Friendship with God Sermon - Week 2

Intro/Welcome

Good morning

We are in Week 2 of our Friendship with God Series

Where we are walking through John 13-17 verse by verse.

This was Jesus last teaching to his disciples on the eve of his arrest

Last Week

Last week we did an overview of the entire discourse and we saw that:

Love is the end goal (John 13:34-35)

We are going to need help / Jesus sends the helper

He is going to build our Faith

He is going to give us joy

He is going to help us from stumbling

He is going to give us peace

Jesus prays that we would be one / b/c we are one.

Let’s pick it up in John 13:31 at the tail end of the Last Supper

By way of introduction let’s do a Thought Experiment

Canada

Let’s suppose, God forbid, you lived in Canada

And you wanted to move to a warmer climate — say like Florida

1. Which direction would you go?

South

Right — in fact going East or West would be no help at all

Certainly going North would be counter-productive

2. Suppose there were only 2 roads

One going East,-West, North-South

Which one would you get on?

The one going south of course.

3. And how would you know you were on the right path?

Well, the weather could change

The more south you got, the warmer it would be

You would have affirmations along the way.

4. Now it wouldn’t simply be enough to know the road to take would it?

Knowing the right path — wouldn’t get you any close — wouldn’t get you any warmer

No you would have to get on the path and begin to travel it.

Today

Today we come to one of the most well known verses in the Bible

and one of the most controversial, I might add

Jesus said in John 14:6

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Today, our task is to understand this teaching and

its implications and applications for our life.

What we sill see will be simple:

Jesus is the Way to God — he brings us to Heaven.

We’ll see three things:

You have to know the path you are on

You have to know the final destination

You have to get on the path and walk it

Bible

We’ll be in John 13:31-14:7.

Go there in your Bibles

My name

Welcome in room and online

Let’s pray

Pray

Isaiah 61:1–3 (ESV)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

I. Know the Path You are On

Let’s pick it up right at the end of the Last Supper

Jesus has washed their feet

Judas has just left, influenced by Satan to betray Jesus.

A. Where I am going

John 13:33 (ESV)

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you,

‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

The New Commandment to love

John 13:34–35 (ESV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:36–38 (ESV)

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Jesus says the same thing he said to the Jews in John 8:21-24, where I am going you cannot come.

Then He gives this great commandment about Loving One another

The is the end goal that we/they would love just as Jesus loved

1. Peter - Where?

Peter — in typical fashion

speaking for the disciples

doesn’t even acknowledge the command but goes right to his burning questions.

QUESTIONS

Don’t we do that?

We disregard what God is trying to say to us, b/c of our seemingly important questions.

Questions aren’t bad — we need to ask them.

But not at the expense of what God is clearly telling us.

He asks “Lord where are you going?”

John 13:36 (ESV)

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?”

He (they) still don’t get it

They don’t realize the Way of Jesus

The Path of dying and rising.

2. Jesus - You cannot come

John 13:36 (ESV)

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

Interesting distinction Jesus makes here.

He says you cannot go now, but you will afterward.

Where is Jesus going?

The most immediate answer is to the Cross — to his death

Peter can’t follow now — he has about 30 years of ministry to do

Then he will follow in death —

He will be crucified upside down in the mid 60s

3. Peter - Why not?

John 13:37 (ESV)

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Peters says why not?

lit. “why am I not able”

I will lay down my life for you

The other gospels add that the others disciples agreed and joined in and said the same thing.

a. Know the Path

Why would they say this?

They don’t know the path they are on.

They think they are on a different path.

Despite everything Jesus has said over the last three years

They still think Jesus is the Messiah King that will come and take over Jerusalem and crush the Romans

They are thinking GLORY!

They are overconfident b/c they don’t know the path.

Jesus lovingly, truthfully corrects Him.

4. Jesus - You will deny me

John 13:38 (ESV)

38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?

Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

What a devastating thing to hear from Jesus.

Peter asks “why am I not able”

what a great question

Jesus says, I know your heart better than you do.

You are overconfident

You don’t know the path.

Not only will you not die for me, but in a couple hours, you will deny ever knowing me.

Let the impact of that sink in.

5. Peter’s Fall

Peter is so confident in his view of the path

He is so confident in himself.

It is going to be devastating for him.

in fact in Luke 22:61 after this has come to pass we read

Luke 22:60–61 (ESV)

60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.”

And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”

62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

This is the surprise that turns their worlds upside down.

It was not what they were expecting

They didn’t know the path of Jesus was dying and rising.

a. Extra

Satan and Peter

Luke 22:31–33 (ESV)

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

Why tell them now?

