Cause if you will and open them to John chapter 14 John chapter 14 will be the focus of our study this afternoon. I mentioned in class this morning that as we go through the next few chapters of our studies in the adult Bible class and in the other classes, John 14 being this morning, John 15 being Wednesday night, 16 next Sunday and 17 the next Wednesday night.
As we go through these chapters, we’re going to have to move along in the class period to be able to cover the entire chapter because these, these chapters contain a great deal of information and a great deal of very significant information. Uh, as a result of that, there will be things that we would love to dwell on and spend some time discussing but simply do not have time to do so during the class period.
And that is the case with the lesson this afternoon. I wanted to spend some time here in John chapter 14 with three important questions, three important questions that are found here in this text here in the beginning of John chapter 14 we read in verse five Thomas says to him, to Christ, Lord, we do not know where you are going and how can we know the way?
In a very real sense, Thomas says, Lord, where are you going and how could we follow you? How can we go where you are going? Now those are two of the questions. The third one really is supplied by Jesus, though the text doesn’t answer it, and that is what is going to be there. So I want us to notice these three questions in view of this text this afternoon.
Where was Jesus going? How can we go with him? And thirdly, what is a weighting? If we step back in the text back to verse 31 of John chapter 13 we read this. Now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately.
Little children. I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me. As I said to the Jews where I am going, you cannot come. So now I say to you, Jesus introduces this thought by telling them, I am going, I am departing. You’re going to see me for a short time, for a little while,
and then you will see me no more. He had already told the Jews that and they said, Whoa, where’s he going? Is he going to the Gentiles? Is that what he means? He’s going to go into part and teach the Gentiles instead of being a living among the Jews. And Jesus said, no, he’s going to the cross, but all ultimately he will declare that he is returning to his father.
Notice chapter 14 verse one let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me, 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. Jesus said that he was returning to his father. We would con turn over and read in Matthew chapter 28 concerning Jesus’ Ascension back to the father.
We can also read about it in additional detail in acts chapter one, Jesus would go to the cross, he would go to the grave, he would be resurrected, he would remain on the earth for a number of days. And then having made appearances to the apostles into Mary and those women who had come to the garden and also to have around 500 others,
he would then ascend back to the father and the apostles would be there on the mound as he is ascending up with the clouds and they would be looking up at, at where he was going and how he was departing from them. And two individuals would come to them and say, why are you looking up? Why are you looking up as if he is gone and departed from you for how he has left?
He will return. Once again, He ascended back to his father. He ascended back out of this existence, this human form and this human existence, this physical existence back to heaven where he had come from. Yeah. The weigher he says is his father’s house. The first question that will be pertinent to what Thomas says is where you are going. We don’t know where you are going and Jesus will tell him,
I am returning to my father’s house. If you grew up in a home that was blessed to be a Christian home that was blessed to be a home where your parents were striving to serve the Lord faithfully and obedient to his word, one thing would most likely be certain returning home would be a joy returning back to your home, returning back to your family.
While it wasn’t always without complication and it wasn’t always without disagreements and things like that, it was a joy to go home. Jesus would speak concerning a young man who had departed from his home, had taken his inheritance and had gone out and had squandered it. He had wasted away all that he had and then had ended up in deep poverty working only to feed the swine,
which as a Jew he would have to have lost everything in order to do because they considered swine to be such unclean animals. And he finds himself this wine and is even desiring to eat what the swine is eating. So he comes to his senses and he determines why can I not return back to my father’s house after all, even my father’s servants fare better than I do.
They fair assumptions, Lee every day, why can’t I return back to father my father’s house? And they just plead with him to forgive me and become as one of his servant. And so he determines to go and he determined to go back. And as he journeys back, his father sees him afar off and he runs to him and he kisses him and he hugs him.
And he declares that my son who was dead is alive again. But then the father tells the servants, you prepare a feast, go kill the fatted calf and prepare a feast for my son who was dead is alive again. Jesus will tell us in that text earlier on in those three illustrations that when a sinner repents and returns, there’s rejoicing in heaven.
