Jesus is the Answer, but What's the Question?

Well, we're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 96a,

on page 126 of the psalm books. We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 9, the tune is Argyle.

Psalm 96a on page 126.

We'll sing a new song to the Lord. Sing praises to his name and his salvation. Day by day, let all the earth

proclaim. We'll sing from verse 1 to 9, and we stand to sing to God's praise.

Amen.

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

And now, thank you so much.

And now, thank you for the difficulty.

All the others Jerks

SONG CONTINUES

SONG CONTINUES

The Lord made their elders high.

O power and majesty are his.

He dwells in glorious light.

All nations to the Lord has cried.

The glory that is true.

Glory and strength has cried to all.

And grace is in the new.

Enter his course with joy and reign.

And no other being with you.

Worship the Lord in holy care.

All earth before him now.

Let's come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord our gracious God as we bow in your presence at this time we are reminded in these words that

we have sung of the reason why we come with that need to bow in your presence to bow before you

and to know Lord how we are to humble ourselves before you that you might lift us up for we

cannot be proud in and of ourselves we cannot bring our own sacrifice as it were to you we

cannot bring our own works to you we cannot bring our own righteousness to you for they are just like

filthy rags as your word says and because we come to a holy God become we come to the one who has made

the heavens and the earth we come to the one who to whom all glory is due as the psalmist says

and help us so we might come in that right spirit that we might come with that in our minds Lord that

we come not just out of duty or habit but that we would come delighting to be in your presence to be

near to you to hear your word to unite our hearts together as a people here and lift up our voices

and praise to you and to join even in online and know that you are with us to know that together we

come to praise our Lord and our God and we come to a living God one who has shown us the way to life

the one who has given us life through sending your own son Jesus Christ into this world and we thank

you that we know that you sent him with a purpose that he came to seek and to save the lost and we

thank you Lord that that was done for us and for your people down through all the generations for your

people even yet unborn until the day of the Lord's return we thank you that there is that gospel hope

that all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved and we thank you that in a world in which

there is so much idolatry even as it was in the day of the psalmist as we read here of the other gods

that were worshipped the gods of wood and stone the gods that could not answer or had no power

we thank you that we come to the God of all power the God of all truth the God of all grace and mercy

and so Lord help us to come humbly before you anew this night knowing our sins as you know them

knowing that we cannot hide them from you knowing yet too that there is forgiveness for all who will come

confessing their sin and help us even tonight Lord to come with that sense of confession but also

repentance to turn from our sin and to turn to walk closely with you that you would be the one who

helps us and guides us and who keeps us along the way and we do thank you that throughout our town and

our island our nation and this world today that you have your people near and far that you have

your church your gathered people who come to praise your name and in so many different circumstances and

places even in so many different languages and tongues we thank you oh Lord that your name is

praised that you are glorified among many and we pray for your witness Lord throughout this world

in a world where there is so much sorrow and sadness we are reminded of it constantly

help us to be reminded too

you know in the beauty of this day

you know in the glorious sunshine that we see

to remember the glorious light of the gospel

the good news of Jesus Christ

and the joy that there is to be found in him

that joy of salvation that joy of assurance that joy of hope for life and for eternity

and we thank you that your gospel is like that sunshine that we see it gives light oh Lord it gives warmth

it gives hope to us even as we see new growth around us Lord in the ground and on the trees and in the fields

around us at this time Lord we see new life in so many different ways and we thank you that life is from you

and that you are the one who has given your son that we might have life and have it to the full

and we pray Lord that as your gospel goes out this day near and far that it will bring life to many

that it will bring growth into people's hearts

that it will give a sense of assurance and comfort

help

security and all that it can bring to us Lord that you will

bless your word

as it is ministered

through the preaching of your word

that your spirit will be with us Lord and with all your people

to apply it to our hearts

we do thank you for the work of the gospel

we thank you for it here in our own congregation and for all

the different ways in which we reach out with your

your gospel your glorious truth

we pray for your help in it

in everything that we do

we thank you Lord that we see encouragements around us

we see people

coming along to different

events that we have on

we thank you for the Friday of the Free

and for all who have helped there and attended over these past number of months now

