The Way, the Truth, and the Life    John 14:6

The camp theme emphasizes that our relations with Christ must be a personal one, and that it does not matter what the rest of the world thinks.

Lesson text – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Account leading up to the Lord’s declaration following the Supper –

I.  The Conversation with the disciples.

John 13:31-14:6  Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

  A.  The Time Appointed had come.

Luke 9:51  And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

  B.  The Troubled minds and hearts of the disciples.  “Ye shall seek

        me…”

John 20:1-4  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

He prepared them for his departure –

II.  The Commandment given to the disciples.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

The people in Israel had seen for three and a half years that Jesus of Nazareth loved those who followed Him.

They also saw that He loved those that needed to be loved and cared for, and that He strongly rebuked those who were supposed to be teaching, loving, and caring for them.

They would now see that even though Jesus was no longer present on earth, His disciples were loving as He loved, caring as He cared, helping as He helped, having compassion as He had compassion, and even laying their lives down for others, that they might know the truth and come to God the Father through God the Son.

Acts 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

III.  The Comfort given to the disciples.

  A.  The Separation is temporary.

Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

  B.  The Security is promised.

    1.  The Believer’s position in the Lord is not because of their

         actions.  Men’s courage will fail and their faith will falter!

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Even though we will fail –

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

    2.  The Believer’s position in the Lord is secure because of His faithfulness!

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

    3.  The believer’s position in the Lord is secure, not because we are

         leading, but because we are following – Him!

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

  C.  The Saviour is returning.

    1.  The Rest we have in Him.

John 14:1-6  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

    2.  The Reunion we have with him

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

    3.  The Route we take is through Him

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Have you come to God the Father through Jesus Christ, God the Son?  He is the only way.  There has never been and there never will be any other way to be saved except through the will of God, and that is to believe in Him through His Son.  How?

Romans 10:9-13  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

And from this we learn that we must –

Read His conversations – to the disciples and through them, to us.

Obey His commandments – to love Him and to love one to another

Accept His comfort – live through it and share with others.

Look for His coming!