Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] We're gonna be in the Book of John. Chapter 14 is what we're gonna start today. So open your Bibles there or find a way to look at that text. We wanna look at that together as we walk through this this morning, last week. Well, in this series, if you haven't been here for. Oh, I guess if you haven't been here for more than a year, we've been going through the Book of John and we're gonna look today, it's starting in chapter 14. Last week we, we saw. And the few weeks ago also, we're seeing Jesus, this whole situation for the next few chapters. Jesus is sitting in what's called the upper room. He's having dinner, the Last Supper, as we call it, with his disciples. And Jesus has finished dinner and Judas has left. Jesus has recognized the betrayal is imminent. And so Judas Lessons left the room and now he's sitting with his. How many other disciples? 11. This is math this morning as well. 12 minus 1. And so there's 11 of them and Jesus, they're sitting there and Jesus begins to unpack some very important concepts to them, encouragement to them, and some truths that he wants to impart to them before he then leaves the upper room. He goes over to the garden. And then shortly thereafter, he prays and is arrested. And so the next few chapters is all the things that Jesus lays out before the disciples before he is going to go into the arrest, the trial, crucifixion, something that's going to grab ahold of their hearts in a significant way. Looking back in your Bibles, looking up, most likely for most of you. Jesus shared with them that he's going to leave. Can you say leave? He's gonna leave. And their attention is grabbed with this announcement of Jesus. He's already hinted at this, but he said it's gonna be in the future. Now he says the time is here. And then he says some confusing things that they don't totally understand right now. Tom was with us last week and walked through with us verses 31 through 38. He did remind them to love one another. And then Peter said, of course I'm gonna love you. Not only will I love you, but I will.
[00:02:14] And then Jesus said something that wasn't pleasant for Peter to hear. If you look at the tail end of chapter 13, Jesus said, well, you say you're going to lay your life down for me, but I tell you this, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me. How many times? Three. Three whole times. And now Peter is sitting with those Emotions as we begin this, as well as the other disciples listening in to this, as we look at this passage this morning, we're going to see a few powerful statements that will cause you and I to pause to ask some questions. What's going on? How does that work? Is that really true? I put some of these statements on the screen just because some of these will stand out to you in a, in a. In a big way things, phrases that you have seen before. Put these on the screen for me, if you would. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And then Jesus says later on he says, I go to prepare a place for you. We're going to see this just today in our time. I will come again, he's going to say. And then he says, I am the way, the truth and the.
[00:03:23] And then he also says later on the fifth one here, whoever has seen me has seen the Father, is what he says. And then lastly, another statement that calls us to pay attention here is he says, if you ask anything in my name, what I will do it. Now this should grab all of our attentions because it most definitely grabbed theirs. And also, as we read through this passage, which we'll read here right now, notice how many times the word father is used, which is why I entitled the message the way I did the Way to the Father.
[00:03:57] Let's read the passage together and then let's pray.
[00:04:01] We're going to see hope this morning that we can step in kind of to the, to the place, to the heart, to the mindset of those listening to Jesus because they truly are one, disturbed, their hearts are troubled. But two, they're confused. What is Jesus talking about here? And I think you'll get that with me if you listen in closely. Listen to the words that Jesus says here. Let's read together verses 1 through 14 of chapter 14.
[00:04:28] Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. This is Jesus speaking. Believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I'm going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be to myself. That where I am you may be also. I'm reading from the ESV verse 4 and you know the way to where I'm going.
[00:04:57] Now, Thomas, speaking honestly and probably for the voice of the other disciples as well, says to him, lord, we do not know where you're going. How can we know the way? Jesus says to him, one of the most well known Verses that we speak and believe Today Jesus says to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen Him.
[00:05:33] Philip said to him, put yourself in the situation of these disciples right now. Jesus said, I'm leaving. He says, I'm the way to get to where I'm going. We don't know where you're going. How do we get to where you're going? He says, don't worry. You're going to see God like you're seeing him now. Then Philip says, lord, show us the Father, and that's enough for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long and you still do not know me? Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you, I do not speak of my own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does his work. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or else believe on the account of the works themselves. The last paragraph here, verses 12, 13, and 14. Truly, truly. This always should cause us to pause whenever you read this in the text. When Jesus is speaking. Truly, truly, pay attention, pay attention. I say this to you. Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these will he do. Because I am going to the who, the Father, whoever. I'm sorry. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do. That the Father may be glorified in the Son.
