"I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life"

So, I don't know how many of you picked up, I am the way and the truth and the life, no

one comes to the Father except through me, which isn't a very Canadian thing to say.

We're going to look at a passage which is very offensive to many Christians, many non-Christians

in Canada, and because it's a text which is very offensive to people, it ends up often

meaning that we don't really want to look at it or sort of grasp it or hold it tight

to ourselves because we're worried a little bit.

Well, sort of the fact that Canadians in general or many of our co-workers, our neighbors would

find it offensive means it can often be a passage that we become at least a tiny bit ashamed

about.

And so we're going to look at this text which is sort of offensive to many Christians today.

Actually, some of you might have, some of you if you've been to funerals, a part of this text

is a very popular text at funerals.

And I know I've been at funerals where they read the bit of the passage just up before

the part which is offensive and they stop and they spend a long time on the part that

everybody likes the sound of, but they never let anybody know, especially if there's no

Bibles present in the room, the offensive bit that they stop just short of.

And so we're going to look at it.

And if you have your Bibles, it's John chapter 14, verse 1 and following.

John 14:1

John chapter 14, verse 1 and following.

John 14:1

And just as we're sort of finding that text in our Bibles, there are four ancient biographies

of Jesus which are based on eyewitness accounts, either written by eyewitnesses or based on eyewitness

accounts.

And this is one of the four.

And the way John has chosen to tell his biography, write his biography of Jesus, he puts the seven

miracles sort of all, he puts seven significant miracles all together.

And then he takes a long time sharing the private teaching of Jesus with his disciples.

And what's just happened before this, they've had a meal together.

Jesus has washed the disciples' feet.

Judas has left to go and betray Jesus.

And so even as Jesus is speaking, Judas is on his way to betray Jesus.

He knows that Jesus will end up in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And Judas is going to get the soldiers and others and bring them to the Garden of Gethsemane so

they can capture Jesus.

Jesus has predicted in every one of the biographies, Jesus predicts that he's going to be betrayed,

that he's going to die on a cross.

And he also predicts that he's going to rise from the dead.

And so Jesus is talking to the disciples, mindful of the fact that events are in motion.

Judas is left.

And Jesus has shocked his disciples.

He's troubled them because he's told them, just before this, he's told them three things.

He's told them that he's going to go somewhere that they can't come.

So he's going to leave them.

He's going to leave, go somewhere they cannot come.

He's told them that somebody is going to betray him.

And he's told them that Peter, clearly one of the leaders, is actually going to deny Jesus three times

before the next day has even really begun.

And so they're shocked by all of this.

And that's the context where we catch up in verse one.

And Jesus says, let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

Now just sort of pause there for a second.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

Jesus is on one hand, excuse me, speaking directly to the disciples who are very, very deeply troubled

that Jesus is going to leave them, that they can't come.

And this whole thing of betrayal and this whole thing of Peter's denying them,

they for the moment have just forgotten his prophecies about the fact that he's going to die on a cross

and rise from the dead, but they're very deeply troubled.

And so on one hand, what we see here is this wonderful thing of Jesus talking directly to his disciples.

But it's also something that's very wonderful for us

because we as Christians believe that Jesus looks down the ages and throughout the years

and he's not just speaking.

When he says, let not your heart be troubled,

he's not just speaking to the disciples, he's speaking to you and me.

That's part of the Christian hope.

You know, if you think about it, one of the things that unites rich and poor,

Democrat and Republican, conservative and liberal,

genius and those who are far from being geniuses,

rich and poor, African, Asian, European, North American, South American,

one of the things that unites all human beings is that they have seasons of trouble.

Being troubled is part of the human condition.

So Jesus, when he's saying this, is speaking to the human condition.

He's speaking to every one of us here.

In fact, there might very well be some people who are here

that are having a very, very hard time listening to anything I say

because you're very deeply troubled about school or romantic relationship or money

or who knows what it is, health.

But you're very deeply troubled.

And Jesus is speaking directly to you and me

because we all have troubles.

Every single one has times when we're deeply troubled.

And so just listen to it again.

He says, you know, it isn't as if Jesus says,

you should be ashamed that you have troubles.

It's not as if he's saying, you know,

you're a bad person because you have trouble.

He knows the human condition.

He knows that when he says, let not your heart be troubled.

And then the following things he's going to be addressing.

