Looking For a Way

Can I give you all a very warm welcome to our service today as we come together to worship

God.

Just a few of the notices to highlight before we go on.

You'll have it on your notice sheet there.

I just remember there's tea and coffee in the hall afterwards.

You're very welcome to join together there through in the hall.

The service is next Lord's Day.

Remember there'll be no Gaelic service in the morning due to the baptism service in

the church.

And the morning service will be taken by the Reverend James McKeever and the English

service here in the church.

I will be taking that myself.

So thank you from the Stornoway Christian Bookshop for all the support from local churches at

this time and indeed throughout the year.

We thank them for that and thank them for all the work they do there in the bookshop.

There's a number of notices about upcoming events as well.

I'll not go through them in detail, but you can see that there's volunteers required for

different things if you're willing to help with the hall during this coming week.

Thursday, Friday, there's the Goddess Good Africa.

Lunch is there.

There's this free breakfast on the Sunday morning, next Sunday morning at 8.30.

Again, if you're able to help with that, then you can get in touch.

And also with help with the visiting cruise ships coming into the town.

Volunteers are needed there to greet visitors to the church during that time.

So just read through the notices in your own time and see if you're able to help with any

of these events.

Well, we come to worship God today and we're going to begin by singing to his praise in Psalm

130.

In the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 130, page 421.

We're going to sing the whole of this psalm.

Lord, from the depths to thee I cried, my voice, Lord, do thou hear.

And to my supplications voice give an attentive ear.

We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.

Lord, from the depths to thee I cried, my voice, Lord, do thou hear.

Unto my supplications voice give an attentive ear.

Lord, who shall stand if thou, O Lord, choose mark iniquity.

But yet with thee, forgiveness is that fear thou mayest be.

I wait for God, my soul doth wait.

My hope is in his word.

More than may not.

More than may not.

More morning watch.

My soul doth wait for the Lord.

I say, Lord, may not.

May not to watch.

The morning light to see.

Let Israel hope in the Lord.

Lord, with him mercy speak.

And plentious preemption is ever found within.

And from all his iniquities he Israel shall redeem.

Amen.

We'll come to God now in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious Father in heaven, we rejoice to be able to approach your throne

and to come in worship before you as a holy God, a just and a loving God,

a God with whom there is much redemption as we have sung about for we recognize our unworthiness

to stand before you and the psalmist says who can stand before you if you were to mark your

iniquities against us but yet there is forgiveness with you and so we thank you that we can come in

and through the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the one who came for sinners the one who

came to lay down his life the one who gave his life as a ransom for many and we rejoice to be able to

praise to worship to sing your praise to lift up our voices rejoicing in the promise that as we come

to worship that you are in the midst to bless and may you fill our hearts with a sense of thankfulness

today thankful for the freedoms we enjoy thankful for the many privileges and blessings that are ours

but above all may you make us thankful for the salvation that is to be found in Christ Jesus

and so we pray for your people here today those who who trust in you with all their hearts that you

will strengthen that you will lead us in our faith that you will help us to walk closely with you

we pray for those who are maybe as yet strangers to you in that way they long for you in all their

hearts they are seeking for you but may be struggling in different ways with assurance with confidence

in you with an unworthiness in and of themselves but we thank you that your spirit works in our hearts

to remind us that salvation is not of ourselves but in the one who is the way the truth and the life

and so may you help any here who are struggling in that way to fix their eyes on Jesus and you

and to find in him the one who is able to help in all our needs and others may be lord who

just have no interest in you at times lord we know that not just here but throughout our land

throughout our nation and throughout our world today there are so many who are blind to your goodness

who are indeed strangers to grace and we pray for the power of your spirit the power of your word

to convict and convert and to bring people to salvation to bring people to repentance and to a

knowledge of their need of Christ so we pray for the blessing of your spirit on your word proclaimed

far and wide that you will be in the midst of all who gather in your name that you will gather a

people to yourself and for yourself we thank you for the assurance in your word that you are building

your church we thank you that we take heart in that that even in days when there seems to be

