The Way, the Truth, and the Life - 6

Today we come to number six of the seven great I am statement spoken by Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John. All of them. As you know are about various aspects of Christ's work of salvation all her statements with interchangeable subjects and predicates prior to today, we have examined Christ's statement. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the door. I am the good shepherd.

I am the resurrection and the life. Today we take up this one in John 14. I am the way the truth and the life.

All the statements I say can be turned around in a very helpful way instead of saying I am the bread of life. We can say the bread of life is Jesus the light of the world is Jesus the door is Jesus, the good Shepherd is Jesus the resurrection and the life is Jesus. The way the truth and the life is Jesus statement that we are looking at today in John 14 six is perhaps the most widely known of all seven of these statements, it is very helpful, illuminating to those who is stated by Christ, but it is also more vehemently rejected perhaps than any of the other IM state by those who reject the truth of the gospel.

We are going to examine it today in three parts. Number one the general context number two.

The immediate context number three the emphatic declaration we really need to begin with a general context and that faxes up in the chapter 13 where Jesus began what is generally called the upper room discourse gathering his disciples together in the upper room observing the Passover meal from which she constituted the Lord's table together, Christ did several things and spoke several things which were earthshaking to his disciples and left them a bit bewildered and puzzled and therefore it will become. Chapter 14 he is calling their fears when he says let not your heart believe in God believe also in me and that discourse goes on. Some think all the way through chapter 17 in the high priestly prayer of Christ. Some call this the upper room discourse. Some call this the farewell discourse and there are perhaps other names that are sometimes attached to it, but therefore things in particular in chapter 13 that I think prepare us for the statement that Christ makes in chapter 14 we have. First of all what I will call and memorable lesson that is the opening verses of chapter 13 the records this time when Jesus washed the disciples feet.

Normally that's a task that is performed by a servant, but there was no servant Christ and the disciples gathered together but they were not just in the home of a wealthy man. They were borrowing the facilities of presumably a man of some substance but they were not with him in the home and there were no servants present in so there was no one to that would normally perform the customary task of washing the feet of those who were present because they wore robes and they wore sandals and they pick up dust and dirt as they walk from place to place and it was just normal and really necessary that their feet be washed when they gather together in a whole no disciple offered to perform this customary task.

This lowly task that would've been assigned to probably the lowest servant in a household that had multiple servants. After all, why no doubt each of them were thinking. Why should I consider myself lower than the others. I'm on equal footing with the other disciples know know lower to be sure, not higher.

I'm not claiming to be higher, but no lower I should. I take the lowly place. Why should I become the servant to the others. Perhaps they were thinking and to their amazement.

Jesus takes off his outer robe and he girds himself with a servants towel and he takes a basin, and he begins to go around from from position to position and he washes tenderly each of the disciples feet wipes their feet with the towel and you know the accounting know that Peter objected to it said, Lord, I need to wash your feet, rather than you washing my and Jesus said I need to wash you and you know the story, but what is going on in this place is the Jesus the supreme master is taking up the servants position and thereby teaching a powerful lesson by way of personal illustration.

He certainly is foretelling what takes place. Next, namely that he becomes the lowly servant taking the lowest place and dying upon the cross, but is also teaching the disciples that the way to greatness is loneliness and if they would serve Christ and others effectively. They must be willing to be servant and in that act, the disciples are in directly rebuked and shamed. Jesus doesn't directly rebuke them for failing to do this. He doesn't openly speak words designed to shame them, but they cannot help but recognize the client review and to feel the shame that follows their unwillingness to do what their supreme lord and master was willing to do a memorable lesson that is followed next by a troubling revelation because Jesus goes on to tell them that there is a traitor, a betrayer in their midst. In fact, he says that the impending betrayal which is coming very soon is in fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture as he quotes from Psalm 41 nine in the disciples as you recall were both perplexed and troubled because they didn't know who was the individual, of whom he spoke. Nobody stood out in their mind as an obvious trader is one who was less faithful than the others to his assigned task in his loyalty to Christ.

In fact, now having been humbled and shamed by the act of washing the disciples feet.