Lord we thank you for the blessing it's been and the encouragement that we've had

we thank you for the connections that have been made and for conversations being had

among the many who come through our doors

and we thank you to be able to invite them not just to

to come and enjoy food with us Lord but to come

and hear the gospel and we pray that through all our

endeavors to reach out

to our people that the gospel will be at the heart of all that we do

and so we pray Lord that

you would help us to

have courage at times and

to speak clearly to them

of the need of the gospel

we thank you for all the young people who come to Sunday school and creche and explorers during the week

thank you for all who help in these activities from week to week

we do pray your blessing on each one and

we thank you as we've heard today as well for

the fact that there is a need for new help

we see this as a blessing Lord that

there have been encouragements and growth in so many ways and

we know that that brings with it many great burdens to us and we just pray that

it'll be a burden that'll be shared among us as a people

that you will lay burdens on our hearts to serve

you in whatever way we can

and we pray Lord to see

people coming to help with Sunday school even though it's

it can seem a task beyond many of us at times

we thank you for the way

that you have always used

ordinary people

we think even of our own

Sunday school teachers over the years

we thank you for each one of them and for the way that

you brought them from many different backgrounds and walks of life and used them for your glory

and help us not to be afraid Lord that

we are inadequate but that we would know

that as we serve

that you will help

and that you will give us

the words we need when we need them

and the courage

and the strength that we need

in all that we do in your name

so we do commit that to you in prayer

we remember the wider work of

the

denomination in terms of youth work as well

with the

the camps taking place over the summer

we ask your blessing on that

thankful for the day

training day in Inverness yesterday

and

pray for leaders that are still required for some of the camps too

that there will be those who will come forward

to help

we do commit Lord our

Thursday evening endeavors as well as we

look forward to that

beginning in a new way this coming week with

the

the big questions sessions

we thank you for those who helped there

especially

Roddy and Calla who have helped

with it for many years now and

we do pray Lord that there will be a sense of

your spirit working

in us and through us

and that we will be

confident to invite others along to these

these evenings

to explore your word and

the great questions of life

and all that it means

and the challenges that we face

Lord we pray that you will

give us that prayerful spirit going into this week ahead

and that we would see

your hand upon us for good

we do commit ourselves and into your hands at this time

Lord remember us

as a people remember us in our homes and our families

those who are unwell

in hospital and homes

those who are confined to their own homes

Lord those who

we need you in particular ways at this time

Lord we thank you

for your constancy

your presence promised

and we pray

for each one of us Lord

that we will remember

and encourage one another

as we are commanded

to do

so hear our prayers Lord

go before us now

and

we ask all things

for the forgiveness of our sins

in Jesus name

Amen

I will again sing to God's praise

this time in Psalm 5

in the Scottish Psalter

page 203

Psalm 5

page 203

we'll sing from verse 7

down to the end of the Psalm

Psalm 5 at verse 7

we'll sing from verse 7

down to the end of the Psalm

to God's praise

but I into thy hearts

will come

in thy love

the days

that I will worship me

I fear

to pour

thy holy place

because

of those

my enemies

Lord

in thy

righteousness

to love

to love

thee

to love

thy way

make straight

before

thy face

all in their

power

there is

no truth

thy

thy

heart

is

still

their

throat

shall

open

say

your breath

their tongue

not

lad

still

come

not

not

but

still

O

God

is

mine

and

let

the

thee

my

my

own

castle

dwell

and

for

the

many

saints

cast

has

many

cast

cast

for

forgiveness

he

remember

but

let

all

join

but

let

all

join

that

trust

in

thee

and

still

we

shall

be

good

for

a

endless

state

let

all

that

love

thine

in

may

he

rejoice

for

Lord

unto

the

righteous

man

thou

wilt

thine

sing

here

with

favor

thou

wilt

come

God

blessed

him

about

us

with

a

shield

we

turn to

read

God's word

together now in the New Testament reading in the Gospel of John

in chapter 14

John chapter 14

John 14 · chapter mention

we read from the beginning down to verse 24

John 14

I'm reading from the beginning of this chapter

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

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 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

truly truly I say to you whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the father

whatever you ask in my name this I will do but the father may be glorified in the son if you ask me for anything in my name I will do it if you love me you will keep my commandments and I will ask the father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever even the spirit of truth in the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you

I will not leave you as orphans I will come to you yet a little while and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live in you and because I live you also will live in that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you

whoever has my commandments and keeps them he it is who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him

Judas not Iscariot said to him Lord how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world