Why does Jesus tell him this now?

So that when it happens — he will believe.

John 13:19 (ESV)

I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

B. Surprise & Suffering

We are just like the disciples.

We get these ideas in our heads about how things should go — and when they don’t — we are devastated.

We don’t realize the path of Jesus is our path as well.

dying and rising.

When the Surprise comes, when suffering knocks at your door, when the unexpected phone call comes

our hearts are revealed.

Unmet expectations, disappointments, suffering, surprises

they reveal our hearts

what we were really believing

what we were really trusting in.

So often, we don’t know until the surprise comes.

Then we see.

Suffering and Surprise have a way of doing that.

Sometimes it is the only thing that can reach us

The surprises and sufferings of life teach us about our hearts —

but more importantly to teach us about HIS HEART

They didn’t really the Path

The path would require a Dying and Rising

Both for Jesus

and for them

But resurrection always follows Death in Jesus.

So he gives them hope

He knows it’s going to be a difficult time — a time of distress, anxiety, fear and troub.e

which is why he says what he says next.

C. Trust & Troubled Hearts

John 14:1 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Trouble — distress, anxiety, fear

The word there is ‘terassaw’

and can literally mean to ‘tremble or shake’

It is the same word that Jesus uses in John 12:27-28 contemplating his own imminent death

John 12:27–28 (ESV)

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”

What is the remedy to being troubled? To fear? Paralyzing anxiety?

1. Trust Me

John 14:1 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Trust / Faith / Belief

If you are in a season of surprise or suffering...

If you are anxious, afraid and agitated

Jesus says “Trust me”

a. Indicative/Imperative

Indicative states - what is

Imperative is a command.

both be indicative - stating what is, or imperative — or a combo?

I think the first is indicative and the second is imperative.

“You have trusted in God” — “Trust also in Me”

Jesus is saying you have trusted God, now trust in me

trust in my purpose

trust in my love

trust in my words

Trust is the remedy for trouble.

Faith is the response in our failing, bc he never fails us

But it is not trust for trust’s sake

It is not faith in faith itself

It is rooted, grounded, anchored, tethered to a person

Jesus Christ

Jesus says to you, wherever you are

whatever trials you are enduring

whatever uncertainties you are facing

whatever anxieties are racking you

Trust in ME — Trust My Path — the path of dying and rising.

I am the Sovereign Creator King

Is anything too hard for me to do?

Is anything beyond my redemptive power?

Is anything outside of my ability to touch it?

B. Recap

Know what Path you are on.

Trust Me and my Path

It’s not just a path of suffering and death

but of life and resurrection

Now, he’s going to tell them the destination.

II. Know The Destination

Where is Jesus going?

Not just to his death, but to his resurrection and to his Father in Heaven.

Jesus says, don’t be troubled — trust Me — Trust my path.

He gives what I call the:

The Eschatological Promise -

Jesus brings us to Heaven / to the very presence of God

John 14:2–4 (ESV)

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

Jesus tells them 3 things here:

I am going to prepare a place FOR YOU

I am coming back

I am coming back to take you to be with me forever

A. Jesus goes to prepare a place

Jesus goes to the Cross to prepare a way

Jesus path is dying and rising

B. Jesus brings us to Heaven/God

But where is this place?

In Heaven — in the very presence of God

“in my father’s house”

He’s say in a moment that no one comes to the father but through HimJesus prepares a place for us In Heaven

He’s going to take us with Him to be WITH HIM forever

Jesus beings us to Heaven/God — to the very presence of God

This is Rev 21-22 — the new heavens and the new earth

It is our final destination for those who have trusted in Jesus.

This is the great promise that he gives to his disciples by which they can endure

They know the endgame

Heaven on earth

And when you really believe that — It allows you to live differently now.

1. Live Differently

This is a great promise by which to base our lives on.

it is knowing the destination — knowing what Florida will be like

You read about / watch youtube videos

of the beaches and the warmth

and disney land of course

These are all reminders along the way of where we are going

This is part of the function of the Word of God

it’s why we need to read it

It reminds us of the final destination.

What awaits us.

Unimaginable joy

1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)

9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

The Truth is we are all living this way — by what we believe the final destination is.

1. If you think this life is all you have

you will try to squeeze everything you possibly can out of it —

often at the expense of others

anyone who has cared for an addict knows this reality.

2. But if you think an unimaginable future awaits you,

it allows you to give it all up in this life — b/c you will gain it all in the end

It means you don’t have to get to the front of the line but can go to the back

It means you don’t have to win that argument, you are free to lose.

