May 27, 2012
Lesson Focus:
Jesus is the only
way to the Father
Lesson Scripture:
John 14:1-14
INTRODUCTION. It has been said that all roads lead to Rome. What may have been true about Rome is not true about God. Though some people would like to believe that God can be accessed by various means, the clear teaching of the Bible is that Jesus provides the only way to God. In this week’s lesson, Jesus teaches that He is the one and only Way, Truth and Life. He alone provides access to the Father in heaven.
(vs. 1).Just after Jesus predicted that before the rooster crowed Peter would deny Him three times (see John 13: 37-38),He gave words of comfort and encouragement to His disciples.Jesus Said “Let not your heart be troubled:ye believe in God, believe also in me.”Just when they needed it the most Jesus brought words of comfort to His distraught disciples. He had just told them that He would be betrayed and would leave them (see John 13:21, 36).He then said,"ye believe in God, believe also in me.”Jesus wanted them to show the same faith in Him that they had in God.But on what basis could Jesus make such a demand? He could because He is God. To exercise faith in the Son is the same as faith in the Father.Jesus was clearly claiming equality with God.This was not the first time that Jesus had made faith in Him equal to faith in the Father (see John 12:44-45).
(vs. 2).One of the specific things that Jesus said the disciples were to believe was that “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 explained to His disciples that there were many “mansions” or dwelling places in His Father’s house and He was going there ahead of them to get some ready for them.The phrase “to prepare a place” refers to a specific location.Heaven is a real place, and all believers will have a residence there in which we will dwell forever.Jesus also assured His disciples that this was the truth by stating “if it were not so, I would have told you.”Jesus assured them that if things were any different than what He had told them, He would have given them the entire truth.Since He was about to tell them that He was the truth, anything He says will be true.We can rest assured that heaven is there for every believer.
(vs. 3). Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that His going away was ultimately going to benefit them. Jesus said “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” He was going away to prepare a place for them and then come back and receive them to Himself so that they could be with Him again. The phrase “I will come again, and receive you unto myself” refers to the rapture when Christ will return and call all believers to Himself and give them the joy of being with Him and His Father forever (see I Corinthians 15:51-54; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
(vs. 4).Jesus continued to say to His disciples “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” By this statement Jesus was saying that the disciples knew where He was going, and the way that He was providing for them to go to the same destination, heaven.He had been instructing them throughout His ministry,but much like us, the disciples were slow to learn.Many times Jesus had told them of His certain death (see Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23.However, they did not at that time understand what Jesus meant.
(vs. 5).At this point, our friend Thomas interrupted, pleaded ignorance, and posed the question “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”Apparently speaking for the group, Thomas was voicing the confusion that existed in all their minds.In essence he said that they didn’t know where Jesus was going nor did they know how to follow Him to wherever He was going. The disciples had heard what Jesus said about His death and resurrection but they failed to understand it.Note: Jesus’ disciples expected Jesus to establish His kingdom on earth.They had been sent out to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.Now that Jesus was going away, they didn’t know what was going to happen.No wonder they all felt as though they didn’t know what they once thought they understood.
(vs. 6).Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas for his lack of understanding, but instead made a straightforward statement about how to get to heaven.“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”Jesus’ statement revealed that He was not talking about going to another place on earth.Instead, He was going to His heavenly Father and the place where He dwelt. Jesus revealed four truths about Himself in this verse.
a. First Jesus said “I am the way.” In other words He was the only way to get to the Father and to where He was: heaven. There is no other “way” or avenue for people to get to heaven. One must go through Jesus, “the way.”This exclusive teaching has caused much criticism among those who want to believe otherwise.
b. Second, Jesus said “I am the truth.”As God in the flesh, Jesus can be none other than Truth.He spoke words the Father gave Him to speak, and no one who knew Him ever heard Him lie.Jesus told the truth because He was and is God, and God cannot lie (see Hebrews 6:18).
c. Third, Jesus said “I am the life.”Since Jesus has life in Himself, He also gives life to whom He wills (see John 14:19; 17:2-3).The truth that there is new life in Jesus can be testified to over and over again by experience and observation.We can look at others and marvel at the change Jesus has made since that person received Christ into his or her life.We can even see it in our own lives.
d. Fourth, Jesus said “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”The Lord told it like it is---there is no other way to heaven than by faith in Him.This allows no room for alternate religions.Not all roads lead to Rome, nor do all faiths lead to heaven.It is right and proper for Christians to evangelize those who are not of the Christian faith for there is simply no other way.If there was another way, Jesus would not have had to die.If there was another way, He would not have told us to be His witnesses in all the world.If there is some other way, Jesus would then be only “a” way, not “the” way. He would also be a liar.Liars cannot save themselves, let alone save others.
