1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,080 Welcome to common ground one book. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:04,760 We are so glad you've joined us for today's message. 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,160 Whether you tuning in from home or catching up on another goal, 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,360 we pray that this word encourages you, strengthens your 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,320 faith and draws you closer to God. 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,040 If you'd like to learn more about our church, connect with 7 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,080 us or get involved, you will find all the details in the 8 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:21,720 description. Now let's dive into today's 9 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:22,440 message. So for this week, we. 10 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:30,000 Will look at I am the way the truth and life John chapter 14 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,320 let us read together. Let not your hearts be troubled. 12 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,280 believe in God, believe also in me in my father's house are many 13 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,720 rooms. If it were not so, would I have 14 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,880 told you that I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and 15 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,120 prepare a place for you, I will come back and I will take you to 16 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,840 myself, that where I am, you may be also, and you know the way to 17 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,760 where I am going. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do 18 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,280 not know where you are going, how can we know the way? 19 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:10,280 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. 20 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:15,520 No one comes to the Father except through me. 21 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:22,040 Lord, we are so grateful to once more sit under the Holy 22 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,840 Scriptures for we recognize, oh God, it is holy moments that 23 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:31,840 when we worship, when we preach, these are holy moments. 24 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,280 Lord, we don't take these moments lightly. 25 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,200 And therefore we ask that would you come and instruct us? 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,120 Would you come and speak to us this morning? 27 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:45,640 Guide my thoughts, oh God, this morning and guide my words this 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,280 morning in Jesus name, Amen. In fact, this portion of 29 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:55,440 scripture from chapter 13 to chapter 17 is normally called or 30 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,200 understood as the Upper Room discourse. 31 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,000 So in Jesus is of course with his disciples and he knows that 32 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,200 the hour has come. Jesus does not at this point in 33 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,680 time have a lot of time. And if you read from chapter 13, 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:17,600 we find that first Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. 35 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,480 And interestingly, if you go to chapter 13, verse 21, we also 36 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,520 read that Jesus himself is troubled. 37 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,400 Not only are the discipled troubled in chapter 14, verse 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:36,360 one, but in chapter 13, verse 21, Jesus himself is troubled 39 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,760 after having washed the feet of his disciples. 40 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,880 I think it is quite interesting when you read this biblical 41 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:49,000 text, most specifically chapter 13 as Jesus washes the feet of 42 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,880 his disciples, interestingly that he does not skip Judas. 43 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,840 Jesus knows very well that Judas is going to betray him, and yet 44 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,600 when he washes the feet of the 12, he does not say, you will 45 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,760 betray me. So step aside. 46 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:11,680 Let me wash the feet of the 11. But Jesus washes the feet of the 47 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:17,000 one whom he knows very well that we'll betray him. 48 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,080 But that's a sermon for another day. 49 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,680 But Jesus himself, of course, is troubled. 50 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,640 And Jesus had told Judas that. Judas, I know that you are going 51 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:32,000 to betray me. He also had reminded Peter in 52 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,120 chapter 13 that you, Peter, as well. 53 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,240 You're going to deny me not only once, Peter, but you're going to 54 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,760 deny me 3 times. And they know as the chapter 14 55 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:49,040 begins, it begins knowing that their hearts are now troubled as 56 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,840 Jesus heart is also troubled because Jesus knows that he's 57 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:59,960 going to drink the cup of wrath. God's wrath is going to fall 58 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:03,720 upon him. He knows this very well and his 59 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:09,400 heart is troubled and the disciples are disciples are also 60 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,640 troubled. They are in distress. 61 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,120 And in fact the word distress and and distraught in this 62 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,200 context actually means to be conflicted. 63 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,920 The disciples now are conflicted, but the biggest 64 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,960 reason perhaps they are troubled, they know that Jesus 65 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,720 is going to leave them. That is the one they have been 66 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,520 with for three years, the one they set under his teaching, The 67 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,480 one who instructed them is now going to leave. 