I AM the Way

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. The disciples were troubled. Jesus had just told them that one of them was a traitor, they would deny Him, and He would be leaving them that night. All this would have troubled the disciples, so Jesus told them, Let not your heart be troubled. This was in some sense a command.

Jesus never promised us a life without trouble, but He does promise that we can have an untroubled heart even in a troubled life. (by faith-believing)

John 14:2-4 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

The first aspect we need to understand is the nature of this house. It’s not built with bricks and mortar. Walls and ceilings do not confine it. It’s not decorated with earthly treasures. It’s not a house that can be seen with human eyes, but only with spiritual eyes. It’s not a house that can be entered with physical steps, but a house that can only be accessed by the steps of faith.

For years, I interpreted this scripture as God’s beautiful mansion in heaven for me. And when I arrived in heaven, Peter would meet me at the gate and take me through the city of heaven to my beautiful colonial-type mansion.

But, I’ve come to believe that what Jesus is referring to is not some beautiful home, but that He is referring to the new body I will receive when I move out of this old house. 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,..

God has a whole new house for us, far superior to the present house we now live in. This present earthly house we live in is compared to a tent; a temporary place we dwell, in contrast to the building from God, not made with hands, that is eternal in the heavens.

So, when Jesus says He’s going to prepare a place for us, I believe that He’s talking about that new body that He’s gone to prepare for us.

It’s a body/house that has been stripped of our old self and clothed with our new self. It’s a body that has been washed, cleansed, and purified. It’s a body/house/habitation Jesus has prepared for our eternal destiny.

Jesus is telling us that our stay here on earth is only for a very short time and that a reunion in Heaven is guaranteed for us when our lives here on earth come to an end.

So, let us hold fast to our faith. Cling to this promise of God, rely on the power of God, and rest in the presence of God. Let us live by faith, walk by faith, and stand by faith.

Let’s take comfort and find peace in knowing that even as Jesus prepares a place for us, Jesus is also preparing us for that place.

Jesus here is speaking about heaven. Heaven is not heaven because of streets of gold, pearly gates, river of life, or the tree of life. Heaven is heaven because Jesus is there.

 John 14:5-6 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and 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.

This is a radically inclusive statement by Jesus: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” As a Christian, I’ve been accused of being too narrow-minded. Indeed, a God of love, mercy, and grace would not restrict the path/way to Him to just one way.

But by making this radically inclusive statement, Jesus is placing the decision of each person’s eternal destiny in their own hands.  The single greatest decision we will ever make is what we decide about Jesus.

When Jesus says, “I am the way,” He is not suggesting that He is one of many ways to God, but that He is the path that leads us into a relationship with our Creator. He is the bridge that spans the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. He is the only door (10) that opens into the presence of God.

When Jesus declares Himself to be “the truth,” He is saying He is the embodiment/manifestation of all that is true, right, and good. He is the ultimate standard of righteousness, the perfect revelation of God’s character, and the only source of spiritual wisdom and understanding. He is the truth that sets us free from sin’s bondage and the world’s deception.

When Jesus says He is the life, He is saying that only through Him do we have access to this divine, eternal life. A life that begins the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior and that life continues into eternity.

Jesus is saying, I am the way which you must follow; the truth which you must believe in; and in doing that, you receive the gift of eternal Life. (NO ONE)

John 14:7-11 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” ⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? ***He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Jesus explains why He was the only way to the Father, because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God and to know God is to know Jesus.

Jesus repeats a constant theme here in the Gospel of John: that Jesus lived and spoke in constant dependence upon God the Father and did nothing outside His will, authority, and guidance.      (Jesus our example)

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. The ‘greater works’ Jesus speaks of here would still be His works. They would no longer be accomplished by his visible presence among them but by His Spirit within them.

This promise seems impossible, but after Peter’s first sermon at Pentecost, more were converted than were recorded during Jesus’ entire ministry. 3000

Jesus’ ministry was exclusive to Galilee, Judah, Samaria, Decapolis, and Perea.

But who went to: Lystra, Philippi, Corinth, Antioch, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Rome, and planted churches?

 John 14:13-14 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus here explains how greater works would be possible for His followers. It would be possible because Jesus would do His work through His prayerful people, who asked and acted in His name. He promised to do anything His trusting/faithful followers asked for in His name, according to His will, character, and authority.

To ask ‘in His name’ suggests a unity of mind, Spirit, and motive with His.

The test of any prayer is: Can I make it in the name of Jesus?

Prayers prayed in faith (through the Holy Spirit) in the name of Jesus with a passion and an understanding that the goal is to glorify Jesus, and God the Father is the kind of prayer God will answer.