It is incredible freeing

It allows you to live a life of unbounded love and generosity.

a. SPURGEON

The Christian life can be compared to a man going on a 80 mile journey into the Kingdom of his Inheritance

full of wealth and gold beyond measure

He gets one mile out and his wheel axel breaks

and he stands there complaining rather than coming into his kingdom.

b. CS LEWIS

captures this so well.

“If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. . . .

Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’:

aim at earth and you will get neither.”

- CS LEWIS

C. Recap

The more we think on and realize our ultimate future, the more free we are to live as Jesus lived

the path of dying and rising.

Know what Path you are on

A dying and rising path

Know the Destination

Eternal Glory and Joy in the presence of God forever

Walk the Path.

III. Jesus is The Way

John 14:4–7 (ESV)

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus says — You understand where I am going

and you know the ‘way’

Thomas, speaking for the disciples, says

“We don’t know where you are going…we don’t know the way”

Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life”

A. The Only Path to God

What does he mean?

Certainly he tells us the the next sentence:

“No one comes to the father except by me”

Jesus is the Way to the Father — there is no other way

there is no other path

Why?

Because Jesus is the Truth

And Jesus is the the Life

He tells us the truth, he demonstrates the truth, he dies for the truth

and in that he gives us life — eternal life.

What truth?

the Truth about the World

The Truth about Us

The Truth about Sin and Evil

The Truth about Redemption and Life

1. Substitutionary Atonement

Only Jesus deals with the sin problem.

No other religion offers substitutionary atonement for sin

no other religion offers a perfect sacrifice in our place

no other religion gifts us a perfect life — a righteous life by which we can dwell with perfection

2. Jesus prepares a place

This is how Jesus ‘prepares’ a place for us

Reconciles us to God the Father

He deals with the great barrier to the presence of God in our lives

Sin

Colossians 1:20–22 (ESV)

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Jesus has reconciled us to the Father

In Christ, we have been reconciled to the Father — To God in Heaven

This is what it means that Jesus must go to prepare a place for us.

a. Other Religions

Other religions will explain away sin, or simply deny it’s existence

buddhism, secularism, relativism

Other religions will hope that you do enough good works to earn your way to heaven

Judaism, Islam, Hinduism (through karma)

Only Christianity offers a slain sinless savior in our place to give us eternal life

John 8:21–24 (ESV)

21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

23 He said to them [The Jews],

“You are from below; I am from above.

You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

That is the TRUTH

That is the WAY to ETERNAL LIFE

Jesus is the WAY — the ONLY WAY

It takes God to get to God

In this sense Jesus is the way — like the ‘Door’

B. The Door

Jesus says in John 10 that is the door — the gate

John 10:7–9 (ESV)

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

He is the only way to the father in this sense

He is the door — the only entry point.

But he doesn’t say door here — he says ‘the way’

‘odos’ — the same word for a literally road or path

Why does he use this word?

C. The Path

Jesus is making an important point

You cannot just know about the Path

You have to get on the Path

You have to take the Path

You have to walk the Path

Jesus said Matt 16:24-25

Matthew 16:24–25 (ESV)

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This is right after Peter — declares Jesus as the Messiah

and then tries to stop Jesus from going to the Cross

Matthew 16:21–23 (ESV)

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

This is Christian discipleship

It’s what it means to follow Him as BOTH Lord and Savior

It means believing in Jesus isn’t just a one time decision it is a lifestyle

It isn’t just a door — but a journey

It isn’t just knowing about the path, it is walking the path.

It is what John 14-16 is all about

how to follow Jesus

how to become like Jesus

Jesus is the Way — he is the journey.

enjoying friendship with Jesus.

Walking the Path in John 14-16

Receive the Truth (Jesus as the way)

Abide in Him (John 15:4)

Hear and obey the Holy Spirit (John 14-16)

D. Jesus brings heaven to Us

Here’s a little secret

Jesus isn’t just bringing us to Heaven/God

He is bringing Heaven/God to us

This is something we’ll unpack in detail in the coming weeks

But we se it right here in John 14:7.

John 14:7 (ESV)

7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

lit.

“If you have come to know me [as in fact you do], you shall know my Father also.”

A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition (14:7)

1.. Breakdown

If you have known me (perfect) — God, the Son

You will known Him — God, the Father

From now on (death, resurrection and pentecost)

You are knowing Him (present tense)

You have seen Him (perfect)

In other words,

by knowing Jesus — you know God, the son and the Father

From now on

you are knowing him and you have seen Him (in Jesus)

because Jesus and the Father are one

We’ll see next week that this opens up a whole dialogue on the Unity of the three in one God

But the point today is this...