68 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:46,560 And the Bible tells us they are now distressed and their spirit 69 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,720 is troubled. And so we will look at this 70 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,520 under 3 headings. I am the way, I am the truth and 71 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,600 I am life. Keep in mind that the context 72 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,400 here is the context of the disciples. 73 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:06,120 Disciples being in distress and troubled because Jesus is going 74 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,840 to leave them. Not only that, he has told them 75 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:11,280 that one of them is going to betray him and he has told the 76 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:14,440 other one that you are going to deny me. 77 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:18,000 And then Jesus says, let not your hearts then be troubled, 78 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,960 believe in God and believe in me. 79 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:25,200 And Jesus then in, in, in, in, in verse 7, verse 6, and verse 7 80 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,800 reminding them that I am the way, I am the truth and I am the 81 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,400 lie. Church, I am going to share some 82 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,960 things that to me this morning are perhaps going to be hard, 83 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,200 but yes, they're going to be necessary for me to say because 84 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,320 the text that we have in front of us, in fact, allows me to say 85 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:47,000 those things this morning. And Jesus here is making an 86 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,800 exclusive claim that he is the way, telling his disciples who 87 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,920 are troubled, I guess, don't be troubled. 88 00:05:54,920 --> 00:06:00,440 I am the way, I am the way to heaven, but also I am the way to 89 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,680 the very presence of God, that I am the one that will take you 90 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,800 from point A to point BI am the way. 91 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,400 But for us to perhaps to understand why, if Jesus is the 92 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,480 way, we must understand that because of the sinfulness of 93 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,920 man, because of the state of humanity that had degraded God, 94 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:26,120 the state of humanity that is in sin, and because of sin, 95 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,720 humanity is alienated from God, separated from God and Jesus 96 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,960 saying I am the way. And how then does Jesus meet 97 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:38,920 that qualification of being the way? 98 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,560 It's an exclusive claim that he claims only for himself. 99 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,560 He is the way because Jesus alone is sinless. 100 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,200 He is the way because Jesus alone is the only one who could 101 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,400 truly and fully obey the commands of God. 102 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:02,160 Jesus is without sin. He had no sin and yet He That is 103 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:06,880 why he is the only one qualified to be the sinless lamb that died 104 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,520 in the place of man. So Jesus would be the only one 105 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,200 who will die in our place and for our sin, as the perfect and 106 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:19,960 sinless Lamb, and the one who will reconcile us before God, 107 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,960 who will bore our sin upon His body, that those who are 108 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,520 alienated from God will now be reconciled by His blood. 109 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,080 It's an exclusive claim. There is no one else who's 110 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,280 sinless. There is no one else who kept 111 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:39,320 the law of God perfectly apart from Christ. 112 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,520 The Bible is clear on this matter that there is only one 113 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:46,600 mediator between God and man, the man Christ. 114 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:53,040 It's an exclusive claim. And so Jesus says I am the way. 115 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,120 I am the way because one, I am sinless, but also I am the way 116 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:01,040 because I'm the one who fully and truly obeyed the very 117 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:06,840 commands of God. This begs the question then, if 118 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:12,120 Jesus makes this exclusive claim as to being the way, isn't this 119 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:18,360 an arrogant statement? David Helms writes the 120 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,080 following. It is unloving and arrogant to 121 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,080 claim that Jesus is the only way. 122 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,160 It is arrogant and unloving to claim that Jesus is the only way 123 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:35,440 unless it's true. It's only arrogant if it's not 124 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,760 true. But if if it is true, then this 125 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:47,480 is not an arrogant statement. Indeed, Jesus is the way in X412 126 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,720 it says. And there is salvation in no one 127 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,920 else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men to 128 00:08:54,920 --> 00:09:01,960 which might be saved. But what about others? 129 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,000 What about other religions? What about other systems? 130 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,760 What about other beliefs? The the Eastern beliefs will 131 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,400 say, escape the flesh of the world by human effort. 132 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,720 Ancestral worship will say, sacrifice something to appease 133 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:23,840 the wrath of the ancestors, prepare the beer, prepare the 134 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:28,200 wine for the ancestors in order that the wrath of the ancestors 135 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,120 does not fall upon you, rather they open the way for you. 136 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:38,080 New Age mysticism will say that truth is found by looking 137 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,120 within. Pluralism will say it doesn't 138 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,640 matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. 