“The Way Home”
February 10TH, 2008
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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. 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?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ’Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to 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. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14”1-21
This is a fantastic piece of Scripture. In it Jesus reveals some tremendous things. He reveals the 1. The Place. 2. The People. 3. The Path. And The Power.
First, let’s talk about the place. In the previous chapter Jesus was talking about some melancholy things. He was talking a little negative. I imagine His followers were a little down; a little upset; a little scared. Jesus was talking about His own death and how His followers would all desert Him. Each one was probably feeling a little depressed. The future didn’t look too promising to them. Peter vowed to die for Jesus. Jesus looked straight through him and said,
“Really? Really Peter? Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth. You are gonna deny you know me three times – before morning.”
But then the 14th chapter starts. After saying that to Peter, Jesus next words are:
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
John 14:1a
Isn’t Jesus good? After scaring Peter, and the rest of the gang with a prophecy of the future, Jesus says,
“Don’t worry about it. Don’t get all freaked out about it. Don’t stress. Just trust God. Trust me, too.”
That’s good advice for us, as well. Are you all stressed out? Are you full of anxiety and fear? Are you worried about the future? Just trust God. Trust that Jesus will see you through. Paul’s advice is:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
We need to do that, don’t we? We need to present our request to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we give our burdens to Him – peace will come.
After giving us counsel to just trust – Jesus reveals the place we are going. Jesus reveals our destiny. Jesus reveals our true home. He says,
“In my Fathers house are many rooms.” The King James Version says,
“In my Father’s house are many mansions.” I think that is a more correct interpretation of the Greek word used here. It’s not just a room. It’s not just an abode. The Greek word has a connotation of luxury and wealth. Mansion fits better to our way of thinking.
So Jesus says that His Father has many mansions up there – and He is going there to prepare a place for them – but not just them. He is going to prepare a place for His followers. He is preparing a place for you and me.
I believe all the evidence proves that Jesus created the world in 6 literal days. If that is true, and I’m certain it is, just think of what He is preparing for you! Can you imagine what heaven would be like? Some of you think of the beaches of some lush tropical paradise. Others think of a king’s palace. Some of you think of heaven as being wonderful worlds in far off galaxies to explore.
You know, I don’t know what the place Jesus is taking us to is like – but I know it will be good. It will be so wonderful, it is beyond our comprehension. And that is the ‘place’ Jesus wants us to fix our hearts on. Then we won’t be so troubled. All that we go through here will be worth making that place.
Then Jesus tells us the 2. The Way, to that place. Jesus said,
“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. 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?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:2b-6)
A lot of people like to take parts of the Bible they like and leave out the parts they don’t like or agree with. This is one a lot of people ignore. They like to say there are many paths to God. Buddha, Chrisna, Mohammad, and so on. That’s not what the Bible says. That’s not what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that He was the only way to the Father – and consequently, heaven. If that is “exclusionary” - I am sorry. But the way to that ‘Place’ goes through Jesus. He is the only way.
If you teach that, you may be called exclusionary and hateful and maybe even prejudiced. I’m sorry about that – we don’t hate anyone. We don’t want to exclude anyone from heaven – and neither does God. The bible says,
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
God wants everyone to repent and turn to Him. Jesus died for every single person’s sin. God has provided the way for every person every born to attain the splendor and glory of heaven. But that way is only through Jesus. Granted, if someone has never heard of Jesus, Romans 2:14-15, says that God has written the requirements of His will in their hearts and they will be judged according to how they respond to it. But for everyone else – Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There is no way to eternal life apart from Him.
Jesus has revealed the Place of our final destination. He has revealed the Way to get there, and He reveals 3) the People that will dwell in that place. Let’s take a look at them.
First of all, they will know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. As we explained previously, Jesus is the way. The people there will have accepted the truth and invited Jesus to come into their heart and life. Apparently, there will be a lot of people who believe and have a knowledge of the way to heaven. They will have an intellectual knowledge that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to heaven – but they don’t accept Him as their Lord and Savior. James said,
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” James 2:19
Even the devil and the demons believe in Jesus. They know about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But it doesn’t do them any good – because they rejected Jesus to go their own way and do their own thing. There are going to be people like that, too. They will have known the way of Salvation – but they never took it – because they wanted to do their own thing and go their own way.
The people who will inhabit that place we call heaven are peculiar. We are different from the world. First of all, we love Jesus. Many in the world ‘know’ about Jesus. Many know His will. But the lovers of Jesus are different. Jesus said,
"If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14:21
“Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23
“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6
Can the word of God be any clearer? The first expression of love is obedience. If you love God – you will walk in obedience. If you are living in disobedience with Him – you don’t really ‘love’ Him. You might ‘like’ Him. You may think highly of Jesus. You may even be infatuated with Him and love His words and promises. But “the Place” is for those who love God and those who love God are obedient.
The world may know about Jesus – but they don’t love Him. They love the
things of this world more. John wrote:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17
The People in that ‘Place’ we call heaven, love God more than the things of this world. Don’t get me wrong. It’s okay to enjoy the beauty of this world and even some of the pleasures of this world – but love for God is first. Your pleasure and comfort is second to Him and His will.
In practical terms that means when God, the Holy Spirit, reveals that He wants you to start the day in the Word and your flesh wants to sleep in – which way do you go? When God reveals to you that He wants you to worship Him and learn about Him on Sunday, and your fleshly desire is to sleep in, go fishing, watch TV – which way do you go? His People who love Him, choose His will – even over their own.
That is so hard, isn’t it? It is so hard to deny self. It is so hard to give up doing your will to do God’s will – but that is what the lovers of Christ must do.
But I have good news. After revealing the place and the way and who the people are – Jesus revealed 4. The Power. He said,
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:26
After Jesus was crucified and resurrected – just before He was to ascend up into heaven to be with the Father, He gave these instructions:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 5:8
We need the power of the Holy Spirit, don’t we? We need His power to do His work – like witnessing. But we also need His power to do His will. The Holy Spirit will guide us. He will teach us. He will comfort us. But He will also ‘enable’ us to do God’s will. Those difficult things God asks of us – we can do through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can resist the allure of the world – through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can surrender our will and do the will of God – through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So how do we receive the Holy Spirit? Jesus told the early church to – tarry – to wait before going out to do His work until they received the Holy Spirit. But how do we receive Him. Jesus made it pretty simple. He said,
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 9-13
How do you receive the Holy Spirit? Just ask. Ask for the Holy Spirit to fall upon you. Before you ask, let me caution you that you need to really want this Gift. You need to want the Holy Spirit enough to obey Him when He comes to lead you. Peter said,
“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." Acts 5:32
The Holy Spirit is only given to those who are walking in obedience. There are a lot of phony gifts and false prophets out there. The test is if they are walking in obedience. We need to be an obedient people.
If you are obedient to the known will of God – you may receive Him simply by asking. Some need to tarry until the Spirit comes. He may need to reveal something in your life He wants you to repent of or surrender to. But ask and trust and obey – And He will come.
I want to invite you to seek the Holy Spirit in your life by doing two things. Coming to this alter of prayer and pray a prayer like this.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the Gift of the Holy Spirit. I ask you send Him to me. I give my life and my will to you. I surrender my all to you. Place take control of my life from this point on.
In Jesus Name,