Jesus answered him if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make a home with him

whoever does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine but the father's who sent me

so on and may God bless to us that reading from his word before we turn back and look at this passage

together we're going to sing again to God's praise in Psalm 56 sing psalms version page 73

of the psalm book we'll sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm tune as Stuttgart let them not escape

your anger bring the nations down oh lord in your book write write my entreaties in your scroll

my tears record and the psalmist goes on and then describes the way we find that refuge in him for you

you have kept my feet from stumbling and from death you set me free so that i may walk before you

and the light of life may see we'll sing from verse 7 down to the end of the psalm to God's praise

let them not escape your anger bring the nations down oh lord in your book write my entreaties in your scroll my tears record and the psalmist goes on and then

when i call on you to help me

then my foes will turn aside

this is how i will be certain

that my God is on my side

in the Lord

in the Lord

whose word

in my God

in my God

I praise his word

I will just stand

not be fearful

what can

man do

to me

Lord

I have taken

I have taken

last before you

to my God

I will be true

I have taken

last before you

to my God I will be true

sacrifice and soft

I'm giving

I will now bring it to you

for you

for you

for you kept my feet from some way

and from death you set me free

so that I lay hope before you

for you

and the light of life may see

well we can turn back together to a reading in the gospel of john chapter 14

John 14 · chapter mention

we just read again at verse 5 and 6

Thomas said to him that's to Jesus 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

we all have many questions I'm sure in our hearts and there are times when we think we have all the answers in life as we go on in our years in this world we go through these different stages of life through teenage years when we maybe think we've got all the answers we go on get older we realize we don't have all the answers nobody really does and we start groping around looking for answers to all

our different questions and very often our questions and very often our questions can lead us back to perhaps one of the most common answers that we give as children when we're asked questions especially if we think of a Sunday school setting or children's talk either in church or in school if minister asks the question well surely the right answer would be Jesus and it happens to myself regularly I'm sure it happens to many who are working with

children if you ask the children if you ask the children if you ask the question and a hand goes up and you ask well what's your answer ak'lthe answers you can't be wrong can you hell is what the question was Jesus is a question of faith MY'REσ

sereness….

Hanya's…

WAKE

WAKEذا…

Well just…

Jesus isn't the right answer always but that's dependent on what the question is that you're asking…

.

Police say…

For example…

Some will ask a question and do ask the question in life…

can I make money? When you think of all the different ministries in the world, not all of

them are honoring God in that sense of being for the glory of God. It's for self and for self gain

and prosperity ministries have become rife throughout the world because they've asked

the question where Jesus is the answer, but it's the wrong question. The question is, how can I make

money? Asking questions is always important for us and looking for the right answers is always

important for us, but we have to start by asking the right questions. As I said in the

in Demetrius at the start, that's the theme for this evening as we think of

exploring the life's big questions. Even as you look at this leaflet, you maybe think, well,

what's it all about? Is it for me? Is it for me to give to somebody else? Well, it's all of these

things. What is this leaflet actually saying to us? Even at a first glance, you see a lighthouse,

you see a stormy sea, but in the midst of that, you see all these questions that are scattered

around. And it's these kinds of questions that we want to explore together as we come together on

these Thursday evenings. But there's so often questions that come up in our preaching as we're

going through the Word of God. And it's questions that we maybe always don't have the opportunity to

explore or to ask for ourselves. How many of these questions that you see on the leaflet are questions

that you want answered just now? Here or tuning in online, are these the questions that are really

burning within your heart? Are these the questions that you look at them and you think, I've got the

answer. Is God real? No, he's not. Well, let's come and think about your answer to that. You're saying God

is not real. Why? Why is that your answer? Where has that answer come from? Has it come from studying?

Has it come from looking at God's Word or considering what people have to say around that question? Or is

it just your own understanding of this world? God is not real.

Other questions that you see there, what happened when I die? Again, what's your answer to that? Is it

just that's it, the end, there's no more? Or do you think, well, there's got to be more to it than that?

Well, again, what does the Bible say? Questions are so important for us. Jesus is the answer to many

of them, but we've got to be asking the right questions. Questions are good for us. They bring

discussion. They stimulate our thinking. They make us ponder and look more deeply into the questions of

life and eternity. Death and everything that life brings our way. And when you look at the gospel

here before, as the gospel of John, as you go through the Word of God, you see just how important

questions are. And you think, you know, this passage that we've read, verse 1 to 24 in chapter 14,

how many questions have been asked? How many different people have asked questions?