little progress to that end in our eyes we thank you that you are working out your purposes and providence

to your end and for your good we know that in the difficulties in life we learn so much

and even more than in the good times we know that in the struggles we realize our full dependence upon

you for when the way is easy we find that we put our own we put trust in and of ourselves for all

things but help us lord that we would recognize our dependence upon you more and more we recognize

the days we live in are so difficult for many we recognize oh lord the financial pressures on people

just now with increasing costs of living in so many different parts and so many different ways

and we pray lord for your church to have a burden a real burden for people around us to look out for

our neighbors to love our neighbors as ourselves and we thank you for every endeavor to to minister to

and to reach out to those who are around us we thank you for all the activities of the congregation

here and even in this coming week we pray your blessing on all that will be done in your name

we thank you for the work with our young people for the the twinnies and the creche as they meet today

you bless all who help there and the children together as they gather for it lord we we pray that

you look after them and show your blessings upon them remember all our young people throughout these

holidays just now we particularly remember those who are at camp or going to camp in these coming weeks

we pray that'll be a real blessing upon our young people during these weeks ahead remember the leaders

and all who organize and help to run the camps as well we pray for strength and help to each one of them

may your spirit be with them we thank you for the the church being open in these coming days ahead

with the festival taking place an opportunity to to open our doors here for visitors to come in and to

to see the church to to meet with people we pray that will be a real sense of your your presence in that to

watch over all our people and our communities in these days ahead lord in the midst of all that goes on may

people be reminded of the the great hope that is found in jesus christ alone may we come to sing praises

and praise his name remember the preaching of your word we thank you for the ministry of your word today

and also as we look forward god willing to it next week with baptisms to take place we pray for your

blessing on on the children to be baptized and their parents and families as well we thank you for all our

young people and pray your covenant blessing on each and every one of them we thank you too for the

the marriage that took place here on friday we pray for madhia and john ross asking your blessing on them

as a couple that we pray for them lord that you will bless them and look after them day by day and

remember their families too may you be near to them all so lord we pray your blessing on us today and

throughout the day and may we know your mercy and your peace upon us so we ask you'll go before us

and pardon us all our sin as we ask it all in jesus precious name and for his sake amen

well we're going to just share a word with the young people just now it's lovely to see you here today

to hear you it's great to always to hear young voices in our midst and i know it's your holiday

time but it's so good that you're still coming to church during the holidays it's so important that

we don't see a holiday as a time to take a holiday from church because it's great to come together and to

hear the word of god i want to tell you something that that happened to me this week and perhaps you

were aware of this happening as well many of you maybe heard a noise a loud noise on thursday on

thursday morning i was sitting in the study about 10 o'clock i started to hear this noise this really

loud noise i just wasn't sure what it was so i looked out my window i thought maybe it's my next

door neighbor playing loud music or something like that but no the noise didn't seem to be coming from

there at all so i just went outside i opened the door and i was hearing this loud ringing noise a

siren was going off and it was so loud you could probably hear it all over stornway because that was

the whole idea behind it because i remembered then that i'd read the day before on the internet that

there was going to be this alarm going off it was the alarms to do with the gas plant and it was telling

us that this is just a test this is just testing the the sound system the sirens going off so that in

case there was an emergency they would know it works and that people can hear this siren all over the

place so did anybody else hear the noise put up your hand if you heard that loud noise there's maybe one or

two who heard the noise all right but what it was doing it was warning us of danger warning us of

something going wrong and that if we were to hear it we were to know that something was going wrong and

do something about it we want to know where we're to go maybe to find a safe place to go and then i read

a verse in the bible reminds us of just the way that siren reminds us of hearing god's word and it's a

version of the old testament in a book called joel and in joel chapter 2 we read these words it says