[00:06:56] If you ask me anything in My name, I will do it.
[00:07:02] What a statement.
[00:07:04] Let's pray together.
[00:07:09] Jesus, we are here this morning as ones who want to learn from you, who want to be shaped by the truth that you've laid out before us. I pray that you would keep our hearts and our minds attentive to what you want to say, what you want to do in our hearts and our minds this morning. Help us to push aside the distractions, the temptations to think about other things other than what you want to lay before us.
[00:07:36] Lord, thank you that we're able to approach your throne this morning with confidence, as we'll see a little bit. Not because of our works, but because of the finished work of the Cross. That we're able to approach you knowing that you see us, that you hear us, and that you care about what's on our Hearts and our minds, we thank you for that. We praise you. We thank you for the love that you have for us, each and every one of us.
[00:08:03] As I speak, Lord, I pray that you would guide and direct the words that I say it'd be honoring to you in Jesus name, Amen.
[00:08:16] So as I said a little bit ago about the equipping class on emotional maturity, I have an emotional announcement.
[00:08:32] I'm leaving the church.
[00:08:40] Some of you are sitting with all sorts of emotions, not knowing what to do with that thought.
[00:08:50] Scared, concerned. Maybe some of you are happy.
[00:08:55] I want you to hold on to that emotion because I have a confession that's not true.
[00:09:07] But I want you to hold onto that thought because that emotion is what the disciples are feeling right now.
[00:09:16] They're scared.
[00:09:18] The person they have trusted in and followed for years just told them that he's leaving.
[00:09:26] Whatever emotion you might have had just now is minor in comparison to the feeling that they have right now.
[00:09:36] You don't know me as well as these disciples know Jesus.
[00:09:41] You haven't walked anywhere close to as closest to me as these disciples have with Jesus.
[00:09:49] There's been a lot less time that we've spent together than these disciples have with Jesus. And Jesus tells them he's leaving.
[00:09:57] That emotion that you felt there is what Jesus is speaking to right now.
[00:10:03] And he opens with this phrase, with this statement, don't let your hearts be troubled.
[00:10:15] Now, thinking about that feeling that maybe you might have had just a moment ago, that statement seems like it's just not good enough.
[00:10:24] Let not my heart be troubled. How could you say that? Once you make a statement like you're leaving.
[00:10:32] Not only that, when the boldest of us all says, I will go and die with you, and you say you're going to deny me, how could you say, let not your hearts be troubled? You could write this in and point one on your outline is this. There are troubled hearts.
[00:10:50] The troubled hearts and Jesus statement to them here is one that they must have said. You have to add more information after you say that. Like Jesus maybe. Could you say what I just said? Never mind, I'm kidding.
[00:11:10] Could maybe Jesus, you just add one more statement to that?
[00:11:15] Metaphorically speaking, I'm leaving. Not actually.
[00:11:18] Maybe they would find a little bit more rest with that. But Jesus doesn't add on a statement. He doesn't tack on a little addendum to that saying. Not really.
[00:11:30] He leans in and says, I am leaving and this is where I'm going.
[00:11:37] And he tries to comfort them.
[00:11:40] Why were their hearts troubled? Not just because of what Jesus had said, but also because in all of the Old Testament, there was a dream, a hope, a prophecy of a greater person coming to fulfill what they have been longing for. Can we stop sacrificing animals? Will God meet us here? And Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophecy. They have been waiting for the kingdom of God to show up. And Jesus says, the kingdom of God is here.
[00:12:11] For years they have been waiting. They have been reading text after text after text going, there's going to be someone coming. A messiah is coming. And then Jesus shows up and says, I am he. They're excited for this. And then Jesus says, what? I am leaving.
[00:12:28] So not only is all the emotions they're feeling that their friend has just said, I'm leaving, but also, wait a minute, all the prophecies, I thought they were true in you, but here you're saying that you're leaving.
