AMLWCH METHODIST CHURCH
Wesley Street, Amlwch, North Wales

“I am the way, the truth and the Life”

(John 14:1-14)

 

This is number six of the seven “I am” sayings of Jesus in John’s gospel.   This is part of the farewell discourses towards the end of Jesus’ three years ministry.   I think that this was part of the introduction of the Holy Spirit.   It was necessary for Jesus, Son of God to come among a group of men to whom he needed to announce the good news.   It would have to be something big and decisive that would later introduce the Holy Spirit that would then be the “helper” throughout the rest of time.   Working with Jesus was the introduction to the work the apostles were called to carry out as God’s saving work.

So, Jesus says “Don’t worry.”   They are only your daily type of human beings and have to carry out some great things as the works begins.   It is a rare and incredibly essential job they will have to do.   Jesus says, “Don’t worry” because he knows how daunting this work is for ordinary people.   It has been necessary for the Son of God to start this vital work, to show his disciples what is needed and why.   He firstly tells them that there is plenty of room in God’s house.   He emphasises this by saying “If that were not so would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

What follows death is important to all people, but in life they cannot know the detail.   They must have faith and trust the words of Jesus.   This is also our experience for no one has ever returned to tell us about it.   Thomas is the one who responds.   He does not know where Jesus is going so cannot know the way.   Jesus tells him that he, Jesus, is the way, the truth and the life.   Of all the people the disciples know, Jesus is the one to trust with every fibre of their being.   His promises are copper bottomed.

Philip is the next disciple to put a question.   Jesus has said that if they know him they know the Father.   The question Philip asks is for Jesus to show them the Father.   The answer is that Jesus is also God.   Thomas will be the first to declare Jesus as God after Jesus has risen and shown him the wounds of crucifixion.   Jesus goes on to speak about the coming of the Holy Spirit that will enable them to do great things in his name.   This passage becomes an announcement of how things will be when Jesus is no longer present in the flesh.

It is a passage of great promise to turn ordinary fishermen and their like into messengers for God.   Today we need to learn a great deal about scripture, church history etc to grasp the necessary ways of mission but those very ordinary untrained men were the ones to first bring us the message.   But the simple message of these 10 verses is: Jesus is the way.   All is well.