He knows that he's speaking to something perennial in the human condition,

that human beings have troubled hearts and troubled minds

and troubled consciences and troubled bodies.

So Jesus says, let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

He doesn't just say that.

He goes on.

Verse two.

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.

Now just sort of pause there for a second.

The word which is translated is rooms.

In my father's house are many rooms.

It's a perfectly good translation.

But what it means more literally is a dwelling place.

And what Jesus is saying is that the way that Christians are to understand

the new heaven and the new earth

is that in the new heaven and the new earth,

when we die in Jesus,

well, we don't go to a disembodied state.

We go to a place where we'll dwell.

Well, we'll go.

Literally, we will go to our true home.

And it isn't just that we sort of will get cast out into a new world.

It's like a type of a wilderness

and we're going to be all by ourselves.

But Jesus compares new heaven and the new earth

to being a place where God dwells

in something like Buckingham Palace,

but with also lots and lots of other properties

and guest houses and places to live.

And when you and I go there,

we go to a place where we can dwell,

where we are home.

You know, for some of us,

you live in very, very tiny apartments

and you look forward to the day

where you can have a really, really big place.

And Jesus will prepare a place

that's just exactly what you need

to be truly home.

I don't know what it'll be like for me.

I love books.

I have to get rid of books

because I get so many books

and there's only so much room in the house.

I'm just guessing

I will have lots and lots of rooms for books.

But for some people,

what they want is just something cozy.

They want something small,

something manageable.

And whatever it is,

there's going to be enough room

and it will be a place where you will dwell

and a place where you will feel home.

You are home.

And it's a place that's prepared for you.

It's not a place that,

like you go and then you get there,

you know, you go to another city

and you maybe, you've gone Airbnb

and then, you know,

you have to go out

and you have to buy some food

and you have to buy this

and you have to buy that

and just sort of make your,

it's when you go,

like in my case,

the dark roast coffee will be there

with the beans and the grinder

and the French press.

And it'll be just the dark roast beans

that I like.

They're all prepared for me.

And there'll be lots of freshly baked scones

that just came out of the oven,

some with blueberries,

some with white chocolate.

And in the new heaven and the new earth,

I'll be able to eat as many scones

as I want with my coffee

and not have to worry about getting fat

or having anything

that's going to clog my arteries

because nothing like that

will happen in the new earth,

new heaven and the new earth.

But we go to a place

where Jesus himself

has prepared for us

a place to dwell,

our true home.

And he's prepared it

not just for a generic male

or a generic female

or a generic old person

or a generic young person,

but for you.

For you.

For you.

And we'll be with many other people

and with our Father in heaven.

And you can see why this text

is preached at funerals.

But we have to remember

that John is writing a biography.

He's not writing some series

of little tiny pithy lessons for people.

He's recounting what actually happened

in the upper room.

And what happens in the upper room

is well shown in the next verse

because remember,

John is writing this

and the disciples,

it's before the capture of Jesus.

It's before he dies on the cross.

It's before he rises from the dead

and appears to them.

And so they're confused.

And so Jesus in verse four says,

and you know the way

to where I am going.

He says,

and you know the way

to where I'm going.

And Thomas,

remember Thomas,

Thomas,

he's all confused.

One of the things

which is so remarkable

about all of the four

ancient biographies of Jesus

is based on eyewitness accounts

is it shows that in every case,

nobody expected Jesus

to die on the cross

other than the enemies

who were plotting it.

And absolutely nobody

thought he'd rise from the dead.

Absolutely nobody thought

he would rise from the dead.

Not his mother,

not his closest disciples,

even though he told them

it was going to happen,

even though he predicted it,

nobody expected it.

And so,

and if you think about it

from Thomas' point of view,

Thomas has seen

and eyewitness miracles,

he would say to himself,

whenever he hears Jesus speaking,

he would be saying,

okay, well,

I don't know what entirely

this guy,

what he means,

but I mean,

surely somebody

who could turn water

into wine,

surely somebody

who can walk on water,

surely somebody

who by a mere word of command

can stop a storm

on the Sea of Galilee,

surely someone

who can take a few loaves

and fish

and feed 5,000 men,

surely someone

who can heal people

at great distances

just by a word

of his command,

surely someone

who is able

to take a man

who is never seen

in his entire life,

his eyes completely

and utterly don't work

and he can make him see,

surely a man

who can come to a person

who's been in the grave,

has been,

you know,

embalmed in the grave

for four days

and make him alive,

surely a man like this

will not die

by crucifixion.