139 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:53,040 But what does Christianity say? It says the following You are 140 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:57,200 not God. You have been made by God. 141 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:03,080 You are not inherently good. In fact, you are sinful and you 142 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,880 cannot save yourself. You need grace, and grace has a 143 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:13,680 name, and that is Jesus. The difference here is massive. 144 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,720 We don't look to ourself. We're not saved by human effort 145 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:24,880 or by moral pursuits. We're not saved by appeasing the 146 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:31,000 right of the ancestors, but rather we are saved and know the 147 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:39,680 way because of Jesus Christ. Therefore, others will say that 148 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:46,040 all religions are are different paths to the same God. 149 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,360 All of those religions. They also claim that what we do 150 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:56,560 leads to true divinity and the true God and this is how we know 151 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,800 his nature and his character. Church. 152 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:06,120 Let me be clear, if Christ is true, all other religions are 153 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:10,560 false. I'm trying to find the the 154 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:13,560 kindest way to say this. I just I don't have the words 155 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,040 forgive me. I'm a Township boy from 156 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,040 collegiate so my English is a bit limited. 157 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:30,880 I'm trying only one can be true, one religion can be true because 158 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,840 Jesus makes the this exclusive claim that I am the way. 159 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,600 The question then that we have to ask as a follow up question 160 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,160 to the previous question is why is this the case? 161 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:49,600 Let me say this, we don't apologise for the exclusivity of 162 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:50,840 Christ. Why? 163 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,680 Because it's the only hope for this world church. 164 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,840 There is no hope apart from Christ. 165 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,640 There is no salvation apart from Christ. 166 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,120 There is no justification apart from Christ. 167 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,160 There is no reconciliation apart from Christ. 168 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,520 Without Christ, man is in a sinful state. 169 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:23,440 Only one can be true. I know we are afraid to say this 170 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,840 at times that we must be at least be accommodating. 171 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,880 If we are seeing this other religions that are true, we must 172 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,560 also then say that Christ has equals. 173 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,560 We then have to take it that further. 174 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:44,240 But if it does not have equals as Isaiah 40 says, then there 175 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:53,680 can only be one true religion. John, the apostle of love, takes 176 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:57,400 this further to the disciples. Do not be troubled. 177 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:00,680 Do not be troubled. In my Father's house are many 178 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:03,760 rooms. The the the the the King James 179 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,840 Version uses the word mansion, which I thought is not a better 180 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,080 translation. I think the ESV and the NIV are 181 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:10,640 the better translation of this text. 182 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,240 That my father are many rooms. There is a a dwelling place of 183 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:21,400 God where God dwells, where God is the aboard of God. 184 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:26,680 In my father's house are many rooms and I go to prepare a 185 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,840 place for you, not just what it says in verse three. 186 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,400 I will come back and I will take you to myself that where I am, 187 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:37,880 you may be also. What a wonderful reminder to 188 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,760 these disciples that guys, I'm going to prepare a place for 189 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,480 you. There is a place for you. 190 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:48,200 It is my father's house. What, what a way to comfort the 191 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,680 disciples that are troubled because the one they love is 192 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:55,840 leaving. Say, do not be troubled, I am 193 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,640 going to prepare a place for you. 194 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,560 Guess what? I'm also coming back. 195 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:04,520 And so that where I am you as well, maybe also going for you 196 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:09,720 in this world where we need comfort, in this world with many 197 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,720 troubles, let us be reminded that in South Africa and in the 198 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:19,480 world we are on foreign land, that this world is not our home 199 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:25,440 church. We are not home yet, not home 200 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,440 yet. And so he comforts them with 201 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,960 these words. Let me perhaps remind you that 202 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,640 this world is not your best life. 203 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:41,920 Now I know we think this world is our best life. 204 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:47,560 In theology we call this an over realized eschatology when we say 205 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,760 we want everything here and now and yet Jesus does not promise 206 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,600 that that he will give us everything we want in this 207 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,840 world. But the comfort is look up. 208 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:07,360 You are not home yet my friend. Good friend of mine from who 209 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,800 leads a church in Khayelitsha wrote the following. 