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We’re going to start a new series together, Six Hours with Jesus. And if you’re wondering where this comes from, if you were to look in your Bible, we’re going to be in John chapter 14 today. But in John chapter 13 to 17, at the end of Jesus’s life, he gathers his disciples together, and he spends really just some intimate hours with him. And most scholars estimate that time, just around six hours before he was betrayed, taken by the Roman soldiers and crucified. And those six hours for me especially, and I think you would probably join me in this, become very significant to me as a believer and understanding what it is that Jesus desired after spending three years with his disciples, what is it he desired to communicate with him in his final moments? When we think about important moments of your life. I mean, if someone were to put a clock on your existence and how long you’re going to walk upon this earth and, and and that timetable is slowly ticking down, the the the short of that time gets, the more precious you’re going to value those moments, and especially when you know you’re within your last remaining six hours of of your ministry here in life. And Jesus takes those last six hours and, and really, you find that what Christ communicates about his life, the end of his life, the last week of his life takes up a a large portion of what the Gospels talk about as it relates to Jesus.
It’s like the longer Jesus’s life goes on within Scripture, the more detail you get about the life of Christ, and especially into that final week of his life. And so we’re going to be looking and examining together what it is as we enter into this Easter season with with each other. What is it Jesus communicated to us for as people? What is it he desires for us to know? What is it he desires for us to do? What is it he finds significant for us in our lives? What is it Jesus said? I started to think about going through this series together and in the most basic form. This is why I call it today. This is a prequel to the series we’re going through together in presenting what Jesus shared with us. Because what’s important as we look at what Jesus communicates, is that we really and truly define who Jesus is. So we’re going to ask you today and come up before you and ask you, Who is Jesus? What would you say? I know in reading about him in society, people make Jesus out to be several things, many of which he is not. Who was Jesus. You know, if you go to some countries today and you just carry a Christian symbol of, say, the cross, you can present all other gods and in certain countries in the world.
But the minute you bring a cross into a country, your life is at risk. Why do people respond so negatively to Jesus? What is it about Jesus that rubs people wrong? Some people have described him as merely a good teacher, or a rabbi or a leader. Let’s think for a moment. We’re gathered here this morning to to worship him, and we call him our God. And we bow before him, asking him what he desires for our lives. But have you ever considered just the unimpressive nature of Christ? I mean, we’re following someone who’s never held a political office. He was a carpenter. He he never wrote a book. He spent time the majority of his life with with drunks and harlots. He was denied by his own family. He had just 12 men that followed him around. And out of those 12, one betrayed him and rejected him. His own country rejected him, and at 33 years old, he dies. The most horrific, shameful death anyone could ever hope to imagine on the cross. Why do you follow Jesus? Who is Jesus? The Bible even shares with us in Isaiah 53, as if to say, if I were to tell you this morning, Jesus is unimpressive. You might say heresy and throw stones at me. I just want you to know it’s scriptural. When you look at Isaiah 53 and verse three, it says this. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Jesus was an unimpressive being as caught by the naked eye. To the individuals through whom he walked this earth with. Some even want to say so far as to say that not only is Jesus unimpressive with his nature and stature and who he is, but he’s also insane. He says things in John chapter six. A lot of the verses I’m going to share with you today come from John, because we’re going to get to John 14. But in John chapter six and verse 53, this is crazy. Jesus talking. He says, eat my flesh and drink my blood, and you have life. That is crazy. And you read in this section when you get to verse 60, in this chapter, this guy comes along and he says this. This is a difficult saying like, no doubt, man. That’s like the understatement of the year. Eat my blood, drink my Jesus. This seems a little hard, you know. His own family remarked this way in Mark chapter three and verse 21. And when his family heard it, Jesus is teaching. They went out to seize him, for they were saying he is out of his mind. Who do you say that Jesus is? And I answer that question. We could respond in a theological way, recall verses in our mind.