Joel 2 · chapter mention

blow a trumpet in sion sound an alarm on my holy mountain let all the inhabitants of the land

tremble for the day of the lord is coming it is near so the prophet called joel there in the old

testament he was god was saying to him to to blow this trumpet to sound this alarm on the mountain

so that people could hear and what were they to hear well they were to hear that the lord was coming

that the lord was coming so this was something they needed to hear so in order that they could find a safe

place to go and in our own life too that is what we hear from god as well as we come to hear what the

bible says to us we are hearing as it were god blowing this trumpet sounding this alarm in our midst

making us aware of the dangers that are around us but reminding us of the place that we are to go to find

refuge and that place is to come to put our trust in the lord jesus the bible warns us it sounds the

siren sounds the alarm this loud noise going off but it tells us to find our safety to find our security

in the lord jesus and so week by week even day by day we're hearing this alarm going off and we are to

listen to it and to find our safety in the lord jesus so just like the gas sirens going off and warning

us the load is a test of danger that is what the word of god does for us all too it warns us of the

dangers we're in but the way we can find safety in jesus so may we come to know that safety and security

for all of us that we find in the lord jesus well together we're going to to say the lord's prayer you

have it on your order ourselves on the notice sheet and we'll say the lord's prayer together

our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory

forever amen and may god bless his word on these thoughts to us we're going to sing again to god's

praise now we're singing in psalm 86 in verse 1 to 7 in the scottish psalter psalm 86

we find this on page 340 psalm 86 at verse 1 oh lord do thou bow down thine ear and hear me graciously

because i sore afflicted am and am in poverty we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 7 to god's praise

o lord do thou bow down thine ear and hear me graciously

because i sore afflicted am and am in poverty because i sore afflicted am and am in poverty

because i Have a coldly let my heartaltine ear and be graciously

o yeaUR to hаль to die in the scottish psalmília

O O how might know thy son sister world

in grace?

O thou my God thoupinest hay and O Lord

I shall grandeaf sa naturale earth and observe no

O my Lord, my servant's sake, that puts his trust in me.

Say unto me, I daily cry, be merciful to me.

Rejoice, my servant's soul, O Lord, I lift my soul to thee.

For thou art gracious, O Lord, and ready to forgive.

And rich in mercy, all that call upon me to relieve.

Hear, Lord, my prayer unto the voice of my request attend.

In troublous times I call on thee, for thou wilt answer sin.

Amen.

When he had gone out, Jesus said,

Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

Little children, yet a little while I am with you.

You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you,

Where I am going, you cannot come.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Simon Peter said to him,

Lord, where are you going?

Jesus answered him,

Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.

Peter said to him,

Lord, why can I not follow you now?

I will lay down my life for you.

Jesus answered,

Will you lay down your life for me?

Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied me three times.

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,

Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.

Jesus said to him,

Have I been with you so long that 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,

but 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 the 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,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask me for anything in my name,

I will do it.

And so on.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

Before we turn to look at this passage,

we're going to sing again in Psalm 19,

in the Scottish Psalter,

Psalm 19 at verse 7,

page 223.

We're going to sing from verse 7 to verse 11.

God's law is perfect and converts the soul and sin that lies.

God's testimony is most sure

and makes the simple wise.

We'll sing from verse 7 to 11 to God's praise.

God's law is perfect and converts the soul and sin that lies.

God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple wise.

The statutes of the Lord are right,

And do rejoice the heart.

God's law is perfect and the Lord's command is pure and of light to the eyes depart.

God's law is perfect and the soul and the heart.

God's law is perfect and of light to the deep-ass life itself.

God's law is perfect,

God's lawafred and imagine you come all around.

The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

They more than gold, they much shine gold to be desired are.

Than honey, honey from the cold that dropeth sweeter far.

Moreover they thy servant lord, how he is right to frame.

A great reward provided is for them that keep the same.

Well, can we turn back to our reading in the Gospel of John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

And we're going to read at verse 5 and verse 6.

Where we read the question of Thomas to the Lord Jesus and Jesus' response to it.

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.

Thomas' question and the Lord's response to it.

As I was saying to the young ones just before they went out.

We were mentioning about the noise we were hearing on Thursday.

And the gas warning siren was quite an eye-opener.

I remember hearing it maybe a number of years ago.

But just hearing it again and just how loud it is and how far and wide it can be heard.

It's quite an eye-opener.

