I am the Way!
We went to Alaska! It was beautiful!
One of the cities we visited was Ketchikan, AK, which Ketchican means “Thunderous Eagle”.
Therefore they say that the Church in Ketchikan (which again means Eagle) was given the name by the people around town called the Church “the bird of pray.”
23 feet tide
13 feet a year rainfall (Dallas gets 37 inches annual rainfall)
We saw probably 20 glaciers and got to take a helicopter and landed on and walked around on the Meade glacier.
We got to see Whales, Glaciers, Trees, Mountains, Salmon, so much stuff!
We got to see so much of God’s beauty! I couldn’t help but pause and think while looking at the mountains and glaciers and thank God for the beauty He has made.
I don’t understand how people can see such beauty and not praise the Lord for it?
It was certainly awesome all that we saw and did!
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These verses are some of the things Jesus said in the upper room probably right before the last supper communion.
In the previous chapter (John 13) Jesus let them know that He was about to go to Jerusalem and die and that they would all deny him all of the disciples were quite sad and down about all the bad news. Jesus had tried to tell them some before. Peter said no this will not happen and Jesus said get thee behind me satan. The disciples didn’t seem to really get it was real until now. Peter famously said he would never deny Jesus and Jesus tells him before the cock crows he will deny him three times. This is right before the passion play and air was heavy with feelings for sure. What would you do after hearing this news?
Chapter 14 seems to be encouragement by Jesus for the disciples but also packs in a ton of great information about His deity, heaven, and salvation that is also for our benefit!
John 14
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 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.
Jesus let them know that they will not be orphaned but will go to heaven with Him!
Isn’t that an awesome promise for those who are saved?
In some bibles it says mansions and some many rooms or places. So which is it a mansion or an apartment or just a room?
I wouldn’t worry about it, God’s apartment surely is much more awesome that the Devil’s mansion!
Even though they know Jesus will go to Jerusalem to die, He lets them know that He is coming back, will take them back with Him and we will live with Him!
In the New Testament Jesus made many references to Him being the Bridegroom and coming back for His bride and I believe the saved are His bride.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Is religion true? No Jesus is
Definition:
the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.
a particular system of faith and worship.
So many people go to Church to “Get Religion”.
You don’t get religion, to get saved. Religion won’t save you.
Does believing in a god save you? Nope.
James 2:19
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
So believing there is a God is not what saves you either!
Thomas was asking for the way where Jesus was going (heaven).
Jesus said, HE is the way! In another place He says He is the door!
Acts 4:12
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Jesus didn’t say He was a way but the only way!
Story of my uncle
While in Korea he wanted to marry a lady there.
Her brothers wanted to know what he believed and he told them he believed there were many ways to heaven to try to let them know that their religion was OK with him.
Things didn’t seem to go over well and eventually they broke it off.
Was that statement true? Not according to the Bible. The Bible says there’s only one way. If you’re trusting in anyone besides Jesus, that’s not Biblical, and according to the Bible not the way of salvation.
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 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’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 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 works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Some people say Jesus never claimed to be God? These verses conclusively prove that Jesus DID claim to be God! Those people perhaps skipped over this part and many other parts of the Bible that also claim Jesus’ diety.
Doubting Thomas later said he wouldn’t believe until he put his fingers in his nail prints and his hand in His side. When Jesus appeared He told Thomas to do just that and Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and My God”, and there was none there that doubted that exclamation, not even Jesus refuted it.
In another place the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for saying “before Abraham was I am” and they said it was blasphemy for Him to claim being God! There’s so many places yet people still can’t understand Jesus’ diety.
If Jesus was not God then there is no salvation because only God can save. A man alone can not save, only God can forgive sins and Jesus was the only one who could be the perfect sacrifice and the only one who can forgive sins.
People put their faith in various things besides Jesus. Some people trust money.
Coal miner no roof snow on the bed
Lots of blankets. They were poor but at the same time very rich.
Sometimes it takes being poor to realize that we are powerless of ourselves.
It’s hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven because they rely on themselves and don’t realize that they need Jesus.
Go to church and get religion.
You don't get religion you get righteousness.
You don't need to be Baptist or Catholic etc. You need a personal relationship with Jesus.
Pilot asked Jesus “What is truth?”
Here in John 14 Jesus proclaims: I am the way the truth and the life.
There are many types of preachers:
TV preachers. Some just want your money and just give you good feelings in return.
Do good feelings save you? No.
Some just act like if you get religion all will be Bliss. Not realistic. Does getting religion save you? No. Will getting religion bring you bliss? No, not really.
Some just think it's all science and thought is what you need. Will that save you?
Science says if they find out they are wrong then they correct their story. How many times has science had to correct their story. What they tell you today might actually be a lie but then a long time from now they’ll find out some other info and revise their story which will be completely different. Will that save you?
Some think that you just need thought and that you don’t need faith.
The Bible tells us God is a Spirit and without faith it is impossible to please God.
Will relying on thought save you? No.
Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life.
Be careful how you quote it: not the light, although that is true, it’s not what the verse says and is a completely different meaning.
He is the life both in giving you salvation and a second life as well as giving you a better life while alive here on earth! He came to give you life and give it more abundantly!
John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
There’s some jobs I wouldn’t want to have: Doctor, Lawyer, Pastor (well, um…)
Doctors have seen the heights and depths of people's lives.
Lawyers have seen the heights and depths of people’s lives.
Pastors too have seen people dealing with all kinds of problems heart problems drugs etc.
Some people end up with a hard heart from what they’ve seen and some somehow transcend that and instead have a caring heart.
When you find a doc, or lawyer, or pastor who is that second kind, that’s the guy you want, right, not the previous kind.
Some people just mosey through life and don’t understand what people are going thru.
Do you see people with God’s eyes? Do you see into the lives of those around you?
Do you know the condition of your own life?
We need each other and we need to share love. Hug someone.
When you search for truth. You find Jesus.
Jesus came to give peace (that passes understanding).
He came to show us Love. God is love!
He came to give life and give it more abundantly (both salvation and a good life).
What are you relying on today for salvation, for life?
Are you relying on Jesus, He is the only way?
Are you relying on religion to be saved? Religion was made by man, has problems, so inevitably will steer you wrong.
Are you relying on money to be saved? Are you rich in money but poor in the spirit?
Are you relying on science to be saved? How can you trust science, they change their story all the time! The Bible story never changes and has endured the test of time!
Jesus loved us so much He went to the cross to be the perfect sacrifice.
Won’t you put your trust in Jesus, the only way, today?