We can respond to it in a in a personal perspective and how he’s related to me in this world. We can respond to it in a positional understanding. He is king and I am his servant, and I’ll be a part of his kingdom one day. We could respond to it with a a hateful statement being rubbed raw from from church experience and just having an ill will towards him. Who do you say that Jesus is? You know, one of the things that I like to do when we start a discussion about just looking at the life of Jesus when he communicates to us, is, I like to just allow the people who are with him to define who he is and Jesus himself. Jesus shared something with us about the significance of his life. These are all from the Book of John. It tells us John records in him was life, and the life was the light of men. In John three, John goes on to say, he who believes in the son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Jesus himself says this I came that they may have life abundantly. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? There was an individual who was an atheist, and he began his study and investigation into Christianity and into Christ, trying to discover and really disprove Jesus.
He wanted to show the Christian world that that it was shameful, really, to follow after him because Jesus wasn’t who they claimed to be. And as this man began to study about Jesus. Uh, his name is Josh McDowell. But as he began to study about Jesus, he came to understand that the premise for which Christianity operates on and the truth through which it follows, it, makes a ton of sense, more sense than anything in the world. And he began to place his faith in Christ. And he and he made this remark as he, as he followed Jesus with his life as as you study Scripture. The conclusion that you have to come to about Jesus. The conclusion that people often come to and is wrong is that Jesus is anything but. A good teacher, or a rabbi, or simply a spiritual leader. If you study what Jesus says about Him in Scripture, it’s going to lead you with one of three conclusions. Jesus is either Lord Jesus is either a liar from the pit of hell or Jesus is a lunatic. You think about the statements that we’ve just breezed past, we’ve gotten accustomed to saying together? Who says I’m life? Who says I’m the resurrection? Who says, believe in the identity of me and you receive life? Who says that? Crazy, a liar.
Our Lord. Many people that saw the life of Christ when they saw his teaching came with responses like this is a difficult saying, or Jesus, you must be insane. But the significant thing we ask ourselves this morning is, who is it that you say Jesus is? This is going to be relevant to John 14. We’re going to see together. But Jesus. Concludes with this thought. In John eight, we’ll use this as a concluding thought. He said, I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. You see that? What he says. Unless you believe that I am that one. Everything that I’ve been sharing about you, unless you put your faith in that when you meet your maker, you’re in your sin. And you don’t want to meet your maker in your sin. It’s important that you believe that I am he. Who do you say that Jesus is? The weight of his identity is important to us. The weight of his identity carries eternal ramifications in your decision over him becomes significant, and Jesus shares with us, if you’re hungry for life, look no further than Christ. It’s when you begin to study just the simplicity of the statements, the the declaratives that Jesus made about himself, that we begin to realize the enormity of our understanding of who he is.
He who worships me must worship me in spirit and truth, he says in John four. So the idea that we carry of Jesus is important. It’s not just about what people say, who Jesus is, it’s about who Jesus says Jesus is. This morning. If you brought a bulletin, I don’t know if you’ve got picked up a bulletin. I’m going to encourage you to do this when you leave. But. But if you open up to the inside on the front left cover, you’ll see a test. We do this every week at church. If you’re new. I’m just. I’m just kidding. We don’t do that. This is I think we’ve done this once before, but. But here’s what we want to do this morning is when we walk out of here, we want to have a biblical perspective of Jesus. So here we go. 13 questions real quick on a test of who Jesus is. And then we’re going to dive into the text in John chapter 14. First question. You have Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies. This is true or false? Okay, so you got a 5050 shot, even if you guess. Yeah, there you go. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of of very specific prophecies that were given hundreds of years before his arrival. True or false? True. It’s correct. True. We have manuscripts today of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled hundreds of years older than Jesus. Copies of the Book of Isaiah Isaiah has prominent prophecies about Christ, specifically Isaiah 53.
