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John 14:1-14
April 23rd 2011 - Palm Sunday
Rev. William A. Huegel
FBC, Norwich, CT
this week. What we read in Psalm 14 is one of the reasons Jesus was crucified. He was
walking around acting as though He were God or something. And that was the issue. It was
blasphemy – unless of course, it was true. Well, let me explain.
John 14: 1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father's
house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a
place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with
me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do
know him and have seen him."
8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long
time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you
are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me
when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the
miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been
doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will
do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask
me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
This passage starts well. For many people it is one of their favorite passages.
John 14: 1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were
not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."I hardly
ever do a funeral without quoting it.
These are some of the last words of Jesus spoken to His disciples. He was with them in what we have simply called, “The Upper
Room”. There Jesus was celebrating the Passover with them. It would be His “last supper” with them. Our communion table
has its origins in this passage, and other passages like it that tell of Jesus breaking the bread and taking the cup and saying to
them: “This is my body …. This is my blood”.
In this context, Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Don’t be afraid, If you trust in God, then also trust in me. You
can trust in me because I’m going to the Father to prepare a place for you. I’m going away, but I’ll be coming back to take you
back with me, to dwell with the Father.”
What a wonderful hope, that Jesus is, even now, in heaven, preparing a place for us. What a wonderful comfort when we lay to
rest a loved one who was a believer in Jesus Christ, that their Lord has gone ahead of them, and is now ready to receive them in
to His eternal presence.
But now things get more difficult. The whole thing was difficult for Thomas. He didn’t understand what on earth Jesus was
talking about. Remember, this was before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Nobody could picture any of that. And
Thomas was confused. And so he asked Jesus: "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
It’s hard to blame Thomas. It all sounded so strange to him:
1. “I’m going away,
2. I’m going to the Father,
3. I’m going to prepare things” – It seemed strange.
If I stood here and said, “Folks , I’m not going to be here next week. I’m going to prepare something for you, and it’s gong to be
really great. When it’s all set, I’ll invite everybody to come”. You’d say, “What?” What do you mean? Where are you going?
What are you preparing, a retreat center or something? We already have Camp Wightman, what’s wrong with that? By the
way, Are you getting paid for this? Is this in your contract? It’s nothing Mark Kane signed off on.
I mean, it was confusing. So, Thomas understandably asked, “Hey wait a minute! We don’t get this. We don’t know where
you are going, so how can we know the way?
So, Jesus cleared it all up, right? 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Thomas said, “Ah, you are going to show us the Father? You mean God in heaven, right? Good! I like that idea. That would
be wonderful! Jesus, just show us the Father. We believe you are the Son of God, and we believe you can do this. Just show us
the Father! And we won’t ask any more questions.
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has
seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Jesus was saying, “If you want to see my Father, just look at me. Have a good look! I and the Father are one. If you see Jesus,
you see God. I’m it! I am the way, the truth, and the life”!
Do you know anybody that might have some problems with that?
“I am The way; “The truth; The life! You don’t come to God any other way! I’m it! It’s my way or the Broadway (that leads to
eternal destruction). My way leads to heaven. My way leads to eternal life. The Broadway, which is the way most folks are
going, leads to eternal destruction. It leads to hell.
My way is the only way. I am the way, the truth and the life. It’s Jesus’ way or no way!!!!
If you don’t have a problem with that I can show you lots of people who do. Go onto any college or university campus (Like
UConn or Yale, or anyone). Go up to a college kid and say, “Hey, I’m a Christian. Did you know that Jesus is the only way to
heaven, and don’t follow him, you’re going to hell?”
That will make you popular! About as popular as Chicken Pox! Most will either walk away from you shaking their head
wondering if you just landed from Mars or something. Others will get red in the face and argue that you are one of the most
obnoxious people they have ever met and that the problem in this world is people like you who have no tolerance for people
with other religious or philosophical view points.
There is nothing in my personality that takes pleasure in being obnoxious. So, I don’t usually start conversations that way.
And I wouldn’t even think that way – if it wasn’t the clear teaching of Scripture. I like to think of my self as loving, and
accepting, and well – tolerant of everyone including others who think differently. And most people who know me would say,
Yes, Bill Huegel is a usually a pretty nice, agreeable sort of chap.