They take a more lowly posture than they often did in the response to Christ announcement was Lord is is that I good response. They wondered if they might be the one of whom Christ spoke and hope hope sincerely that they were not that person. Yet, even after Jesus identified the betrayer of Judas by saying the one to whom I give the SD bread dipped in the in the gravy sop the one to whom I give, that is, is the one after stating that and doing that and Judas received that sign of betrayal is identified by Christ and went out into the night. They still didn't perceive the Jesus was talking about Judas again. Are we are we just amazed at how dense they are at times things that are so clear. So obviously just cannot under stand all Lord remove the scales from our spiritual line that we might be able to understand your word, so now they are filled with even greater uncertain to you and fear they been humbled, shamed, they been shaken by this revelation that there is a betrayer in their midst. Then Christ speaks further and we have a painful reminder for Jesus next tells them that he is going the way it is a reminder because he told them that before.

This is not the first announcement of his departure. He tells them that he is going away is necessary for him to depart and be separated from them for a while and all of them seem to understand that much it is going away, but he follows that by telling them exactly how it is that he's going away. Namely that he's going to die in some seem to understand that in some don't send in verse 33. The first verse that I read to you, little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I am going, you cannot come. So now I say to you, and he goes on to tell them that where he is going.

They cannot come now, but they can come later and so the reference to his death is is very old but it's spoken and it should be obvious if he's going someplace where they Come now, but they're going to be with him later.

They should've understood that to mean his death and Peter did remember Peterson why I follow you willing to lay down my life for you. He clearly understood that Jesus was speaking about death, but this was a painful reminder. So now there there ashamed by their lack of service they are shaken by the announcement of the betrayer. They are reminded of the pending separation of the Jesus is going to die and then that is concluded in chapter 13 by a disappointing disclosure when Peter declares his willingness to die for Jesus in verse 37 Jesus reveals Peter's pending denial. Jesus answered him, will you lay down your life for my sake. Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times.

He says we know that that's exactly what happened but who was Peter. He was considered to be the leading apostle. He was it was the strong man. He was the spokesman. He was the one that the others look to for leadership. Now Jesus is not only will you not be willing to die with me will later be willing to lay down his life for Christ. Much later, but not only will you not be willing to die with me at this time but you are going to be Peter the strong one is going to deny them and how that how can any of the others. Be certain that the same thing will not happen to them. So when you put all these things together. Are we surprised will become the chapter 14 and Jesus says now. Let not your heart be troubled because clearly their hearts were not only troubled clearly. Their hearts were very, very, very trouble. That's the general context.

For now we come to the immediate context of those of the words and chapter 14 the precede our text verse six.

The tells the statement. I am the way the truth and the life and in the immediate context of chapter 14 we begin with a call to composure these familiar words these wonderful words that we have heard many times, and no doubt quoted to others.

Let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. This is a call to composure. They were shaken they were troubled they were fearful and Jesus says let not your heart be troubled and do not allow your heart to be troubled, as it now. It is in Jesus knew full well that stop one translator said stop letting your heart be troubled another one said Satcher troubled heart at rest. All right, but as we know that's easier said than done. Can we just call the troubled heart by setting our mind to it. Stop letting your heart be troubled, set your troubled heart at rest is it that easy. Can we do that Jesus goes on to tell them how to do it. He not only says stop letting your heart be troubled, but he tells them how you believe in God believe also in me. In other words, trust me, that's the solution to a troubled heart. Not exactly what Jesus is saying is not as clear as we would wish the woods. Really, no matter how you translated it still boils down eventually to the same thing but some of you who are careful, students will know that that statement believe in God believe also in me is a great statement that the verbs can be either indicative sore imperatives. It's it's spelled the same way to same form so we can't tell for sure which one it is. So if they are indicative there. Both statements you are believing in God. That's a statement of fact you are believing in me another statement of fact to indicative or it could be one indicative and what imperative as we have it in my translation. You believe in God. Statement of fact, and believe also in me imperative.

See indicative followed by an imperative. Or it's possible that both of them are imperatives. Both of them are command. Here's how to stop your troubled heart believe in God believe also in me. That's the way that many translators take it and consider that to be the best choice of the several possibilities you believe in God believe also in me that imply that Jesus is God is going to be clear with that implication in verses seven through nine is if there were any doubt about it, but right here at the beginning what he saying is, here's a way to calm your heart believe in God and what does that mean well, that means believe in me.

I am God and Jesus is showing is something very important if you dwell upon your circumstances.

Your heart assured trouble, but if you dwell on Christ all will be at rest. If you are a believer true believer in Jesus Christ. Born-again blood-borne child of God.