[00:12:43] It's not a sin to have troubled hearts. Jesus had a troubled heart. Remember Lazarus? His heart was stirred up within him. Jesus thinking about going to the cross. It says, his heart was what troubled moments ago. Judas, he's going to betray him. And it says that Jesus heart was what troubled. And here he says, let not your hearts be what troubled. It's not that it's wrong to have a troubled heart, but we have to ask the question, what's troubling our heart?
[00:13:18] Is it the things out there or is it the things in here? And for the disciples at this time, Jesus is saying, your heart's troubled because you're concerned about what's going to happen to you, what is going to storm the gates of your perfect little world right now. And Jesus says, don't worry. And he's going to lay out reasons for them not to be troubled. For us today. We lean on verses like Proverbs 3, 5, 6. It says, Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, all of your heart. And lean not on your own understanding, but rather look to the Lord. Everyone here today has experienced, is experiencing right now, or will experience a troubled heart. You will experience tension, strain, anger, stress, anxiety, sadness, fear, doubt. The list can go on.
[00:14:13] And Jesus says this. I care about your burdened heart.
[00:14:19] That's what we see here today.
[00:14:22] And I think you can have peace in the midst of troubling news. Because here's what he's gonna lay out for us. Maybe you wanna jot this down. This is what we're gonna see here today. Because you know who I am, because you know where I'm going. And you know There are great promises that await you when I leave.
[00:14:46] Something you can hold onto and I can hold onto before we look forwards is this. We need to, in the midst of having troubled hearts, believe in the character of Jesus. Hold tightly to the character of Jesus. And he says, that will give you comfort. Remember the promises that you have read and spend time even with stable, godly people to bring comfort. So Jesus says, I'm leaving. Believe in me. Hold tightly to my character and also believe in God. Why would he say believe in God? Here's why. Because you have had faith in God who you do not see. And here also he's saying, believe in me. Can they see Jesus at this time? Yes. If you can have comfort knowing that you have faith in a God you can't see, have faith in Me, the God you can see. And then he says, I'm gonna tell you where I'm going. Point two on your outline. In my Father's house or dwelling place are many rooms. The destination announced is what you could write in the destination announced, he's announcing, this is where I'm going. Verses two and three.
[00:15:55] Now, there's another word here that I want to draw out is this. He says or phrase, in my Father's house. Now, most of the time, when Jesus says my Father's house, what is he referencing?
[00:16:09] The temple. Remember, he goes in, he flips the tables. My Father's house should be a house of prayer. Like that's what he's often referencing when he says my Father's house. But here he said just a moment ago actually, that you can't come where I'm going. So is he going to the temple? That wouldn't make sense. What is he talking about? And then he goes on again. We're just kind of sitting here in this upper room around the table. We're sitting here with the disciples. They're listening to Jesus. He says, in my Father's house, there's many rooms. They're thinking, father's house, not the temple, because there's not many rooms there. What are we talking about? There's songs now that you and I have maybe sung or places, or maybe if you just have the KJV you're reading. In my Father's house are many. What's the other word there? Mansions. You all knew that.
[00:16:58] And so depending on the pictures that one might have in front of them, you're thinking, man, I'm going to go to heaven and I'm going to have my own. What's the word? My own mansion. You got a Mansion. And you get a mansion, everyone gets a mansion.
[00:17:12] But here's the reality. That's not a great word to describe what that actually is. Mansion is not the right word here. Let me give you just a little bit of history that helps us understand what's going on here. Really, mansion is just room. And you're like, great, I just got downgraded from a mansion to a room.
[00:17:31] And it's not even a house, it's like a room and really more like an apartment. So downgraded again. But don't worry, it's an apartment in heaven. So that's way better than a mansion in hell.