You see, Thomas asks a question there in verse 25, but there's others who are asking questions as

well. Philip is there as well in verse 8. And so it goes on. As you read through, you find that there are

many people asking questions of Jesus. And we shouldn't be afraid to ask our questions. You know, some would

have looked at Thomas and said, what a stupid question to ask. Why are you asking that of Jesus?

Other disciples who were with him at this time would have probably frowned upon him. And yet, as Jesus

gives the explanation, the answer to his question, they wouldn't have been frowning. They'd have been

marveling at the answer that he gives and realizing they didn't know the answer. They didn't understand

the answer that he gave. They didn't know the way until Jesus explained it to them in this wonderful

way. And so it can often be the case for ourselves. We think someone asks a question, what a silly

question to ask. But then we hear an answer given and it wasn't the answer we had in mind.

And we begin to realize how silly we can be at times to think of questions as unimportant.

They help us to understand more and more. And that's what Jesus is doing here with his disciples

here in chapter 14. He is gathered with his disciples. Such a well-known passage to many of us,

I'm sure. But here is Jesus not long before he is going to go to the cross. He's gathered with his

disciples in this place in the upper room, as it's called. They've been having a meal together.

He's been explaining what lies ahead of them. He's been telling how one is to betray him and all that

lies ahead of the cross. And they're astonished by what they're hearing. And they've got all these

questions buzzing around in their heads. And Jesus begins this chapter 14 by saying,

let not your hearts be troubled. He calms them. And that's so often what Jesus does for us. He calms us.

And especially as we come to consider what he has to say to us and what he had to say to the disciples,

he is speaking to ourselves as well. And you see the disciples, you think, they must have understood

all about Jesus. They must have understood everything that he was going to do and all that lay ahead for

them. We think that of others ourselves, others who are maybe more mature Christians. Oh, they must know all the

answers. We don't. They don't. The disciples didn't have all the answers. You see that in the questions that they ask

here. But through asking these questions, Jesus gives them these answers, answers that help them

to understand life's big questions, to understand more of what life entails. And Thomas's question here

in verse 5 is not a silly question. It's such an important question. It's a question we're going to think

about how Jesus answers it this evening. In verse 5, Thomas said, Lord, we do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way? There's so much in the question and there's so much in the answer that Jesus gives.

Jesus is the answer here. And what's important is that the question was asked. And that's what's

important for ourselves as well, to ask the questions that lead us to further understand ourselves and the

gospel, who God is, that he is real, what he has done for us in giving his son. And even as you read on

here, the great promise, as we were looking at last week, not in this passage, but elsewhere, we were

thinking about God with us always. How he has promised never to leave us or forsake us. You have the promise

of the helper, the Holy Spirit, in these verses that we read too. And it is through that that we want to

come together and explore these questions and to think of, well, my heart maybe feels troubled. I'm anxious.

I'm worried with all that's happening in this world. It feels like we're in a storm at sea.

No direction, no help, fearful of what lies ahead. But what you see on the front of this question of

the leaflet, there's a light, there's a beacon, there's a place. And it ties in with what we have

here in the gospel of John chapter 14. Jesus' response says, I am. I am the way, the truth,

John 14 · chapter mention

and the life. And this is so often in the gospel of John how Jesus answers the big questions.

The text on the front of the leaflet is from John as well. John 8 verse 12, Jesus said,

John 8:12

I am the light of the world. Jesus the answer, but what's the question? Well, through asking questions,

we see Jesus explain just who he is and the importance of looking to him. And his response

to Thomas' question gives us three things just to briefly look at this evening. And it reminds us of

the power of questions, the power that there is in questions. And really behind Jesus' response,

where he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, is an answer to Thomas that is an answer to us all,

where we ask, well, what is life about? How do we get direction? Where do we go in life? And the answer

really gets to the heart of three questions that we can all have. And Thomas' question makes us think

about this. It stimulates our thinking. Like Thomas, he's saying, how can we know the way? It's that

question we so often have ourselves. How can we find our way in this life? Well, Jesus' response

shows us. It makes us think, well, what are we asking? What do I have to do in this life? What

can I change in myself to give me hope? What needs does this world have when we see the chaos that

surround us? The first answer that Jesus gives us, he says, I am the way. And really that's answering a

burning question in our hearts so often. How can I be saved? How can I be saved? Can I be saved?