If you will do well on Christ and keep dwelling on Christ and keep thinking about Christ and who he is and what he has done and what promises he has made, and recognize that he is Almighty God. Pretty soon those circumstances that seem so large, so troubling, so insurmountable, so perplexing grocery down to their proper size because in the face of his impotence.

The face of his glory, the face of his wisdom. The face of his love. How can those troubles be a problem. Let your troubled heart be at rest.

A call to composure, but this is followed in verses two through four with the promise of reunion in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Where I go you know in the way you know the promise of reunion. This is an interesting section. Christ starts by talking about their heavenly boat about in my father's house are many mansions. I can remember when modern translations began to circulate many decades ago and most of them instead of saying in my father's house are many mansions like the King James said in my father's house are many dwelling places like we have it here will we don't have it. Mike and my Bible. It's mansions, but in many of the dwelling places and I can still remember people say look at their other there stealing the mansions out of the Bible. They're taking that glorious truth away from.

I hate to rock your boat but maybe there's a little something in me that likes to do this. I don't the word is not mansions, it is dwelling places that's literally what it is. In the Greek the word mansions actually comes out of the Latin Vulgate and even there it's a misunderstanding. The Latin word that looks and sounds pretty much like the word mansion really means dwelling place, but somehow in English. It has the idea of how no two things about that if you take just a minute think that through it doesn't. The picture doesn't fit because it says in my father's house are many mansions that that picture doesn't go together mansion can have many rooms.

Many dwelling places, but you don't talk in terms of a mansion having additional mansions inside the house. So that's one thing to keep in mind to just go along with the figure that Jesus used you can see that the word dwelling places is much more suitable. But to counterbalance that on the other side. Can you imagine can you imagine even a room or an apartment in heaven heaven being so great black grand and glorious as it is. Can you imagine a place like that being anything less than the grandest mansion to possibly imagine on earth, so I I don't object to the concept of something that is very large and glorious.

Surely it must be in a place where the street is paved with gold and it is more glorious than anything that is upon the earth.

I'm certain that the richest of you who lives in the biggest house is going to still find your earthly house pretty paltry compared to the place that you arrived at when you come to heaven but nevertheless it doesn't say that you've got a mansion over the hilltop. Jesus just simply said that in my father's house are many dwelling places.

Whatever they are many dwelling places and the emphasis there is upon many in my father's house are man a man a man a man dwelling places. There is room for some people, he doesn't use that term. Of course, that's the idea is room for millions of people in my father's house, and none of them are going to feel crowded. Okay heavenly abode Christ comforting promise is what is so good and I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Christ promises that though he is going away and going away by means of death.

He will reunite with them. There will be a separation, but there will be a reunion this going to be a necessary parting of the ways for a time but it's only for a time and in God's proper time.

He is going to come back and receive you unto myself and brace every one of his children, unto himself, and they will be with him. We will be with him forever and forever and forever and forever and forever without end that follows. What follows is a assuring reminder in verse four that they know where he is going where I go you know the way you know, I should say this much before I move on Christ as I go to prepare a place for you. Again, I don't want to burst your bubble about that sentimental idea that you've had the Christ, the carpenters going there to construct elaborate mansion for you.

I go to prepare a place for you. It's almost certain what is referring to is I'm going to the cross.

I'm going to the grave. I'm going to rise from the dead. I'm going to send a heaven. I am doing the things that are necessary so that centers like you could never hope to set foot inside of heaven and the holiness of heaven in the presence of the thrice holy God. But I am going to prepare a way, a place for you to be forever with me in heaven.

I go to prepare a place for you, but after saying all this, there is this revealing question in verse five, by Tom Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going and how can we know the way doubting Thomas. He is called. He was courageous, but he always he always looked at things from the pessimistic side. He was the kind of guy who always saw the glass half empty instead of half full.

You know the type, that's Thomas.

And so in an Thomas had to be had to be absolutely certain of something we know that in regard to the resurrection. He wasn't going to believe it.

On the word of the disciples would all seem right. He had to have approved for himself, so it's not all that surprising that even though all the other disciples seem to understand where Jesus was going. Thomas didn't he didn't. He wasn't absolutely hundred percent certain he needed it. He needed to written out and signed. We all know you're going and if we don't know where you're going. How can we talk about the way we talk about the way they were going to travel you're going to get in the car and take a journey. Which way do you go where you going you don't know you can't answer that question again. Are you going to New York. That's one way are you going Los Angeles. That's another way are you going to Miami.

