Sunday, May 9, 2021 ~ The Book Of John ~ Series: LOVED BY JESUS ~ Message: The Way ~ Scripture: John 14:1-14 ESV ~ Pastor Philip Miller

Image: God Bless Mothers ~ Honor Mothers ~ Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2 ~ Happy Mother’s Day ~ Sunday, May 9, 2021

The Book Of John

Series: LOVED BY JESUS

Message: The Way

Scripture: John 14:1-14 ESV

Pastor Philip Miller

The Way: Finding Union and Transformation with God

In this passage from John 14:1-14, we find the disciples troubled by news that Jesus is leaving. How could they ever go on without Jesus? But as Jesus shows them, his departure means more of the love of God, not less.

Jesus offers us four things as He departs:

A loving home (vv. 1–3)

• Our true home is to abide in love with God forever.

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

1) A Loving Home: Our true home is to abide in love with God forever. What makes Heaven, heaven, is not the location but who is there--God. It’s not about where you are, it’s who you’re with.

A loving path (vv. 4–7)

• God has opened wide the doors of His heart in Jesus.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

2) A Loving Path: In the 6th “I AM” statement in Scripture, Jesus calls Himself “The Way.” If you want to know the way to God the Father, look no further than in the person of Jesus. The way to God seems narrow, but it’s about a love relationship with the Father through the mutual opening of hearts to one another. God has opened wide the door of His heart in Jesus. Jesus is the only way to the Father’s heart.

A loving God (vv. 8–11)

• The Triune God exists as a community of eternally-loving, self-donating, and mutually-indwelling Persons too one to be many and too many to be one.

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

3) A Loving God: The Triune God exists as a community of eternally-loving, self-donative, and mutually-indwelling persons too one to be many and too many to be one. What theologians call perichoresis is the ultimate meaning of the universe. This is a dance of eternal loving embrace, each person of the Godhead lovingly self-giving unto the others, and welcoming and receiving one another into themselves with unrestrained, overflowing intimacy, delight, and everlasting joy. The triune, perichoretic love is what everything is all about.

A loving power (vv. 12–14)

• Jesus’ love transforms us, so He can give us all we want.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

4) A Loving Power: Because we are united with Christ, He works through us. Jesus is preparing a place for us to dwell deeply in love with the Triune God forever, and in the meantime, He’s inviting us to live in union with him so that His presence and power flow into us, transforming us, and then flow through us into the world around us. Jesus’ love transforms us so He can give us all we want.

Jesus’ departure means more of the love of God, not less. He offers us a Loving Home, by means of a Loving Path, into a relationship with a Loving God, with a Loving Power that transforms first us and then the world.

Three Takeaway Questions for Self-Reflection:

Takeaways:

• Am I believing in the love of God?

• Am I abiding in the love of God?

• Am I transforming in the love of God?