Is one of the questions there on the front of the leaflet. Well, behind Thomas' question is,

how can we be saved? How can we be saved? And it's a question I'm sure many of us have. If we don't,

is a question we should have. Because the gospel is about salvation. Jesus came to seek and to save

sinners. So how can I be saved? Well, Jesus says, I am the way. I am the way. The answer is Jesus.

How can I be saved? I am the way. Since the days of Adam and Eve, when sin came into this world,

people have been struggling to find their way. You find it throughout the Old Testament and the New

Testament. You find it in every generation of life. You find it in our own generation so much today,

where we're going off in different directions, trying every new thing once again under the sun.

Things that the Bible already speaks about. Things that the Bible has told us already that there is

nothing new under the sun. We keep going through this cycle of thinking, we've got the answers.

We know what we need to do. We know the way we are to live. And that way is without God.

That's the answer. But Jesus says, no, it is not the answer. The answer is not pushing God's word out.

The answer is found in him. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

But everybody in this world has the answer. All of these questions on the front of the leaflet,

you'll answer in some way. Is God real? Well, your answer is only one of two things, yes or no.

Can I be saved? Maybe you're saying, I can't. I'm just too far gone. But the gospel is for hope.

It's saying you can. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved. Jesus is the answer.

He is the way. And so often in our life, it comes down to these two ways of thinking.

Two ways that Jesus makes so clear in the gospels for us again and again.

In Matthew 7, verse 13, Jesus says,

Matthew 7:13

Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.

And those who enter it are many.

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.

And those who find it are few.

He says there's two ways.

Which way are you going to go?

How are you going to answer these big questions in life?

Are you going to say, is God real?

No, he's just a fairy tale. We don't need him.

Well, you're on the broad road that leads to destruction.

But there's a narrow way.

And the way of faith, the way of Jesus,

as we put our trust in him,

he is the way.

He is the only way to the Father.

There was a missionary who went to Africa

who told a story after coming back.

And he said,

it was the very early days of missionary going into parts of Africa.

He was telling how he had helpers to go with him,

going from village to village,

bringing the gospel.

But that they were going to this certain part of Africa.

He was journeying into the wilderness, as it were,

into the thick forest area

and struggling to find their way.

But they came to this village

and all of a sudden the helper she had said,

we're going no further.

We cannot go past this.

It's too dangerous.

We don't know where we're going.

We don't know what lies ahead.

We've just heard things to say

that there's trouble along that way.

But the missionary was determined to go on,

to reach to as many as he could with the gospel.

And he asked in the village that they'd stopped

and if there was anyone who could help him,

if there was anyone who could take him further into the jungle.

And the chief of that village summoned a man to come.

And the man came and he was tall.

He was full of scars.

He was carrying a large axe.

And they came to an agreement

that this man would go with the missionary,

that he would lead him on.

And the next morning they set off

and they carried on into the jungle.

And the way was becoming rougher and rougher

as they were going on.

There was almost no path at all that there seemed to be.

And eventually it came to the point

where the missionary said,

stop.

We can't go on.

Do you really know where we are going?

Do you know the way to where we are going?

And the man looked at the missionary and he said to him,

look, you see this axe in my hand.

You see the scars on my body.

With this axe, I made a trail from the village

to which we are going to.

I came from there

and these scars are from coming from there.

You ask if I know the way.

Before I came, there was no way, he said.

I am the way.

It reminds us of what Jesus has done for us.

How he came into this world

where there was no way for us

to get back to God.

Where we couldn't do it of ourselves.

But where we see that Jesus is the way.

We see it through the cross,

through his scars, as Isaiah describes it,

through his stripes, his wounds,

we are healed.

Through him, he is the way,

as he says here.

No one comes to the Father

except through me, except by me.

Jesus is the way.

Can we be saved?

Yes.

Yes.

If we believe in the one who is the way.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me, he says.

But if we think of the way,

there's that second thing then.

When we think of Thomas

as being one of Jesus' disciples,

you'd think he'd be sure of things.

And yet what we see with Thomas

and with so many others in the scriptures

is this uncertainty,

this doubt,

this anxiety that so often comes in.

And how much they need comfort.

And how Jesus gives them comfort.

And when Thomas asks this question,

Lord, how can we know the way?

Behind that, as well as saying

how can we be saved,

is the second question.

How can we be sure?

