Jesus Is The Way, The Truth And The Life Series

The One Way: The Only Way

John 14:1-6

May 31, 2020

Has it ever happened to you? I know it’s happened to me more times than I’d like to admit. It’s almost embarrassing, but I think you’ll be able to relate to my plight.

You got lost! It’s as simple as that! Even using GPS, I’ve gotten lost. We have it on our 2012 car, but you know what, if you never get the GPS updated, then the new roads do NOT magically appear on the GPS. Nope, so what you’re looking at in your car is not what you see on your phone. If you believe your cars GPS, then getting lost is a possiblity.

Ever do that?! Have you even made a wrong turn, and it ended up taking an extra 20 minutes, because one wrong turn, becomes 2 wrong turns. And I’ve heard that men aren’t the best at asking for directions!

The harder we try to find the right way, the more wrong turns we take, and the more wrong turns we take the greater the tension in the car. Debbie can testify to that fact.

In the first church I pastored, we really were out in the country and if you were going to some places, it was difficult, especially on roads which were angle streets to know what direction you were going. Eventually, we learned to look for the water tower, which was close to our house, and that became our guiding point.

As we’ve been talking about the I AM statements of Jesus, Jesus gives us some huge directional help! Let’s set the scene as we prepare to look at John 14 - -

The passage in John 14, marks the beginning of Jesus’ farewell talk with His disciples. It occurs after Jesus’ Last Supper. At that Passover meal Jesus has said and done some really hard things to grasp - He said - -

One will betray Him

Peter will deny Him

He became a servant and washed the disciples feet

He said, where’s He going, they can’t come

Then in chapter 14, Jesus seeks to bring comfort to the disciples, but their heads are spinning and they don’t understand what Jesus is saying. Let’s look at what Jesus said - -

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

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.”

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.

Jesus explained He’s going to “prepare a place for them and He will come back to take them to be where He is. That’s great news, but the disciples were still confused

So, let’s break this down a bit. Jesus said —

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

Jesus is saying, "I know you trust in God. You can trust me as well. Remember, even when you can no longer see me, don’t stop trusting in me." We have a much easier time trusting in what we can see and touch. It’s when we can’t see that we struggle with trust and belief.

Everything we look at it is temporary. One day all of it will be gone. The cars we drive, the clothes we wear, even this building, including us . . . are all temporary. All of this will someday be gone. I’m not wanting to be the bearer of bad news!

We need to learn to trust even when we do not see the substance of our faith. We still believe in what we can’t see. This is why Jesus said, don’t let your hearts be troubled. He wants to calm their spirits, to bring them confidence and comfort, but when things aren’t going our way, it’s not always easy to follow someone’s train of thought.

So, Jesus tells the disciples this great news in verses 2-3 -

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.