There is rejoicing over one sinner who repents, And so we see Jesus declaring that he is returning to his father’s house and that if he’s going to his father’s house, it’s because he’s preparing a place where we can join him. But then the second part, not just the where his father’s house in eternity in heaven, but also the how Thomas says, Lord,
how can we know the way? Now, of course Jesus will reply in John chapter 14 in verse six I am the way, the truth and the life Jesus declares that the way the the path to arrive at his father’s house house goes through him. It doesn’t go through Buddha and it doesn’t go through Muhammad and it doesn’t go through any religion of the East.
It does not go through secularism and it doesn’t go through reaches. It goes through Christ. You cannot buy your way to his father’s house. You cannot take a journey that will get you to arrive at his father’s house. You can only get there one way and it is through him. Turn to John chapter one John chapter one Beginning in verse one we read in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.
He was in the beginning with God and all things were made through him and without him, nothing was made that was made. Jesus here, John here declares Jesus’s part in the creation, in the act of creation bank in the beginning, but something important that he declares also in this, he says in the beginning was the word and the word was with God.
Now let me ask you a question. If you wanted to go on a journey and you wanted to go to a location where you had never been before and perhaps the way the path, the direction to get there was not clearly marked. And so you thought, I need to make sure that I don’t get lost on the way. What would be the best way to get where you’re going?
Well, it would certainly be to get someone who’d been there before to guide you. If you’re going through the woods and you’re on a hike and you’re going to a certain location, but you’ve never been there and there’s no real path to get there, but you know someone who knows the way, maybe you should ask them. Maybe you should follow them.
Maybe you should go with them. Well, there is no man, no preacher, no, no individual on the earth today who has ever been to the father. But there is one who was with the father who came from the father who declared the way back to the father and I suggest it is him to whom we should listen about how to join the father.
Jesus says, not only I am the way, but the truth and the life. There was a man chapter one verse one or chapter one verse six of John. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light that was the true light,
which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own did not receive him, receive him, but as many as received him to them. He gave the right to become children of God 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. Here Jesus declares in John 14 verse six I am the way, the truth, and the life. He’s the one who brought light into the world and he came to declare that light, to give that light, to bear that light so that every individual who has that light might be born of God.
They might have power to become the children of God. They might have life. If you remember back in John chapter 14 John chapter 14 in verse one Jesus began this discourse with these words. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. We are to be those who follow Christ. We are to be those who follow the way the am sir concerning Thomas’s question is how can we know the way the answer is we believe in him and obey him who showed us the way?
Verse three we read 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, the reality is that we do not have to determine the way the path to the father on our own, nor do we have to get there on our own. Jesus declares that there is coming a day when all who are in the graves will hear his voice,
John chapter five and that when that day arises, those who were faithful to him will return with him. We will be those who will go to the father to a prepared place because he prepared it in advance. But I might also add, if we look back into chapter 13 that the way that Jesus describes Is going to go through the cross. Chapter 13 verse 31 now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and glorify him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me and I, and as I said to the Jews where I am going, you cannot come. So now I say to you a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. By this, all by this all will know that you are my disciples. If you have love for one another. Simon. Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered him where I am going. You cannot follow me now but you shall follow me afterward. Jesus will declare to them that he is departing,
that he is getting ready to leave, that he is getting ready to be glorified and we know now looking backward that he was talking about the cross the way to the father leads through the cross. Turn to Matthew chapter 10 Matthew chapter 10 and in verse 38 Jesus says this<inaudible> We begin in verse 37 he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake will it? Jesus said the way that he travels, the path he follows and the one who follows him will go through the cross. Now we understand that we contact the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross for our sins. We contact that blood in the Baptist in baptism.
We contact that blood when we are buried with him and we are resurrected with him. We understand that but there’s more to it than that because Jesus here in Matthew chapter 10 verse 38 says that the one who follows him must take up his cross and follow me. Consider also Luke chapter nine Luke in Luke’s account gives us just a little bit more detail in Luke chapter nine and in verse 23 then he said to them all,
if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. There is a denial that is involved in following Christ. If we’re going to follow Christ, we cannot follow ourselves. If we are going to follow Christ, we cannot follow riches. If we are going to follow Christ, we cannot follow the world.
If we are going to follow Christ, we can not follow man’s doctrines. If we are going to follow Christ, then we must take up our cross and follow him. But Jesus says, that is what we must do daily. It is not a onetime act and it is not the idea that all of us must hang on a physical cross. It is the idea that we must be willing to suffer and die and be put to death if that is what it takes to be faithful to him.
