2/21/2021

Good morning church family. Have you ever been lost? Being lost can introduce a whole new set of challenges. One of the modern conveniences is GPS. For some GPS has replaced the hours of studying the ‘ol paper maps or the road atlas. If GPS is not already a feature installed into your car, the next best thing is the smart phone (that is if you decide to use technology). When you’re driving and if GPS is enabled, don’t you just love how it redirects you? Especially when you’ve missed the turn or come up on a patch of road construction that requires you to find an alternate route. Driving around town is becoming an enjoyable experience. I’m starting the use the GPS less and less. It’s been great because now alternate routes are begin discovered. When traveling another way home or to your destination, we get to see some new things. We might even discover a new way home. If you were to drive home from church, many of could easily thing of an alternate way to get there. The alternate route could be longer, but have less drive time because of increased speed limits. Or the drive home could be a route we’ve traveled for years, because that’s just the way we go home.

Our passage this week comes to us from the 14th Chapter of John. We’re in the many hours before Jesus is to be crucified. The disciples are on this roller coaster, but our Lord is still there and still available giving love and comfort to the guys. This is a wonderful thing. I cannot imagine the weight Jesus must have been feeling, knowing he was about to experience the full weight of the worlds sin. This show tolerance in a time like this. Tolerance is considered by some to be a prized virtue today. Our Lord is clearly the champion. Join me as we read verses 1 through 6.

John 14:1 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

John 14:2–3 ESV

2 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? 3 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.

John 14:4 ESV

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

John 14:5 ESV

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Pastoral Prayer

This morning the frame work (or outline) of our discussion is built around the words “Jesus gives.” That just rolls off the tongue very nice. We’ve heard the saying “Jesus Saves.” Today its all about “Jesus Gives.” Jesus’s disciples are not feeling very well. These guys are just coming off the euphoria of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Now its a a confusing time. In the previous Chapter, Jesus tells them, “where I am going you cannot follow me.” It would be like, ok — what’s going on … what did I miss, because it looks like the train left the station a while ago … Elvis has left the building. Their hearts are troubled. Perhaps another title for our message could be “The Cardiac Age.” Many have troubled hearts today. Crime rates are rising, cost of living is going up, wages are flat, there’s international issues going on, political unrest. The list can go on and on. This can bring a deep concern to our heart and add to our anxiety. The best part of this all is we have an antidote! The antidote is Jesus Christ!

[Display Verse 1]

Even in the hour of Jesus’ own struggle, Jesus is looking at His disciples, not with the look of — really?!? Do you know what I’m about to go through. NO! Jesus does not look at them this way. Our Lord meets them with compassion. This is an excellent challenge and great example to follow. It’s also brings comfort to know that I show up dirty and all, but His heart is full of compassion toward me. That’s where the commandment lays in verse 1. Our Lord gives His disciples a command in the first half of this verse, “Let not your heart be troubled.” This is powerful! Another way we might say this today is simply — “Trust Me.”

Where do you look in difficult times? Sometimes we might try and find someone who has gone through a similar experience, and see how the Lord has led. Other times, we might try something relaxing and soothing. The early morning hours offer a great time of prayer and time with the Lord. Sometimes prayer has been intense, It’s felt like “holding a pyramid of marbles, that if I moved, they could all fall.” The idea here is not to “let your heart shudder.” Do you trust in Jesus? Perhaps you could be asking the question of how. How do I trust in Jesus? How do I apply the words, Trust Me? Especially when we hear our Lord say, “let not your hearts be troubled.” In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we can read about all sorts of conversations with our Lord. When Jesus is having a conversation with his Disciples, have you noticed how He goes the extra mile with them? We have another example of that right here. Jesus gives the Disciples the answer of how to trust him. The answer is to “believe in God; believe also in me.” The way to have an untroubled heart is to believe in God and believe in Jesus. But! Notice the tense in the 2nd half of verse 1! The tense is built right from the word “believe.” We see that word mentioned twice. The Bible says “believe,” it does not say believed or to believe. It says believe. This means to “keep on believing in God. Keep on believing in Jesus Christ!!” Keep believing. If we keep in mind the attributes of God, his sovereignty, his omniscience, his omnipotence, our heart would not be troubled. Its wonderful to know Jesus knew we would need further explanation of what’s involved. As our Lord gave the Disciples a command, and us too, He gives the Disciples confidence.

[Display Verses 2 & 3]

Throughout God’s Holy Word, we’re given commandments to trust God, now we’re given reasons why trust can be installed. Verses 2 and 3 are the reasons why the Disciples can trust in Jesus. Our Lord give not one, two, but five reasons why the Disciples shouldn’t be troubled.