That's another way. And so how can we talk about the way if we don't know where you're going. That's what Thomas is saying that Jesus then makes that glorious state the emphatic statement the anchor statement of verse six, followed by a couple other important statements in verse seven, 89, but the emphatic statement.

I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

Jesus ignored Thomas his first statement will Thomas said, Lord, we don't know the way Christ ignored that altogether he didn't go back and say yes you do. I've told you that before you do know the way I think Christ knew that Thomas didn't know the answer to that question. He was just being Thomas if you would just be a little bit stubborn about it.

He didn't know where Jesus was going but Jesus recognized that he might end the others to might not fully understand what he was talking about in regard to the way so Jesus addresses the second statement not the first one. How can we know the way, here's the answer to that statement that question. I am the way, the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me. So we have moved from the general context and through the immediate context to the emphatic declaration. I am the way, I am the truth I am the life. All three of those statements at the definite article. I am the way, I am very true I am the life I am the way, I am the way, I don't know that will ever fully plumb the depths of what's involved and that's an understatement, but there couple things that are clear, Jesus is saying I'm away because I am substitution or sacrifice on the way because you can't get into the presence of the father on your righteousness on your merits on your good works.

If it's up to you. You can't get there but if you will come through me. I am the way, I am the substitutionary sacrifice that will satisfy all the demands of a holy God, and in applying the benefits of my sacrifice to your account. I am preparing the way for you to go. I am the way, I am the way, because I'm the substitutionary sacrifice.

I am the way, because to know me is to have the availing sacrifice number one I am the way, by making the sacrifice, but number two. I am the way, for whom. For those who believe in me.

I am the way, for those who in believing in me appropriate my availing sacrifice for themselves.

Those who don't believe in me have no sacrifice even though I am the substitutionary sacrifice, but those who believe in have the availing sacrifice. I am the way, please note the Jesus does not merely point the way he does not blaze the trail. Those are ideas that people have that are so far beneath what Jesus is saying that they actually are blasphemous course in his teaching and sense he points the way but to portray Christ presence on earth as simply leading the way, showing the way.

Helping others to find a way without the most important truth which is he is the way you leave that out all those other things are entirely he's not just showing the way he is the way he's not just blazing a trail. He was the trail to be in him is to be on the path to heaven into eternal life. Apart from that you can you can follow his life. You can follow his teaching. You can follow his ethics.

You can follow his great statements in the sermon on the Mount, but if you're not trusting his vicarious sacrifice on the cross as your substitutionary sacrifice for sin. If you're not acknowledging yourself as a sinner who needs a sacrifice provided by God, then you can believe and try to follow all those other things and I go to I am.

We are saved by a person multiplied hundreds of thousands of little tracks have been passed out that are helpful called God's simple plan of salvation. I understand the point.

I appreciate the description it's in that little track but if it causes people to think of getting to heaven more as a as a route to follow what is a plan step ABCD E without understanding it's all wrapped up in a person, then that could even be detrimental. Salvation is not in the plan. Salvation is in a person. I said Jesus I am the way and furthermore, not only is Jesus the way.

But, as he tells us here. He is the only way the exclusive way.

That's where the rub comes in. Jesus said to him, I am the way the truth and the life. If you stop there. A lot of people would've been happier but he goes on to say, no one comes to the father except through me. He is not claiming to be one of many ways he's claiming to be the only way the exclusive way it is.

That's why there no one emphatic comes to the father except by me. No one, no exceptions comes to the father except by me.

No one comes to God. No one comes to know God. No one comes into the presence of God. No one comes into the benefits of that heavenly abode except through Jesus. It's this way or no way. Many of you have heard this statement that has been repeated many times by Thomas a campus Thomas a campus lived about 100 years before Martin Luther was a German monk. He wrote a book entitled the imitation of Christ, which has been a bestseller down through the years it still purchased in red is my possession of a copy is proof didn't quite reach the circulation of say the Pilgrim's progress. But it is a very well-known book and it it's a devotional type book talks about knowing Christ and and becoming like Christ. But here's the statement the Thomas a It's made at this point talking about John 14 six he said without the way there is no going without the truth there is no knowing without the life there is no living that lays it out. I am the way the truth and the life.

No one comes to the father but by me. Because if that were clear enough the next three verses 789 Jesus goes ahead and makes it very clear that he is God explains and elaborates the statement I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father but by me.

