Book of John 14:1-8; March 26, 2022

Book of John 14:1-8                     March 26, 2022 

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.  The promise of the Holy Spirit. 

John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 

A command to calm the troubled heart 

·      Jesus is comforting His disciples in this personal instruction about what is going to happen to him. 

·      Jesus had reason to be troubled. 

·      He will be betrayed by a traitor with a kiss, the illegal trails, scourging and the cross, all would deny Him, and would leave Him. 

·      Jesus shows his love for them and does not think of himself.

·      Jesus does not ask for comfort, but he gives it to them he knows what is going to happen. 

Luke 24:38 But Jesus told them, "What's frightening you? And why are you doubting? 

The simple but profound solution to all of our problems is believing. We do what we do because we believe what we believe. 

Our actions are nothing more than the product of our deepest convictions. The key is what we believe—the object of our faith. 

The entire chapter 14, Jesus explains and gives truth what is God is like, Father and Son, to believe in both.  

We who believes in God who believes in Christ, and there is no other way to strengthen and encourage our minds during the greatest distresses in our lives. 

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. "Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset. 

The disciples began to lose all hope of a secular kingdom, and were discouraged because it was not going to happen: Christ promises them a spiritual and heavenly inheritance, and thus lifts up their hearts. 

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus, the Messiah himself, and may God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,  (17)  encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good action and word. 

Believe in God, believe also in me.  Did Jesus meant this as a command or an instruction to the disciples 

Instead of giving into a troubled heart, Jesus told them to firmly put their trust in God and in Jesus Himself. 

This was a radical call to trust in Jesus just as one would trust in God the Father, and a radical promise that doing so would bring comfort and peace to a troubled heart 

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 

1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 

What does Jesus say now are reasons for calming the trouble heart

A future reunion in the Fathers house 

John 14:2 There are many rooms in my Father's house. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going away to prepare a place for you? 

Everybody has a longing for a permanent, secure place. Such places have already been set aside for all of God’s children. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare our place.  

If the separation was to be an eternal one, he would have forewarned them. Rather, he goes before to prepare a home for them where they can all be together. Jesus would not deceive us and says there is room for all of us. 

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! Because of his great mercy he has granted us a new birth, resulting in an immortal hope through the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, from the dead  (4)  and to an inheritance kept in heaven for you that can't be destroyed, corrupted, or changed. 

John 14:3 And if I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come back again and welcome you into my presence, so that you may be where I am. 

The reference is not to Christ's return from the grave, but to a return from heaven, the second coming of the Lord to the earth, which is a part of the Christian faith.  

Jesus will have our place done when He returns to the earth. 

The ‘if’ does not here imply doubt any more than ‘when’ would have done: but we have ‘if’ and not ‘when’ because it is the result of the departure and not the date of it that is emphasized 

Philippians 1:6 I am convinced of this, that the one who began a good action among you will bring it to completion by the Day of the Messiah Jesus. 

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say: We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 With a shout of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of God's trumpet, the Lord himself will come down from heaven, and the dead who belong to the Messiah will rise first. 

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  (18)  So then, encourage one another with these words. 

John 14:4 You know where I am going, and you know the way." 

Jesus alone is the way to true and everlasting life, for it is he in whom the Father has revealed himself. 

Jesus had so often told them that he was to die, and rise, and ascend to heaven, but they could not but understand it. 

Jesus have told you this so often and so plainly that ye must certainly have comprehended what I have said 

Luke 9:22 He said, "The Son of Man must suffer a great deal and be rejected by the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he must be killed, but on the third day he will be raised." 

John 14:5 Thomas asked him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 

Thomas shows is a leader of the disciples, said “we” we don't know where you are going.  

Thomas should be praised for honestly and clearly explaining his confusion. 

Interesting, Jesus had just said He was going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them {v. 2} and they knew the way there {v. 4}. 

There must be something else going on here 

Though Jesus had so often told them of his approaching death and resurrection, yet it seems they did not understand him, nor did they fully comprehend him until after his resurrection 

John 11:16 Then Thomas, who was called the Twin, told his fellow disciples, "Let's go, too, so that we may die with him!" 