[00:17:46] Here's how it works for them now. Early Israelite history and just that culture, even in the Middle east today. And fast forward even to the time of Jesus, what would happen is a father and mother, they'd have their home and they would raise. They would raise their kids. They'd have kids, they'd raise their kids. The son would get older, he's going to have a wife. The wife would. I'm sorry, the husband would. The man would go off, he'd find a wife or someone would be found for him and he would then after this person is picked, he would then be engaged or what's the other word that we know? Betrothed. Like Joseph and Mary, betrothed. And that was a significant covenant between two people to be betrothed, to be engaged, more so even than today. And after that agreement that betrothal was formed between these two people, the husband or the man would then leave and he would leave his wife or to be wife with her parents, with her family, and he would go back to his father's house and he would then, whether it's a tent and adding an addendum, if you will, or another room or a house, he would add on to his father and mother's house. And maybe this would be up a level or side a level and add a separate house, if you would, to his parents house. And his wife to be his betrothed would be with her family. And she knew he had to leave. Back to father's house, back to parents to build, to prepare a room for them. And so here we have Jesus paralleling that concept with the Israelite people. He says, I'm with you. Now we like to call, as Jesus does, as scripture does, the. The church is the bride of Christ, right? So Jesus says, here's my bride. But the consummation that we have not yet moved to heaven, we have not moved from where we are now. The earth to our final home. Just as the betrothed would stay with her family until the groom finishes the preparations for her. And then he would leave and come back for her. So the betrothed, the wife to be, would say, all right, fiance, I know you're leaving, but I know you have to leave because something better is going to come. She saw. Yes, it's sad. I'm sad that you're leaving because I will miss you. But I realize this has to happen because something better needs to occur. And unless you leave to go to your father's house to prepare a better place for us, going to be living at my parents house, and that's not better.
[00:20:20] So he would leave. She goes, okay, I'm going to miss you. There's going to be a time of separation. He prepares a place for her and then he says, and don't you know that I have to leave so that I can come back to get you? Are you with me there? So Jesus paralleling this wonderfully with the culture of what they would have understood then, now for us, we know that Jesus then is going to leave. He says, I haven't forgotten about you. Just like the groom, he's like, I haven't forgotten about you, fiance. I'm preparing something for you. I'm thinking about you even while I'm not with you. And one day I'm gonna come back for you. So be excited about that. Are you excited about the return of Jesus? We know that he's going to come back for us. He says, here, I'm going to prepare a place for you. Now, if you'd like to learn about the place that Jesus is preparing for you and I, you could read Revelation 21. Just read through today. Do that. Read through Revelation 21 about the home that Jesus is preparing for you and I. This knowledge that Jesus is preparing a place for us is something that encouraged the early church.
[00:21:28] They even at the beginning, before the early church really took off. In Acts, chapter 1, verses 9 through 11, we get this picture of Jesus going up here on a mountain. You know this what I'm talking about here? They're on a mountain and Jesus goes up into the sky. He rises up into the sky and a cloud hides him. And all the disciples are looking where up. And he says, the cloud hid them. And then who shows up on the ground next to them? Angels. And they say, why are you looking up to the sky? Don't you know he will return in the same way that he left you? He is coming back for us. These are great words of comfort to the troubled heart.
[00:22:09] Here's what he's saying. I have not abandoned you. I have not abandoned you. I will come back for you.
[00:22:19] Think often of Jesus. Return in the midst of whatever troubled season that you maybe have been in, are in right now or will be in. Remember, Jesus hasn't forgotten about me. This is our hope and our joy, friends. This is what gets us through hard times. He hasn't forgotten about me.
[00:22:39] This is the great expectation of the early church and should be our expectation and joy today. This is why we say things like, come, Lord Jesus, come. I am looking forward to the coming of Jesus. So we have Jesus laying this out before him. I will come again and will take you to be with myself. It says there so that we can be together again.
[00:23:02] This should be an encouragement to those listening in. We look on a little bit further to point three now. And then he says, I'm going somewhere. And he says, you know the place I'm going. You can write this in point three on your outline, the directions given. He says, I'm leaving.
[00:23:18] And as with any of us who would like to be with someone when they say they're leaving, like, well, can I come with you?
[00:23:25] Can I go that often is what my son says. If I says, I'm going to go outside, I got to work on a project, Nathaniel will look at me, can I come with you?
[00:23:34] If I say no, he usually comes, but he's like, I want to stay with you. I want to stay with you. And that's the feeling that these disciples have right now. I want to stay with you. We want to know, where are you going? Verse four through six is what we read here. Point three, the directions given you. And you know, Jesus speaking, you know the way to where I'm going. Jesus makes this statement and Thomas asks an understandable question as he's sitting there confused. We can look at the work and the mission, the work of Jesus for the last three years or so, and all for us. It takes us flipping back a few pages and be like, well, look, he said right here where he was going to go. For them, they had to remember what Jesus said two years prior. How many of you remember what somebody said two years prior?
