Scriptures: John 14:1-14
I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
John 14:1-14
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. 4 Where I go, you know, and you know the way.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 “Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. 13 Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
Let us not take God’s grace for granted. We must remember that God, the Father, cannot look on sin, and each one of needs the death penalty, because we are all guilty. None of us can come to the Father on our own.
In today’s reading Jesus has the answer.
Jesus said, “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 know him, and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)
Our own good efforts won’t do it.
Some people will say, “I’m a good person and I help the poor, so I’m okay with God.”
“By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)
Our own spirituality won’t cut it.
Some people will try meditation to get closer to the “god” within them, believing we are all gods. That is the biggest lie of the devil. Remember what the devil said to Eve?
“Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Our own self-righteousness won’t do it either.
Some people will religiously go to church and show off their piety, and even perform signs and wonders. But what did Jesus say?
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
But we thank the Lord, that JESUS has made the way for us. And because of Jesus, we can call him “Abba, Father” (or Papa, or Daddy).
“But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
“For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:15-17)