Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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“Thomas said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way… No one comes to the Father except through me.’”[1]
In the course of many years of ministering in Canada, I have witnessed many people who were offended at the preaching they heard.
In almost every instance, when I have been able to discover what was particularly offensive, I learned that the offended person found the message inflexible.
Perhaps it was people who enjoyed the preaching itself, but they were “turned off” by the repeated demand that they yield their lives to the Christ.
At other times, it was church members who were outraged because their friends could not be members of the assembly without receiving believer’s baptism as taught in the Word of God.
At yet other times, outsiders were deeply offended because there was no “wiggle room” for their cherished sins.
Many aspects of the Christian Faith are offensive—deeply offensive.
The primary offence appears to be the exclusive claims of the Founder of the Faith.
In this day far removed from the days of His flesh, we discover that the exclusive claims of the Son of God are still offensive.
Muslims would make Him a prophet, even a lesser prophet than Mohammed.
Hindus would be content to acknowledge Him as a demigod—part of the multiplied thousands of gods they fear.
Buddhists are perfectly willing to say that He is a great teacher—an enlightened one.
Secularists wish to ignore Him as irrelevant except when they need a personal boon.
However, His testimony that He is “the Way,” stands athwart every effort of fallen man to relegate Him to the sidelines, or to somehow diminish His authority.
For the Master lays a narrow claim that He is “the way,” and that “No one comes to the Father except through [Him].”
*The Disciples’ Doubts* — “Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?” Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his question!
We don’t have an audio tape to determine if he asked in a sceptical voice, or if he was being negative, or if he sincerely doubted.
I have always seen Thomas as a realist; and I believe he was a very brave man.
You will recall on one occasion, when Jesus and the disciples were informed that Lazarus was ill, Jesus delayed doing anything.
The disciples concluded that it was because the Jewish leaders were planning to kill him.
After two days, Jesus suddenly announced that it was time to go to Bethany where Lazarus had lived.
The disciples remonstrated with Him, reminding Him that His life was in danger [*John 11:1-10*].
When it became obvious that He intended to return to the village, Thomas responded, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” [*John 11:16*].
I see resignation in his words, to be certain, but I also see a courageous individual who, though knowing the risks nevertheless is willing to stand with the Master in the face of certain danger.
The fact that Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his question leads me to suggest that when Thomas questioned the Master in our text, he was voicing what the other disciples harboured in their hearts as well.
Thomas appears to have had a quick mind; he was able to quickly assimilate multiple threads and assess the implication of what was taking place.
He was able to assess and analyse, and in this instance, he quickly raised the issue of where Jesus was going.
Thomas heard the words that the Master spoke—words that you and I likely take for granted because we have heard them so often.
However, put yourself in the situation in which the disciples found themselves.
For three and one-half years the Master had spoken of his impending death.
As the day of His passion drew near, the words that had precipitated Thomas’ question were delivered.
“Let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God; believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
And */you know the way to where I am going/*” [*John 14:1-4*].
This testimony was elicited by a question Peter had asked followed by Jesus’ response.
Jesus had warned the disciples that one of them would betray Him; after which, He gave the New Commandment that His disciples were to love one another.
He had stated that the world would recognise that those who followed Him were His disciples because of their love for one another.
While telling the disciples these things, the Master had said, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you.
You will seek Me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’” [*John 13:33*].
As soon as Jesus paused to draw a breath, Peter blurted out, “Lord, where are you going?”
And the Master answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward” [*John 13:36*].
To the disciples, Jesus’ words were mysterious, dark, unfathomable.
Hadn’t Peter testified concerning his confidence that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” [*Matthew 16:16*]?
All the disciples held this belief, with the obvious exception of Judas.
Because the Master was the Son of God, how could He die?
Though He had spoken repeatedly of presenting His life as a sacrifice, the disciples just didn’t comprehend.
Was that really necessary?