(vs. 7). Continuing His response to Thomas, Jesus said “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” Jesus’ statement “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also” does not mean that the disciples didn’t know Him at all. They knew Him as the Messiah and accepted Him as such, but they didn’t fully understand Him or His relationship with His Father. In this rebuke, Jesus was saying that by now the disciples should know Him well enough to know the Father also. Jesus then said, “and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” From that point on, Jesus said, not only would they know God but would also see Him through Jesus. Christ was saying that He and the Father are the same. Jesus had previously claimed to be a manifestation of the Father when He said, “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on Him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me” (John 12:44-45). Later John would write “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same does not have the Father” (I John 2:23). Thus Scripture is consistent in proclaiming that Jesus, the Son of God was a visible manifestation of God.
(vs. 8).The fact that the disciples were still lacking in their understanding of Jesus and His Father is blatantly evident in Philip’s request to Jesus.His request was to the point:“Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.”Philip was still not satisfied with what Jesus had already said regarding His relationship with the Father.We have to wonder what else did he need to see. Philip said that he and the other disciples would only be content if Jesus would provide a theophany, a visible manisfestation of God, such as what had occurred in the Old Testament (see Exodus 24:10-11; 33:18-34:9).Oh, the marvelous patience of the Master!Had Philip only known it was the pre-incarnate Christ who had appeared in the Old Testament theophanies (see I Corinthians 10:4, 9).
(vs. 9). Jesus responded to Philip’s request to show them the Father with “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?” In this question to Philip, Jesus was saying, “I have been with you this long and yet you have not learned to recognize who I really am and that the Father is in me? You still ask me to show you the Father?” Jesus’ actions toward people revealed the same concern and care that God has for them. The attitudes Jesus displayed showed the love that God feels for people. So once again, Jesus explained that “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” In other words, anyone who had seen Him had already seen the Father. There was no reason for them to make the request to “Show us the Father” because that’s what He had already been doing.
(vs. 10).Jesus continued to say to Philip,“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”Jesus was asking Philip if he believed the relationship He and the Father had. This is what Jesus meant by“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?” Christ then said that both the words He spoke and the works He did revealed that the Father was in Him.In fact, the words He spoke and the works He did were not really His alone, they were the words and works of the Father Himself. Note: The fact remains today: what we see in Jesus determines how much we know about the Father. It is good to study the various academic divisions of theology. This is why we study both theology (the doctrine of God) and Christology (the doctrine of Christ). However, if a person is not able to get a Bible college or seminary education in which these doctrines are dealt with extensively, he can learn a great deal about both God the Father and Jesus His Son by spending much time in the Gospels. Jesus reveals or shows us God.
(vs. 11). Jesus goes on to say to Philip and the other disciples “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.” This is a clear statement from Jesus that He and His Father exist in each other. For sure, our limited minds find it difficult to understand this bit of theology. With man a mutual indwelling is not possible, but with God it is. The concept of the tri-unity of God is beyond our comprehension.
Jesus also told His disciples that if they didn’t believe His words, they should believe Him as a result of the works He had done. His works spoke loudly confirming that He and the Father were one.
(vs, 12).Jesus then said “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”In other words, Jesus assured His disciples that anyone who believes in Him will do the works that He did, and in fact they would do even greater works than Jesus did because He was soon going to be with His Father.But how can we do greater works than Jesus since He is God?This probably refers to the fact that Jesus’ ministry would only last about three and a half years and was limited to the land of Palestine.On the other hand, His followers would minister to many nations of the world.They would teach many more people and be instrumental in establishing churches that reached even further into local communities. Note: Jesus spent time and effort training the disciples, who then branched out to reach many others. This is what we should do after being taught by our pastors and teachers.
(vs. 13).Jesus was soon going to His Father, as the last part of verse 12 says.When He did, He would send the Holy Spirit to enable His servants in their ministries (see John 14:16-17; 16:7-14).Jesus also left His servants with the privilege of prayer.He said “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”Jesus assured His disciples that He would do anything they requested in His name.This statement as well as the one in the next verse gives one the impression that we can ask for and receive anything we desire.Looking at Jesus’ statements this way has caused many to be disillusioned.But when Jesus responds to our prayers that are in His will, His answers will bring glory to the Father through the Son.
(vs. 14). In our final verse,Jesus basically repeated what He said about prayer in the previous verse. Here He said “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”Praying in the name of Jesus was not meant to be some sort of magical formula. It means asking according to His will.John later wrote, “and this is the confidence that we have in him,that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we desired of him” (I John 5:14-15).Does this promise of answered prayer apply to us today? It does when believers pray according to God’s purposes and not for selfish reasons.When we ask according to God’s will we can know that He hears and He is glad to respond to us.At times His answers may not be what we had hoped for, but we can rest assured that He has heard us.
Conclusion. In this week’s lesson we have considered words of comfort that Jesus gave His disciples after He had spoken troubling words to them. He assured them that He was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house and that He would come again for them. Jesus also emphasized that the only way to God is through Him. He declared in no uncertain terms, that those who had seen Him had seen God the Father as well. Those who come to the Father through the Son will accomplish great things for Him and will be granted requests made in Jesus’ name. It is a privilege and a responsibility to represent Jesus. We should encourage one another to work and pray in Jesus’ name, or more specifically, according to His will.
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