And what about yourselves?

I mean, maybe some of you have heard it on numerous occasions.

And when you hear it, what goes through your mind?

What if it was real?

What would you do?

Where would you go?

Maybe the only time you hear it just now is when they're doing a test.

But what would happen if it was for real?

Would you know where to run?

Would you even know what it was?

Maybe you've heard it over many years and now you just ignored it.

Maybe you were hearing it for the first time on Thursday and wondering, what is that noise?

It's a reminder to us in how we can be with the gospel as well.

Perhaps you've heard the warning of the gospel on numerous occasions.

And like you say about the gas warning sign, it's just a warning.

It's not real.

And the more often you hear the gospel, you almost come to that conclusion.

Oh, it's just the word of God.

We'll hear it again another time.

It's not really that real.

Or perhaps like hearing the siren for the first time.

You're hearing the gospel for the first time and wondering, what is this?

What is this warning you're talking about?

What is this danger that I might be in?

The gospel warning is going off all the time.

And it's warning us of the imminent danger that we are in.

It's asking us, are you safe?

Do you have security?

Do you know where to go in your day of trouble?

Are you on the right way?

Are you going on the right path?

Are you running away from trouble and finding refuge?

Or are you running into trouble and running into danger?

The word of God tells us that when Jesus returns, he's going to come quickly.

We're not going to have a warning moments before or days before saying,

oh, he's coming on such and such a day.

He's going to come, as the word of God says, like a thief in the night.

Just like we were on Thursday just going about our normal day-to-day routines and the silence

are going off.

So it'll be in the Lord's return.

We will all be going about our day-to-day business, doing our normal routine.

But as Joel says in that chapter in the Old Testament, the warning sound is going off and

the day of the Lord's return is imminent.

The question is, do we know the way to safety?

Do we know the way to salvation?

Well, here in the passage before us, we see Thomas and the disciples who are gathered together

with the Lord Jesus.

They're with him just hours before he's going to go to the cross.

They're hearing what he has to say.

They're fearful.

They're frightened of what lies ahead for them.

Jesus has told them he is going to die.

He has told them that there is one who is going to betray him.

He has told another that he is going to deny him.

He has given them all of these warnings.

He has told them that where he is going, they cannot come as yet.

And in all of this discussion that the disciples are having with Jesus, it's leaving the disciples

with many different questions.

And perhaps that's the way we are when we come to hear the gospel as well.

We hear everything that Jesus is saying to us and we have all these questions running

around our mind.

We have all these questions we want to ask.

And if you have questions, do ask them.

Because you'll often find that the questions you have, they may seem silly to you, but they're

the same questions that other people will have too.

So we look at God's word and see what it's saying to us.

And Thomas and the disciples in the midst of worry and anxiety and fear, they're seeking

direction and they're being told by Jesus where that refuge is, where that direction is found

when Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

I'm sure many of you are avid readers.

You enjoy reading a book, especially maybe at this time of year, if you're going away

on holiday, you maybe take a book or two with you to read this on your holiday time.

It may be a novel.

It may be an autobiography or something like that.

Where do you start reading the book?

Do you just open it at any page and start reading?

Do you open it at the middle and start reading backwards or going from the middle towards the

end and then go to the start?

Well, if you read a book like that, you're maybe not going to understand or to know what's

happening at that particular point.

When we're reading a book, we should often begin at the beginning.

You enter into the story.

You find out from the beginning what's going on, what's happening.

You enter into a story.

Sometimes it's happy.

Sometimes you laugh.

Sometimes it's sad.

And sometimes you will cry.

But when you read the Bible, how do you read the Bible?

Yes, we can open it anywhere and start reading.

You can pick a verse, as it were, or pick a book or a chapter and just start reading.

And it'll always have something to say to you.

But as well with the Bible, we are to see it from beginning to end.

Whether we're thinking of the whole Bible or a book of the Bible, read it from the beginning

to the end.

And when you think of the Gospels, read them from the beginning through to the end.

And you see the outworkings of what Jesus came to do in this world.