Let’s show you that real quick. Isaiah 53. There’s are a few of them in Isaiah. There’s a few written down there. If you grab a bulletin, you’ll see a lot of those, those references written for you so you can look them up later. I don’t have time to go through all of them, but I got to tell you about this prophecy with Christ concerning how specific it gets. Micah five two tells us he’s going to be born in Bethlehem. Isaiah seven tells us it’s of a virgin. Isaiah nine tells us the government’s going to be on a on a shoulders. Isaiah 53 describes Jesus dying on the cross before the cross had even been invented. Psalms 22 to 24. The messianic Somse just picture the the death of Jesus upon the cross and the specific things that are going to happen to him there. Very specific, pointed prophecies about Christ. A few years ago, I had a friend that I would often drive around with and talk to him about Jesus and what he thought about Jesus. I asked him if he’s ever if he trusted in Christ as his Savior and put his faith in him. And and he would respond, no, I never did that. But he came to church quite often, and I would say, why? Why in the world are you are you even coming to church then? If if you don’t believe Jesus is Lord of your life and you don’t want to put your faith in him, why even come? And the answer was this I can’t shake the prophecy.
I’ve studied all the religions in the world, and none of them even compare to this. But when I look at what Jesus is declared of in the Old Testament, for Jesus even shows up. There is no sense that I can even make that other than Jesus is everything that he says he is. Then then I would ask him, then why? Why on earth? If you’re seeing Jesus this way, why on earth not trust me? And he says, I just, I just don’t want him to be Lord of my life. The prophecy of Christ. Puts us in a place where we’ve got to recognize the importance of Jesus. It puts us in a place where we can’t reject. What the Bible says about him. Hundreds of years before he shows up and his identity has been declared to us so specifically that when he does show up, we can’t miss it. Second question. Jesus had no beginning. He is eternal. True. Revelation 2213 says he’s the Alpha and Omega. Hebrews 13 eight says, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Whatever Jesus was a long time ago, he is now and was and always will be. In John 858, Jesus gives a great statement about himself. He says, Before Abraham was, I am.
He doesn’t say, Before Abraham was, I was, or I’m going to be. He just says, I am. It’s a self-existing statement pointing to his eternality. It’s the exact word Jesus uses here in John 858 that God shared with Moses at the burning bush. He is the I am. And Jesus is referring to his eternal nature. Question three Jesus was created. Boss. If Jesus is eternal. That means he can’t be created, right? Jesus couldn’t come into existence because he has always existed. He is the great I am. Jesus is God. True. Thomas. That took him a little while to recognize this, but after his resurrection, Thomas comes before Jesus and he calls him my Lord and my God. Colossians two nine gives a great description. There’s several verses that talk about the deity of Christ. But Colossians two nine says, For in him, in Jesus all the fullness of deity, meaning God, dwells in bodily form. You want to see what God looks like becoming flesh, look at Jesus. Next is this Jesus has always been God. True. Isaiah 4310 is important because it declares that there’s only one God and ever will be. But it says before me there was no God formed, and neither will there be after me. And then John one it says, in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. What John one is describing for us is the the Trinity of God.
It’s beginning to help us to understand that Father and Son are both one and God. And Isaiah 4310 tells us Jesus wasn’t created as a God. If Jesus is God, he’s always been God because there’s never been a God formed before him or after him. Jesus created everything. That’s true. Sorry, I skipped ahead. Here we go. Jesus created everything true. Everyone gets 100%. That’s great. Colossians 116 talking about Jesus. For by him all things were created both in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things. Whether we get to this next part, he’s talking about angelic ruling positions. But whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things. And get this, and in him all things hold together. Jesus falls apart. We fall apart, right? John one apart from him nothing came into being. Eternal God Jesus created everything. Jesus is equal to the father and authority and position. I just want to say before you answer this, this is going to sound tricky, but there are more false answers to come. Okay, but that may or may not be here. Jesus is equal to the father and authority and position. True. John ten. I and the father are one for that. Misrepresented quite a bit. But Jesus goes on and explains or we have the explanation of what that means. What does it mean that they’re one? It says the Jews picked up stones again to stone him, and the Jews answered him for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy.
