The Way to Life

Do you want to live a life of victory, of triumph, of success?

Do you want to succeed in your job, in your personal goals?

Do you want your life to radiate success so you can say,

I am victorious.

I have triumphed over adversity.

It sounds a bit much.

It sounds kind of like I'm selling vitamins or life coaching.

But there's something to it, isn't there?

Maybe your heart skipped a beat.

Yes, I do want that.

We all want to be successful.

We want to see victories.

We want to see triumph in our lives.

Surely we all want these things.

We want the things that we turn our hands to to succeed.

We want to work hard and we want to win.

We want to beat the opposition at work.

We want to win the new client.

We want to get the promotion.

Imagine that feeling of success when all of your debts are paid off.

Can you imagine that feeling?

That feeling of sweet victory when we win and someone else is defeated.

That feeling of a pat on the back that says you are worthwhile.

What you are doing is valuable.

Maybe you're not like that personally.

Maybe you are seeking a successful and triumphant life through other means.

Maybe it's through kids.

Maybe it's through a sports team.

You know, many of our kids get pushed to succeed because we never did as children.

And so we encourage them to study harder, practice, become successful so I can bask in your success.

Maybe it's the sports team.

We feel like life is worthwhile when our team triumphs.

My team beat your team.

And so therefore I feel better about myself.

My favorite contestant on My Kitchen Rules beat your favorite contestant on My Kitchen Rules.

And therefore I am more successful than you.

Life can be tough.

But these little victories, these triumphs, these moments, whether it's our kids or My Kitchen Rules or our sports team,

they give us a short-term boost of value.

But then worry, stress, anxiety sets in again.

Our emotions go up and down based on external things.

One week the sports team wins and we're feeling great.

Then they lose and we're down in the dumps.

Life has no meaning.

Is it possible that we are chasing victory and triumph in the wrong places?

Are we seeking triumph in things that don't last and don't matter?

Not that long ago, my emotions would regularly go up and down based upon the success of a sports team.

I love cricket.

I'm sorry if you don't love cricket.

And I've now come to realize that, mainly because our cricket team is very bad,

it's helped me realize that I can't place all of my hope and trust in that cricket team.

For many of us, we follow God.

But we add to Christianity a desire for success in our lives to bring us joy and happiness.

Yes, Jesus defeated death and sin, but while I'm waiting for Him to return,

I need other victories to ease the pain of anxiety and loss and failures.

Today, as Steve has mentioned, we're starting a new series on the triumphant life.

This is not going to be nine weeks on how to live your best life now.

But it's a series that's going to take us through Easter,

the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus,

as we see Him triumph over death and sin,

as He offers us His victory.

We'll see what this triumphant life that Jesus has to offer us is.

And we come depending on Him.

Now, we're going to be spending the next nine weeks, as I mentioned,

looking at Jesus' last moments.

And as we start this week, we're in chapter 14,

in the middle of the book of John.

Strange place to start, but it does make sense for us.

Jesus is meeting with His disciples just before He is crucified.

And He warns them that He's just about to leave.

Not only that, but He tells His disciples,

one of you is going to betray me.

And so He sends out Judas Iscariot to go and betray Him.

Now, with Judas gone, Jesus, with His disciples,

in the moments before He's crucified,

sits with them, and they are concerned.

They are worried.

They're worried about their future, what's going to happen.

And so Peter asks, Lord, where are you going?

Jesus responds, you can't follow me, but you will later.

But Peter, he's indignant.

No, no, no.

I'm going to go wherever you go.

And so this leads Jesus to calm their worries,

their fears, and their troubled hearts.

So we're going to be in John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

Please have your Bibles open.

Have the Bible app open on your phone.

It will be on the screen as well.

We're going to start in chapter 14, verse 1.

Jesus said,

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Now, at first, this might seem like an offhanded thing to say.

Just calm down.

You're going crazy.

Everything is fine.

Because I know that never works when I try and say that to anyone.

But Jesus says,

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

And then He unpacks it.

Don't let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in Me.

Believe in God.

And believe in Me.

God and Me, we're doing the same work.

And Jesus goes on to describe what being with the Father,

what their future with Jesus will look like.

It's like a house that has many rooms.

And so Jesus is going to say,

Don't be troubled.

I have a place for you.