[00:24:24] Especially if you were already confused about what they were talking about.
[00:24:27] Most of us forget these things. So Thomas speaking again, probably for the rest of everyone listening in, says, lord, you can go to the next slide. It's on the screen here.
[00:24:39] Lord, we don't know where you're going. Can we just be Honest, like we are all maybe nodding our heads or looking confused. Can I just speak up for everyone? We don't know where you're going. We don't like that you're leaving, by the way, either. And then he says, not only do we not know where you're going, but because we don't know where you're going, we don't know the way to get to wherever you're going. Now, he already said, I'm going to my father's house. But they're thinking, is that the temple? Is that somewhere else? Is that heaven? Do we get to heaven by dying?
[00:25:06] Not everyone's going to get there, but everyone's going to die. This just doesn't make sense.
[00:25:12] Now we see Jesus give an answer that to us is key and vital and important. And I can't help but sit back and say, did they understand this at the time? When Jesus says to them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, did they get that?
[00:25:28] I tend to think maybe they didn't totally understand what he was talking about.
[00:25:34] Jesus says something here that we need to hold onto. There's so much that can be said about this 1 verse, verse 6. Many sermons have just been preached on this one point, and I won't spend forever on that because you don't want me to.
[00:25:50] There's something, though, that we need to hold onto this morning. A very small word. Go to the next slide, if you would. The key word here is the difference between a. Here's some English coming out. We did math earlier. Here's some. Some English, an indefinite article or a definite article. That is the difference between an A and the word the. Jesus says something to Thomas. He doesn't say that I am a way to get to God. He doesn't say I am a truth, and he doesn't say I am a opportunity to experience life. He didn't say the path to God or to heaven was one in which you could take multiple routes. Now, sadly, this is exactly what many others teach. There are many ways to get to the same destination. Now, if any of you have used the GPS before and turned the wrong way, have any of you done that before? It says after it turned, you know, you turned the wrong way or you missed your exit. It says finding an alternate route in whatever tone that your GPS talks to you in.
[00:26:55] Here's the things. Here's the thing, friends. When we're talking about heaven, there is no alternate route.
[00:27:04] There isn't multiple ways to get to the same destination.
[00:27:10] And this sounds incredibly exclusive.
[00:27:14] Why could you say that I've talked with the armor. Not too long ago I had a conversation with somebody who dropped by the office. We were talking about God and all sorts of various things, had all sorts of questions. And his reply was like, here's where I live and here's where you are. There's many ways that I could have gotten here. I could have taken this street, I could have taken that street, I could have taken this other street. But here's the thing, we're so used to that in a lot of ways in life. So for us to hear there's only one way. You're like, is that right? Is that true?
[00:27:42] There are a lot of theological and religious things that you and I can debate and disagree on. But the way to God must be agreed on. Here it is. Repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus. Jesus, work on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. This, friends, is the only way to be right with God.
[00:28:03] It's not good deeds that won't do it. Church won't do it. Heritage won't do it. Your spouse won't do it. Your family won't do it. Sincerity won't do it. Baptism won't do it. Generosity won't do it. Good behavior won't do it. Commitment to loving others, that won't do it either. Your knowledge of the Bible that won't do it either. This sounds incredibly exclusive to say there's only one way. And only one way to do something is off putting at the least and hateful.
[00:28:33] One would say at most six times. In the Book of Acts we find Christians called followers of the Way because they were known as a people who said there's only one way. In a culture like the Romans, where there was many ways, many gods, polytheism was rampant. And here we are monotheists. Not only are we monotheists, there's one God, but we believe there's only one way to get to that one God even more exclusive.
[00:29:12] So one might say that's too exclusive and unloving.
[00:29:16] That's so narrow minded.
[00:29:18] How can you say that of a loving God?
[00:29:21] Is this exclusive? Here's how you can respond. Yes.
[00:29:27] Is it unloving and hateful?
[00:29:30] No. Because he told you how you could get there.
[00:29:34] Here's the thing, he didn't say there's only one way and I'm not going to tell you how to get there.
[00:29:39] That would be unfair. We could say, granted, he's God and he can do whatever you want. But still he said, here is the Way here is the way he's giving directions.