Sometimes it'll make you happy.

Sometimes it'll make you sad.

And that's the reality of the world that we live in.

But it's the most important book for us to read.

It tells us the greatest story ever told.

It shows us where we are going wrong.

It shows us how we can be right with God.

And so today we think of how important it is to read this book.

It reminds us that in Jesus, we have one who is able to give us hope.

And as you think about what is happening in these verses before us, and indeed in this

section of John's Gospel, when you think of Jesus with his disciples and the worries and

anxieties that they have, it's the common theme in our own lives as well.

Our own fears, our own worries, our own anxieties going forward.

Looking for direction.

Looking for a way in life that will give us hope, that will give us peace.

And where do we find it?

Well, verse 6 gives us the answer.

Jesus said to him,

And it's these words I want us just to think about today.

Jesus saying, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

And as we think about looking for direction and hearing the warning of the Gospel today,

to think about these three things that Jesus is saying.

First of all, we see Jesus say, I am the way.

I am the way.

Martin Luther once called John chapter 14 the best and most comforting sermon preached by

John 14 · chapter mention

Christ while on this earth.

A jewel and a treasure not purchasable with any of the world's goods.

Why did he see so much in it?

Well, you just have to read the opening verse.

Verse 1 of this chapter.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

If we are looking for a way,

just as Thomas is looking for a way as he asks this question,

what does that indicate to us?

It means there is an uncertainty.

We're not sure.

We are maybe lost.

We've lost our way.

We've lost direction in our life.

It's leaving us confused as to where we've been and where we're going.

And so this question that Thomas has here is a question we might have ourselves.

We do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way?

How can we know the way?

You would say that Thomas may be the only one who is a little uncertain here.

But the great thing as you read in the wider context of this verse is that he is not the only one who has this question.

He's often referred to as doubting Thomas.

Maybe a little unfairly.

Because you see there are others who have very similar questions here as well.

Peter in chapter 13.

In verse 37.

Peter said to him, Lord.

In verse 36.

Simon Peter said to him, Lord.

Where are you going?

So he has a question.

Peter has this question.

In verse 8 of chapter 14.

Philip.

Another of the disciples has a question.

Lord.

Show us the Father.

And it is enough for us.

They all have their questions.

It's a great reminder to us that we will all have questions too.

We will all have our own uncertainties.

They are all troubled.

They are all anxious.

And you are never alone in your anxiety in this world.

You are never alone in your questions in this world.

Even Thomas.

As he says here in verse 5.

It's not, Lord.

I don't know where you are going.

It's we.

We do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way?

He's asking almost on behalf of the others.

They all want to know this way.

They are all troubled.

And that's the great response to Jesus here.

He says it twice in this chapter.

In verse 1.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

And in verse 27.

He says.

Peace I leave with you.

My peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives.

Do I give to you.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

Twice he says that.

Twice he gives them comfort.

And the greatest comfort he is giving them.

Is that they can know the way.

They can know the way that they are to go.

There are many times in life.

Where we maybe come to a point.

And we say.

I just don't know where I am going.

I just don't know now which way to turn.

I have tried so many things.

And you maybe ask yourself.

Well does the Bible really give me any help.

Is that a place that I can turn.

And look and seek.

For an answer to the way in which I am to go.

Yes.

Because it is God's word to us.

In our times of trouble.

When Jesus himself says.

I am the way.

When you are anxious.

You look to me.

Believe.

Believe.

In God.

He says.

Believe.

Also.

In me.

I will show you.

The way you are to go.

I am going.

He says.

To prepare a place.

For you.

And if I go.

To prepare a place for you.

I will come again.

And will take you to myself.

That where I am.

You may be also.

And Thomas is wondering.

Where is this?

How do we find our way.

To this place.

To this place that the Lord is preparing.

Our ultimate aim in life.

Our ultimate goal and destination.

Should be too long to be with the Lord.

For all eternity.

For all eternity.

And Thomas' question is answered by Jesus.

Who says.

I am the way.

Everything else you are looking for in life.

I am the way.

I am the one.

That you are to follow.