He's going to prepare a place for these disciples.

It's not that Jesus has to go and do what I would do

if I was preparing a place for you,

which would be to clean things.

Jesus isn't going to sweep out the house.

He's not going to turn down the beds,

place a chocolate on the pillow.

Jesus has to make a way open to the house.

Jesus is going so that the Father's house is open.

And it's the Father's house.

He's going to depart so that we can be in God's house as a father.

It's not that we're going to God's house as slaves,

living in the tiny bedroom off to the side.

It's not the slaves' quarters.

But this is the Father's house as His children.

And it's likely here that Jesus is using palace imagery.

It's a description that conjures up images of rulers at the time

who their houses were built,

and then they would have many extensions.

They would have a son grow up,

and then the son would add rooms to the father's house.

And then a son would add other rooms,

and then other rooms,

and the house would just grow and spread out.

But it was all connected to one central room.

This image that Jesus is using,

it's a deeply family-oriented image.

It's a heavenly one that Jesus uses,

one that surpasses even the rulers' palaces.

It's one of close community,

of everyone having relationship

and close connection with God,

the Father Himself.

And then Jesus shifts the language a little bit in verse 3.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me,

that you also may be where I am.

It's no longer a house.

It's, I'm going to take you to be with me.

It goes from being a location to a relationship.

It's not just about heaven as a place,

but it's a relationship with Jesus Himself.

Jesus says to the disciples,

you're worried because I'm leaving,

but don't let your hearts be troubled.

I've got a place prepared for you.

And it's close to God Himself.

Now, this passage from John 14

is one of the most common passages read at funerals.

I've spoken on this passage a number of times.

It's likely that you've heard this.

And it's because it speaks to our very souls.

A loved one has departed,

and our hearts are troubled.

This passage doesn't take away the pain or loss of a loved one,

but it focuses our hope.

It takes all the worry that we have

and places it in the hands of Jesus.

It's a wonderful reminder

of what Jesus' death and resurrection has done.

He has made it

so that we can be in the Father's house.

It's a comfort,

even though Jesus is about to depart,

that there is an eternal home with God.

Now, while we are still living,

our homes, our houses,

are often a big stressor in Sydney.

I'm sure I could do a quick poll of this room,

and it would be a stressor for, you know, 90%.

The stats say that it is one of the biggest stressors.

Where am I going to live?

Can I pay the rent to be in the right suburb that I want?

Because that's the school,

that's in the catchment for the school

I want to send my kids to.

And if you manage to buy a house,

well, there's mortgage stress.

Interest rates are low at the moment,

but who knows what's going to happen in the future.

Having a triumphant and victorious life

is so often based on external things.

How many bedrooms does our house have?

How many bathrooms?

What's the square footage of your house?

And it's even easy for Christians

to buy into that view of success.

I'm valuable.

I'm successful because I live in a house

in the right suburb.

I'll be valuable and I'll be successful

when I buy that house,

when I can live there.

But the reality for all those who follow Jesus

is it's that our victory,

our triumph,

isn't found in our location

or the amount of bricks that we own

stacked on each other,

but in who owns the house.

We are valuable not because

of the things we own,

but because of the price

that Jesus has paid.

So we could come to the Father's house.

This is not anything that we can boast in,

but the location of the best home

is given to us.

But the disciples were still troubled.

Thomas asks in verse 5,

Lord,

we don't know where you are going,

so how can we know the way?

He's likely worried that

Jesus was departing to a place

that he didn't have a map for.

He needed a location

so he could plug it into his Google Maps

so that he could...

You know, it's not a location.

You can't search for my Father's house

in the app.

It doesn't come up.

He doesn't know where Jesus is going,

and so he doesn't know the way.

And so Jesus replies,

verse 6,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life.

No one comes to the Father

except through me.

Jesus himself

is the way to God.

And he is the truth of God.

He's the truth of God

because he reveals

what Jesus is like.

He does only

what God tells him to do.

He is God made flesh.

And he's life.

He has life in himself.

And it's only because Jesus

is both the truth of God,

God made flesh,

and the life of God,

that he can be

the way to God.

And this means that

he's the only way

to the Father.

We can often be tempted

to think that

all religions

are the same,

they all have value,

but it cannot be true

that all paths

lead to God.