[00:29:54] What can we take from this? There's many things that we can take from this. One thing maybe you and I can hold onto this morning. And it's something that you probably don't often hear in sermons. As far as a takeaway, even from just these few verses, is be like Thomas.
[00:30:11] Ask questions when you're confused. Don't hold back. Don't act like you understand something that's important when you really don't. Be willing to stick your neck out there in a room of other people who may act like they know what's going on. Ask questions, especially when you know it's important that you understand the answer and you'll be rewarded for it.
[00:30:34] So we have Jesus laying out something powerful. He says, I'm gonna leave. And then he says, don't let your hearts be troubled. And they're thinking, how can you say that? And he says, well, here's where I'm going. Going to my Father's house. And here's how you get there. It's by trusting and believing in me. And for us listening today, probably not the disciples thinking now, but for us today, we would then ask the next question.
[00:30:57] Who gives you the authority to say that? Like, that's incredibly exclusive.
[00:31:03] What makes you think you can say something like that?
[00:31:07] So Jesus then lays out an answer. He lays out, here's my identity. Here's what gives me the authority to say, there is only one way. And here's how you do it. You can write that in on your outline. The fourth point, the identity of Jesus. He lays that out for us in verses 7 through 11. And we'll just kind of walk through this kind of chunk by chunk, if you will. In verses seven and following, he says this. If you had known me. So he's replying now to this question, if you had known me, you would have known my Father also from now on, that is, from the time of the cross and resurrection. You do know him and have seen Him. This is kind of confusing as we read through it. So I'll just kind of pause and kind of explain some of the things as he speaks here. He says, if you had known me, you would have known my Father also. Why is he saying that? Jesus explained why. Why he is the only way to God, because he is the perfect representation of God. Jesus says this in other places. Scripture says this in other places. Like in Hebrews chapter one, he is the. And others, he is the image of the invisible God. And so here he's saying, you're going to see God. And then Philip asks a question in verse eight. He says, lord, master, teacher, Jesus, can you show us the Father and this will be enough for us? Or this would be sufficient for us. This would give our troubled hearts some breathing room.
[00:32:40] This would be significant to us, for us to see the power and the glory of God.
[00:32:48] Philip wants to see this and even other. The other disciples. A couple of the other disciples saw the Mount of Transfiguration. It says that Jesus was changed and they saw the glory of Jesus. Perhaps Philip saying, can we see something more than what we're seeing right here that would help us right now? There was somebody else who asked to see the glory of God. Who was that way back in the Old Testament, Moses. And God said, well, no, you can't see all of it, but I'll let you see some of it. And he walked away with a shining face.
[00:33:20] Philip's saying, can we see more?
[00:33:23] Can we see more? Now some say, maybe Philip was asking this because he's just asking for one more thing.
[00:33:30] I think maybe his heart was authentic here. Can we see the Father? What does this look like?
[00:33:37] Because Jesus said, I'm going to the Father. Can we see what this looks like? Verse 9. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long? Kind of a strong response, have I been with you so long and you still don't know me? Philip, whoever has seen me has seen who? The Father. How can you say show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? Jesus has said many times already that he is God, that he and the Father are one.
[00:34:06] So he says the words that I have said to you. I don't speak on my own authority. Jesus has already said this before. He's repeating it again to not only Philip, but to those listening. But the Father who dwells in me does his work. This is another clear deity statement of Jesus. I am God. Thus I have the authority to say there's only how many ways to get to God. There's only one way. Only one way. Verse 11 goes on. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. And here's what he steps into. A little bit more so. Verse 11. Or else believe on the account of the works that I've done.
[00:34:44] Consider not just my verbal statements to you, but look, who else has fed 5,000 people with some bread and fish? Anybody else? Who else has made blind people see? Who else has raised the dead? Who else has been able to approach The Pharisees, the way that I have and speak with such power and conviction and truth. Who else has done the slew of other miracles that I have? Anybody?
[00:35:13] Nobody but God. Exactly.
[00:35:17] Nobody else. So that's Jesus, clear statement. Is there anyone else? No, there isn't. So if you can't hold onto my words, look at my actions. Look at my actions.