I mean,

we would have probably

felt the same thing,

like that's just crazy,

how on earth

could that possibly happen,

how on earth

could a man

who's able to do

such spectacular,

miraculous acts,

how on earth

could he possibly

be dying?

And so,

Thomas is just

completely and utterly

puzzled,

Jesus has said

he's going to leave them,

he's going somewhere

where they can't go

and this makes no sense

to Thomas

because he thinks,

well,

Jesus,

if you're going to walk,

I can walk as far as you

and if you're going

to get on a boat,

I can get on the boat

as well

and if you're going

to go on a horse,

I can go on,

like,

I'll run along beside you

and so Thomas

doesn't understand

and he doesn't understand

what's going on

about this betrayal

and why it is

that Jesus isn't

going to be around

and that Peter's

going to deny Jesus

three times

before the sun rises

the next day

and so Thomas says

and John records

what exactly Thomas

says to Jesus

in the upper room.

Thomas says

in verse 5,

Lord,

we do not know

where you're going.

We do not know

where you're going.

How can we know

the way?

It's so wonderful

that these biographies

capture this,

capture these things.

It doesn't,

the biographies

aren't written

so John can make

himself look good

or he can make

his buddies look good.

John just wants

to record

what really happened

and so Jesus says

this very famous line

which is so troubling

today to so many,

would be troubling

to Canadians.

If I was to organize

a Bible study

at the Starbucks,

one of the Starbucks

that I go to

and got the baristas

that I've talked to

and I was to have them

read this passage,

you can just imagine

the chill

that would come

in the circle

when I say

Jesus said to him,

I am the way,

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.

Andrew,

could you just put up

the first point,

please?

You know,

if there's one thing

that's going to happen

in this sermon,

if all you get

is this,

I am unashamed

of this text,

I believe it 100%

and I want to believe it

300%,

1,000%,

and if all I get

is to encourage

and exhort you

to be unashamed

of this text,

then I have done

my job this morning

before God

and before you.

Even if it's such

a troublesome

text to Canadians.

So you see,

some people might now

at this point in time,

maybe it would happen

if I did organize

such a Bible study

amongst people

who thought,

up until I said this

that I believe it 100%,

they thought,

I thought George

was a nice guy,

now I'm not so sure.

I thought he was

sort of a thoughtful guy,

now I'm not so sure.

I thought he was

a kind guy,

now I'm not so sure.

I thought he was

a gentle guy,

now I'm not so sure

when I see that

he believes something

as offensive as this.

And so maybe

they would say,

maybe you would say,

well, you know,

maybe there's something

in the original language

that takes some

of the sting off of this.

I've said that to you before

when we've talked

a few weeks ago

about hating somebody

and I said

that it's an idiom.

In other words,

it's an expression

which literally means that,

but it's an idiom.

It doesn't mean

the literal thing,

it means something like this.

And maybe some of you

will say,

well, maybe in the

original language

there's an idiom there

which we're missing,

but I can tell you

this right now

that in the original language

this is a perfectly

accurate translation

of the original language

and it is not an idiom.

Jesus says these very words

and he says it

with conviction

and he says it

to comfort his disciples

and to comfort you

and me

who are troubled.

He says these things.

It's not an idiom.

And then maybe

some of us could say,

well, you know,

that's,

okay,

so Jesus said that,

but you know,

he doesn't know

all of the things

like we know today.

We know a lot more

about religions

and we know a lot more

about other different

ways of living

and maybe this just

reflects Jesus'

partial knowledge.

You know,

because he lived

a long time ago

and he didn't have

the internet,

he couldn't just

ask Google a question,

he couldn't say,

Siri, you know,

tell me about it,

are there other religions

in the world?

No, that's not going

on as well.

Jesus might not

have had Google,

but he knew

that there were,

I mean,

he was in Jerusalem,

which was occupied,

he was in Israel,

which was occupied

by the Roman,

by the Roman army.

And most of the Roman army

weren't made up

by Romans,

but made up by people

that they'd conquered

from all over the empire.

And so if there's one thing

that Jesus would have known

on a daily way

is that there,

in fact,

that there were lots

of different gods

and goddesses

and lots of people

who believed it 100%.

So it wasn't as if

he said this

because he just didn't know

that there were

other religions,

he knew there were

other religions.