The second thing.

In Jesus' response here.

He says.

I am the truth.

If someone is giving you advice.

Or help.

The question that naturally comes to our minds is.

How can I be sure?

Can I depend on what this person is saying to me?

Can I truly rely on this advice that I am being given?

And as you read the Bible.

As well as asking questions.

It is also answering questions.

In a way that gives us such great assurance.

It gives us such great confidence.

Thomas.

Thomas' question.

Is given this assurance.

And the answer.

When he is asking.

We do not know.

Where you are going.

How can we know the way?

He is also asking behind that.

How can I be sure?

How can we be sure?

And Jesus knows this.

And that is why he says.

I am the truth.

I am the truth.

The word.

That became flesh.

And dwelt among us.

The word of life.

The word that points us.

To the way to the father.

The way to salvation.

But the question is.

Do you believe.

What the Bible says?

Do you believe it with all of your heart?

Do you believe the assurances.

The promises.

That it gives.

Throughout the Old and the New Testament.

You often find people.

Who didn't believe.

Who turned away.

From the word of God.

Earlier in John's gospel.

In chapter 6.

Verse 60 and 66.

There there are large crowds.

Who have gathered round Jesus.

But what it says is.

Many of them found it too hard.

Too difficult to understand.

And what happened.

They turned away.

They didn't follow him.

Anymore.

The way was.

Was too hard for them.

And for ourselves.

There will be times.

When the way is hard.

When the way.

Is difficult.

And that's.

When we need.

The truth.

To understand.

The truth.

Of Jesus.

Saying.

In this world.

You will have many troubles.

But be of good courage.

For I have overcome.

The world.

To rely on these words.

He says here.

Let not your hearts.

Be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also.

In me.

It's to find.

Our way.

And those difficulties.

To believe.

The truth.

And not just then.

Turn away.

Or as some people do.

Not just turning away.

From Jesus.

But they.

They change the message.

Of Jesus.

To make it easier.

To make it more.

Compatible.

To our lives.

Jesus.

Jesus.

Says.

Stick to the truth.

Believe me.

I.

Am the truth.

Abraham Lincoln.

The former president.

In the United States.

Was once having.

A discussion.

A debate.

With someone.

Who was.

Unconvinced.

By anything.

That Abraham Lincoln.

Would say.

Especially when it came.

To the matters.

Of faith.

And Abraham Lincoln.

Was getting.

So fed up.

In this debate.

And discussion.

That he was having.

And he said.

To the man.

Who was debating.

With him.

He said.

Well.

Let's see then.

How many legs.

Has a cow got?

Four.

Said the man.

A little annoyed.

By the question.

Of course.

It's four.

And Abraham Lincoln.

Said.

Yes.

That's right.

You're right there.

Now he said.

Suppose you call.

The cow's tail.

A leg.

How many legs.

Then.

Would the cow have?

Well.

The man said.

Five.

Of course.

So confident.

In his reply.

And Abraham Lincoln.

Said.

Well.

Now.

That's.

Where you're wrong.

You see.

Calling.

The cow's tail.

A leg.

Doesn't make it.

A leg.

And yet.

That's the way.

We are sometimes.

With the Bible.

We change.

Or try to change.

The truth.

And make it into something.

It's not.

If the Bible tells us.

Something is wrong.

It's wrong.

No matter how much.

You try and change it.

To something.

That seems so right.

And good.

If the Bible says.

It's wrong.

It's wrong.

And if the Bible says.

It's right.

It is right.

You cannot.

Change it.

No matter what.

You try.

To do.

To change it.

To suit your own desire.

You cannot.

And that's why.

Jesus says.

In this chapter.

That.

He is.

The truth.

There is no other way.

To the Father.

There is no other way.

To salvation.

There is no other way.

To peace with God.

Except.

Through him.

You cannot.

Change it.

You cannot.

Adapt it.

To your own way.

Or to suit.

Your own need.

It is truth.

This is the truth.

He.

Is the truth.

And we can be sure.

Of that.

Because it is.

Jesus himself.

Who tells us.

