I AM THE WAY
Text: John 14:6
INTRODUCTION
1. "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. Jesus has just informed the disciples that he is going to die soon.
3. They know that he is going to leave them and are getting worried.
4. Jesus senses this concern and gives them this comforting passage that eases their minds and hearts.
5. We read this passage all the time and never truly examine it to see what it says to us.
6. Jesus says, "I am the way…" What is he talking about when he says this?
7. We can see several ways in which he is "the way":
a. The way of suffering
b. The way of submission
c. The way of sanctification
d. The way of sure love
e. The way of serenity
f. The way of service
g. The way of success
8. It is the aim of this lesson to see what "way" Jesus sets out for us and learn how to follow that way in order to see glory.
TRANSITION: We would expect God with us to make an easy path for himself; instead
I. He is the way of suffering.
A. He did not set out a course for himself that would make all things easy for him and more difficult for us.
B. His suffering was predicted
1. He knew it was going to happen.
2. "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day." (Luke 24:46)
3. Matthew 16:21, From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things form the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day."
4. Jesus knew what was ahead of him
a. Much suffering and pain
b. Much ridicule and torment
c. He would be mocked and spat on, beaten and crucified
d. He would be killed by sinful men.
C. And he did suffer
1. Hebrews 2:9, "But we do see him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."
a. He suffered greatly on the cross
b. His suffering was excruciating
c. And he did it so that he "Might taste death for everyone."
d. That includes you and me.
2. We too must follow him
a. Does that include being crucified?
b. Many of his apostles and early followers were crucified or otherwise killed in horrible fashion
c. I Peter 2:21, "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps."
i. He bore his cross without complaint
ii. He was reviled and did not revile or threaten anyone
iii. He just kept on trusting in God the father who judges righteously
d. So now by his wounds we are healed.
3. If we just follow his example we have a divine promise
a. Romans 8:17-18 says that we become joint heirs.
b. We share in everything that he worked for.
4. "Christianity has made martyrdom sublime, and sorrow triumphant." –E. H. Chapman (Selected Quotations)
TRANSITION: In suffering He shows:
II. The way of submission
A. The desire of Jesus was to please God.
1. John 8:29, "And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."
2. John 9:4, "We must work the works of him who sent me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work."
3. Philippians 2:5-11
a. Jesus did not consider it something to be grasped to say that he was equal with God
b. He was with God in heaven and emptied himself of that lofty position
c. He came down here to serve the father in heaven.
d. If he so lived, should we not?
B. We learn to obey through suffering
1. Hebrews 3:8-9
a. Jesus himself learned some things through suffering
b. We learn to obey him through suffering.
c. James 1:2-4, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
d. Patience and perseverance are necessary to service to God
e. That only comes through trials in life.
2. When we learn to lean on God by suffering some time off work
a. No real source of income available
b. Yet we never miss anything
c. God is in control whether we make $1000 per week or $100 per week
d. The same God feeds us in all situations.
3. We learn to love others when we see what that love means to us as we need it
a. We or a loved one gets sick and is in the hospital
b. When we know what it means to have others by our side, we can offer that same love and support to others
4. We learn patience when we see a lack of patience in others.
a. When trying to develop a new skill or learn a new job we need patience of those around us.
b. If it is there we can appreciate that.
c. If it is not there we are more keenly aware of the need.
d. We then carry that lesson into the situation the next time we are in the position of trainer or the one who needs to show patience.
5. Life teaches us how to live godly lives when coupled with a love for and study of the scriptures.
C. Our obedience saves us Hebrews 5:8-9
TRANSITION: This obedience brings us to holiness
III. The way of sanctification
A. We learn in Hebrews 4:15-16 and 7:26 that Jesus did not sin.
B. We are commanded to be holy
1. I Peter 1:15-16, "But like the holy one who called you, be holy yourselves also in your behavior; because it is written, ’You shall be holy, for I am holy.’"
2. We are called to holiness, sanctification.
3. Not that we can live perfectly
4. But that we set ourselves apart from the world
a. We make the effort to do what is right
b. We try to please God and do well for our neighbor and enemy alike.
c. Then God sanctifies us, sets us apart in his love and mercy.
d. We are called holy and saved from the torment of hell
C. Because our holiness is in him
1. When we walk in his light he cleanses us from our sins (I John 1:7-9)
2. We perfect our holiness in the fear of God (II Corinthians 7:1)
3. Only in him can we be anything other than scoundrels and lowlife
D. As F. W. Faber put it, "Holiness is the unselfing of our selves." (Selected Quotations)
1. In other words we put ourselves aside
2. We then place God in the gap
TRANSITION: Holiness comes only through love
IV. The way of sure love
A. God gave us Jesus as a sacrifice because he loved us greatly (John 3:16)
B. Jesus allowed that sacrifice of himself because he loved us (Ephesians 5:25)
C. He loves both the righteous and the sinner.
1. Romans 5:6-8, "While we were still sinners, helpless, at the right time, Christ died for us."
2. Someone would hardly be willing to die for a righteous man
a. Someone who helped them
b. Someone who cared for them
c. You may find someone who would did for someone like that
d. But Jesus did it for us "while we were yet sinners"
3. Not just for someone who was doing something for him
4. He did not go looking for just those who were serving him and say this is only for those who are working for me
5. He died for all those of his day, the soldiers who nailed him to the cross, and for those Jews who said, "Crucify him", and for those who spat on him and beat him.
6. Jesus died for everyone of us here
a. As we deny him by not living lives we should
b. As we think of ways and excuses not to serve him
c. As we fain sick so that we can skip Sunday night services
d. As we make excuses why we are not here Wednesday
e. As we just do not come for meetings and other occasions that the saints gather
f. Jesus died for us even when we continue to do those things 2000 years later.
7. Because he loves us
D. We also must love
1. Romans 12:1-2 says that we are not to love the world
2. But we are to love others
3. I John 4:20-21, "If anyone says, ’I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
4. The first 4 verses of the next chapter bear out that our faith is born out of love for one another and that it is impossible to overcome the world without that love.
E. Well how do we not get caught up in the world then?
1. We hate sin
2. But we love the sinner.
3. We are no better than those ruled by sin, we are just in a forgiven state
4. In other words, we are not sinless, we are just forgiven.
TRANSITION: We are going to have to save the next three "ways" of Jesus until the next time Lord willing. Next Sunday night we will see how Jesus is our way of serenity, service, and success.
CONCLUSION:
1. For tonight we covered four "ways" of Jesus.
2. He is our way of suffering
a. He showed us how and why to suffer
b. He showed us how to overcome through suffering
3. He is our way of submission, being obedient to the Father
4. He is our way of sanctification. We are set apart and made holy only through him.
5. He is our way of sure love. He showed the ultimate love for us and showed us how to show love to others. Without that love we cannot please him