What I’ve heard some people say, is that Jesus is a really good teacher. He had lots of good things to say. It’s kind of a shame
they crucified him, actually. But, I don’t believe that He’s the only way to God. That’s too narrow for me!
The problem is that the Gospel of John doesn’t leave that option open to us. In this Gospel, John quotes Jesus as having said, “I
am the light of the world”, “I am the bread of the world, eat of me and you’ll never go hungry again”, “I am the water of life,
drink of me and you’ll never go thirsty”, “I am the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep” I am the Way, the
Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, but by me”.
And so how do you make logical sense out of all that? If you are as tolerant in nature as I am, and you want to be both nice,
and Christian! After all, it seems kind of narrow and even bigoted to say that Jesus is the only way to God. That excludes
Mohammed, it excludes Budah! It excludes all others. And would it be fair of God to make only one way when there are those
who don’t happen to follow that way? Well, let me try to help you out. Let’s go back to the beginning of things:
Let’s suppose, for argument’s sake, that God created the heavens and the earth. Let’s suppose He made it really, really good and
that people had everything they could possibly want, in an absolutely beautiful and perfect world where there was no sickness,
and no disease – it was perfect.
And then let’s say that God only made one demand of His people. Let’s say there was a special tree – a fruit tree that nobody
could eat from. Now there were lots of other trees they could eat the fruit from. They had no need. But it was the only
restriction.
And let’s suppose the people God put into this wonderful environment, said, “Hmmm, I wonder why God put that restriction
on us. I don’t think I should have to obey that. In fact, I think God’s holding out on us. I’m going to do what I want to do,
and nobody is going to stop me. I don’t care if it kills me.
And let’s suppose they went ahead and disobeyed God and did whatever they wanted. And let’s suppose the consequences were
far worse than they had ever imagined. Let’s suppose their spirit of defiance permeated their off spring.
Let’s suppose their first born son killed their second born son just because this spirit of rebellion. Let’s say his new hatred and
jealousy that was raging within him. Let’s suppose the first child ever born, became a violent killer.
And let’s say that this attitude of rebellion and this, “I’ll do whatever I want” attitude then infected every person born. Let’s say
that things got so bad that God was sorry He ever created the world in the first place.
And let’s say, he did destroy everyone except for one family that seemed pretty good, and so God, in effect, started all over again.
But let’s say that this sinful attitude continued even in their offspring.
And to make a very long story short, let’s say that this problem continued until one day, “God said to Himself, I’m going down
there”. I’m going to be born as a baby and take on the form of a human being. I’m going to preach and teach and show them
the way of love and compassion. I’m going to show them the way of God. And to prove that’s it’s really me, I’m going to do
miracles. I’m going to heal their blind, I’m gong heal their sick, I’m going to do miracle after miracle, so they will know I am in
their midst.
And let’s say, that God’s coming really upset the status quo. Let’s say this “God in the flesh” man confronted some of the evil
things that were being done. And let’s say finally plotted against him, and finally succeeded in killing him. Let’s say they did
the worst possible thing they could think of. Let’s say they nailed him to a wooden cross and crucified him.
Would you then blame God for saying, “That’s it! I’m done with these people. I’m going to rain down fire and kill every living
creature on this earth.”
But, instead of doing that, let’s suppose God turned that very act of murder, into an act of redemption. Let’s suppose that this
“God-man” actually called out, on the cross, for their forgiveness. Let’s say that if anyone recognized what God did for them on
the cross and if they repented of their sin and turned to the Lord asking forgiveness, that He actually saved them.
Let’s say that God put his Holy Spirit into every person who believed and enabled them to live a Godly life and in so doing
changed them completely.
Could we possibly say, “God you have not done enough?” God we don’t think it’s fair and that you should have done even
more? You should have come up with some other way to forgive and to redeem people.
I don’t think so. I think that when you really understand what Jesus, God’s only son, who came to earth to save you, has done
– the only thing left to do is to fall on your face and cry out, “My Lord and My God” forgive me. Help me to live for you.
Let’s pray!