destination.

Your real, ultimate home is a place called heaven.

This world is just temporary lodging.

Heaven isn’t just some imaginary plane of existence, just some metaphysical dream.

heaven is a reality, heaven is a place.

Jesus says that’s our real home.

Even the greatest here can’t compare to the mundane there.

A place of no more tears, worry, hurt, fear.

A place described in revelation as incredible to behold.

But that’s not the best part.

It’s a place where we dwell with jesus forever.

Travel is fun, don’t you like a good get away.

But how to you sleep? Isn’t always nice to get back to our beds. our place. our home.

that’s the way it is here on the earth, the longing we feel - were just homesick for our home one day.

There really is a destination place for our lives.

We really can live knowing where were going, not just guessing along the way.

If heaven is real, and there really is an end destination, then everything I do today really does matter. I’m headed somewhere, there is greater purpose, there is a promise.

There is confidence in today even if it hurts because there is a forever tomorrow.

“Hey guys, don’t be overwhelmed by what you see (troubled) there is more than what you see”

John 14:4-5

“You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

I love the realness of Thomas, because he says what we would all be thinking.

Uh, actually jesus, we don’t know.... We’re very confused right now.

Have you ever felt that?

Uh I really don’t know the way.

John 14:6-7

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

Yeah you do know the way, if you know me-you know the way.

not a place. A person.

I am the way.

He says something that would cause a lot of controversy today.

There is a heaven, that’s great.

I am exclusively the way (there’s the problem)

Proverbs 14:12

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

I’m not a way of many, I’m the way.

Jesus isn’t bing a bigot by saying this is it

He’s being benevolent by saying this is the only way, so I’m going to make if for you.

It’s not just the way to ultimate heaven one day, but the way to God now and eternally.

(show pics)

Sin had separated man from God. Barrier.

Because of the first sin, we are all subject to it, we are fallen and separated from God.

Bible says God is completely holy and perfect.

Can’t even look upon sin, it would contaminate him.

When Jesus said I’m going to prepare a way, he didn’t mean a construction worker in heaven building your house and getting it all ready with is toll belt, hammer and nails.

He prepared the ay with 3 nails and a cross.

As he died on the cross it wasn’t just “for” your sin but “as” your sin. (2 cor 5:21)

He took on the sin of the world, to provide the path, THE WAY, back to God!

I am the truth

There isn’t a plurality of what is right. Truth. Understanding. Knowing is in me.

I am the Life.

Real life is only in me.

It is exclusively through Jesus, but it’s not exclusive to get to Jesus.

There is a clear destination and clear way.

And man, there is confidence in knowing where I’m going.

heaven is my place, Jesus is my path!

Society teaches -

There is no way to know. there are multiple rights, multiple ways-whatever feels right.

Jesus says I am the way and truth and life. You can know.

Ego teaches -

Salvation is inside you. Do enough, be enough, just a little more.

Jesus says, Salvation is in me - alone.

But how often do we get distracted, take detours.

Get our attention on some other “so called” way.

Assurance is the antithesis to anxiety.

Assurance is a knowing.

Anxiety is the unknown, but so if faith.

You may not know every single turn in the road, but you can know where your going, and you know the way. Keep focused on jesus.

I am the way, the truth and the life.

There is a place we live for, a destination were headed, heaven is a reality.

There is a path we walk on. jesus is the way.

There is also a power we can walk with.

John 14:12

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

This assurance leads to action.

John 14:15-17

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

This Assurance is from an advocate.

he said i’m leaving you for now, but not abandoning you. I’m sending another.

I’m sending my Spirit to living in you and empower you.

As followers of Jesus we have the spirit of God in us, now just helping us to one day get to heaven, but to bring heaven down now.

As we live and we love and show people the way.

Followers of Jesus in the book of acts became known by a new new name.

they were Followers of THE WAY.

Now we get to be the carriers of this way, truth and life!!

CONCLUSION

let’s not be disheartened and troubled!!

WE know the way. it’s Jesus.

Live with the end in mind.

Stop just going without knowing!!

I know where I’m headed.

Eternity matters, so today does too.

I don’t know what your today or even tomorrow looks like. But I do know there is an amazing destination and you can know the way. You can be confident!

The other day I was driving with Alyssa to the church.

I told her to get over into another lane at one point and she says, “ I know dad!, I know the way”

What if we lived with that level of confidence.