How can we be certain?

And Jesus' answer tells us.

He is the truth.

I am the way.

I am the truth.

Truth, as we were hearing this morning,

is something that so often

is neglected and just cast away.

But we have the truth in the word of God.

And Jesus says,

I am the truth.

J.C. Ryle, interestingly,

put in one of his commentaries,

he said,

Believers are apt to say they know nothing

because they do not know everything.

Does that describe you this evening?

where you are afraid to say anything

about God's word or God's truth

because you don't know everything.

Believers are apt to say they know nothing

because they do not know everything.

We don't know everything.

But through exploring the questions

that we see before us,

we begin to learn more and more.

We realize we don't need to know everything.

We will never know everything.

But that in Jesus,

we have enough.

He says,

I am the truth.

And truth is a word often used

in the gospel of John.

Thomas came to know Jesus

because he came to see him as truth

and to know him as truth

in a world that was full of lies.

But not everyone received him as truth.

In John chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

it says he came to his own

and his own people did not receive him.

They didn't want him.

He was truth.

And yet they cast him out.

They were more settled in their darkness,

even though light had come,

the light of the world.

But in John chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

it goes on to say in verse 14,

the word became flesh and dwelt among us

and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

We have seen Jesus

and he is full of grace and truth

because he is truth.

But they wouldn't believe.

They weren't looking for him.

They were doubting him.

They were believing the Old Testament

so much that they were saying,

a Savior is coming,

but they couldn't believe that he was here.

And so many in life are looking for hope.

They're looking for the answers

to all the big questions,

but finding their answers

in all the wrong places.

All the wrong places.

And you see,

your world is full of lies.

And why is that?

Well,

because the father of lies,

as he's described in John's Gospel,

chapter 8,

the devil is prowling.

How it speaks of him

in John 8 is this way.

It speaks of the devil.

He was a murderer from the beginning

and has nothing to do with the truth

because there is no truth in him.

When he lies,

he speaks out of his own character

for he is a liar

and the father of lies.

The devil is at work

to take away all truth,

to convince us of what is a lie.

And the world in which we live

is more and more convinced by lies.

But we have truth.

And truth is found in Jesus.

In John 8,

again you go there in verse 31,

Jesus said to the Jews

who had believed in him,

if you abide in my word,

you are truly my disciples

and you will know the truth

and the truth will set you free.

We're looking for the answers

in this life that will set us free.

But they don't.

They merely hold us in chains.

But Jesus says,

I have truth.

I am the truth.

And this truth will set you free.

Why would we settle for lies?

Why would we be convinced by lies

when the truth is before us?

An interesting quote I read this week was,

if you believe the wrong gospel,

it doesn't matter how sincere

you are in your belief,

you are merely sincerely wrong.

And how easy it is

to be led astray

even by the gospel

when it's presented in the wrong way,

when it's presented as a lie.

You can be sincerely wrong.

But Jesus says,

come.

Come to me.

I am the way.

I am the truth.

There is truth in him.

So what do you believe

in this world?

John's gospel towards the end,

it says,

these were written

so that you might believe

that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God.

Is that what you believe?

Jesus is the Christ,

the Messiah,

the Savior,

the Son of God.

Do you believe it's real?

We must.

Because that is the truth

that he is.

He is the Son of God

who came to save us

from our sins.

The final thing we see here too

is Jesus' response

says that he is the life.

And what's behind that?

Again, it comes to Thomas' question,

how can we know the way?

How can I be saved?

Was the first one.

How can I be sure

we have the way

and the truth?

How can my life be full?

How can my life go on?

Because Jesus says,

I am the life.

And again,

this is something

that we find so often

throughout the Gospel of John,

the theme of life.

Jesus came

that we might have life

and have it to the full,

he says.

But what is life

to the full?

Do you have life

to the full

or life

to the max?

So often,

people are looking for

in this world,

I want to live

life to the full.

Maybe some of you

will remember back in the,

I think it was the early 90s,

as is the case today,

there were advertising

so many different things

and you'd be watching television

and the adverts would come on

and there was an advert

for a new drink

that Pepsi

were bringing out,

Pepsi Max.

And the theme

of this advert

was that there were

so many people

looking for all

the thrills in life,

the adrenaline rushes.

They were canoeing

down rapids,

they were jumping

off cliff edges,

it was all of these

activities that they were doing

to try and find

life to the max.

