Key verse 14:6
Jesus answered “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me”.
Here is a hypothetical situation. Have you ever been in a situation when it seems that nothing goes right, in other words everything seems to go wrong no matter how hard you try? You set the alarm to get up early for work because there is something important you and your boss have to accomplish. First you put off the alarm and go back to sleep, when you finally wake up you have just a few minutes to get ready. However in your rush you accidentally lock the car key and the house keys in the house, you cannot get in unless you get a locksmith, you cannot then drive to work. So you decide to run down the street to catch a bus. It has been raining all night so as you run down the street some jerk is trying to overtake the other cars illegally so he splashes a whole pond of dirty water all over your clothes and blinds you for a second as the water drenches your whole frame. As you jump to avoid another pond of water your cell phone falls in one of the pools rendering it unusable. Now you are sure you are going to lose your job. The future looks grim and frightening. What do you do next? Sit down and cry your head off and feel sorry for yourself?
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Hamlet is such a person. He is faced with enormous problems and is at the point of despair and this is what he says, “To be or not to be, that is the question”. Whether it’s nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them? To die – sleep.
Jesus’ disciples were overwhelmingly bewildered and frighteningly discouraged. Jesus had told them he was going away (Jn 7:34, Jn 8:21) that he was going to die (Jn 12:32-33), and one of his disciples was going to betray him (Jn 13:21), Peter was going to disown and deny that he knew him (three times) Jn 13:38; that Satan who hated them was ready to work against them with no good intentions (Luke 22:31-32) and all the disciples would forsake him Matt 26:31.
This was quite accumulatively over bearing; they must have plunged into depression. They loved Jesus: they had enjoyed his ministry, his love and provision for them. His unique and powerful teaching of God’s word; and now this. They started to inquire of the Lord as we should do in such situation what to expect and what to do in such circumstances. And seek his Grace to help in times of need (Heb 4:16).
I. Jesus Comforts his disciples Jn 14: 1-4
To comfort his disciples Jesus Exhorted them, encouraged them in many ways and gave them profound promises. In Verse 1 & 2 He told them “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. A troubled heart can either be a result of unreasonable expectations, sinful habits or things beyond our control. In any case Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be tarassestho (stirred, or agitated). This is because each believer is responsible for the condition of his heart (Prov 3:1, 3, 5, 4:23).
By a firm trust, belief in God the Father and Jesus the son of God, the disciples could relieve the pain of sorrowful hearts and could be sustained abundantly in their coming trials and tests. When Jesus said to them “Trust in God, Trust also in me” he was not just making a statement he was giving a command to be appropriated and lived. In this life we need this reassurance that when we trust Christ & God all will go well. “All things work together for them that love God, those that are called according to his purpose Rom 8:28.
He went on to remind them that death was not to be a terror to them because he was leaving to go and prepare a place for them in heaven, in the Father’s house.
In Verse 3 & 4 “I will come back” You can take this to the bank. This refers to the rupture of the church when Christ will come for all who have believed in him throughout the centuries. Christ will return for his sheep. We will hear his voice and will rise to meet him in a welcome to end all welcomes. Look at Thess 4:13-18 and we will always be with him Jn 17:24. Jn 14:3 “…that where I am there you may be also”.
II. Jesus the way to the Father Jn 14:5-11
Jesus did not say much about the nature of the place where he was going, but it was sufficient for the disciples to know, if the Father and Jesus are there it will be a wonderful place. 2Cor 5:8, Phil 1:23, 1 Thess 4:17.
Later Jesus testified through his apostle John in Revelation 21:1-8 about this place which he is preparing. When Jesus told them they knew where he was going (even though he had told them about it) yet on behalf of all the disciples Thomas indicated they did not fully comprehend (Jn 14:5). “We do not know where you are going and how can we know the way?” Jesus replied in those profound words of Jn 14:6 I am the way and the Truth and the Life”. Here is #6 of the seven “I AM” statements of our Lord that clearly teach that he is the same God who told Moses in Exodus Ch 3:14 “I am that I am”. Other I AM’s Jn 6:48, 8:12, 10:9, 11, 11:25 and 15:1. In the same verse he adds no one comes to the Father but through him.
Here Jesus stresses (Unlike what many believe) salvation does not come through many ways but only one way exists. Jesus is the only one way, access to the father (Acts 4:12, 1 Tim 2:5). And it is because he came from the Father (Jn 1:1-2, 51, 3:13) Jn 14:7. If the disciples had known Jesus they would have had no problem knowing the Father. When we come to know Jesus we come to know God because Jesus’ Spirit in us reveals the Father to us and we can call him with confidence Abba, dad, father Rom 8:14-17.
After resurrection this became very clear to the disciples and we smile when the greatest doubter Thomas declares “My Lord and my God” the first time he sees the resurrected Christ. John 20:28.
Jn 14:8-9 Philip on his part just wanted to see God. This has always been the universal desire of mankind resulting in all manner of perverted craziness about God resulting in idolatry which the bible condemns. He was probably longing for a Theophany e.g. Exodus 24:9-10, Isaiah 6:1 or some visible display of God’s glory. Jesus’ statement “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (also Jn 12:45). This is one of the most staggering claims Jesus ever made of his deity! Hence a Theophany was not necessary, because the Father was in Jesus and Jesus was revealing him.
Jn 14:10-11 here is proof of Jesus’ 3 fold union with his Father. We as the disciples must believe Jesus.
1.Because of his character “I am in the Father and the Father is in me”.
2.Because his words are the Fathers “The words I say to you are not my own”
3.Because the miracles authenticated his claims, and showed the Father was working through him.
III. Jesus answers prayers Jn 14:12-14
In verse 12 the disciples were not really going to do stupendous miracles than Jesus did example feeding of the 5 thousand or raising of the dead, but through their ministry Jesus was going to the Father and would send his Spirit to empower them. And a good example of a greater work is Spirit filled preaching of Peter to 5,000 people and 3,000 coming to receive Christ after just one sermon.
Jn 14:13-14 “in my name…” this is not a magic formula or something we attach to prayer but prayers of believers as representatives of Christ and doing his business will be answered. 1 Jn 5:14-15 here the apostle expands on what Christ promised. Therefore to ask anything in Jesus name is to ask according to his will. And as the Lord answers our prayers, we continue to love him and serve him giving him all glory and honor and obeying his teachings and those handed to us through his chosen apostles.
The greatest promise of our Lord Jesus was the coming of the Holy Spirit (who came on the day of Pentecost). He came according to the Lord to help believers in their daily service to the Lord and fellow human being and to encourage us when we need it. We will learn more about this wonderful person of the Triune God in Part 2. John 14:15--31
IV. In Conclusion
1. The best cure for a troubled heart is Trust in God and also in Christ.
2. Our living Hope is based on Christ’s promises including the fact that he will come again to receive us to himself.
3. Heaven is the most wonderful place because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is there preparing a place for us and the God and Father who loves us most is waiting for us.
4. If we want to know what God is like we must look to Jesus who has revealed God in the most beautiful way.
5. Jesus answers prayers, sometimes YES, other times NO, other times WAIT and other time LIVE BY FAITH.