Turn to revelation chapter two in revelation chapter two John is writing to the first century churches. He is writing to these churches to deliver to them a message that had been given to him from Christ to them. We read in verse eight beginning in the angel and to the angel of the church in some Myrna write these things, says the first and the last who was dead and came to life.
Now who is that? Who is this one who was dead and came to life? It’s Christ. Christ is declaring this to them, the one who’s the first and the last. Christ. I know your works, tribulation and poverty, but you are rich and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested and you will have tribulation. 10 days, be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. This idea here of faithful until death. It does not mean you be in the face of death.
That’s not what it’s talking about. The idea in the original language is you be faithful up to and including death. If it costs you that and I will give you a crown of life, the way of Christ, the way that he would lead us, the way that he has said before us may cost us everything, but it will most certainly it will most assuredly cost us denial of self.
Paul would write over and over and over again that he was Paul the apostle, the one sent by Jesus Christ, but he would most often refer to himself as a bond servant, as a slave of Jesus Christ. The way of Christ goes through self-denial. The way of Christ goes through a life that is in Christ. And if you turn over to Galatians chapter two Galatians chapter two Paul writes concerning himself and concerning his life,
and he says this in chapter two and in verse 20 I have been crucified with Christ. Now wait a minute, Christ said, if you are going to follow me, you must deny yourself. You must take up your cross daily and follow me. Paul says, I’ve been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh.
I live by faith in the son of God who loves me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. Oh, foolish Galatians, who has Bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Before whose eyes? Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified.
Paul says, I have been crucified. I am dead. I’m alive in the flesh, but it’s not me who’s alive anymore. It is Christ who lives in me and he says, I don’t set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law, the law, Moses in the context, then Christ died in vain. He says, your righteousness doesn’t come through the obedience and the perfection of keeping the law.
Your righteousness comes by grace. Your righteousness comes by turning your life over to cry ceased and notice that phrase there in the middle of verse one of chapter three by obeying the truth, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life in between the the power that he has granted to us. John chapter one to become the children of God and the way stands the truth,
the truth to which we must all be obedient. Turn to acts chapter five Jesus said that the way goes through the cross. In acts chapter five verse 27 we see an example of the apostles being willing to suffer and suffering and their reaction in acts chapter five verse 27 we read this and when they had brought them and set them before the council and the high priest asked them saying,
did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name and look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man’s blood on us. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging him on a tree. Him God has exalted to his right hand to be Prince and savior,
to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins, and we are his witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. Verse 33 when they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. If you skip down in this chapter to verse 38 we read and now I say to you,
keep away from these men and let them alone. This is, this is<inaudible> closing advice to those on the council for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it. Lest you even be found a fight against God. And they agreed with him. And when they had called for the apostles and beaten them,
they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing That they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name and daily in the temple and in every house they did not see teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Here are the apostles. They are going through and they are teaching Jerusalem.
They are teaching every individual they can encounter concerning Christ, the Messiah, the one who was crucified, the one who went to the cross, the one who had become the savior of their nation. They were teaching repentance. They were teaching baptism. They were teaching these people About Christ and they were turning Jerusalem upside down and the council will have them beaten and they will have them put out.
But the reaction of the apostles to being beaten and cashed out from the council would be to rejoice, To rejoice because they were worthy to suffer. Turn to Galatians chapter six Galatians chapter six beginning in verse 14 as Paul closes out this letter to the Galatians, we read this, but God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world for in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creature or creation and as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one trouble me for I bear in my body, the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Paul was one who as he discussed earlier in this book, had been willing to be crucified for Christ. That is to be alive in the flesh but only living through Christ. And we are to be those who understand that the weigher and the path and the way to the father sometimes, oftentimes will call upon us to not only deny ourselves but suffer for the cause of Christ.
It is in that suffering and through that suffering on on the other side of that suffering where the reward takes place. So then the what? The third question we T we noticed the where, where are we going? That was Thomas’s question and how will we get there? How will we know the way again, Thomas’s question, but then the third thing Jesus answers before it is asked.
Turn back to John chapter 14 And that is the what in John chapter 14 in verse one let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me, 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. What are we going Toward? What is awaiting us in this place?
