Road to Redemption: John 14:1-14

Questions for Further Study

How do you understand Jesus’ promise to “take you to be where I am?”

In what way was Jesus comforting His disciples? Do any of these things bring you comfort? Explain.

John 14:6 is an exclusive promise that irritates some unbelievers. How can you share the gospel and be true to the text without causing unnecessary anger?

Multiple times Jesus says, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (14:10, 14:11, 17:21). What does this phrase mean?

In John 14:12 Jesus says that His followers “will perform greater deeds” than even He did. What is Jesus saying?

Do you have a plan for sharing the gospel this Easter season?

Why do you think we pray “In Jesus’ Name?”

Introduction - This is the Lenten season

Our Study John 14 - 16

Jesus prepares disciples for His departure

Prayerfully read John 14 - 16 multiple times

Context

John 12:12-19 Triumphal Entry

John 12:20-50 Final Public Teaching

Jn 12: 24- 25 foreshadowing of cross

“unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.”

People still doubt

Jesus w/ Twelve

John 13:1 -17 Washing of feet

John 13:18-30 Jesus reveals Judas

John 13:31- 38 Peter’s denial foretold

Read John 14:1-14

Pray

Themes 

Comfort found in Believing Truth 

Jesus & His Teachings

Father Son unity

Location - Position

Miracles 

Connecting Dots — Coalescing Teachings 

The God of all Comfort

Apostles have seen and heard

Unbelieving people

Jesus speak of His death

Betrayal of Judas

Denial of Peter

Take Courage - Be Comforted

Have Faith in the Father and the Son

House - comforting analogy

Semi-permanent residence with Father & Son

Personal escort w/ Personal dwelling

You know the way

Jesus begins putting the pieces together

Thomas — We don’t know the way

Thomas is thinking physically, “where is the path?”

Transcendence and Metaphysics

David Johnson — Kingdom of God “Already Not Yet”

Jesus hinted “a kernel of wheat dies, then lives.”

The way to live eternally with God - Faith in Jesus Christ

14:6-7  “I am the way and the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 14:7 If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Way - Truth - Life

D. A. Carson, EFCA theologian, speaks of this reality:

Jesus is the way to God, precisely because he is the truth of God and the life of God. Jesus is the truth, because he embodies the supreme revelation of God—he himself ‘narrates’ God (1:18), says and does exclusively what the Father gives him to say and do (5:19ff; 8:29), indeed he is properly called ‘God’ (1:1, 18; 20:28). He is God’s gracious self-disclosure, his ‘Word’, made flesh (1:14). Jesus is the life (1:4), the one who has ‘life in himself’ (5:26), ‘the resurrection and the life’ (11:25), ‘the true God and eternal life’ (1 Jn. 5:20). Only because he is the truth and the life can Jesus be the way for others to come to God, the way for his disciples to attain the many dwelling-places in the Father’s house (vv. 2–3), and therefore the answer to Thomas’ question.

Ongoing Confusion

Phillip then asks Jesus to “show us the Father.”

14:9a “Jesus sighs.” Doesn’t it say that in your Bible?

Jesus describes His Identity

14:9b “The person who has seen me has seen the Father!”

14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?

He is Co-Equal with the One True God 

The culmination of 3 years teaching

The pinnacle of understanding

Let’s put Jesus’ Identity together

Knowing “If you have known me, you will know my Father too.” (7)

Seeing “and have seen him.” (7)

Words, “The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative.” (10)

Miracles, “the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds.” (10)

Co-Existing “I am in the Father, and the Father is in me” (10a, 11) 

Comfort begins and ends with Faith

Believe in God, Believe in Me (V1)

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves. (V11)

Believe and you will do miracles too (12)

You will perform greater deeds

This is often misunderstood — look at context

“greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Between Jesus’ statement and ascension…

His death, burial, resurrection 

What miracle do these things access? Atonement - SALVATION

Jesus’ Miracles defied…

Chemistry - Water into Wine

Physics - waking on water

Weather - calmed the storm

Illness - healing many, 

Spiritual darkness - cast demons out

Human Nature - Without SIN

Our miracle? Sharing the Gospel - leading people to God

Our Prayer?

I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

What prayers glorify the Father through the Son?

All sorts, but NOT all prayers.

Conclusion

The antidote to anxiety is faith - 

Believe in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Believe God exists in perfect unity

Believe God’s presence is the perfect residence and Jesus has prepared a place for you there

Believe He is the worker of miracles

He wants to do tremendous things to bless You and glorify Himself

He wants you to share Gospel with others

Let’s pray, asking for miracles in Jesus’ Name