[00:35:31] Now we look at a statement like in the authority of Jesus and his statement of I am the only way to get to God. And I would maybe assume that most in this room would agree with that statement, that there is only one way to get to God. And we would agree with that. We would believe that because of the authority of Jesus.
[00:35:55] As I'm thinking through this, and maybe this is something you and I can hold onto here from this point before we look at point five. Is this the authority of Jesus applies not just to him being the only way to get to God, but it also applies to all the other commands of Jesus.
[00:36:14] We can hold tightly and say, I firmly believe that because Jesus has authority and here's what he said, and so I believe it.
[00:36:22] But what about the other things that Jesus has said? We can so often hold loosely the authority of Jesus when it applies to the commands of Jesus.
[00:36:34] Go love, go forgive, go share, go give, go preach, go make disciples. There are so often in our life as a church and as Christians, friends, listen here is that we can say, I believe in the authority of Jesus as long as it doesn't apply to me specifically doing something that I don't want to do.
[00:37:02] How scary is it that we're willing to hold tightly to and push away others who don't believe the things that we say. Jesus has authority for this, but I get to select other parts of my life in which he has authority.
[00:37:16] When in doubt, remember the words and the works that Jesus has already done in your life and say, yes, he has authority to tell me what to do. Friends, this hit me hard this last week as I was thinking through this in my own things, in my own relationship with God, in my own personal, like, walk and journey. I walked outside this last week and I just looked up at the stars and I have you ever done that? Looked up at the stars? You look up at the stars and here's what the Lord just like laid on me.
[00:37:49] It's like I'm the one who placed those stars there. I had the authority to do that and the power to do that.
[00:37:56] You can't small, big God that I. You're small in comparison to the big God. That I am.
[00:38:05] I said, like, look at the power, the authority, the might that you have.
[00:38:11] He kind of laid this thought in my heart and my mind and he says, and the same God that did that has also called you small you to partner with me in life.
[00:38:25] This is true of us all.
[00:38:27] We can stand in awe of the authority and the power of God, but that applies to every part of our life as well.
[00:38:34] So we've seen already that Jesus has said, you have troubled hearts. Let me give you peace. Here's where I'm going, here's how to get there. I have the authority to tell you how to get there because I'm God. Point five is this. He's going to tell them that they won't be alone in the journey of following him. That the journey does not end when Jesus leaves the road does not stop, come to a screeching halt, because Jesus is about to leave. Verses 12 through 14, the promises of Jesus. You can write that in the promises of Jesus, particularly in verses 12 through 14. Here he's going to say something. There's two words that we use in our text depending on what version of the Bible you're looking at. In my Bible, it says, truly, truly, I say to you, this again would have stopped all of their maybe wandering thoughts to we better listen. This is important. Whoever which I love, it's an open statement. He's not just talking now to the disciples. He's talking to whoever believes in me, whoever has trusted in me will also do the works that I do. And greater works than these he will do. Wow, what a statement.
[00:39:47] Greater works than Jesus. What are you even talking about? Here's what he's saying here. Not you're going to do greater works than raise the dead. I don't know how you can really beat that.
[00:39:58] Here's that word, greater, what he's talking about. Not greater in quality, greater in quantity. The amount of work that Jesus did was centered in and focused in on the Jewish people, primarily in the nation of Israel for a three year period of time. And now here's what he's gonna do. I'm sending you out. You're going to be sent out. Cause you are still my ambassadors in the world. And you're going to demonstrate the power of God not just in this nation of Israel, but from coast to coast, if you will, from east to west, north to south. You are sent out now to do my work with my spirit. And so greater works, yes, in quantity. Because you're gonna do much more than I have ever done. Quantity we see later on, not much into the Book of Acts. Thousands of people believe in Jesus after one sermon. Thousands more people, friends, get this. More people believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior through the mouths of people who weren't Jesus, than through the mouth of Jesus. Do you know that Jesus, Jesus didn't bring more comforts than all of the other people?
[00:41:11] Jesus says there's going to be greater works through you, because why? And here's what's going to be so confusing, perhaps for them until we look at next week and the following week. He says, because I am leaving because I'm going to the Father. He's like, wait a minute, we're going to do better things, greater things, because you're leaving.
[00:41:29] We're going to see. The reason why is because you're going to have the spirit, my spirit, living inside of you. Here's the second promise he makes. He here. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will what?