If we notice a number of passages, we will find the number of explanations. Turn over to Luke chapter 16 Yeah, Jesus says, it is a prepared place. It is a place that is awaiting us and is prepared for us if we load this Luke chapter 16 verses 24 and 25 this is in the context of what Jesus has to say concerning the rich man and Lazarus,
but I believe it actually shed some light on what is to come. Luke chapter 16 beginning in verse 24 we read this, then he cried and said, the rich man cried and said, father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said,
son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented and beside all this between us and you, there is a great Gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot nor can those from their past us. Notice two things that were told about here in this context concerning a place that is awaiting.
Number one is that for the righteous, it is a place of comfort. It is a place that is awaiting that is a place of comfort. For those who have had difficulties and struggles in this life, Jesus said to those who adhere him, uh, to to take, excuse me, to allow him to lay his yoke on them, but offers them in exchange rest for those who were weary here in this text we read not only that it is a place of comfort,
but also that it is a place of security. You say, Aaron, what do you mean? It’s a place of security. It is a place where those who have done evil in this life cannot invade. They cannot come across to it. It is also a place from which once you go there, you no longer have to be concerned about the partying from there into torment.
We do not understand the wherewithal, the ways or the wives or the house of the fact that when this life is over, God has said we no longer have to be concerned with being faithful until death to avoid torment or punishment. Instead, we are assured that when that rest is awaiting us and that rest and that time arrives, then our fate, our destiny is secure.
We don’t know how that will be done. We just know that’s what we’ve been told. It is a place of comfort and it is a place of security from which we will never have to depart. But notice revelation chapter 14 revelation chapter 14 and in verse 13 John again in writing concerning a number of other things in the context of this passage makes mention of one thing he says verse chapter 14 verse 13 then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,
right, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works, follow them. It is a place of comfort is a place of security. It is a place of rest from labors. It is a place where the laborers that have been done in this life will bring forth reward in the next,
but consider also earlier on in this chapter, revelation chapter 14 verse three that John pictures here on mountain Zion singing and we are told in multiple passages, especially in the book of revelation and others, that singing has its place in heaven. We read in revelation chapter 14 in verse three they sang as it were, a new song before the throne. Where’s the throne?
If you read John chapter four or excuse me, revelation chapter four it’s in heaven. It’s in the presence of God. They sang before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. Now we don’t have time to go into a full exit Jesus of this context,
but here’s the thing you should grab. Those who are redeemed from the earth are singing praise to the Lord. Turn to revelation chapter five revelation chapter five beginning in verse nine And they sang a new song saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us Kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth.
Turn to chapter 15 verses three and four of revelation. Revelation chapter 15 beginning of verse three they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the lamb saying, great and marvelous are your works, Lord God almighty, just and true are your ways. Oaking of the saints who shall not fear you. O Lord and glorify your name for you alone are Holy for all nations shall come and worship before you.
Here’s what we can know that the presence of God is a place of singing. It’s a place of comfort. It’s a place of security. It’s a place of rest and a place of singing, but ultimately it’s this turn in your mind or in your Bibles. Back to John chapter 14 John chapter 14 Once again, verse two in my father’s house are many mansions.
If it were not so, I would have told you I go to repair a place for you 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 above all the other things. It is the place where Christ will be. It is the place where the one who died for us has prepared for us to dwell with him for eternity.
Where are you going and how will you get there and what awaits you when you arrive? If your path in life is faithfulness to Christ, if it is following the one who has provided the way, if it is living and abiding and obeying the truth so that you might gain hold on eternal life, then what you have awaiting you is what is worth living for and is what is worth dying for.
If you are not living that way, if you are not following Christ and not obedient to that truth, then you won’t have that home. You will not have that dwelling place because there is only one way to get there and there is only one truth that will save you and it’s the gospel of Jesus Christ to be obedient to the gospel. You must hear the word of God and believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
You must repent of your sins and confess the name of Christ and be immersed in water for the remission of your sins rising again to walk in newness of life, being faithful unto up to and including death to serve and obtain the reward. If you’re here this afternoon and you have need of that invitation, that opportunity to put Christ on in baptism, why not come together as we stand and as we sing,
You’ve been listening to good news brought to you by the Collierville church of Christ. You can join us in person at five seven five Shelton road. Call your Ville, Tennessee on Sunday morning at 9:30 AM for Bible class and 10:30 AM for worship. Our afternoon services are at 1:30 PM.