210 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,480 He says when we reach heaven, the overwhelming joy of being in 211 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,400 the presence of God, seating with Him will be indescribable. 212 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:23,320 Our emotions will overflow as we see our Lord Jesus Christ face 213 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,720 to face, knowing that we are finally home in the hands of the 214 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,600 Saviour. The peace and the fulfilment we 215 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,720 will experience in that moment will be beyond anything we have 216 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,840 ever known on earth. Wow, wow. 217 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:45,040 These wonderful metaphors that John uses to describe the this 218 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,400 wonderful vision of the blessedness of heaven, the 219 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,160 beautiful vision of what heaven would look like in the dwelling 220 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:59,160 place of God where we are filled with joy being with Jesus. 221 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,560 So Jesus saying, I am the way to my Father's house, I'm the way 222 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,760 to him. And CS Lewis will respond and 223 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,280 say, if you read history, he says you will find that the 224 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:15,280 Christians who did most for the present world were just those 225 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:24,280 who thought most of the next You are not from this earth. 226 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,920 Look up. You are not from here. 227 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,160 In fact, Abraham in the Old Testament, even though the 228 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,880 writer of Hebrews give us a picture of Abraham who would 229 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,840 dwell in a tent and, and as though Abraham is having this 230 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:50,000 picture, that one day Abraham looked to a beautiful city, a 231 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:54,280 country that is not made by human hands, whose God is the 232 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,360 builder and whose God is the maker. 233 00:16:56,360 --> 00:17:02,160 That is in Hebrews 10. And therefore this home here, it 234 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:07,200 is not our home, but the one Jesus is describing here for the 235 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,480 disciples and by extension describing it for us. 236 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:12,800 It is a home that will never fade. 237 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,040 It will never rust away. It will never rot away. 238 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:23,640 Church, there is a reality of this world of dying. 239 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:28,520 There is a reality that we will die because of different things, 240 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,440 sickness, accidents, and all of these things. 241 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,120 But there's something wonderful about the biblical text that in 242 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:37,560 First Thessalonians chapter 5, it's a reminder that those who 243 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,240 are in Christ, they do not weep like those who do not have hope. 244 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:49,360 Because though we die and yet we leave because Jesus says, I am 245 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:51,880 going to prepare a place for you. 246 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,960 And Thomas says, Lord, we don't know where you are going. 247 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,880 How can we know the way? And Jesus says, Thomas, you may 248 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,320 be looking there, but I want to say it to you, Thomas, I am the 249 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,440 way, the truth, and the life. No one, Thomas, comes to the 250 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,040 Father except through me. I am the way, Thomas, to the 251 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,800 Father. I am. 252 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,600 There is no one else who has access to the Father. 253 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,760 I am the only one who has access to the Father, and I am the only 254 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:22,960 way to the Father. Again, Jesus is claiming here 255 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:28,760 divinity. No one comes except through me. 256 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,880 I am the way and therefore church. 257 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,920 Here's the implication. If this is true, which I believe 258 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:44,560 it is true, therefore Christianity is the only way to 259 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,600 God. Full stop. 260 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,920 That's an exclusive claim that Jesus makes. 261 00:18:55,680 --> 00:19:01,120 And then he says in chapter 12 and in chapter 13, now the hour 262 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:07,680 has come, Jesus is now has to go to the Father, preparing the 263 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:12,280 disciples guise that I am going to go, and the way in which 264 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,800 Jesus is going to go is going to be hard. 265 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:18,600 And yet the biblical text tells us that when Jesus is in 266 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:24,520 Gethsemane, his sweat was like blood, because the way to the 267 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,480 cross is intense. That the one who knew no sin and 268 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,440 in that time would bore a sin upon him. 269 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,720 The very weight of sin will be upon him. 270 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:39,000 He says to the disciples, I go, and the way is through the 271 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:43,440 crucifixion, that he will be the ultimate sacrifice. 272 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,640 There is no shortcut to this. Jesus must die. 273 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,560 When the writer of Hebrews says, therefore, brothers and sisters, 274 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,200 since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the 275 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:01,240 blood of Jesus, by a new and living way open for us through 276 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:07,240 the curtain that is his body, that Jesus makes a way for us 277 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:13,200 through his death, He prepares a way for us through his death. 