I Am The Way Part 2 Series

I AM THE WAY PART II

John 14:1-6

INTRODUCTION:

1. Last week we began our study of John 14:1-6, "Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going. Thomas said to him, ’Lord, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ’I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father but by me.’"

2. We saw how Jesus is the:

a. The way of suffering

b. The way of submission

c. The way of sanctification

d. The way of sure love

3. Tonight we want to see how Jesus is:

e. The way of serenity

f. The way of service

g. The way of success

4. What we hope to get from this lesson is finding the way to the father and learning how to operate within that way.

TRANSITION: We all want peace in our lives.

I. Jesus is the way of peace.

A. The disciples’ lives were in utter turmoil.

1. They are beginning to realize that Jesus will not be with them very much longer.

2. They know that he is going to be killed.

3. They know that they are known widely as his disciples.

4. They wonder, "What is going to happen to us after he is killed?"

5. They are uncertain about their future

6. He is trying to give them peace and help them rest their concerns.

B. He is our prince of peace.

1. John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful."

a. Jesus leaves true peace with us.

b. He left them with "My peace", not some half measure, but full unending peace.

2. Interestingly enough, this was the time when peace seemed farthest from him.

a. In John 12:27 he just said, "Now my soul is troubled, what shall I say, ’Father save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour."

b. He is about to go to Gethsemane where he, "began to be distressed and troubled." Mark 14:33

c. And he said, "My soul is deeply troubled to the point of death; remain here and keep watch."

d. His soul was far from the peace that he was giving to those disciples.

e. Yet he gave it.

3. Paul says, "For he himself is our peace, who made both groups and broke down the dividing wall."

a. Jesus is the source of peace

b. He brings peace to all who will obey him.

C. We can have peace with God.

1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

2. When we are in the way of peace, peace is ours.

D. Furthermore, peace is preached through him.

1. Acts 10:36, "The word which he sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)."

2. The story here is Peter preaching the gospel to Cornelius and his household.

3. Peace is preached through the gospel to all man.

4. Peace on earth in that all man can come to the truth and accept one another

5. Peace in spirit in knowing that all is well with the soul.

E. Because man can be free of guilt in Jesus Christ’s way.

1. Romans 6:1-6, we are buried with Christ in baptism

2. The man of sin dies and we are no longer held captive by our trespasses.

3. We are free of the guilt of sins

4. Peter tells us that those sins are washed away (I Peter 3:21).

F. "We shall never be at peace with ourselves until we yield with glad supremacy to our higher faculties" –Joseph Cook

1. That is giving in to Jesus

2. Let his rule and peace is yours.

TRANSITION: Peace in our life requires faithfulness. Faithfulness is service.

II. The way of service.

A. When one is faithful, he will serve that to which he is faithful.

B. Jesus was faithful.

1. Hebrews 3:1-2, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession; he was faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was in his entire house."

a. Jesus was faithful to the one who sent him.