And Pepsi

were saying

to know life

to the max

is to drink

Pepsi Max.

Live life

to the full,

it was saying.

life to the max.

And if you were to say

to people,

life to the full,

living life to the max

is found in Jesus,

what would their response be?

More often than not,

just laugh in your face.

And yet if you're

a Christian here,

do you not seek God

in that way?

To know life

to the max,

life to the full,

because that is why

Jesus came.

And when you look

in the scriptures,

what do you find

with God's people?

They lived life

to the full.

Yes,

in all their different ways,

just like us,

so many faults,

so many mistakes

along the way.

But they lived it

for God.

You think of Moses,

how many mistakes

he made in his life.

And yet he lived life

to the full,

leading the children

of Israel

through the wilderness

for 40 years.

You think of David

faced up to Goliath.

Think of Jonah

who went on the run

from God

and ended up

in the belly of a fish.

Think of Paul

and his disciples,

with him

who traveled

around so many

different places

through storms,

imprisonments,

all of these things.

You think of God's people

who live today

in so many different

situations,

persecution

and fear

and all of these things.

And yet,

if you ask them

if life is dull

as a Christian,

no,

it's not.

Life as a Christian

is life to the full.

Life full

and life

with hope

for eternity

as well

as he's preaching

in this passage.

Let not your hearts

be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

He's going to prepare

a place

for his people.

And he's going to come again

to take us

to be with him.

And that's where

Thomas' question

comes from.

We don't know

the way.

We don't know

the way to life,

to the full life,

to the max

while it's in Jesus.

He is the way

and the truth

and the life.

And how do we live

this life?

We live it by faith.

We believe in God

that he is real.

We believe

that he gives life

in the midst of death.

We believe

that we can be saved.

We know that God

knows us

in all our different needs

and yet he says,

come and follow me.

And what does that entail?

It entails

taking up our cross

and following him.

In Luke 9,

he said to all,

if anyone would come

after me,

let him deny himself

and take up his cross

daily and follow me

for whoever

would save his life

will lose it.

But whoever

loses his life

for my sake

will save it.

in him

we have life

and life

to the full.

I have come

that they might have life

and have it

abundantly.

Jesus

is the answer.

And what's the questions

that we are asking

of him?

What are the answers

that we are giving?

so many of our own answers,

they'll still have a doubt,

there'll be a question mark

after them.

But somebody once said,

where God places

a full stop,

let no man

put a question mark.

And what we have here

is an answer

with a full stop.

Thomas is saying,

I don't know

the way.

We don't know

the way.

But Jesus says,

I am the way

and the truth

and the life.

Full stop.

It is all

in Jesus.

Comfort,

real comfort

is found

in asking

the right questions

about Jesus

and seeing

how Jesus

is

the answer.

Thomas is asking,

how can I be saved?

Jesus says,

I am the way.

Thomas is asking,

how can I be sure?

Jesus is saying,

I am the truth.

Thomas is asking,

how can my life

be full now

and for eternity?

Jesus says,

I am the life.

Let's come

and explore

life's big questions.

Let's come

and look

into God's word

and by the power

of God's spirit

know more

of Jesus

as the answer

to these questions

that we might

find in him

the one

who is

the way,

the truth

and the life

and live life

to the full

through him.

Amen.

May God bless

these thoughts

to us.

We're going to

conclude

by singing

to God's praise

in Psalm 73.

Psalm 73,

the Scottish Psalter

version,

page 316,

verse 23 to 25,

these three stanzas.

Psalm 73

at verse 23,

Nevertheless,

continually,

O Lord,

I am with thee.

Thou dost me hold

by my right hand

and still

upholdest me.

whom have I

in the heavens

high,

but thee,

O Lord,

alone,

and in the earth

whom I desire

besides thee,

there is none.

We'll sing

these three stanzas

to God's praise.

We'll stand to sing.

Lord,

O Lord,

I am with thee.

Thou dost me hold

thy right hand

and still

thou holdest me.

Thou wilt thy counsel

while I live

wilt be long

of the night

and still

thy glory

after all

receive me

to abide.

thy para-

what

what

is

our

Christ

and still

is our

is

our

is

our

is

our

after the benediction I'll go to the main door

we'll close with the benediction

now may grace, mercy

and peace from God, Father

Son and Holy Spirit rest

upon and abide with

you all now and forevermore

Amen

Amen