Title: Building a Bridge to the Community: The Way, The Truth, The Life
Theme: Last message in teaching people what we have to offer to this community.
Text: John 14:1-7
Introduction
We have been talking about building a bridge to the community. Here is what we have seen as what we can offer.
• Realization of who we are
• Pure Unconditional Love
• Presence of God
• Power of the Holy Spirit
Let us look at the fifth one.
(1) "Let not your heart be troubled (there was a great fear that was going around because Jesus had been talking about death); you believe in God, believe also in Me.(this is the most important part, they had to trust Jesus, if they couldn’t trust Him then they would not listen/follow Him, you won’t follow anyone you don’t trust)
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(2) "In My Father’s house are many mansions (abiding place, place of rooms MSG 2 There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home.”) ; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(3) "And if I go and prepare a place for you (we think about this as being just heaven, but Jesus left and prepared a lot for the disciples),
Where is He to go and what to prepare?
1. Jesus Christ went to the cross: to prepare redemption for us, even the forgiveness of sins.
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Tim. 2:5-6).
2. Jesus Christ went to be raised from the dead: to prepare the conquest of death and a new life and power for us.
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
3. Jesus Christ went to ascend into heaven and be exalted: to prepare an access into the presence of God and an eternal home for us.
Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (6) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him" (2 Tim. 2:11).
1 Corinthians 15:55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Such a magnificent work in our behalf is bound to deliver us from trouble. But remember that Jesus began by stating a condition: "Ye believe in God, believe also in me."
I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
(4) "And where I go you know, and the way you know." (Jesus has been telling them trying to get them to understand)
(5) Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" (6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The Way – Direction – Course
Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Ac 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
The Truth – Reality – Clarity
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 18:33-38 Jesus discussion with Pilate
that ends with these words, “What is truth?”
People are searching for truth.
The Life – Fulfillment – Completion Wholeness
John 10:9-10 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Conclusion
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