John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

Jesus makes this remarkable statement, claiming that He was the only way to God.

In this He set aside the temple and its rituals, as well as other religions.

It was a claim for Jesus to have an exclusive way, truth, and life - the only pathway to God the Father, the true God in heaven.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus is the way to the Father. He is also the truth and the life. 

·      As truth, He is the revelation of God.

·      As life, He is the communication of God to us. 

The way: He is not just a person who shows the way, but He, personally, is the way. 

No church or ceremony can bring you to God.

Only Christ can bring you to God. He is the way. 

Isaiah 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 

With the Lord Jesus saying this, there is NO other religion a person can be saved without Jesus.  

That leaves only Christianity and Jesus made a dead-end street of all the cults and “isms.” Jesus says the only way to God is through Him. 

Not only can no one enter the Father's house without him, but no man can come to the Father on earth so as to enjoy his favor. "There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved. 

Acts 4:12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." 

This saying shows unto us the nature, the will, and office of Lord Jesus. 

We just read John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

The truth: Jesus isn’t saying that He tells the truth, although He does do that. 

He is the truth! He is the standards for truth. 

Not only can no one enter the Father's house without him, but no man can come to the Father on earth so as to enjoy his favor. "There is no other name given under heaven among men whereby we must be saved. 

This makes any religion not solely declaring Jesus, a false religion of Satan. 

Except for the Jewish religion, they have a special relationship with the Lord Jesus without their real understanding. 

Interesting, this is very controversial among other religions, even individuals say this isn’t fair for God to make only one way.  This is a consistent theme in the Bible.  10 Commandments. 

Christ is the Only Way: 

1. By his doctrine 

John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

2. By his example 

1 Peter 2:21 This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because: The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps. 

3. By his sacrifice 

Romans 5:9-10 Now that we have been justified by his blood, how much more will we be saved from wrath through him!  (10)  For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life! 

4. By his Spirit 

John 16:13 Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own accord, but will speak whatever he hears and will declare to you the things that are to come. 

He is the Truth: 

1. In opposition to all false religions.

2. To the Mosaic law, which was only the shadow, not the truth or substance, of the good things which were to come. And

3. In respect to all the promises of God 

2 Corinthians 1:20 For all God's promises are "Yes" in him. And so through him we can say "Amen," to the glory of God. 

John 14:7 If you have known me, you will also know my Father. From now on you know him and have seen him." 

Jesus came to reveal the Father 

John 1:18 No one has ever seen God. The unique God, who is close to the Father's side, has revealed him.

To know Jesus is to know the Father 

1 John 2:23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. 

Show us the Father: Jesus had just said that to see Him is to see the Father. 

The great truth declared is that the way to study God and know him is to know Christ.  This is why I like to learn and know the Lord Jesus 

Show us the Father 

John 14:8 Philip told him, "Lord, show us the Father, and that will satisfy us." 

Yet Philip asked to see the Father. Like Thomas, Philip seems to have been slow to comprehend, as the rest of the disciples.

The demand of Philip was similar to that made by Moses, Moses wished to see the glory of God. 

Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, "Please show me your glory." 

It is impossible to escape the claim Jesus was making. Clearly, He was claiming to be God and the everlasting God. 

Our human mind is stretched beyond its limits in trying to cope with the idea that the Creator of the universe and one of his creations, a human being named Jesus, are the same and to be identified with the Father. 

Now on – from this time onward, disciples kind of understood, what Lord Jesus said.  The disciples begin to recognize the Father in Lord Jesus.

Do you really believe in the deepest part of your heart.

As the prior disciples left Jesus, this is also a very hard saying, 

Acts 4:12 There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."

Satan we know is the god of this world and have blinded the minds of all unbelievers and transmits moods, feeling through the air.   

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

Revelation 17:14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." 

Ephesians 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 

It is not good to be in fellowship with other religions, like a national day of all religions coming together for prayer. 

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 

2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 

2 Corinthians 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 

Is an unbeliever an unclean thing? 

2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." 

2 Corinthians 6:18 And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."