Because Jesus is the Way

he not only brings us to Heaven/God

but he brings Heaven/God to us

b/c NOW we know God and see God in a new way —through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit

It takes God to see God

It takes God to know God

It takes God to love God

a truth he will unpack in the coming verses about the Holy Spirit.

2.. Christian Uniqueness

This is another aspect that Jesus is the Truth

This is another fundamental difference between Christianity and other religions

When we believe in Jesus life, death and resurrection for us

A part of God comes to live in side of us

It is not that we can become God/divine as mormonism teaches

It is not that we really are divine we just have to realize and actualize it as new age teaches

It is that through Faith — Christ is dwelling in our hearts through the Holy Spirit — the third member of the trinity

It takes God to love God

It takes God to walk the path of God

So far we’ve said:

You have to know the path you are on

You have to now the destination

You have to get on the Path and walk it

So what does that look like?

what is John 14-16 going to teach us.

I’ll give three ingredients.

It’s actually simple — as in not complicated.

We just have to do it.

IV. The Simplicity of the Way

The Simplicity of the Way

God’s Word

God’s Spirit

God’s People

ON THE JOURNEY

So on this road south to warmer climate.

You are the Vehicle

The Word of God is your map, it is your resource for truth, it tells you about the Way

The Spirit of God is the fuel, the guidance system, the line of communication

The People of God are the company, the army, the fellowship — this is a road trip and we are all going together!

A. God’s Word

1. Read/Meditate on God’s Word

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The Word of God teaches about the journey

about who God is and how he interacts with his People

We learn about dying and rising

about what this is supposed to look like

It encourages us, trains us, teaches us, corrects us, rebukes us

It is profitable to make us complete sojourners

Action:

Read the Word of God regularly

We have enemies against this “The World, the Flesh and the Devil”

Fight for it. Ask for Help

Memorize Scripture

John 14-16 .

Or other verses.

Why?

a. The Holy Spirit will bring it to mind

John 14:26 (ESV)

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit will bring it to mind for you and through you for others

There is power in the Word of God — especially when we speak it out loug.

Do you know there is actual power in your words — it manipulates the world — has an effect.

Put substance to our thoughts

Literal Sound Waves

affect matter

Not these New Age Techniques

Not ‘manifesting’

not ‘like attracts like’

not the power of positive thinking

But the Word of the Lord never returns void!

Wo we need the Word of God on the path of Discipleship

B. God’s Spirit

2. He is our fuel/power

This is the great gift of God — he saves us then he puts his Spirit inside of us to transform us.

He is the fuel — he is the power in our life.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (ESV)

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

God’s Dwelling place.

Jesus says in my father’s house there are many rooms — lit. ‘dwelling places’ - gk. mone

There is one other place in John 14-16 where this word for ‘dwelling palce is used’

John 14:23 (ESV)

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Jesus doesn’t just bring us to God, he brings God to us — to dwell inside of us.

The Seal/Downpayment of the Future Heaven

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV)

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

2. He is our Guidance system

Remember the five roles of the Holy Spirit in John 14-16.

John 14:26 (ESV)

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26 (ESV)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:8 (ESV)

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

John 16:13 (ESV)

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:14 (ESV)

14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

He speaks to us — are we Hearing Him.

We need to learn the voice of the Holy Spirit — the still small voice — gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:11–12 (ESV)

11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

We need to listen and follow God the Holy Spirit.

C. God’s People

The Need for Community

This is a road trip and we are all on it together.

Jesus is speaking to a community of disciples

They will only make it together

We need people we love and trust who are filled with the Spirit of God and the Word of God in our lives

Facebook, instagram, tikntok, are not going to give you the community you need and we’re made for

The cost of community - time, money, convenience

Ah…but what is the gain?!?

Friendship

Gods presence

Experience

What is the cost of non-community

1. Groups at One Hope

Sunday Worship will not be enough as a community.

Get in a group

Community Groups — fellowship and connection

Discipleship Groups — intentional growing to be more like Jesus

Fill out a connect card right now

Conclusion

You have to know what path you are on

You have to know the final destination

You have to walk the path with Jesus

Closing Questions

Do you know what path you are on?

What are the signs?

Is it getting colder?

Is it getting warmer?

Joy, peace, passion

Have you taken a side road?

Have you got turned around?

Pick up your guide:

Maps, directions, signals

Follow it

Don’t let your hearts be troubled on the path

Trust in Jesus

The Path / dying and rising

The destination — New Heavens and Earth

Walk the Path

With God’s Word

God’s Spirit

And God’s People.

Closing Prayer