And because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God. I think in this passage the Jews had a poor concept of a triune being that God was. They were monotheistic. They only believed in one God. And so as they’ve come to worship the father and they see Jesus acknowledging the father, they can’t quite figure out how Jesus can can be God, and the father can be God. But they recognize but what he’s saying he’s claiming to be God. And there’s only one God. How does that work? I don’t know, let’s kill him. That’s what that was their conclusion. John 518 and it’s I don’t know that that’s a good theology to take with you. If you don’t like things, beat it up and stone it right. Don’t don’t do that. John 518. This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father, making himself equal with God. Jesus became flesh. And this is the first time in the Godhead. This is the first time the Godhead took on flesh. It’s true. Sometimes we like to picture God the Father. Like, sort of like Zeus. Um. He doesn’t.
There’s nowhere in the Bible where God is described as carrying lightning bolts, by the way. But but the Bible never tells us that the father has flesh. As a matter of fact, it tells us the exact opposite that God is spirit. In John four and he who worships him must worship him in spirit and truth. In John 114 it tells us Jesus became flesh, for the word became flesh. In Philippians two seven it says, But Jesus emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And get this if you want to see the father doesn’t have flesh. Colossians 115. He is the image of the what? Invisible. God. Sorry. Jesus died for your sins because you could not afford to pay the debt of your sin. True. Galatians 216 by the works of the law no one will be justified. Let me say it a different way by religion and all the rules. It doesn’t make you look right to God. Verse 21. If religion or righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing. If you can earn your way to God, there’s no need for Jesus. There’s certainly no need for Easter. Significant in what Christ has done for us. He paid a debt that we couldn’t pay. Colossians two 1314 goes on to describe that as well. But here’s a question of piggyback that Jesus paid for his sins as a loving sacrifice on the cross.
True. Some of you think. Of course we’re talking about Easter, right? If you lived in a muslim world, that statement would be huge. It’s true. Colossians 213 and you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us of all our trespasses. That means past, present, and future. If if you come to Jesus, Jesus forgives not only everything that you’ve done, but everything that you will do, contrary to God’s nature, all sin forgiven by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. That’s why Jesus, when he died, he said to tell us that he paid in full. The expense is finished. You know your most famous verse in the Bible. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Jesus died as a loving sacrifice for you on the cross. Jesus overcame death. Yes, that’s Easter right? Jesus overcame death. Here it is Romans six nine. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him, and because it has no dominion over him, we’re going to look at a promise today that it has no dominion over you. You have to work to earn your right to be with Jesus in heaven. That is false. Jesus paved the way for us, and the Bible asks us just to simply put our faith in him.
Here’s some passages for you. Ephesians 289 is probably the most popular. For by grace you have been saved through faith. You wonder what that means. Well, it’s not of yourselves. It’s the gift of God, not of a result of works, so that no 1st May boast. Has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with what Jesus has done for you. And then the last question. You have placed your faith in what Jesus has done for you and trust in the life he offers. That’s your decision. The Bible says this. Romans 1013 for whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Whoever, whenever, however, just call on Jesus and he saves. Why do I share all this with you this morning? One. Um, it’s because we need to know the identity of really who Jesus is. I don’t ever want to live with a mistake of walking out of here. And just because someone says the word Jesus, they know who we’re talking about. Jesus is who Jesus says he is, not who we say that he is. But the warning on the back side of this says, we could say to ourselves, um, just because you have the knowledge of Jesus doesn’t make you more spiritual. Because it’s important to connect the knowledge of who Christ is to you spiritually. To make the journey from our.
From the head to the heart. To not just say that Jesus loves me, but to understand that Jesus loves me. To not just say that Jesus died for me, but to take the faith that God has given me and place it into the one who’s died for me. Not just to say he’s Lord of of this world, but but to live like he’s Lord of of our lives. It’s important for us to have an understanding of Jesus, because when we get into John chapter 14, you’ll notice every one of those questions that I gave you. I gave you a reference in the book of John before John chapter 14. Except for question one, you have a reference to the book of John previous to John 14. And and the reason I did that is because when we get to John chapter 14, the disciples had all of this same teaching from Jesus, the identity and everything about who Christ was, the bringing into these final moments as they gathered together with Christ. And he spends their last six hours with him, and it puts us in the same situation as these guys. Understanding Jesus, having seen what he’s done, has having understood what he has declared. And when we get to John chapter 13, the the story of Jesus begins Palm Sunday and the triumphal entry of Christ and the promise of the Messiah and the redemption that he offers is coming to a culmination.