278 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,480 He secures the way for us. Through his death, that is the 279 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:23,400 comfort that Jesus offers the disciples, and it's by extension 280 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:33,160 he offers us the same comfort. Be reminded, church, that one 281 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,760 day Jesus will wipe away every tear, every trouble will go 282 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,080 away, every sickness will go away, every sin will no longer 283 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:47,000 be committed one day that time will come. 284 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,880 John Newton puts it this way. When I get to heaven I shall see 285 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,040 3 wonders there. The first wonder will be to see 286 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,800 people there I did not expect. The second wonder will be to 287 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,600 miss many people whom I did expect to see. 288 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,880 And the 3rd and greatest wonder of all will be to find myself 289 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:20,720 there #2 Jesus is the truth. Notice again to Philip. 290 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:25,480 Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father, and that is 291 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,600 enough for us. Notice Jesus. 292 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,400 Jesus said to him, I have been with you so long and you still 293 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,720 don't know me. Philip, whoever has seen the 294 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:40,200 Father has seen me. And this is quite interesting. 295 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,840 This is sort of a Trinitarian theology that is coming through 296 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,920 here. And Jesus uses two word, 2 297 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:51,040 sentences here, or two ways in which he describes his 298 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,840 relationship to the Father. Number 1, he says to see me as 299 00:21:55,840 --> 00:22:01,000 Jesus is to see the father #2 he says I, I and the Father are 300 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:04,600 one. Now to a Jewish person and a 301 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:09,200 Pharisee who's listening to this, this is blasphemy, this is 302 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,480 heresy. Jesus would deserve to die by 303 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,720 saying these things in front of any Jew or any Pharisee. 304 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,080 To say I and the Father are one, to see me is to see the Father. 305 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,760 Jesus is claiming again that me and the Father are one again. 306 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,040 He is claiming to be the King of Israel. 307 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:31,120 He is claiming divinity again, that I am divine, not just fully 308 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:36,760 man, but a truly God as well, because me and the Father are 309 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,720 one. And so here's the point Jesus is 310 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:46,680 making here, is that to see me as Jesus is to see God, that 311 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,240 Jesus is the image of the invisible God. 312 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,800 When you see Christ, you see God. 313 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,560 When you get to know Christ, you get to know God because Jesus is 314 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:03,480 the very true revelation of God. There is no other way to the 315 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,960 Father. He is the ultimate truth that 316 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:10,000 reveals the character of who God is. 317 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:17,720 To know Christ is to know God, for there is no other way for us 318 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:26,000 to know God apart from Christ. Remove Christ, all you have is 319 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:31,720 nothing, because He is the ultimate truth. 320 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,760 He is the ultimate truth that demonstrates the love that God 321 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,000 has for us. For in John three he says for 322 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:44,440 God so loved the world that he gave his Son, that whoever 323 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,440 believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 324 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:55,160 So God demonstrates his love through Christ Jesus. 325 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,640 He represents us before the Father. 326 00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:01,800 There is no truth apart from Christ. 327 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:13,730 He is the source of all truth. If you, if you've spent some 328 00:24:13,730 --> 00:24:16,290 time in the Township, even if you didn't live there, but 329 00:24:16,290 --> 00:24:21,970 you've been there, or you go and meet with the sangoma and one of 330 00:24:21,970 --> 00:24:24,210 the things you seek from a sangoma is truth. 331 00:24:25,330 --> 00:24:27,650 Say, tell me, you know, put the bones out there. 332 00:24:27,650 --> 00:24:31,810 Tell me something about my life because my life is not going 333 00:24:31,810 --> 00:24:35,440 well. And the someone was of course, 334 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,280 will put their bones out there and, and, and, and actually 335 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,440 blow, blow and then make them trust that a message will come 336 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:47,040 through for you and your family because people are seeking 337 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,440 truth. And this is what will happen 338 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,280 quite often. They will say the person that is 339 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:56,560 bewitching you is either a person that stays three houses 340 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:03,640 from your house or, or they'll ask you which member of your 341 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,160 family doesn't like you that much. 342 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,480 And you say this one. They say, that's the one. 343 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:11,240 I can actually see that's the one. 344 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,200 And the damage that they have caused is that family members 345 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,840 are not talking to each other because I'm thinking, oh man, 346 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,560 Ryan is busy and they say he's the one bewitching me. 347 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,600 And so when you do counseling in the Township context, we do some 348 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,160 normal type of counseling to actually help people to say get 349 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,120 on, why not getting along? Notice Sangoma told me this. 350 00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:33,800 Oh boy, what am I going to do now? 351 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,240 Sangoma told you this. So if not, you're speaking to 352 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:41,760 your mum for two years. Yes, Because they go there to 353 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,600 say I want the truth. Sangoma tell me the truth. 