“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 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? 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. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 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’? 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. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. – John 14:1-11 (ESV)
One of the remarkable things about studying the Bible, is that no matter how many times you read over a passage you keep learning new things from it. Several years ago, I preached on John 14:1-14, but in my personal reading of the Bible I recently noticed what I think is a simpler and clearer pattern in verses 1 through 11 which I think will help fix this very encouraging passage into your memory:
- Your future is secure in Christ.
- Your future is secure because of what Christ does.
- Your future is secure because of who Christ is.
Please notice that Jesus Himself is making the pressing the connection between these three truths upon His Disciples and therefore upon all of us. After reassuring His Disciples in verses 1 through 3; Jesus makes a statement which He knows will provoke questioning from His Disciples: “And you know the way to where I am going.” Naturally, Thomas replies: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Then, after declaring “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” Jesus makes another very provocative statement: “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” This time it is Phillip who replies: “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.” This opens them (and us!) up to learn a profound truth about who Jesus is at a very profound level. While the individual verses are powerful in their own right, and worth memorizing, Jesus is showing us that these three truths belong together as an integrated whole. The blessings we receive from God all flow from what Christ does and from who Christ is.
MEMORY WORK – Shorter Catechism Q/A 98
Q. 98. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.