In his three years of ministry on earth. It has come to a head as he enters into Jerusalem for the last time. The Bible tells us that he’s riding on the back of a donkey. A symbol of humility. And the Bible also tells us, as he journeys into Jerusalem, that the crowds are shouting his name and saying, Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And and they’re singing the Psalms. Psalm one, chapter 113 all the way to Psalm 118. They they sing these psalms every year in Jerusalem as they gather for this Passover celebration. Jesus enters Jerusalem on the day that they choose the lamb for the slaughter of the Passover. And he’s walking the trail that the lamb is about to give its life for people. And they’re seeing the Messiah come and they’re praising his name. And the Bible tells us they have palm branches in their hands and they’re crying out, blessed is he. Hosanna. It’s interesting as you study those Psalms, the very same verse that says, Blessed is Christ or blessed is he. In the very next verse, after it declares that in the Bible it tells us that the people of Israel will reject them. Jesus enters into Jerusalem. In this moment, having taught this to his disciples about his identity for three years. And he gets to chapter 13 of the Book of John, and he enters into the upper room and he just serves them.
And he loves them. And just to the end of chapter 13in the Bible, tells us that he shares with his disciples in the most intimate of settings, that he is about to give his life for them. And you can imagine if you’re one of the disciples, the perception of the people of Israel is that the reason the Messiah was coming is so that he could set up his kingdom. And it was. But he went on to teach them that his kingdom wasn’t of this earth. And so they’re expecting this king to come, and this king to reign, and Israel to to reign with him and the 12 disciples that have been following him to reign at his sides. And all of a sudden they’re telling by being told by Jesus, I’m about to desert you. I’m leaving. My life is coming to an end. And you can imagine in that moment, having walked with this man for three years and giving everything up for him, how you just might feel. Pause in those moments and you can even ask ourselves, who is this Jesus? This one that I thought I was hoping in, and all the promises and the future that I was looking towards. Who is this Jesus? And Jesus begins John chapter 14 on the back of that and he says this. To not. Let your heart. Be troubled.
Believe in God. And believe also in me. Guys you’ve seen. All that I am. I’m equal to the father and the power that I possess and the things that I’m capable of. You know that I’m life. And you’ve believed in the father. And what I’m saying to you now, in these moments is believe also in me. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Just consider this as a thought. You talk about an understanding and knowing all the hope that you have in Christ. We know it’s wrong to sin. Let me ask you, would it be fair to say it’s also wrong? To be so troubled with our circumstances that we forget the hope of the calling that we have in Christ. I see this happening in the lives and the disciples in this moment. I think we get like that a lot of times in our lives. And, and I’m saying we get to a place, and in that moment, it’s important for us to recognize that, to perpetuate that situation, it could become wrong. But if we’re described our lives in some circumstances, we just say it. Even without words, we just. Jesus looks at the disciples in this moment and he’s saying to them, guys, don’t forget what you’ve learned. Don’t forget these three years. Don’t be blown away by the circumstances. You believe in the father. Believe also in me. Don’t let your heart be troubled. On First Peter. The Bible says in chapter five, cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.
Then it goes on to say that Satan roams like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. To that to me. And that passage is saying, if you want Satan to really grip your life and take control, just live in fear and live in anxiety and worry about what tomorrow holds. But in this passage, Jesus says, listen, if you know me, just don’t let your heart be troubled. There’s no reason to. And he goes on to explain why. It says this. In my father’s house. Our meaning dwelling places. I got to tell you this. I plan on hitting them. All right. If it were not so. If it were not so, I would have told you. For? I go to prepare a place for you. Because I’m not deserting you. I’m with you. I’m thinking about you. I’m preparing a heavenly place for you. You think about this. He’s had 2000 years to do this. This place is going to be amazing. You know, he had some good carpentry skills on earth, so he was just training for the heavenly Kingdom. He’s building right in verse three. If I go and prepare a place for you, he gives you this promise. I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.
