John 14-16: When Your World Explodes
Jesus knew, the night before his death, that the disciples' world was about to be blown to pieces. He would be arrested, tried, and crucified. They'd committed themselves to Jesus and he would be gone. In this powerful message, Jesus prepared the disciples to live in peace and spiritual power when the world around them was falling apart.We will take the next three weeks delving into this passage.
Today's Reading: John 14:3-7
“Don’t let your heart 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 am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”
5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Through the Bible Readings: Job 19-20, Acts 26, Psalm 89:49–52, Proverbs 19:15–16
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: I Am the Way
I took a fair degree of grief from my family in the years
before the GPS made travel so easy. Before we left, I would prepare a notebook
that had a complete itinerary of our plans, from Mapquest. When I left on a
trip I wanted to have all the information. It is so much easier now. GPS is
one of the greatest inventions by modern man. Our phones contain detailed maps
to guide us wherever we want to go.
When I travel, I want to know the facts. Where am I going? How
far do I have to go? I want to know all the details.
Jesus’ disciples were feeling that way at the beginning of
Jesus’s message that we know now as the Farewell Discourse. In John 14:1-3,
Jesus began to instruct them on how to survive the explosion, or to keep today’s
metaphor, the detour their lives were about to take. Jesus would be arrested,
tried, and crucified the next day and nothing would ever be the same. They’d
left their lives for him but now he was going away. They would be confused,
distraught, and wondering what they were supposed to do.
In one of his great “I Am” statements, in John 14:6, Jesus
made a powerful declaration. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus claimed to be the path by which
we gained access to the Father. That’s why he went to the Cross, where he “prepared
a place for us.” The world says, “All roads lead to the same place.” Has there
ever been a more nonsensical or less logical statement made? Jesus said that
only one road leads to God and that is through Jesus. His death on Calvary removed
the sin that separates us from God and his resurrection demonstrated his right
to be Lord of all. Jesus offers eternal life to all who believe in him.
But there is something else Jesus was saying with this
statement. Thomas said that they didn’t know where he was going, how could they
know the way? He wanted a map, a GPS for life. Jesus said, “You don’t need
that, Thomas. I am the Way!” (Miller Paraphrased Version). You don’t have to
know everything that is going to happen, you just need to know Jesus and walk
with him. Stick close to him and all will be well.
When we face life’s trials and hardships, Jesus is enough.
Jesus is the way.
Father, thank you for Jesus, who is the way. Help me to remember that I don’t need all the answers. I just need Jesus.
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