SERMON: I AM THE WAY

I AM THE WAY

Preached by Gregory W. Lee

23 September 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 14

1. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.
2. In 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.
3. And 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.
4. You know the way to the place where I am going."
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

-- as we start the message this morning, I want to take a scientific poll -- let's say that you are starting on a journey -- you're going on a trip somewhere -- you've never been there before, but you've got your journey all mapped out -- you know exactly what roads you need to take and about how long it will take you to get there
-- and let's say that as you stop to gas up for the trip, a person there at the gas station finds out where you are going and tells you about this great short-cut that will cut time off of your trip -- instead of it taking 4 hours to get there, you can get there in about 3 hours
-- now, I want you to raise your hands -- how many of you would take the short-cut?

-- I'm come to realize that our world is divided into two kinds of people -- people who take short-cuts and people who don't -- I'm one who doesn't take short-cuts -- even though it drives Kim crazy, I like to drive right through the middle of Valdosta when we go to town -- I know it takes longer, but I like to see what's going on
-- Kim, on the other hand, is a short-cut nut -- she searches out short-cuts and back roads and is always trying to find a quicker way to get where-ever it is she's going
-- sometimes, these short-cuts work and she finds ways to get where she's going in as short a time as possible -- but sometimes they don't -- I'm going to tell on her for just a second
-- shortly after we moved into our house, she thought she could find a short-cut through the woods off of Highway 94 -- so she drove down 94 looking for a road that would lead her to our house -- and she drove and drove and drove -- finally, when she saw a sign at a church that said, "God allows U-turns," she figured that was a message and she turned around and drove home the regular way
-- it seems like most people like short-cuts -- everybody's in such a hurry that they just want to get to their destination as quick as possible -- sometimes it works -- but sometimes it can lead to big problems

-- I imagine most of you are familiar with the story of the Donner Party -- but did you know that this whole situation happened because they were looking for a short-cut to California?
-- in April 1846, George and Jacob Donner and their families left Springfield, Illinois, headed for California -- at that time, there were lots of people going to California, looking for a better life -- and the Donners were no exception
-- they joined up with a larger group -- a wagon train -- and stayed with them for two months -- this wagon train -- led by a man named Russell -- followed the well-known and established California Trail -- it led through St. Louis -- the gateway to the west -- and into California -- the Promised Land
-- but, after being with the Russell wagon train for a while on the California Trail, several of the travelers heard about this new short-cut -- the Hastings Cutoff -- that would get them across the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Desert quicker than the California Trail -- supposedly, it would only take them a week to get to Reno while it would take almost three weeks to get there following the California Trail
-- so, a lot of the folks decided to take this new short-cut -- they elected George Donner as their leader -- and the Donner Party wagon train -- 87 people in all -- took off on the Hastings Cutoff for California while the rest continued on the California Trail
-- but, the short-cut didn't pan out -- it actually took them three weeks longer than normal to get to Reno -- and when they finally rejoined the California Trail, they were three weeks behind schedule -- because of this, they didn't start through the pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains until October -- because of their late start through the mountains, they wound up getting trapped by a raging snowstorm
-- they tried to press on and go over the summit, but the storm was too fierce and the snow too deep -- so they made camp and settled in for the duration -- after their food ran out, they slaughtered their oxen to survive -- but they totally ran out of food in mid-December -- when that happened, fifteen people decided to hike out for help, leaving the rest of the people at the camp
-- over time, both groups of people -- those who were hiking out for help and those left at camp -- resorted to cannabilism to survive -- earning the Donner Party a gruesome reputation that has survived to this day
-- of the 87 people who made up the Donner Party and who took the Hastings Short-cut -- 39 people died and only 48 survived

II. Jesus is the Way
-- in the journey of life, we are confronted with lots of promising shortcuts -- sometimes the road we are on looks perilous -- filled with dangers -- with lots of ups and downs -- we find ourselves in valleys as well as mountains -- going in and out of storms -- going through narrow passageways and rough terrain
-- and as we go along, invariably, we see roads leading off of our path -- going to the right or the left -- wide roads -- good looking roads -- roads that promise easy travel
-- these roads cry out to us, "Take us -- take us -- all roads lead to heaven anyway -- why follow that narrow rocky path -- follow us and get there quicker"
-- but, despite all their claims, these short-cuts end up costing us a lot more than they are worth -- they can mire us down into lives as worldly Christians -- or can even derail us on our path to heaven
-- in this passage, Jesus warns His disciples and us that there is only one road that we should follow as we make our way to Heaven -- "Don't look for short-cuts -- don't look somewhere else for directions -- just follow the path that I have laid out for you"