Jesus shares some interesting thoughts with us in this passage of Scripture when he talks about preparing a home for us. This is actually I’m going to explain this in a minute, but this is actually where we get the idea of what communion is about. Well, Jesus is explaining here in the context of the Jewish culture, is what we would refer as a betrothal period. It’s what it’s what Mary and Joseph went through before Mary and Joseph had consummated the marriage. They were betrothed to one another in the eyes of a Jewish culture. They saw them as being married. And the goal of Joseph in that time that they were betrothed together. What what they would do is Joseph would go before Mary’s father. Hey, say, hey, give me your wife or give me your your daughter. And I’m sure her her her father probably threatened his life and cleaned his shotgun in front of him and then and then said, okay. And then they sat down together and they took partook of what we call today communion. It would literally eat bread together, break bread together and take a cup. And Mary and Joseph would have shared this communion cup of intimacy together as a symbol of their betrothal to one another. Jesus does this in the upper room with his disciples. In these final hours of his life. And then the goal after they have this communion time together. The goal of Joseph is then to return to his home, having been betrothed to Mary, and prepare a place for her.
You think about that as a church family and the symbol that what it means to us every time that we take communion together, we’re not going to do today, but we’ll do it on Easter. Every time we take communion together, what is communicating to us as individuals is whatever weight, whatever burden, whatever anxiety, whatever stress you have in your life, Jesus has it under control. Jesus is going to heal all things. Jesus is making all things new. Jesus has you on his mind. He loves you. He’s coming back for you. You are his bride. He cares for everything that you are. And in that moment. That communion is a symbol to us. Let not your heart be troubled. You saw that Jesus is done. You saw everything that he is. Let not your heart be troubled. This passage, the Bible tells us that Jesus as he has left, he left for the purpose of preparing a place for his bride. He’s demonstrated his trustworthiness to us. But I love the response of Thomas because he always makes me feel good. Thomas said to him, Lord. We don’t know where you’re going. How do we know the way? Look what Jesus said in verse four. You know the way where I am going. Jesus and Thomas is saying, no, we don’t. Jesus, I don’t know where you’re going.
I don’t know what to do. I feel defeated, I feel inadequate. I got to say, even even though I I’ve mentioned to living in anxiety, we could consider just sinful. We all get here. Don’t we? We all get to the place where life gets stressful. The burden seems too much, the moment seems so difficult, and all of a sudden God looks this small and the burden looks this big. Becomes an important opportunity for us in those moments, not to to try harder, but really just to seek the face of Christ. Look at all that Jesus has done. Thomas says, Lord, I don’t know the way. And Jesus says, Thomas, you know the way, you know the way. Thomas, let the knowledge of what you know connect with your heart. Did you hear what I said? I go to prepare a place for you. That where I am. There you may be. Stop looking at the burden and start looking at the God who solves the problem. Train yourself. Lord, it looks this big, but I know you’re far bigger. God, allow me to see the problem with everything in light of who you are. Thomas. You know the way. Connect it to your heart. And still we say, Lord, I, I, I don’t, I don’t know the way. God I, I don’t have the pieces, Lord, I can’t put it together. And so Jesus, in a reassuring way to Thomas, goes on and says this.
Jesus said to him, this is what I think one of the most powerful statements that Jesus really made to the Jewish people. I am the way and the truth. And the life. No one comes to the father but through me. If you had known me, you would have known the father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Thomas, I’m saying to you, the father is the same as I am. You’re looking and seeing that. But I’m telling you, Thomas, I am the way and the truth and the life. We’ve studied this together and in recent months we know what the the term’s way, truth and life. The picture that Jesus is creating in the Jewish mind is a picture of the temple. In the Jewish temple there were only two rooms and there were three places that a person could go. One was the outer courtyard that was called the way then, then the holy place that was called the truth. And then the Holy of Holies were only the High priest could go. That was referred to by the Jews as the life. And Jesus is saying, the system of religion that you think might be the solution. Stop looking at it and look to me. I am the way, I am the truth. I am the life. I don’t know how we would relate that today. He is the Walmart, he is the Kohl’s.