That he knows

he's going to be tried

by a man

the next day

who was not Jewish,

who believed in many,

many gods

and goddesses,

and he knew

he was going to be tried

by that.

And then some of you

might say,

well, okay,

well, maybe Jesus

sort of knew that,

but maybe it wasn't

offensive then.

Well, that's not true either.

It was just as offensive then.

In fact, in some ways

it might have been,

well, maybe,

I don't know if we can say

it was more offensive,

but it was just as equally offensive.

In fact,

Jesus offended Jewish people

and every pagan

if they would have heard it.

I don't know if you know this,

but in the first couple

of centuries

after the Christian faith

erupts onto the scene,

many people

in Roman society

thought that Christians

were atheists.

It's an odd thing,

but they actually thought

that Christians

were atheists.

Why?

Because Christians

did not believe

in any of the gods,

any of the gods,

and to not believe

in any of the gods

meant you were an atheist.

That's actually

what many people

of the contemporaries

of the early Christians

thought.

And so Jesus knew

that he was being offensive

to the Romans

and to the Greeks,

to the different gods,

and he was being offensive

to the Jewish people

because he doesn't say

that the way

that you have to follow

is the way of Moses,

that the truth

is found in the law.

He says,

I am the way

and the truth

and the life.

No one comes

to the Father

except through me.

So,

how is it that we can

comfortably believe

something like this

surrounded by a sea

of opinion

that thinks it's wrong

and offensive?

Well, let's just take a moment

to think about this

for a second.

And this is going to be

if you're here as a guest

or you're really struggling

with this whole thing

or you've come to the point

that you can be a Christian

you believe

without believing this.

I want to say

that most of the reaction

to it

of finding it untenable

is at the level

of the emotions

and the level

of the imagination

but not of reason.

Now, I know I've been

a little bit hard

by saying that

but I think it's actually

very, very true

that if you actually

just pause for a second

and sort of decouple,

take away

our emotional responses

to it

and just take away

what often goes

with the emotions

which is how our imagination

and our affections work

and you just look

at this as an idea

you'll see that

at the level of reason

it actually makes

a lot of sense.

You see,

one of the things

for most Canadians

when they think

of religion

or when they think

of spirituality

and generally,

of course,

religion is bad,

spirituality is good

but if we think

of a person

who's being spiritual

and Jesus is a spiritual person

and he's saying

something like this

for most Canadians

when we talk about

spirituality and religion

we're not talking

about something

which is real.

Now, we're talking

about something

which is really important

to us

and we're talking

about something

which is very personal

and we're talking

about something

which is in fact

so deeply personal

that it's offensive

to say that something

which is deeply personal

and important to them

is somehow wrong

but it is

at the end of the day

something which is

we don't really believe

it's real

in the same way

that if you got

your visa bill

your next visa bill

and there's $3,000

of expenses

that you know

charges

that you know

you didn't make

you would immediately

get on the phone

and you would be

on the phone

and you would be

doing everything

in your power

to make sure

that the visa people

understand

you did not spend

that $3,000

your card's been compromised

because what you see

in a visa bill

is real

it is so real

that you will lose

sleep over it

you will have to control

some of us

will have to control

ourselves

saying very naughty words

and yelling

and screaming

and doing all sorts

of things

because we believe

a visa bill

is really, really, really,

really, really, really, really

real

but we don't think

that about religion

in Canada

which is why

if somebody tells us

that they're going

to have smudges

or going to a sweetgrass ceremony

we don't really think

that they believe

that the entire world

is on the back

of a turtle

or that it was a result

of, you know,

some ravens dropping

like we

if you press them on that

it would be viewed

as rude

to press them on

whether they really

believe that

why?