-- as we start looking at this in a little more detail, let me give you the context -- this passage occurs on the last night that Jesus was with His disciples -- He is with them in the Upper Room and has just shared with them the Last Supper -- as they're sitting around the table, Jesus has just told them that one of their group was going to betray Him -- He has told Simon Peter that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed -- and He has told them that He is leaving them
-- as you can imagine the disciples are sitting there in shock -- not only is there a betrayer in the midst -- not only will the one whose faith has been the strongest end up denying Christ three times -- but now they are told that Christ Himself will be leaving them alone
-- they are confused and worried about all the future, so Jesus gives them these words of comfort and direction

-- look down now at John 14:1

1. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.

-- Jesus was telling them, "Don't worry -- just believe -- just trust in God the Father and trust in Me -- I have put you on the road you are to follow -- I have put your foot on the path -- now trust in me -- believe in what I have told you and don't worry about tomorrow"
-- Jesus comforts them by trying to get them to focus on Him -- He is saying, "So long as you trust in me and my words, you will be fine, no matter what life throws your way -- no matter how the road looks as you journey along"
-- these are words of comfort and hope for us as well -- what does your road look like right now? -- is it smooth and easy going -- or are you passing through a valley -- caught up in a storm -- no matter what it is, Jesus tells us, "Don't let your hearts be troubled -- trust in God -- and trust in me -- and I will see you through"

-- verse 2
2. In 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.
-- Jesus knew that the root of their worry that night was the fact that He was going to be leaving them -- so here in verse 2 He tells them where He is going -- He tells them He is going to the Father -- but He is not just going to Father for Himself -- He is going to the Father to prepare a place for them
-- notice that Jesus doesn't say that He is preparing a place for Himself -- isn't that curious? -- why is that?
-- what do you do when you have guests come to stay in your house? -- you prepare a place for them before they get there -- you get that spare bedroom ready -- you make sure they have clean sheets and clean towels -- you get everything ready for them to come and stay with you
-- but you don't prepare a place for yourself, do you -- no, because it is your home -- your place is already prepared -- that is what Jesus is telling us in His passage -- don't worry, because I'm going home, and what's more, I'm getting ready for you to come and live with me there

-- verse 3
3. And 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.
4. You know the way to the place where I am going."
-- once again Jesus says, "Don't worry" -- if I am going to all the trouble to make you a place, then trust that I'm going to come back and get you again -- and regardless, it's not like I'm going somewhere that you don't know -- you know where I'm going and how to get to the place where I'm at
-- in the three years that He had been with them, Jesus had showed them the path to heaven -- He had showed them the way to get to the Kingdom of God -- He had taught them and trained them to recognize it and set their feet on the path
-- now, He says, I'm going ahead -- but as I go, you will see the signs I have left for you -- you will see the signs of my passing -- and eventually, I will meet you on that road and walk with you the rest of the way

-- look at verse 5
5. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
-- here we see Thomas at it again -- poor old doubting Thomas -- you know, Thomas isn't mentioned much in the scriptures at all -- but the times he is, he always seems to come across as doubting and skeptical and somewhat fatalistic -- let me give you a couple of examples
-- earlier in His ministry, the Jews had tried to stone Jesus, causing Him to leave Judea -- but when word came to Him that his friend Lazarus had died, Jesus decided to go back to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead -- the other disciples didn't want to go -- they were afraid that all of them would be killed -- but Jesus said, "let us go to him." -- and then Thomas stands up and addresses the disciples and says, "Let us also go, that we may die with him"
-- and then there's that scene in the upper room, when all the disciples are telling Thomas that they have seen the risen Christ and Thomas says, "Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it."
-- Thomas seems to have been the pessimist in the bunch -- he was always the one who had to be shown the truth before he would believe it -- I think Thomas was from Missouri, the "Show Me" state -- he wouldn't believe anything unless he saw it with his own eyes
-- and now we see him in this passage complaining to Jesus -- "how are we going to find you when you leave -- we don't know where you are going -- so how can we know the way to where you are going?"