He says.

I.

Am.

The truth.

The question is.

Do you believe.

Do you believe.

That he is the truth.

And what difference.

Does it make.

What difference.

Does it make.

If I believe this.

Or not.

Surely.

There are many ways.

To God.

Surely.

There are many ways.

To peace.

Well.

The Bible.

Says.

There isn't.

Without him.

We perish.

Without him.

We are lost.

Without this.

Truth.

Truth.

Your eternity.

Is so different.

You perish.

But with him.

Is truth.

And with him.

As we see.

Finally.

There is.

Life.

Thomas's question.

Lord.

We do not know.

Where you are going.

How.

Can we know.

The way.

As well as.

Behind it.

Looking for direction.

As well as.

Behind that question.

Looking for assurance.

Behind it too.

Is the search.

For salvation.

This search.

For peace.

This search.

For something.

That will truly.

Satisfy.

In life.

And Jesus.

Says.

I am the way.

I am the truth.

And then thirdly.

I am.

The life.

When you read a book.

There is a story.

Line.

Running.

Through it.

A book.

It is a story.

About.

Maybe a person.

If you are reading.

An autobiography.

It tells you.

Their upbringing.

Their life.

And what they have done.

There is this theme.

Running through it.

Or there is a story.

Behind it.

An event.

Or an action story.

Or something like that.

There is this theme.

Running through.

That is obvious.

From beginning.

To end.

And if you ask yourself.

That question.

Of the Bible.

What is the theme.

That runs.

Through the Bible.

From beginning.

To end.

Or what is the theme.

That you read of.

In the Gospel of John.

From the beginning.

Of the Gospel.

Through to the end.

It is the recurring theme.

Isn't it?

It is the theme.

Of life.

And of eternal life.

Of our sin.

And the consequences of it.

The pain of death.

That that has brought.

The theme that you see.

Running throughout.

From the fall.

Back in Genesis.

And the pain that that brought.

Running through.

To revelation.

And the hope of eternal life.

For all who believe.

It is that life.

Is found in one place.

The God who gives.

And the God who takes away.

And the life that you speak.

That John speaks of.

In his Gospel.

Again and again.

Is this hope.

Of eternal life.

Whether you are looking at.

John 3.

16.

That great verse.

That speaks of.

The eternal life.

That is found in Christ.

Or if it is towards.

The end of his Gospel.

In chapter 20.

At verse 30.

When there is a sort of.

Summary of the whole Gospel.

There.

It says.

Now Jesus did many other signs.

In the presence of his disciples.

Which are not written in this book.

But these are written.

So that you may believe.

That Jesus is the Christ.

The Son of God.

And that by believing.

You may have life.

In his name.

It is the theme.

That runs throughout.

Life.

And the life.

That Jesus offers.

This life.

Eternal.

This life.

That gives hope.

To our troubled hearts.

This hope.

That is for all.

Who will believe.

I read a powerful testimony.

Of a girl.

Whose life.

At once.

Revolved.

Around drugs.

Her lifestyle.

Had gone in that direction.

And the only thing.

That mattered to her.

The only thing.

That she craved.

Day by day.

Was getting the drugs.

That kept her going.

The drugs.

That she believed.

Would fully satisfy her.

Until.

Someone told her.

About something else.

That could transform her life.

And that would leave her.

Fully satisfied.

And that something.

Was the Lord Jesus.

And she came.

To believe.

She came.

To faith.

With help.

She overcame.

Her addiction.

And she found that joy.

That is only found.

In Christ.

And she lives.

For him.

He has given her life.

And life.

To the full.

And you maybe say to yourself.

But my life's not like that.

My life.

Hasn't gone that far down.

Him.

Well think of Thomas's question.

Here.

And the one who was asking it.

On behalf of the other disciples.

Too.

Their lives weren't bad.

But they still needed help.

They needed a savior.

They needed life.

And that life was only found.

In Christ.

We all have sinned.

And fall short.

Of the glory of God.

Every one of us.

The girl whose addiction was broken.

She found.

Satisfaction.