because we understand

that religion

and spirituality

is something

which is just

sort of personal

it gives me some peace

it gives me meaning

we have troubles

in this life

we have worries

about romance

and worries

about our job

and worries

about our bills

and there was just

a thing in the paper

the other day

about how I think

like 85% of Canadians

think that the world

will be worse

for our children

than it is now

and so we have

lots of troubles

and you know what

if belief

and if having some smudging

and some smoke

helps you get through the day

good on you

you go for it

but it's not really real

if you know what I mean

but here's the thing

is that Christians believe

Jesus is saying

that this is true

Jesus is saying

there is a God

who is there

Jesus is saying

I really will die

on the cross

I really will

taste all there is

to taste of death

I will

really will

rise from the dead

I really will

defeat death

I really will

defeat that

which causes death

I really will

ascend into heaven

and the new heaven

and the new earth

is a real place

and I really will

return

and everything about

this is a claim

to be real

claim to be true

and if Canadians

understand that

they might say

whoa

okay

like really

it's true

my mom stopped laughing

it's true

at least it puts in

a different thing

it's not just a matter

of me insulting people

we believe

Christians

were called

to believe

this is just as true

as your visa bill

it's just as true

that should have been

a point maybe

it is just as true

as your visa bill

or MasterCard

just to show

I'm not showing

any type of favorites

in terms of

financial providers

but some people

might say

okay George

but don't we all

go to the same place

that's a very

very common thing

like don't we all

go to the same place

and so if we're all

going to the same place

why does it really matter

if you follow

the Buddhist way

or you follow

a native way

we're all going

to the same place

but if you think

about it for a second

we don't actually

think we're all

going to the same place

like if we just

actually give people

the dignity

once again we remember

that it's not just

a matter of

like some people

use Prozac

some people use

Jack Daniel

some people have

Buddhism

and they're sort of

all the same

if it helps you

get through the day

as long as you don't

hurt people

and rob banks

and insult people

and get along

with people

it doesn't really matter

if we understand

we're talking about

something true

if you actually

listen to what

people say

the fact of the matter

is that the different

ways don't actually

all claim to go

to the same place

you see if you

were a Buddhist

or a Hindu

and you hear

that after death

you go to a place

where there's a room

what would they

tell you

they'd say

ah

you haven't paid

for all your

karmic debt

yet

you still have

to keep doing

things

because

where we'll all

end up

is it will be

like a drop

in the ocean

we lose

our individuality

it's like a drop

in the ocean

and the cycle

of death

and rebirth

will come

to an end

but if Jesus

is saying

that after death

you go to a room

and you dwell

there

it means

you still think

there's a difference

between you

and the room

and you still

have to die

and you still

have to

you have to

work on your

karma

because you

you haven't

actually reached

the end yet

and for the

average Canadian

who believes

that when you die

you go to a

better place

what the average

Canadian means

by a better place

is that there's

an invisible

world

an invisible

world

of

immaterial

spirits

like spirits

or minds

that's invisible

because we can't

see it

but if we could

just sort of

pierce the veil

and maybe we can

do that through

meditation

maybe for a moment

we can do it

through drugs

or some type

of higher

consciousness

but there's this

invisible

immaterial world

which is just

sort of parallel

to us

and beside us

and when you die

you go there

but Jesus says

no no

that's not what

happens when you die

we're not talking

about going to

the same place

and you see

if what religion

and spirituality

has to deal with

is what is real

and if they all

go to the

different places

then you can't

all say that

the different ways

are all going to

equally work

it would be like

going into a pharmacy

and for some reason

you know there's been

the zombie breakout

has happened

and so all the

pharmacists have left

and you go into

the pharmacy

and somebody tells you

just take whatever

drug you want

and as much

as you want

it'll all be fine

because they all

make you better

and the doctors

would go

no

you don't

all take

whatever drug

any combination

as much as you want

some of them

will kill you

and so they don't

all go to the

same place

and then some

of you will

maybe say

some people

will maybe say

George

maybe

and here's

we can put up

the elephant thing

George

I think

your problem

is

George

the Christian

problem

is

George

that all you do

is

Jesus has just

touched one

small part

of reality

and he's

extrapolated

from that

one small