And we can often think,

look,

as long as you believe

in something,

that is fine,

it is good that you just

believe in something,

but Jesus is clear.

There is only one way

to the Father,

and that's him,

it's Jesus.

Jesus.

Again,

if we took another poll,

but not inside the church,

if we went outside the church

and took a poll,

do you believe in God?

The majority of people

would say,

yes,

I believe in God

of some kind.

But if we asked,

do you believe in Jesus,

the stats would be

much lower.

For Jesus,

he is the only

way to God.

He is not just one

amidst a number,

he is the only

way to God.

Because God is not just

some vague,

mystical spirit.

Jesus is God

made flesh.

He is the unknowable

made known.

And so Jesus says,

don't let your hearts

be troubled.

You don't know

where you're going,

that's okay,

because you know me,

and I am the way

that you are going.

Jesus is about to go

and be crucified,

to purchase

our forgiveness

and become the way

to the Father,

to make the way open,

but he also makes it certain.

So don't let your hearts

be troubled,

believe in me,

because I am the only

way to the Father.

So often,

I see articles

on the internet,

on websites like BuzzFeed,

I don't know if you know

of BuzzFeed,

but they often have

headlines like,

10 steps to a healthier life.

You know,

you won't believe

step six.

You know,

four tricks to crush

your life goals.

Have you seen

these kinds of things?

Have you clicked on them

and gone,

I kind of have to see

what step six is now,

you know,

you really hooked me in.

I love these things.

Maybe you do too,

because they make,

they make anything

seem possible.

You know,

10 steps to get

to the moon.

Do you know what,

it's only 10 simple steps.

Just because number nine

is getting a rocket,

you know,

it makes anything

seem possible.

But the way

to the Father

is far more than that.

It is every step

in a life

of total obedience.

It is millions

and millions of steps.

And that's what Jesus offers.

He took every step

in perfect obedience

to God.

And he says,

I have won that victory.

I have that triumph.

I have that goal,

that life

of total obedience

and I offer it to you.

But it's not even

five steps for us.

It is just one step.

Don't let your hearts

be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me

because I am the way.

It's not as catchy

a headline

as 10 steps

to whatever it is.

But that is our guide

to living the triumphant life.

That is the one step.

Believing

in Jesus.

Believing in God

because he is the way.

The disciples

are still wrestling

with this.

They're still trying

to understand

what it means

that Jesus is going

and they're not going

to know where he's going.

And so now

it's Philip's turn

to ask a question.

Look,

just show us the Father.

It will be so much easier

if you just show us God.

We won't worry,

just show us God.

And so Jesus responds,

maybe out of frustration,

maybe out of surprise

that they're still asking this.

And so have a look with me

at verse 9.

Jesus answered,

Don't you know me,

Philip?

Even after I have been

with you for such

a long time,

anyone who has seen me

has seen the Father.

Don't be troubled,

you have seen God.

You've seen me.

You just haven't recognized me.

The disciples

don't fully understand

and grasp yet

that Jesus is God himself.

Jesus says,

I'm in him.

I do his work.

He's in me.

Don't you believe that?

Now this,

to me,

is still the most

startling part

in the whole Bible.

The whole Bible.

That the man

who goes

and dies

on the cross

is himself

God.

And he is the one

who reveals

that God

is the Father

and he loves us

and cares for us.

Jesus is not just

a man.

He cannot just be

an agent of God,

someone sent by God.

He is definitively

God himself.

And so Jesus says,

Don't let your hearts

be troubled.

Trust in me

because you have,

if you've seen me,

you've seen God.

And the disciples,

they would come

to understand this

later,

after his resurrection.

They would come

to realize

how complete

and how wonderful

Jesus' triumph was.

Now you might be thinking,

well this is great.

These comforts

are wonderful.

I love that

my eternal destination

is so certain

that I have a home

with God

and that Jesus

is God himself.

This is great.

This is lovely.

But it's

so far away

waiting for Jesus.

It's good

that the future home

is guaranteed.

The way to Jesus

is not my own strength.

It's not the steps

that I do.

It's Jesus' strength.

But do you know what?

My life

is in turmoil now.

I'm struggling

with addictions.

I'm chasing

the wrong victories.

I don't know

what's best for my life.

I don't know

what's best for my kids,

my job,

my career.

My health

is failing.

I can't stand

my job.

