John 14:1-14 Jesus, the way, the truth and the life
I wonder how many times you’ve heard the phrase ‘Life is a journey’.
Journey implies travel, setting off from one place to another. The point of a journey is to get to a destination. Before you set off on any journey, you need to know where you’re going. You need to be clear about your destination because that will set the course of your journey. Your destination will determine the route you take and the choices you make along the way to get there.
I don’t know about you, but I am hopeless when it comes to directions! Not only that, the thought of getting lost stresses me out. I am grateful for google maps! If I need to get somewhere, I make sure I check the route online, get the address and postcode and pop those into google maps and then set off. I’ve discovered the hard way that I’ve got to follow the directions otherwise I end up in completely the wrong place. But even with google maps, I’ve ended up in the wrong place!
Every day we undertake some sort of journey whether long or short, going from one place to another. The Christian life is often described as a journey – a journey of faith to be more precise. There is an end destination – eternal life with God in heaven - and there is a Way to get there. But no satnav or printed map can show us the way.
In our reading from John, Jesus declares that he alone is the way, the truth and the life. No one can get to the destination without him. He alone is our companion and guide who can safely lead us so that we arrive at our destination and there find a life beyond anything we can dream of or imagine.
So lets take a look at our reading in John 14 and listen to what Jesus says.
In our reading Jesus begins by speaking words of comfort and reassurance to his disciples. Immediately you’re left wondering what’s happened. Why are they troubled? To find out the reason for their anxiety, we need to read the previous chapter 13. There you’ll find Jesus washing his disciple’s feet, demonstrating the servant nature of his kingship. He then goes on to foretell his betrayal and gives the disciples a new command to love each other even as he has loved them. The next section is where Peter declares undying loyalty to Jesus, "I will lay down my life for you", he says. And what does Jesus say in reply? ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ Ouch! That must have hurt.
Take all this together and you can begin to understand why the disciples are feeling upset and anxious. Jesus is going away and they are wondering where it is he’s going and if they can follow him there.
No wonder Jesus says
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?' (John 14:1-2).
Jesus speaks words of comfort, hope and reassurance. He speaks of his father’s house – a place where there is room for all. And although Jesus is going away, it is for their benefit. He’s not going to forget or abandon them. He will return and take them to be with him. Besides, he says they already know the way to the place where he is going. This is a source of huge comfort, not just for his disciples back then, but also for us today. Why? Because it reminds us that beyond this life on earth, there is the promise of eternal life in the Father’s house. There is plenty of room for all, and there is a way to get there.
Once again, Thomas speaks for us all. He’s feeling pretty grumpy! What do you mean we know the way? We don’t have a clue where you’re going! How can we know the way?
Jesus answers,
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
In other words, Jesus is the only way. If you want to know how to get to the Father’s house, you must come with Jesus. Jesus doesn’t simply teach the way or point to it; He is the way. In fact, the early Christians were often referred to as followers of “the Way”.
Jesus being the way to God the Father means that only by trusting in him can we know God’s grace and forgiveness and be welcomed into his house as dearly beloved children. And we can be sure and confident of this because Jesus is fully God and fully man. In his incarnation he became one of us. Through his life, death, resurrection and ascension he has made a way for us to be part of God’s family. By uniting our lives to his, we are united with God himself.
As the way, Jesus is our path to the Father. As the truth, he is the reality of all God’s good promises. And as the life, he joins his divine life to ours, both now and eternally.
Unfortunately, this saying of Jesus has become one of the most controversial. Down the centuries many have pushed back on the exclusivity of Jesus’ claim to be the way, the truth and the life. How dare he say such a thing. How dare John, or the church or anyone else say such a thing. Isn’t it arrogant to imagine that Jesus or anyone else is the only way?
Of course, people are free to make up their own minds about Jesus and what the bible has to say about God and his saving purposes for humanity.
And it is true that many Christians and churches have been arrogant in the way and manner in which they have shared the gospel of God’s love and the good news of Jesus.
But here’s the thing – none of that negates what the God of the bible has to say about himself, about us and his plan for salvation. The whole New Testament and early Christianity insists that the God of Israel, the one true and living God, the creator of all, has acted decisively in history to rescue and redeem the world through his only begotten Son, Christ Jesus. And he’s done it so that all who believe in him might have eternal life. The Easter story testifies to a risen Saviour who has overcome sin and conquered death, opening up the way to new life here on earth, and eternal life in the next.
In Acts 4 we read Peter and his fellow disciples are jailed for healing a lame man and sharing the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. When they are questioned by the high priest, Peter boldly declares that it is through the name of Jesus whom God raised from the dead, that this lame man has been healed. And he then goes on to say, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). The Apostle Paul says the same thing in a number of places. For eg. in Ephesians 2 Paul says that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone in Christ Jesus. It is a gift; not something we can earn. But freely available to all who will receive it. He says something similar in 1 Timothy 2:4-6.
While there might be many ways to get to London, the Lake District or even Barcelona with or without the help of google maps, the bible makes it very clear that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. Jesus didn’t say that He would show us a way; He said that He is the way. He didn’t promise to teach us a truth; He said that He is the truth. Jesus didn’t offer us the secrets to life; He said that He is the life.
The more we get to know Jesus, the more we begin to see the father heart of God and his love and desire for all to be part of his family. This is wonderful news for everyone. Here is an invitation and a promise that as we follow Jesus, he will journey with us; guiding and leading us in this life and promising to prepare a place for us in heaven where he will take us to be with him.
I wonder where you are on your journey through life? Perhaps you’ve had a few detours; perhaps the route you planned hasn’t quite worked out or perhaps its just been really hard going. Hear afresh Jesus’ words, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled’, as he invites you to follow him who is the way, the truth and the life. When you accept his invitation, you will find a new meaning and purpose in life and a deep assurance of his love, care and provision for you.
Amen.