part of reality

to think

that he's

understood

the whole

it's like

the classic

case of

the blind

men

touching

the elephant

and some

blind men

touch

the elephant's

tusks

and think

that well

God

is

like a

knife

or the

whole

thing

is

like

a

knife

and

others

touch

the

trunk

and

they

think

of

a

snake

and

others

touch

the

leg

and

they

think

of

a

pillar

and

others

touch

the

side

and

think

of

a

wall

and

not

quite

sure

what's

happening

at

the

end

and

at

the

top

they

touch

the

end

and

somebody

would

say

George

that's

the

problem

is

that

you know

Buddhism

touches

God

is

so

immense

and

they

touch

God

in a

tiny

little

way

and

so

they've

come

up

with

this

conclusion

and

Hindus

have

touched

God

in

this

way

and

they

come

up

with

this

conclusion

and

they

come

up

with

this

conclusion

and

Jews

and

Muslims

and

Christians

but

the

fact

of

the

matter

is

you're

just

touching

a

tiny

part

of

the

reality

and

you

don't

realize

that

it's

an

elephant

and

it's

a

very

powerful

and

emotionally

powerful

illustration

in

our

culture

I've

had

it

told

me

I

don't

know

four

five

six

times

a

year

somebody

will

tell

me

this

but

the

problem

is

huge

problem

what

can

we

all

see

the

elephant

we're

not

blind

the

person

telling

me

the

story

is

saying

George

you're

blind

but

I'm

not

blind

like

they

don't

say

this

they're

not

actually

meaning

to

be

arrogant

but

it's

an

unbelievably

arrogant

thing

to

say

and

it's

so

common

in

Canadian

culture

that

if

you

challenge

I

remember

just

a

little

while

ago

I

said

to

somebody

that

in

fact

it

was

an

arrogant

statement

and

he

got

so

mad

at

me

he

got

verbally

abusive

to

me

in

the

Starbucks

and

wouldn't

now

maybe

I

could

have

been

a bit

more

gentle

about

it

my

wife

will

tell

you

truly

that

I

don't

always

I'm

not

always

a

good

communicator

I'm

often

a

very

bad

communicator

but

if

you

think

about

it

that's

why

I

had

Andrew

put

it

up

is

the

mistake

is

that

somebody

knows

that

it's

a

whole

elephant

well

who

made

you

God

who

made

you

different

than

every

other

human

being

you

see

the

fact

of

the

matter

is

that

actually

it

doesn't

actually

work

as an

analogy

at all

it has

emotional

power

but

it

actually

isn't

true

another

more

common

problem

though

to say

could you

put up

the

number

one

again

Andrew

thanks

Jesus

said

unto

them

I

am

the

way

and

the

truth

and

the

life

no

one

comes

to

the

father

except

through

me

a

more

common

one

is

that

when

people

hear

that

they

think

that

if

I

said

that

to

somebody

they

think

that

I

was

saying

that

I'm

better

than

them

and

the

problem

is

that

often

Christians

throughout

history

have

been

very

arrogant

and

not

just

throughout

history

that

there's

ways

that

I

can

be

arrogant

without

realizing

it

but

the

fact

of

the

matter

is

is

that

when

I

share

with

somebody

that

Jesus

said

I

am

the

way

and

the

truth

and

the

life

no

one

comes

to

the

father

except

through

me

what

I'm

saying

is

actually

that

I

have

absolutely

nothing

to

boast

about

I've

shared

with

you

many

times

Spurgeon's

famous

line

that

the

Christian

faith

is

one

beggar

telling

another

beggar

where

to

get

free

bread

it's

not

a

billionaire

bread

producer

saying

that

if

you

just

worked

as

hard

as

I

did

etc

etc

you

could

make

lots

of

bread

as

well

it's

not

like

that

at

all

it's

very

humbling

Jesus

is

saying

George

all

of

your

ways

none

of

them

will

work

all

of

your

truths

none

of

them

will

work

all

of

the

ways

that

you

justify

yourself

they

don't

work

none

of

these

things

work

I

am

the

way

I

am

the

truth

I

am

the

life

no

one

comes

to

the

father

except

through

me

and

I

am

telling

you

this

because

I

have

done

everything

for

you

to

know

the

father

I

have

done

everything

for

you

to

know

the

truth

I

have

done

everything

for

you

to

the

life

all

I'm

asking

you

is

to

set

down

all

of

your

ways

to

justify

yourself

and

make

yourself

look

good

and

make

yourself

look

like

you're

special

and

make

yourself

I

I'm

just

me

and

I

take

you

I

am

the

way

I

am

the

truth

I

am

the

life

Jesus

is

saying

it's

all

me

it's

not

you

at

all

see

the

fact

the

matter

is

that

this

passage

and

what

Jesus

is

doing

answers

the

deep

longing

of

our

hearts

and

answers

a

part

of

our

cultural

longing

that

our

culture

can't

figure

out

for

itself

because

you

see

what

we

want

in

our

culture

is

if

you

think

about

it

what

we

want

in

our

culture

is

we

want

to

know

that

there's

the

truth

of

the

visa

bill

and

there's

the

truth

of

science

that

the

first

and

second

law

thermodynamics

is

true

and

we

want

to

know

the

truths

that

are