Can You Believe What Jesus Said? Part 1

Can You Believe What Jesus Said?

Pastor Glenn Newton December 28, 2003

Text : John 14: 5-14

You know folks we are becoming a cynical kind of people. Let me explain what I mean to

you.

What would you say to me if I told you I knew of a company that would give you $250

just for filling out a survey? That couldn’t be true could it? There’s a catch, right?

This week I read a email that said I could get 250 color business cards for free, just for

going to their web site and signing up..... FREE..... How come I haven’t done that yet?

Maybe you’ve heard about this pill.......... this pill supposed to be able to do amazing

things for your body........... (some of you are thinking about a different pill!) .. This pill is

supposed to keep your body from aging..... Do you think that’s true?

We are a people who have been so over exposed to claims that we know just can’t be

true, that we really don’t want to believe in anything unless we can see it for ourselves, or

see some facts that would back it up. Our culture says, “Prove it to me first, then I might

believe it.” Right?

This morning I want you to really concentrate with me on our passage, and the life

changing Truth that we can apply to our personal lives and the Life of our Church as we

get ready to move into new territory together.

As we approach Scripture, I want you to ask yourself a question. We realize that the

world we live in is Cynical, it’s a world that needs to see something to believe it... one

reason it’s like that is because of dishonest people who have taken advantage of people

who have trusted them..... So we get a culture that doesn’t trust.

How does that attitude affect you when you read the Word of God? I’m not a

psychologist, my wife would say I need one, but that’s another story....., But I would

guess that if our tendency is to not trust what we read or hear in everyday life... then we

probably bring that same attitude to Scripture when we read it........ We read it..... We

know in our mind that it’s God’s Word.... but we sure would like to see it work before we

believed it...

This morning as we dive into the Word of God.... I want you to ask yourself... Do I really

Believe What I read in God’s Word? In my heart of hearts?

Let me tell you quickly what is going on around our passage, Jesus has just shared some

disturbing news with His disciples.... and to be honest with you, I don’t think they wanted

to believe it. Jesus has told them about His betrayal and his death on the cross, but Jesus

is now in Chapter 14 He is telling them that He is going to raise from the dead and go to

heaven and prepare a place for them, and that He will be with the Father..... Listen

in....Listen to what the disciples say.... I think there kind of like us.....

v.5 JN 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so

how can we know the way?"

Can you hear the doubt in his voice.... It’s kind of like, Lord.. were really glad

your going to the Father... but we want to come with you, how do we get there, How can

we be with the Father too?

Read V. 6 -7 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 is beginning to teach the disciples an important lesson here that we need to catch

also.... Jesus wants His disciples to understand and know that Knowing Him is the same as

Knowing the Father, because they are one.

Thomas asked in verse 5, “Lord how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I

am the way and the truth and the life.”

Jesus wants us to know the same truth today....Are you looking for the way to

Heaven? Jesus says, I Am the Way.

Are you searching for the Truth today? “Jesus said, “I am the Truth..”

Are you lost and looking for what this life is all about? Do you want to know why

your on planet Earth? Jesus said, I am the Life.” Friend, Jesus gives meaning and

direction and purpose to your life... there’s nothing else out there that can make sense out

of this life, except knowing Jesus as your personal savior.... Friends... We live in a messed