The key to keeping our hearts from becoming overwhelmed in sadness and depression is to remember that we have a home in heaven! Believers in Jesus Christ have an eternal home. This helps to guard against a troubling heart. While Jesus is away, Jesus is not sitting idle on his barker lounge. Jesus is preparing a place for them, for His believers, in His Father’s house. This is what believers can look for to. It’s a permanent place of abiding with God. That’s wonderful news. How much room? Could there be enough room for me, if I consider all those who have gone before me. The short answer is YES! Yes, there’s enough room. Our translation this morning says, “many rooms,” others can call it “many mansions” or “dwelling places.” If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, this is simply put, your heavenly abode or home. This means, there’s room for all believers. If this was not the case, the Bible tells Jesus would have said so. He would have given more explanation. But, he doesn't. Jesus gives exactly what’s needed. And, what He gives is HUGE! Because there’s an added bonus with this “place” we’re talking about. Sure this place Jesus is preparing deals with location. It also deals with the intimate relationship we have with Jesus. That also means, because of Jesus Christ, we can also have an intimate relationship with God the Father.

We see the intimacy of our relationship with Jesus coming right to the surface here. If you make notes in your Bible, or side notes, consider this. In verses 2 and 3, take notice of all the personal pronoun “I”. Next, take a look at the words packaged with “I”:

I have told you.

I go to prepare.

I go and prepare.

I will come again.

Where I am you may be also.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit, in verse 4:

And you know the way to where I am going [and in verse 6]

I am the way, and the truth and the life.

Sometimes all we can do is say — Thank You Jesus! Thank you for this relationship you’re initiating. Thank you for the wonderful promise of preparing a place, that you’re coming again, and where you are that we, as believers, “may be also.” The promise Jesus is laying out is the promise of a path to heaven. Notice how Jesus concludes by saying:

John 14:4–5 ESV

4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Turn your attention back to verses 4 and 5.

[Display Verses 4 & 5]

Our Lord tells the Disciples they should know the way. Thomas’ question is two fold. Thomas is questioning where is Jesus going, and the “way” that should be taken. It’s an interesting question. Perhaps the question was not just for Thomas. Perhaps other Disciples shared some overlay with His question. It’s great to see how Jesus takes a moment to answer his question. The question was not avoided. During this past fall, our youth leaders did something similar. Our youth had come up questions they would like to see answered. I read a small sample of the questions. Some were very challenging. None-the-less, our youth leaders put on loving servants heart and aimed each week to give an biblical answer. Our leaders poured into these young minds! And, honestly, there’s no better place to ask questions than right here. So, the next time you see one of our youth leaders, thank them, give them some words of encouragement. They are making an investment into the next generation of believers!

Ok, let’s come back. Thomas has this question, where and what’s the way. It looks like Thomas is seeking a geographic place. That’s the challenge to the mind. Jesus is not referring to someplace nearby or a boat ride that’s a month long. Jesus is speaking spiritually. Notice our Lord’s answer in verse 6:

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This is a powerful “I am” statement! Jesus is the way! Jesus is both God and man. Jesus knows us on the deepest level. He knows our needs. Jesus is our path. He is not just another road sign. He the “the only path.” Some make the claim there are other ways to heaven. That’s simply not the case. I’m not saying that to disappoint. If you’ve had question about the path the gets you to heaven, we want you to have to right confirmation. We want you to have truth.

Jesus is our best source of truth, knowledge of the Father. Our Lord’s teaching, commandments and answers are true. As believers in Jesus Christ, our responsibility is to believe in Him and follow His teachings. The Bible says in:

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus gives us life both now and eternally. Jesus doesn’t just give us bread crumbs. He gives abundantly. Jesus mentions in:

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

What are verses 4, 5 and 6 all about. They’re about faith my friends. It’s putting our faith totally in Jesus. When Jesus when to the cross and died for every person in this room (and those listening to the sound of my voice), we were reconciled to God. The bridge allowed for a way, the only way, to the Father. Through Jesus Christ:

We can receive the love of God.

We can receive life.

We can receive truth.

We can receive hope.

We can receive peace.

The list can go on-and-on. The point is EVERYTHING is through Jesus Christ! That is GRACE!

Application

Perhaps you’ve been dealing with a troubled heart. Perhaps you’ve been feeling the repeated experiences of life falling like rain drops. Life is falling everywhere.

Let me ask you this morning, when life is happening, and your heart is troubled, where do you turn?

Remember what Jesus said in verse number 1: “let not your heart be troubled.” How do we do this? “Believe in God; believe also in me.” Jesus Christ is our healing medicine for our heart.

Does your heart need love? It’s through Jesus we receive love!

Does your heart need truth? Truth comes through Jesus!

Does your heart need peace? Peace comes through Jesus!

Perhaps today you need life. You’ve tried everything else to bring that abundance into your life, and nothing so far has worked. The cross of Jesus Christ is the only path to life!

What does your heart need today? This is your time to come.

Closing Prayer

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