354 00:25:50,120 --> 00:25:54,480 And Jesus says, making a claim, that if we need truth, if we 355 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:59,080 want ultimate truth, he is the only one that can provide it. 356 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,760 He is the very standard of truth. 357 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:10,280 He is the author of truth. Apart from Christ, there is no 358 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,440 truth. So when we ask questions like 359 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:18,320 this, where did we come from? What's wrong with the world and 360 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,600 how can the world be fixed and how can the world be redeemed? 361 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:26,520 And where are we going? Jesus provides the answers to 362 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:31,640 man's predicament. He provides answers to life's 363 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,840 toughest questions. Why death. 364 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:41,000 What's going on in our world? Jesus provides the answer to all 365 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,200 of those questions. Why? 366 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:49,200 Because He is truth. And often the answers that He 367 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,600 gives us are sometimes the answers we don't want to hear. 368 00:26:54,320 --> 00:27:02,280 But regardless, He is truth #3 so He is the way is the truth. 369 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:10,120 But also Jesus is life. And if you notice there in verse 370 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:14,800 4, chapter 1, begin chapter one one. 371 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,520 And then verse 4 it says in the beginning was the Word, and the 372 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,840 Word was with God, and the Word was God. 373 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:27,920 Verse 4 then says in Him was life, and the life was the light 374 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:33,280 of the world. And then John 526 says, For as 375 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:37,000 He the Father has life in himself, so He has granted us 376 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,400 the Son also to have life in himself. 377 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,320 John 1010 I have come that they may have life and have it 378 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,800 abundantly. So the question then we have to 379 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:51,440 ask what kind of life is Jesus providing or what kind of life 380 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:56,520 is Jesus talking about? That to the disciples, they must 381 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,960 know He's not only the why, He's not only the truth, but He's 382 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:04,200 also life providing a different kind of life. 383 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,960 And in this context, of course, if we read from chapter 8 on 384 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:12,840 what we have seen, that Jesus is eternal life and provides and 385 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,520 gives eternal life to those who come to him by faith. 386 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,960 And that kind of life is a, a divine kind of life. 387 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:25,400 It is an abundant kind of life that only God gives. 388 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,600 It is God who is working within our souls, giving us a kind of 389 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,680 life where we are able to commune with God, to be in 390 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:39,760 fellowship with God, and to be able to walk with God. 391 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:44,080 Without this life that God provides, we are spiritually 392 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,840 dead. We are empty without this kind 393 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:49,960 of life. And Jesus says, I want to give 394 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,800 you, but the kind of love I want to give you is eternal life. 395 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,720 Do you know what that is? It's called an assurance of 396 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:04,360 salvation. It's the life Jesus gave you. 397 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,360 And because of that life, he says I've given you this life. 398 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,680 Guess what, No one's going to take it away from you. 399 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:16,800 Your room is ready, but your room over there and I'm going to 400 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:21,480 take calm and take you with me. It is as though Jesus is giving 401 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:28,600 heaven on earth because the the seal of the Holy Spirit 402 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:34,200 communicates to us the reality that what we have we can never 403 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:38,280 lose. It is a guaranteed deposit of 404 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:42,840 what is yet to come. Therefore, Jesus says, I am 405 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:48,400 giving you that kind of life that immediately dwells in those 406 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,120 who believes. It abides in those who believes 407 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:58,760 a kind of quality of life, a kind of life only Jesus can 408 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:06,680 give. Church, let us be satisfied in 409 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:14,600 what Jesus offers us, what Jesus gives us, the kind of life Jesus 410 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,280 give us. No one will ever give us this 411 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:22,240 kind of life. Be satisfied to such an extent 412 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,560 that Jesus becomes enough for you. 413 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:31,280 Satisfied because often we'll say, Lord, I'm expecting this 414 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,200 kind of life. I want this kind of life. 415 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,840 Oh, I want my my, my neighbor's kind of life and just says no, 416 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:41,680 no, no, I have given you eternal life and guess what? 417 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:50,280 That's the best life ever. Eternal life is a person. 