I'm lonely.

It would just be

so much easier

if Jesus came back

now.

What does Jesus

do

for troubled hearts

now?

What is Jesus

going to do

for his disciples

because he was

about to leave them?

Jesus says,

don't be troubled.

I'm going

to send someone.

verse 16.

And I will

ask the Father

and he will

give you

another advocate

to help you

and be with you

forever.

The spirit of truth.

I'm going

to send you

the advocate.

Now,

I don't,

I'm not in the

legal world

if you hadn't

noticed.

Advocate

is a legal word

and I wasn't

really across it

so I contacted

a lawyer this week

because advocate

is a legal term

and my special

lawyer friend

told me what

an advocate

is in legal terms.

Let me read.

An advocate

is someone

who acts

on behalf

of another

to protect

and or advance

their interests

and includes

notions of

being a mouthpiece

for someone

in assisting,

defending or

pleading their case

in a court of law,

representing someone

who is weaker

or in a vulnerable

position,

representing someone

who is not able

to adequately

or effectively

speak on behalf

of themselves.

Generally speaking,

if someone was not

in a vulnerable,

weaker position

or had an ability

to effectively

speak for themselves,

they would not

really require

an advocate.

But as the majority

of the public

do not understand

the intricacies

of the law

or possess the skill

to articulate their case

in the context

of the law,

they require

an advocate.

You can see

why this

is such a

helpful word

for us

to understand

the work

of the Holy Spirit.

He's going

to speak

on your behalf.

He's the

Spirit of truth

and He will reveal

truth to you.

He understands

the situation

when you don't

and He makes us

see the truth.

Disciples,

you want to see God?

God,

the Spirit of truth

will help you

realize that you

have seen Him.

These disciples

and us,

we are in a weak

and vulnerable

position.

Jesus is going.

It seems that

it's going to be

even worse,

but the Holy Spirit

will stand with them.

We do not

understand the

intricacies of God.

The Spirit does.

And He reveals

God to us.

The disciples

were troubled

that Jesus

was leaving,

but they

wouldn't be alone.

Verse 18,

I will not

leave you

as orphans,

I will come

to you.

Before long,

the world

will not see

me anymore,

but you

will see me.

Because I

live,

you also

will leave.

You won't

be alone.

I will be

with you

in spirit.

This is

an amazing

comfort.

Not only that,

but the Holy Spirit

was going to

bring them

into this

relationship

with God.

It's the

love of God.

Verse 21,

whoever has

my commands

and keeps

them is

the one

who loves

me.

The one

who loves

me will

be loved

by my

Father,

and I

too will

love them

and show

myself to

them.

You will

be brought

into my

family,

into the

unique

love of

God

that he

has for

his son

and the

spirit,

that unique

triune

love that

God has,

he is going

to share

that with

all of

us.

It's being

adopted into

a new

family with

the same

comforts,

the same

language of

love.

My father-in-law

works for

Qantas.

Alyssa and

her siblings

used to

be able to

get,

I believe,

if this is

correct,

my darling

wife,

used to

be able to

get discounted

travel.

Free flights,

even better,

but not

anymore.

She took

the slight

step down

of not being

able to get

free flights

to become

a Barnett.

Amen?

No,

that's fine.

She left

the family

that could

get free

flights,

left those

privileges.

Now I get

to be in

that family

too,

but there

are privileges

to families.

The disciples

here get

invited into

the close

personal love

that God

had in the

Trinity.

The father

loved the

son,

the son

loved the

spirit,

they each

loved each

other

perfectly.

It's an

awesome love.

And this

love gets

spread out

and invited

for all

who would

believe

and not

have their

hearts

troubled.

The disciples

were anxious

and worried

that Jesus

was leaving.

They didn't

know where

he was

going,

they didn't

know how

to follow

him,

and they

wanted some

glimpse of

God,

and Jesus

said,

don't be

troubled.

Don't have

a heart of

fear.

I might be

going,

but it is

for your

benefit.

It will be

so much

better if I

leave,

because the

Holy Spirit

is coming

so that

you can

understand the

truth that

I am

God.

I am

going to

prepare a

place for

you to

secure your

home.

I am

sending

someone to

guide you

and walk

with you,

walk beside

you.

You will

not be

alone.