[00:41:45] Do it. What a promise. What a promise.
[00:41:50] So does this mean that all you have to do is tag on in Jesus name to the end of any prayer and it's gonna be done? Isn't that why we do that? Like, oh, I would have prayed this and it wouldn't have been done, but I added Jesus in Jesus name, Amen at the end. And so now he's obligated, he's just gotta do it.
[00:42:08] That's not what we see. Context is very, very important. One, we see that the purpose is the Father may be glorified. The purpose is not your glory and your comfort, but rather the Father's glory in all things. To do something in someone's name is to do it in partnership, in allegiance with the person's mission, the person's identity, the person's calling, the person's heart. And so just as if I were to call upon or use somebody's name in a task that I was doing, I would be doing this. Like if I, let's say whoever Bob is, I would say, hey, I can do this, because Bob said I can. That means I'm doing this in alignment with the person, the work, the heart, the mission of Bob. For us to say, for me to say, Bob said I can do it. If Bob clearly doesn't even like whatever it is, why would the person believe me?
[00:43:00] So too for us to say, I'm doing this in the name of Jesus. I'm doing this with the heart of Jesus upon my heart, with the mind of Jesus, the mission of Jesus. That's why I'm saying these things. And Jesus is saying, I want the Father's glory. Wasn't that Jesus purpose? Over and over again through his ministry, he says, glory be to God. I want to glorify the Father.
[00:43:25] Conclude with this. Before we conclude this, just thinking about this point here. Something maybe you can write in, a question that you can write down.
[00:43:34] Jesus wants to work in your life for his glory.
[00:43:39] Are you. Here's the question. Are you expecting the supernatural work of Jesus to be lived out in your life?
[00:43:49] Jesus said, I want to do this. I gave you my spirit so that you could do supernatural powerful work, work that's not like anybody else. The person down the street who doesn't know Jesus, you are called to do, designed to do better things, more things, greater things.
[00:44:07] Or are you expecting. Am I expecting to be like everybody else?
[00:44:12] Jesus said, I'm gonna give you my spirit so that you can be a supernatural being in the world that I've put you in while you're waiting for my return. Friends, I hope that we're expecting to be different because of God's spirit living inside of us.
[00:44:28] Jesus offers hope for the disciples and for us when we are in a season of trouble. Jesus doesn't want our hearts to be in a constant state of trouble because we aren't believing the right things.
[00:44:42] Jesus has a burden for those with troubled hearts, and he wants to offer peace, and that's what he does. In this text, the message of Christ's comfort and hope is as applicable today as it was for those listening at the table in the upper room with those troubled hearts. After hearing Jesus say, I am leaving now, we have to ask ourselves these questions. Is the trouble that's going on in my heart, is it because of unconfessed sin? Is that why that's there? Is it because I haven't forgiven someone? Is it because I have to have a hard conversation? Is it because I haven't repented? Is it because I'm hiding? Is it the trouble that I'm experiencing in my heart because I haven't actually done what Jesus has called me to do?
[00:45:30] Jesus wants peace in the hearts of his people and he gives us a way to experience that peace. And so, as tightly as we hold to, I believe he's the only way. So too, friends, we must hold just as tightly to. He is the authority and the power to grant me peace when I walk with Him.
[00:45:50] And here's what he's calling us to do? Yes, lean on him and also lean on his people, because his people have also been spilled with his spirit.
[00:46:01] We're going to transition to a time of communion. And it's not even so much a huge transition because Jesus offers peace through his work.
[00:46:10] If you would just bow your heads, we'll pray for a moment. Those who are getting ready, they'll get ready. And we're going to set our hearts up here just to take part in remembering the work of Jesus. If you would just bow your heads and pray with me. Jesus, we need your peace.
[00:46:28] For those here today, maybe with troubled hearts, because they've never experienced peace from you. Lord, I pray that you would work powerfully right now in their hearts, that you would not let the conviction that they might be experiencing now pass.
[00:46:47] Or that through your spirit, through your work, we are able to experience peace. It's a promise that you've given us through the work of the cross. And we are able to rejoice in that this morning.
[00:46:58] Thank you. That you are coming back for us. We rejoice in that this morning as well. In Jesus name, amen.