418 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,480 Jesus not simply giving that. In fact, he's giving us himself. 419 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:02,160 So to know Christ is to know the kind of life he offers. 420 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,280 Then the question is how do we get to this kind of life? 421 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,320 In verse 1 he says believe in God and believe in me. 422 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,640 Believe in verse 11 he says believe me that I am in my 423 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,800 father and and the Father is in me. 424 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,320 So how do we get this kind of life? 425 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,440 Here's the solution. Believe in me. 426 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,600 That's it. Don't believe in yourself, don't 427 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,840 believe in your education, don't believe in your achievements, 428 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:39,600 believe in me. So here's the question I think 429 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:43,720 you've figured out by now. I ask a lot of question, do you 430 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:47,960 believe? Do you know him? 431 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:54,240 Are you in the way? Do you believe with this truth? 432 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:58,960 Have you received the kind of life Jesus offers? 433 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:04,800 Have you been born again? Have you come to a place of 434 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:10,040 total surrender and submission of your life to Christ Jesus? 435 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,120 You are the only one who can answer those questions. 436 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:17,960 But Jesus says, here is the offer. 437 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:25,720 The room is ready. I'm preparing a place, but 438 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:27,160 something must happen before then. 439 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:39,080 You must believe, and so do you believe this morning, one 440 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:45,200 application point and then we close Jesus's reminder here to 441 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:51,280 the disciples not to be troubled because it's going to prepare a 442 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:56,440 place for them. Equally reminding them that He 443 00:32:56,440 --> 00:33:02,160 is the way, the truth, and life. Therefore, if all of that is 444 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:08,000 true, to which I believe it is true, anchor your hope in 445 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:13,560 Christ. Jesus is promising to prepare a 446 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:20,360 place for us, to give us hope beyond our present struggles so 447 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:23,400 that we may live with an eternal perspective. 448 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:27,080 Church, our current challenges are temporary. 449 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,640 Jesus will come one day. The Bible reminds us in 450 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,960 Revelation that there will be a new heaven and there will be a 451 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,800 new earth. Jesus is coming back. 452 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,160 And because of that, may I encourage us and say to us, 453 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:48,080 because we believe that may we treasure Christ above all 454 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,800 others, May we love Christ, may we adore Christ. 455 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:58,320 May we honour Christ because He is the way, the truth, and the 456 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,160 life. Therefore embrace Him this 457 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:04,480 morning. Therefore adore Him this 458 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,280 morning. And if you do not believe this 459 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:11,280 morning, I would say to you, call upon Him this morning to be 460 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:15,400 the anchor of your soul. Father, we thank you this 461 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:21,199 morning to be reminded that indeed you are the way, the 462 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:26,159 truth and life. You are the one who is divine. 463 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,679 And we recognize Lord this morning that you have no equal. 464 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:37,440 There is no one like you. You are the only way to the 465 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:41,760 Father. You are the only standard of 466 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:46,719 truth. It's only you, oh God, You are 467 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:50,360 our source. Oh God, apart from you there is 468 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:54,400 no other. Lord, help us to embrace this 469 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:58,440 truth. Help us to believe this truth 470 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:04,720 that there is none like you. You alone are supreme. 471 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:10,160 You alone are sovereign. You alone are deserving of 472 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:14,600 praise and glory and honour. You alone remind us of the 473 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,360 picture of in Isaiah 6 that when the Angel says holy, holy, holy 474 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:24,320 is the Lord God Almighty and the whole earth filled with his 475 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:29,360 glory. And so God, we thank you for 476 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,080 remind. Press this in our hearts this 477 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:37,080 morning in Jesus name, Amen. Thank you for listening. 478 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,560 To today's message, we hope you are encouraged and challenged in 479 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,000 your faith. If you're in the southern 480 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,160 suburbs, would love to welcome you in person at one of 481 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:47,480 ourselves. Don't forget to subscribe, share 482 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,680 this message with a friend and stay connected with us on social 483 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:52,840 media for more inspiration throughout the week. 484 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,240 Until next time, stay please and keep shining your light.