He is the Macy’s. I don’t know, I don’t know. But whatever. It is the center. Center of your culture, the center of what you think is significant. The the centerpiece of life is not a moralistic living. It’s not a religion. It’s it’s Jesus. I love how Jesus does it. Jesus doesn’t sit down with his disciples and say, guys, gather around for a minute and here’s what I want you to do. Tell me in the next three years, if I’m not around, just tell me the things that you want to know the answer to, just in case something happens. Okay? You want to know how to raise your kids, and you want to know how to to take care of your money. You want to know how to to love your spouse. And you want to know, I mean, these moralistic systems, those those things are fine. They’re helpful and they’re good. But what Jesus says, if you want the real solution to everything, start with this premise I am. It’s me, I am life. It’s not religion, it’s me, it’s Jesus. Do not let your heart be troubled. You know the way. As Jesus shares with us the way, the truth, and the life. One of the important things that I think he says to us in that passage. Is the exclusivity. I am the way, the truth and the life. And no one. No one. Comes to the father.
But through me. You think about what Jesus has just said about all other religious teachings? And understandings in this passage. And a universalistic society today. It’s exclusive. The promise that Christ brings to us the idea of who Jesus is, the life that he offers. It’s in nothing else but him. And I think the worst thing. We could do. In light of even looking at these passages today, the understanding of who Jesus is. As to acknowledge him with our lips, but walk out and deny him with our life. You won’t believe this. I just got candid for a minute as a as a pastor, and we’ll all be in the same boat when I tell you this, but. Um, pastoral ministry can get so encumbering sometimes. That the thing that can take a back seat if you’re not careful. It’s just Jesus. Right. It’s hard to believe. I mean, that’s the pastor. I spend a lot of time in God’s Word, a lot of time in God’s Word for you. A lot of time in God’s Word for whatever class I’m teaching, for whoever I go visit. There’s a lot of time in God’s Word. But you know what the danger always becomes. Not spending time with God for me. So wonder my heart gets troubled. It’s Jesus. I look at my problems and the situations and the adversity on my shoulders. It’s easy just to run after the problems and the adversity and just leave Christ behind.
And that’s exactly what Thomas is doing. I don’t even know. God. I’m going to have to figure this out on my own. You’re gone. Jeez, the kingdom is over. What are we going to do? I got to go back to fishing or whatever. Right. I’ll think about you when things get cleared up. And he’s saying to us in this passage, guys, put your thoughts on everything that Jesus is. Put your identity in all that he’s become for you, everything that you’ve learned, all the knowledge, allow it just to saturate and connect your heart. And in the busyness of your day, give God the time. Cast all your cares on him and don’t let your heart be troubled. Cares for you. I love the way the Apostle Paul said this and just the thought carrying the same thought. What we’re sharing in John chapter 14. We share all the moralistic things of what’s right in life. And and Paul goes into the church of Corinth. If you were to say what was the worst group of people in the Bible? Hands down the Corinthians, man. If they if there was sin to be invented, they had already figured it out. There’s nothing we’re going to do worse than these guys did. And this place was grotesque before God’s eyes. And I like it. I just picture this thought of Paul. You know, I could share with you guys these good things that you should do, but I’m just throwing my hands up, and this is it.