In Christ Jesus.

And that is the only place.

Any of us will find.

Through satisfaction.

It's the only place.

Any of us.

Will find life.

It is in him.

A man called Thomas Kempis.

Once said.

Without the way.

There is no going.

Without the truth.

There is no knowing.

And without the life.

There is no living.

That is life.

Without Christ.

There is no going.

There is no knowing.

There is no living.

But with him.

You have all of these.

You have the way.

The truth.

And the life.

And maybe.

You are seeing the place.

That you want to go.

Maybe you are hearing.

Of this savior.

This wonderful savior.

Christ Jesus.

And you are wondering.

I can see it.

But how.

Do I get there.

Sometimes it feels.

Like you are in a maze.

A maze.

That has got the sign.

In the middle.

And you know.

Where you have got to go.

But you just can't find.

The direction.

Every turn you take.

It is another dead end.

But you know.

There is a way.

Because someone has gone.

Before you.

And Jesus says.

That he goes.

Before us.

And it may seem.

Like the way.

Is so difficult.

And we can't.

Just find the way.

But he is saying.

I am the way.

I will show you.

In all the realities.

Of this world.

In all the questions.

And direction.

You may be seeking.

To find.

He.

Is.

The way.

When you put your trust.

In him.

He promises.

Never to leave you.

That he will stay beside you.

That he will guide you.

Along.

The way.

And so.

If you are.

Looking.

And seeing.

And longing.

For that direction.

Trust.

With all your heart.

In the Lord.

Jesus Christ.

And as.

God's people.

When you know.

The way.

Your greatest desire.

And love.

Should be.

Tell others.

Of that way.

J.C.

Ryle.

Put it like this.

He said.

Tell the young.

Tell the poor.

Tell the aged.

Tell the ignorant.

Tell the sick.

Tell the dying.

Tell them all.

About Christ.

Tell them of the power.

Tell them of his love.

Tell them of his doings.

Tell them of all.

That he has done.

For the chief of sinners.

Tell them.

What he is willing to do.

Until the last day.

Of time.

Tell them.

Over.

And over.

Again.

Again.

The gospel.

Siren.

Sounds.

Again.

Today.

It's not just.

A test.

It's not just.

Something that you say.

Don't worry.

It's just.

A test.

Nothing to worry about.

It's always.

Real.

And it always.

Needs.

A response.

The siren.

The siren.

Sounds.

But will we heed.

The warning.

We thank God.

That Jesus says.

I am the way.

And the truth.

And the life.

With Thomas.

With Peter.

With Philip.

And the other disciples.

Who were looking for a way.

Looking to know.

Where Jesus was going.

And the way to him.

We thank God.

That we have the response.

That we look to Jesus.

Who says.

I am the way.

And the truth.

And the life.

As the bell.

The siren.

Goes off.

Again.

Will you come.

And follow.

Him.

And find your refuge.

In him.

Who gives life.

Who shows the way.

And who is.

The truth.

May God bless.

These thoughts.

To us.

We're going to sing.

In conclusion.

In Psalm 25.

In the Sing Psalms version.

Psalm 25.

At verse 4.

O Lord.

Reveal to me.

Your ways.

And all your paths.

Help me to know.

Direct.

And guide me.

In your truth.

Instruct me.

In the way.

To go.

We'll sing from verse 4.

To the end of verse 9.

To God's praise.

O Lord.

O Lord.

Reveal to me.

Your ways.

And all your paths.

Help me to know.

Direct.

And guide me.

In your truth.

Instruct me.

In the way.

To go.

You are my Savior.

And my God.

All day.

I hope.

Remember Lord.

Your love.

Praise God.

past ages you have shown.

Do not recall my sins of youth

or my rebellious evil ways.

Remember me in your great love

for you, O Lord, are good always.

Because the Lord is just and good,

He shows His path to all who stray.

He guides the meek in what is right

and teaches them this holy way.

Amen.

After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left-hand side.

We'll close with the benediction.

now may grace mercy and peace from god father son and holy spirit

rest upon and abide with us all now and forevermore amen

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