The Way, the Truth and the Life…
Pastor Glenn Newton August 9, 2009
Text: John 14:6-14
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
JN 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
JN 14:9 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 are not just my own. 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 miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He 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 Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” NIV (italics added)
Right before our passage, Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples asked a question, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” v.5
Thomas is fearful of being left behind, fearful of being lost and not knowing how to find his way in this old world. We live in a world of people looking for the truth, looking for the right way to turn, looking for the “thing” that will give them that peace of mind, that knowledge that they have found the truth to this crazy life.
How many of you know that there are people who are looking in some crazy places for the answer? Sometimes I scratch me head and think, “how can anybody who is operating with a full load of intelligence be looking for truth there?”
The truth is, when your lost…your pretty desperate, and like a man starving for food, you might be willing to try just about anything to survive….
Lost Illustration:
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am." The woman below replied, "You’re in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You’re between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude." "You must be an engineer," said the balloonist. "I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I’ve no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help at all. If anything, you’ve delayed my trip." The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you’ve no idea how to keep, and you expect someone else to help you keep it.” (Sermon Central)
Do you remember what it feels like to “feel” really lost? Do you remember the first day on a new job?
I remember my first couple of days at Baldor….what a nightmare…about a week before I started at Baldor, my wife and I were at some restaurant….and I have no idea how, but somehow I had reached back to get some salt or something from the table behind us, and I tore this trap muscle….it was hurting the next day, I knew I was about to start work at baldor and I needed to be able to use my left arm, so I went to the chiropractor for treatment…he thought it was a pulled muscle so he treated with heat for two days….which actually aggravated the injury even worse…by the time Monday rolled around, my first day at work I literally couldn’t pick up my left arm to my shoulder.
The last thing you want to do is show up to work on the first day complaining about how you can’t work, that doesn’t tend to impress anyone. After showing me around, they took me to the machine I was going to work on for the first day….a drill that would drill holes in the ends of a metal bar, ranging from 6 inches to 18 inches, ranging from 1lb to 5lbs… so the whole first day I was to pick up the bar, place it in the machine, pull the handle, take the piece out and stack it and do that over and over again. Obviously, to do it as quick as they wanted two arms would be required….trying to learn how to operate the machine, change the drill bits, set the machine up to drill the right length, and trying to do a two handed job with one….brother I felt as lost as lost can feel….I prayed a lot that day, prayed for the pain to go away, and prayed for that clock to speed up.
When you feel lost, hope fades fast. When you feel lost, the future seems kind of bleak. When you feel lost, you want to try and escape….a lot of people do that with the drugs, alcohol, sex, work, in front of the TV or the Computer…escaping from reality….friends there’s a lot of ways people try to escape that feeling of being lost.
When your lost in the dark…you need a light.
When your lost in the woods, you need a road.
When your lost in the big city, you need a map…or GPS now days.
But Friends, when your lost in your soul, in this world…You need a Savior…and His Name is Jesus.
Don’t you know that God is all about seeking out Lost people….Somehow lost people think God is against them…that’s not true at all….the Truth is God is so interested in finding lost people, He sent His Son Jesus on a Mission to our world to show His love, and to Reveal who God is so that everyone could find the Truth through Jesus Christ. Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Friends, there is no other way to interpret that statement, His mission was to seek us out, and save us from our sin and our self destructive ways. Amen?
Thomas asked a question, Jesus answered it….Thomas was worried that he was going to be left behind with no way to find Jesus, no way to be with this one who He had devoted his life to….Jesus was preparing them for the fact that we was going to be leaving…and they didn’t like that idea…they didn’t, they couldn’t have understood what was about to happen and how it was all apart of God’s Salvation plan….but Jesus answered his question:
JN 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Jesus didn’t say…I am one of the various ways that you can find the truth and have life…He didn’t say that did he?
Jesus didn’t say…I’m just a great teacher, but after me will come someone more enlightened than me…did he say that?