This is all I want. For? I’ve decided to know nothing among you. Accept Jesus Christ. And him crucified. Look, we can adjust our lives to look as pretty as we might want it to look. But the real transformation happens in the heart. And it happens when we give Jesus the time to work in our lives and to move. And so this is the challenge for Easter this week. This is like this should be the day where you jump up and down and go crazy for Christ and the week, and when you could just shout out what Jesus has done and the resurrection of him and and what it means to us. So. So this week is the week to get reckless for Jesus. It is. Go nuts. Just try it. Okay? Go. Go to Jesus. Live for Jesus. Love Jesus. Look at Jesus as the end goal of your journey, hunger and thirst for Christ in your life. I love the way Christ said it. Become like a child. I love the believability of a kid. In. Jesus. Is it okay? I looked at all this knowledge I’m going to accept. Understanding of who Christ is in light of the way he’s communicated it. I believe it, and I’m changing in light of it. I like to think in our lives, the complexity of life tends to make it about us, but the simplicity of life makes it about Jesus.
Let me let me just share this last thought. I would hate. And we’re moving into a church, a bigger church for larger ministry in the near future. Romans to the point where painting, by the way. That’s good, right? We go into this building together and the ministry keeps growing. Maybe that’s not the last building. Maybe we build, like, a megalopolis or whatever, I don’t know. We just have this huge place in Lee Heights, like Encumbers. The whole city. I mean, you just imagine. And we get to the end of this, we say, you know, we did a lot of great things. We did. We conquered things. We saw people’s lives change. We saw people’s marriages made stronger and their relationships better. And we there’s no more homeless people in the city of of Utah. But the great tragedy and all that. And so we get to the end of that. And our relationship with Christ. Is absent. To encumber ourselves with so much burden and responsibility for the work of the ministry that we just forget the idea of who Christ is and our relationship with him. Jesus said in revelation of the church of Ephesus, the problem that they had is that they left their first love. And I’m reminded as I look at this passage of Scripture, and I’m overwhelmed at times in my life with various burdens to just question myself.
Where is my faith? We’re not going to look at this together. But if you saw and study the life of Peter when when Jesus shared with Peter. Uh, I’m leaving Peter. I’m about to die. And Peter’s like, no, you’re not. You’re not going anywhere. Jesus rebukes Peter. Peter ends up rejecting Jesus. The you know, the crow cries. I’m sure it was on the Bible TV show just recently, right? The crow cries as Peter rejects Jesus and Peter runs away at Jesus’s crucifixion, just bawling like a baby. And it tells us in John chapter 21, a beautiful story takes place. After the resurrection of Christ. Peter, I’m sure, is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and guilt having left his Messiah. He’s standing out in the waters fishing. He’s given up. Jesus wouldn’t want him back, right? Especially after he’s rejected him. And the Bible tells us that Jesus shows up on the shore. That’s Peter’s fishing. Peter can’t believe it. Is coming to take me back again. I’ve rejected him. I’ve not given him the time. And he still loves. I’ve turned away from it the most horrific time, done some of the most horrific things by denying him. And he’s here for me. And the Bible tells us that Peter jumps out of the boat. He just goes, man, he just leaves everyone there and he just swims to shore. And I just say this week, go reckless for Christ because Jesus goes reckless for you.
And Jesus gets on the shore and it tells us that he just cooks Peter breakfast. He fills his belly, he loves him. And then he just asks him this one question. Peter. Do you love me? Bible tells us he doesn’t ask it just once, but he just asks it three times. Peter, do you love me? Peter’s response. Finally, he just looks at Jesus and says, Jesus, you know I love you. Can I tell you this morning? I don’t know what it is that takes us away from Christ. Whether it be anxiety, it could be anxiety. It’s the example that we have here. It could be stress, it could be burden. Whatever it is that we carry, it’s not worth taking away from your relationship with Christ. And there’s nothing that’s more significant and cherishing that you can experience in this world by but but by giving Jesus time. Do you love him? The idea of who he is and what he came to this earth to do for you in the life that he presents should become more about just more than just intellectual knowledge. When we walk out of here on Sunday, we should allow it to saturate our hearts. Do you love me? Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God? Believe also in me. And my father’s house are many mansions. Behold, I go to prepare a place for you. That where I am, there you may be also. You know where I am going. Just trust. Give him time.