He makes it clear that to know Jesus is to know the father and to see Jesus is to see the father if you had known me verse seven, you would have known my father also and from now on you know him and have seen him Philip. Now Philip before Thomas. Now Philip or maybe the more surprised Philip.

Philip showed up three times in John's Gospel, and before before this statement and every time we find him bringing some of the Jesus Philip is often looked to as the example wonderful illustration, example of a personal soul winner every time he's bringing people to Jesus. He was a wonderful disciple of Christ, but now speaks up and says to him, Lord shows the father and it will be sufficient for us talking about the father. When you show us the father we want to see the father you can almost hear the grown and the incredulity and the disappointment in Jesus tone when he says, have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me, Philip, have I been with you there for you. You can see this in your translation there that he was plural he speaking to all of them if I been with you also log and yet you now singular speaking to Philip, you have not known me, Philip. He who has seen me has seen the father.

So how can you say show us the father. Jesus is God.

I know how I could've said it any more clearly than this, and when you know Jesus, you know, the father, and when you see Jesus you see the father clearly not seeing him in his physical form because the unbelieving Jews saw Jesus in his physical form of a nail that form to the cross. They saw that they did see the father. Jesus is talking about when you see him when you come to know him. When you see his character. When you see his nature, then you have seen the father because you have seen his character using his nature have seen God. When you see Christ wisdom you see the father's wisdom when you see Christ, power, and the miracles he performed using the father's power when you see Christ grace bestowed upon others. You see the father's grace when you see Christ incredible love. You see the father's love is not the seeing of the physical eyes. It's the seeing of the soul, and when you can see Jesus as he truly is. For who he is.

Then you sing God father son and Holy Spirit. You sing God. Why because he is God. If you see God beside you say God father son and Holy Spirit DA Carson is not only remarkable scholar. I'm glad he's a Bible believing evangelical scholar. He has he has done an amazing life's work in the area of defending the infallibility of the Scriptures in defending the doctrines of Scripture is getting up in years that he wrote something recently on the what, how to serve the Lord in your old age you're getting your getting older and can't do as much as he used to get the exact title is getting up in years Nelly slowing down but he wrote three sonnets on this statement by Jesus in John 14 six sonnet number one.

I am the way side. Number two I am the truth center number three I am the life. These are so beautiful and so powerful. I can't think of a better way to conclude the same today. I am the way to God.

I did not come to light a path to blaze a trail that you may simply follow in my tracks pursue my shadow like a prize that's cheaply one my life reveals the life of God the son of all he is and does. So how can you, the sons of night look on me and construe my way is just the road to run my path takes in Gethsemane. The cross and start rejection draped in agony my way to God embraces utmost loss your way to God is not my way.

But me. Each other path is dismal Swamp or fraud. I stand alone I am the way to God. I am the truth of God do not claim. I merely speak the truth as though I were a prophet, but no more channel stirred by spirit power purely human frame, nor do I say when I take his name upon my lips my teaching cannot, though, that is true on their interpreter. I'm not some prophet voice of special fame and timeless reaches of eternity. The triune God decided that the word the self-expression of the deity would put on flesh and blood and thus be heard. My claim to speak the truth. Good men applaud my claim to speak the truth. Good men applaud.

I claim much more. I am truth of God. I am the resurrection life. It's not as though I merely their life-giving drink the magic elixir which men might think is cheap because the lab vitiates not bought the price of life was fully paid, I fought with death in black despair, for I'm the drink of life. The resurrection mourns the link between my death and endless life long-sought. I am the firstborn from the dead, and by my triumph ideal death to lost syndicates my life I now extol to man and ply them with the drought that ever satisfies religions page with empty posts is rife, but I'm resurrection I am the way the truth and the life of Jesus.

He is the life the only life that matters now. He is eternal life. The only way to escape the destruction of sin when the day of your death comes, but he is the way to God. Go to him shortly. Her heavenly father. How we thank you for sending your son how we thank you for preserving so many of his words for our benefit. How we thank you for sending your spirit to open our understanding so that we might impart understand the great truths which he has spoken, and indeed which he embodies how grateful we are Lord God Almighty that you sent the word to declare who you are and to reveal to us your nature, your character that we might know you the one true God.

Because of the preparation made for believing centers upon the cross of Calvary help us oh Lord to cleave to this truth with greater faith, greater joy, greater purpose and yes greater determination to spread this message to other as we ask it now in Jesus name