What Jesus said is plain, direct, and unwavering. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
How many ways are there then? One….Ways to what? Jesus is talking about the way to the Father, the way to eternal life. Jesus is telling you today, He’s is telling me this morning this this Living Word, this Truth…that the only way you and I are going to make Heaven our Home is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God….there is no other gate….there is no back door.
There is not a good deeds elevator.
There is not a good person exemption. Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
There is not a “I didn’t Know” free pass. Rom. 1:18-20 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
There is no “lifetime benefit package” upgrade offer. In other words, just because you have been in church all of your life, just because you can sing the hymns, the choruses, and you have put in gobs of money over your lifetime…even though those are nice things, they won’t get you to heaven. Is your Relationship personal, is it up to date? Don’t be stuck in the glory days…it’s got to be fresh and genuine.. Up to the minute.
Jesus said, “I am the way….” Do you believe that? Are you living out that belief everyday. You say, “Pastor, I believe that Jesus is the only way”….My question is your belief being played out in your life, in the way you live, in the way you talk, in the way you order your priorities…
I say I love my wife. In fact, I tell my wife that I love her everyday, every time I leave the house, every time I hang up the phone…but sometimes my words are empty because my actions don’t match up…when I care more about doing what I want…more than I care about her needs…I’m loving Me…not her. I want my Love You to be more than words to my wife….
In the same way….When I say I believe that Jesus is the only way…the only Answer…then why am I looking for answers everywhere else?
Jesus said, “I am the way and the Truth…”
Friends…I Jesus Christ is the Truth…the Ultimate Truth, and I know what He has promised me in his Word….should I live my life worrying about all these things that have me so tied up I can’t sleep at night?
As a Christian, knowing that God’s Word says that Jesus will always be with me, He will never leave me or forsake me, he will never turn His back on me….He loves me and He died for me….If I know all that to be the Truth…..why would I live in fear and anxiety like those who don’t Know Jesus Christ?
Christians should be the most positive, most confident, most stable people in this world…Amen?
Polycarp (2nd Century)
Can you imagine what it was like for the church in Smyrna as they watched their beloved and aged pastor burn at the stake? Polycarp was his name. He was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle John. One could tell it immediately because he possessed the same tenderness and compassion as his mentor. Polycarp was Bishop of the church at Smyrna (present day Turkey). Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in the arena.
The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the leader – Polycarp. The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been taken into hiding by some Christians, but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location.
When the authorities arrival was announced there was still time to whisk Polycarp away but he refused to go saying, “God’s will be done.” In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable Polycarp welcome his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. Ha made only one request before being taken away – he asked for one hour to pray. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him?
Other authorities also experienced a warmed heart when Polycarp arrived. The Proconsul tried to find a way to release him too.
“Curse God and I will let you go!” he pleaded. Polycarp’s reply was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?” The Proconsul again looked for a way out. “Then do this old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.’
Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.” More entreaties by the Proconsul, Polycarp stood firm. The proconsul threatened with the wild beasts. Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.” The Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive!” Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.”
The fires engulfed him. The witnesses noticed his faith and joy. He was finished off with a dagger. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. It was as much a day of victory as it was a day of tragedy. Polycarp illustrated the power of knowing Jesus intimately. Intimately enough to follow Him into the flames. As Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (sermon central)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
Jesus is all about Life…He is our Life, and He wants us to share in His Life…which is just an amazing concept. You can share Life with God, He wants to share Himself, with you and me…His Holiness, His Love, His Wisdom, His Compassion, His Power….I mean why wouldn’t you want to do that?
Satan tries to sell you a lie when you are living in darkness…what he says is that if you become a Christian, you will lose your “life”….your good times…. “your freedom”…, but here’s what Jesus says…John 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.”
Who are you going to believe, Satan the Thief, the loser, the liar, the one destined to for eternity in hell and he’s trying to bring as many as he can with him…. OR will you believe Jesus, the One who Died for you, the One who has come to this Earth looking for you, The One is seeking you out even today….The One who is True, who never Lies, Never Leaves, Never Fails…. It’s not even close is it? Chose Jesus Today…He is the Way, The Truth and the Life.
