I Am The Way And The Truth And The Life

¡§I am the way, and the truth and the life¡¨ Lunchtime experimental service 4 March 2003 1-1.30pm John 14:1-6

STAGES

Life brings its seasons!

- all sorted & settled- and then things change

o look back and think

„X ¡¥this is so different!¡¦

„X how did I get here?

- Chatting with my Mum (80) Saturday ¡§it¡¦s like a deck of cards¡¨

o All knocked down

o Have to find the foundation again

„X Tough at moment with A¡¦s marriage

These times of transition between stages can bring

- trouble

- anxiety

The disciple stand on the edge of a huge change/transition, here

- Jesus has been their constant companion, counsellor, comforter

- He explains that He¡¦s leaving them

They are anxious

- about getting by without His physical presence

- about heaven.

o What¡¦s the truth about that? What awaits us? Who awaits us¡K them?

Jesus gives them the remedy for this time of transition

- it¡¦s a message to us, too. He speaks of the HERE and the HEREAFTER

TRUST

Jesus says ¡§trust me¡¨

- you have always believed in God. You try and trust him- now, put your trust IN me

There aren¡¦t many things or people you can trust in life

- everybody¡¦s after something. Even our own family?

- Illustr: young lad yesterday. ¡¥what you smiling at?¡¦

Aren¡¦t many things you can trust- Illustr: Aunt Bessie¡¦s pudding

But Jesus says- YOU can trust ME. Put your trust in ME

- and He shows His trustworthiness by giving up His life for us

Roms 5:7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He¡¦s someone worthy to trust¡K for this life

Father, although I cannot see

The future you have planned

And though the path is sometimes dark

And hard to understand

Yet give me faith, through joy and pain,

To trace your loving hand

When I recall that in the past

Your promises have stood

Through each perplexing circumstance

And every changing mood

I rest content that all things work

Together for my good

Whatever then , the future brings

Of good or seeming ill

I ask for strength to follow you

And grace to trust you still

And I would look for no reward

Except to do your will

John Eddison (b 1916)

This is remedy for the changes of THIS life. But it goes beyond that

- Jesus talks about heaven, and what lies beyond this life

The disciples are concerned that THEY won¡¦t be accepted into heaven- or there won¡¦t be room for them, there

- in Jewish wedding, after betrothal, the bridegroom would go away to prepare a room for his bride (normally at his parent¡¦s house)

- then he¡¦d come back and take her to be with him

His disciples understand this. That Jesus is using ¡¥bridegroom language¡¦ in telling them that He¡¦ll come back

- and they are immediately troubled- ¡§but the bridegroom can only come back for one bride. Which one of us will it be?! I can¡¦t be without you, Jesus!¡¨

- Jesus clarifies: don¡¦t worry- I¡¦m preparing many rooms. A room for each of you.

- (so, the many rooms refers to ALL of us continuing our relationship with him in heaven. Nothing to do with different rooms for denominations or faiths or anything!)

There IS room. In fact- Jesus has gone ahead to prepare the room, heaven, specifically

Then Jesus explains the trustworthy way to get there. So that they will KNOW and have peace

WAY

It¡¦s Him!

- he is the way- to peace, now

- He is the way¡K to heaven¡K to the afterlife¡K to have LIFE

o He is the LIFE

„X Now

„X In heaven

o Eternal life is knowing Jesus NOW and so just knowing Him then¡K in eternity¡K eternally

„X In fact- the transition from here to there is not such a huge one as we think- because he will be constantly with us¡K there with us¡K through the transition.

HE is the way, the door, the gate, the path

- to journey on¡K to come to the Father, through

Little Billy, caught in mischief, was asked by his mother, "How do you expect to get into heaven?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "Well, I¡¦ll just run in and out and keep slamming the door until they say, ¡¦For heaven¡¦s sake, either come in or stay out.¡¦

Then I¡¦ll go in."

No banging of doors. Jesus is the door. Trust in Him and the door opens for you to eternity

And he tells them- He can be trusted because he¡¦s the truth

At his great time of transition from this life to the next, British preacher Charles Simeon smiled brightly and asked the people gathered in his room, "What do you think especially gives me comfort at this time?"