-- now, before you judge Thomas too hard, think back to what him and the other disciples were thinking at the time -- think back to what they knew that night in the upper room -- they were still thinking worldly -- they were still thinking that Jesus had come back to Jerusalem to set up a wordly kingdom -- to restore the kingship of Israel
-- at the time they didn't understand that Jesus was talking about a spiritual kingdom -- they didn't know that He was talking about the kingdom of Heaven -- and they had no real idea that Jesus was going to be killed -- much less raised from the death in three days
-- Thomas' complaint was understandable -- and I'm sure he was speaking for the whole group -- "Lord, we don't understand -- here you are talking about leaving us and going to your Father's house and coming back for us -- and you tell us that we know the way there already -- we don't understand"
-- how many times have you been in Thomas' and the other disciples' shoes -- how many times have you looked at your situation and complained to God, "Lord, I don't know what is going on -- I don't know where you are -- I don't know how to get to where you are -- I don't know the way out of this -- I don't see an answer to my problem"
-- but then Jesus makes it clear in the next verse -- look at how He responded to Thomas

-- verse 6
6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
-- Jesus says, "Don't you understand -- you do know the way -- I am the Way -- I am the Truth -- I am the Life" -- this is the secret to realizing the promise of Hope that Jesus was sharing with His disciples that night -- this is the secret to staying on the road to Heaven
-- Jesus has already told us that He is our sole provider -- "I am the bread of life" -- He has already told us that He will shine on our path -- "I am the light of the world" -- He's already told them that they have to come through Him to start on their journey -- "I am the gate" -- and He's told them that He's the one who's going to make sure they don't stray off the path and fall for the short-cuts -- "I am the good shepherd"
-- now Jesus says, "I am THE way" -- there is only one way, and I am it -- do you want to know what the road is, Thomas? -- I am the road -- I am the way

-- kind of like the guy who went to Egypt to see the pyramids -- when he got there, he hired a guide and the guide led him down this road to the desert -- when they got to the desert, the road ended -- there was nothing but wind-swept sand for as far as the eye could see -- the man asked the guide, "where's the road?" -- the guide looked at him and said, "I'm the road" -- the guide knew the way -- if this man wanted to see the pyramids, all he had to do was follow the guide and the guide would show him the way

-- Jesus is telling us here that He is our road -- He is our way -- He will show us how to get to the Father's house -- if we want to go to Heaven, there is only one way to go -- and that's with Jesus -- that's why it says here, "No one comes to the Father except through me" -- it says the same thing in Acts 4:12, " Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

-- you might hear people telling you that there are many paths to God -- that there are many different spiritual routes you can take to Heaven -- short-cuts that are easier and faster than following the Word of God
-- don't believe them -- look at what Jesus says, "I am THE way" -- there is only one way and if you want to get to Heaven, you have to follow Him
-- when it comes to getting to heaven, there are no short-cuts in life

III. Closing
-- for the past couple of weeks, the sporting world has been abuzz with the news about what the New England Patriots and their coach, Bill Belichick, did
-- in just seven seasons under Belichick, the New England Patriots won three superbowls -- that says a lot about the coach and about the team -- it takes hard work and perserverance and determination to make it to the super bowl just once -- you have to be able to out-play and out-think and out-coach your opponents just to stay in the game -- but to get there and then to win it three times -- that is remarkable
-- but for some reason -- maybe he just got tired of the work -- maybe he just got enamored with the glamour of being the super bowl winning coach -- maybe he just got lazy -- for whatever reason, Bill Belichick decided to take a short-cut to success
-- rather than reviewing game films like in the past -- rather than preparing for games by studying his opponent and fine-tuning his own team -- Bill Belichick decided to cheat -- he got caught taping the calls from his opponent during a game
-- it's a whole lot easier to win if you know exactly what your opponent is going to do on every play -- what a perfect short-cut
-- but it has turned into a disaster and is tarnishing the reputation of a brilliant coach and a tremendous team -- now, despite all the work that they put in to win three superbowls -- people are going to have to ask, "did he cheat in them, too? -- did he win fairly?"

-- short-cuts just don't work -- they promise the world -- they promise an easy path to heaven -- but they lead to disappointment and disaster
-- Jesus says there is only one Way to heaven -- and that is Him -- He is the Way -- He is the truth -- He is the life -- and no one can come to the Father any other way
-- a short-cut won't get you there -- you can only get there through Him

-- as I close this morning, I want to invite you to consider where you are on your journey of life -- are you following the path that Jesus laid out for you? -- are you walking in His light -- following His signs -- obeying His directions
-- are you growing in grace and becoming more like Him as you get nearer and nearer to heaven -- or are you slipping in your faith? -- are you not working as hard as you used to? -- not reading the Bible as much? -- not praying as much? -- not serving as much?
-- are you falling for short-cuts, thinking it doesn't matter?
-- Jesus says that He is the way -- and if we are to get to heaven -- if we are to be justified and sanctified and made holy in His presence -- we have to follow Him
-- this morning, I want to invite you to look at yourself and commit again to following Him as He leads us to glory -- if you want to come to the altar and pray and do so, I would be happy to pray with you -- Let us pray