Only moments after his dramatic and powerful testimony, Peter had attempted to dissuade the Master from fulfilling His purpose.
Jesus had once again informed that men that His life would be taken from Him, but that He would rise on the third day [*Matthew 16:21*].
Peter attempted to rebuke the Master, only to receive a stern rebuke himself [*Matthew 16:22, 23*].
Let’s admit an uncomfortable truth—we know little of the Master.
Modern Christians imagine that they know all about the Master, but their lives testify that the situation is otherwise.
We who are redeemed know Him, but we don’t understand Him; but, how could we “know” One who can only be described as “Other?”
We have experienced His love, but we don’t understand it; if we did, we would love others as He loved.
If we really grasped His love for us, we would love one another deeply from the heart.
If we fully understood His love for the lost, we would vigorously pursue the lost with ardour, refusing to rest until they were saved.
We have experienced His grace, but we don’t really understand that grace; if we did, we would accept one another without discriminating against those whom God brings to us.
We have experienced His mercy, but we don’t really understand that mercy; if we understood His mercy, we would be merciful rather than being critical toward those that fail to measure up to our standard.
Having made the admission that we really don’t “know” the Master any better than did the disciples that had walked with Him through the dusty land of Judea, let’s make yet another uncomfortable admission: we harbour doubts.
Many among us struggle with doubts concerning God’s salvation.
Though He promised, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out” [*John 6:37*], many still struggle to accept His promise.
Though He promised, “Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life.
He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life” [*John 5:24*], many believers still struggle to believe they are accepted in the Beloved Son.
Perhaps you are one who wonders how the Saviour could love you.
Perhaps you question why He would give His life as a sacrifice and whether that sacrifice is enough.
You need to know that an entire book of the Bible was dedicated to the singular purpose of giving believers confidence.
“I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life,” said the Disciple of Love [*1 John 5:13*].
I remember a discussion I had with some Jehovah’s Witnesses at the door of the home of a family friend where I was staying.
The Witnesses wanted to discuss Armageddon.
However, I insisted that I would not speak with them on a subject about which they were ignorant.
They knew there would be a great conflagration, though they didn’t accept that it was at the conclusion of the Millennium.
More importantly, they didn’t know the Saviour, and I was on His side.
However, I challenged this couple, “Here is a question for you.
Why would you ask me to surrender my certainty for your lack of certainty?”
“What do you mean?” responded the man.
“Well,” I replied, reaching for my copy of Nestle Aland’s Greek New Testament, “you are all Greek scholars.
Have you never read what John says?”
And turning to *1 John 5:13*, I offered the Greek Testament.
They declined to accept it, or even look at it.
Continuing, however, I pointed to the verse and read the opening portion of what John wrote believers, “*/Taûta égrapha humîn hína eidâte hóti zōè éxete aiónion/*.”
You will note, “I pointed out,” that he used */oída/* to indicate that we have an intuitive knowledge.
Translating, “I write these things to you that you might unquestionably know that we have eternal life.”
The couple was nonplused, and the man blurted out, “Perhaps you are one of the 144,000!”
“No,” I gently replied, “I’m not Jewish and I’m not a virgin.”
What knowledge did John say lives within the child of God to give him confidence?
· A Christian recognises the truth [*1 John 2:20, 21*].
· A Christian knows the character of God [*1 John 2:29*].
· A Christian knows the hope of Christ’s return [*1 John 3:2*].
· A Christian knows the reason for Christ’s incarnation [*1 John 3:5*].
· A Christian is assured of His second birth [*1 John 3:14, 15*].
· A Christian is assured of eternal life [*1 John 5:13*].
· A Christian enjoys confidence in Christ’s presence [*1 John 5:15*].
Review John’s words from another perspective and we discover that the child of God is marked by distinguishing characteristics that reflect his or her divine parentage.
· A Christian does right [*1 John 2:24*].
· A Christian does not continue to sin [*1 John 3:9*].
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