The

disciples,

they were

in a really

unique place

where they

knew Jesus

face to

face,

but they

would have

something

better.

For us,

it is a

different kind

of worry

than Jesus

leaving.

We are

still anxious,

we are

still worried

and troubled

in our

hearts.

We are

not sure

when Jesus

is going

to come

back.

And we are

anxious and

worried about

life as we

wait.

There is

sickness,

we still

need to

work,

we still

need to

raise kids,

we still

need to

study hard,

we are

still worried

about housing.

It is

Sydney after

all.

Jesus

speaks to

us and

says the

comfort is

the same

for us

now.

Jesus

has gone,

he has

prepared a

place and

he is

waiting to

bring us

to him.

Paul

reflects on

this in

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15,

he says,

thanks be to

God,

he gives

us the

victory

through our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

Jesus

gives us

the victory,

he offers

us his

triumph.

He speaks

to us and

says,

I offer

you a

triumphant

life,

not because

you've

earned it,

not because

you deserve

it,

not because

it's some

short-term

triumph that

will last

for a

moment and

be gone,

but it

is the

best triumph,

the best

victory.

Jesus has

won the

battle over

death and

sin into

the love

of God

and he

offers us

God's

spirit which

will guide

us and

be with

us now

and he

offers this

to us.

Imagine

an

Olympian,

can someone

give me a

really hard

Olympic field?

Anybody

got an

idea?

Water

polo.

Okay,

we're going

to go with

water polo.

Anybody

think of

something harder

than water

polo?

I think

drowning would

be pretty

tough in

water polo

personally.

Let's

imagine

water

polo.

This

person

has

trained

all of

their

life

to

become

the

best

and

their

goal

is to

win

the

Olympics.

Day

and

night

they've

thought

about

nothing

else.

They've

sacrificed

everything

and they

have become

the very

best.

They're

an

expert

in

water

polo.

And

finally

the

Olympics

come

and the

four year

cycle

comes

around

we're

all

watching

it

at

3am

in the

morning

wherever

it is

and this

person

finally

wins.

They win

gold.

Here we go

I've got a

gold medal

here.

It's not

Olympic gold

medal don't

worry I

didn't

earn this.

And

they're

about to

take the

step up

onto the

podium

to win

the gold

medal

that they

have rightly

earned.

They have

worked hard

for.

And

instead

they

step

down

off

the

podium

and

they

walk

over

and

offer

it

to

you.

I'm

just

going to

place it

right there.

There you go.

Good job Adam.

You worked

hard for that.

This doesn't

make any

sense.

I cannot

imagine

any

Olympian

doing

that.

Stepping

down the

thing that

they have

fought for

and worked

for and

sacrificed

everything

for.

To not

step up

onto the

podium but

actually to

step down

and invite

somebody else

to take

the prize

and to

get the

victory

and to

go off

and have

the victory

lap.

That

doesn't

make any

sense.

That would

not happen.

And yet

this is

what Jesus

has done

for us.

His

triumph

was not

won for

him

alone.

We

are his

prize.

The

victory

is for

us.

And he

hands us

this

prize.

We

can

shun

the

efforts

on the

cross.

We

can

chase

our

own

triumphs

that

will

never

satisfy.

We

can

live

in

ignorance

of the

prize

that

Jesus

has

won

for us

on

the

cross.

Or

we

can

live

now

with

a

triumphant

life

won

for us

by

Jesus.

Let

me

pray.

Heavenly

Father,

we

chase

short-lived

selfish

victories

that are

truly not

wins.

Lord,

we

are in

awe of

the

victory

that

Jesus

has

won,

that he

has

followed

every

step in

a life

of

obedience

to

you.

Lord,

it

does not

make sense

to us

that he

would

offer

us

this

victory

and

triumph,

but we

thank you

so much

that you

have given

us this

gift,

this place

in your

home with

this triumph.

Lord,

help us

not to

chase

things that

do not

satisfy.

Help us

to fix

our eyes

on the

goal

of being

with you.

And

Father,

we thank

you that

as we

wait,

as we

live here

on this

earth,

thank you

that you

have filled

us with

your spirit,

that you

offer us

the advocate,

not just

to comfort

us,

but so

that we

can know

you,

that we

can have

Jesus

revealed.

And we

pray all

this in

your son's

name for

your glory.

Amen.