The Point Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. The Passage John 14:1-7 The Bible Meets Life We must be on our guard not to let the daily news and world events overwhelm us. Nations are at odds, groups within nations fight among themselves, economies are on the brink of disaster, and nothing feels safe or secure. Apart from Christ, any one of these issues would be a cause for anxiety. But Jesus offers us something beyond the turbulent, insecure world we live in. Jesus is the way to the Father and an eternal home with Him. The Setting John began his coverage of Jesus last week on earth in what we know as chapter 12. By the time he arrived at the passage of this study, it was well into the evening of Jesus last night on earth. In the upper room only hours before His crucifixion, Jesus devoted Himself to final instructions and assurances the disciples needed before He departed from them. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 57
What does the Bible say? John 14:1-7 (HCSB) Troubled (v. 1) This term can refer to outward shaking or stirring up, inward turmoil, unsettling circumstances, or being thrown into confusion. Dwelling places (v. 2) This phrase refers to a room or abode, or even of a settled residence. Know (v. 7) All three uses in this verse come from the Greek word meaning to know by personal experience. A different Greek word appears in verses 4-5. 1 Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. 2 In My Father s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going. 5 Lord, Thomas said, we don t know where You re going. How can we know the way? 6 Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him. 58 SESSION 5
THE POINT Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. GET INTO THE STUDY DISCUSS: Invite your group members to discuss Question 1 on page 45 of the Personal Study Guide (PSG): When have you felt most at peace? Allow time for each person to respond. RECAP THE PSG (PAGE 46): One of the most beloved American literary characters is Atticus Finch, the smalltown Alabama lawyer in Harper Lee s To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, Atticus maintains a calm poise whether facing down a rabid dog or dealing with a racially-motivated mob. Several times in the narrative, Atticus tells his children, Jem and Scout, It s not time to worry. 10 minutes TIP: Make it a habit to pray regularly for your group members, their spiritual growth, and your group discussions. Notes Trouble has a way of finding us, and it is easy to let those troubles cause us to worry. It would be nice to a have our own version of a calm and collected Atticus Finch someone who would tell us, It s not time to worry. SAY: Jesus offers us something far greater. He doesn t just offer words in an attempt to comfort us; He offers Himself. He is our peace in the midst of any trouble. GUIDE: Call the group s attention to The Point on page 46 of the PSG: Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. PRAY: Transition into the Bible study with prayer. Pray for your group members to learn more about the peace Christ offers and that they would personally experience it this week. Display Pack Item #6 for use with the optional activity on page 60. PLAYLIST PICK: Everything Is Mine In You by Christy Nockels BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 59
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 14:1 Notes 1 Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. ALTERNATE QUESTION: When do you find it difficult to trust God? DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 48 of the PSG: How do you determine if someone is trustworthy? (Note: If the conversation doesn t naturally land on the character of the person we re placing trust in and your relationship with him, be sure to insert this idea into your discussion). SAY: In John 14, Jesus began his teaching with the topic of trust. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 14:1. SUMMARIZE: Share with your group the context of this passage. John began his coverage of Jesus last week on earth in chapter 12. In chapter 14, it was well into the evening of Jesus last night on earth. In the upper room only hours before His crucifixion, Jesus devoted Himself to final instructions and assurances the disciples needed before He departed from them. Jesus sought to encourage His disciples. These men had already experienced difficulty because of their commitment to Him. It was going to get worse much worse. Persecution and martyrdom would soon be a reality. SUMMARIZE: Jesus commanded his disciples: Believe in God; believe also in Me. Notice Jesus did not say simply to trust the power of God or the presence of Jesus. It is a trust based on a relationship with God that is personal and intimate. We trust in Persons (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit), not merely in concepts or doctrines. That s a distinctive characteristic of the Christian faith. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): The disciples were about to face an experience that would be both distressing and unexpected. On a smaller scale, young adulthood carries its own share of unknown and challenging issues. As a group, identify challenging issues facing young adults that threaten to steal a sense of peace. Invite someone to make a list of these issues, writing them on Pack Item #6, Choppy Waters. 60 SESSION 5
THE POINT Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. John 14:1 Commentary Trust in Jesus keeps your heart from being troubled. Verse 1: Jesus said, Your heart must not be troubled. In modern culture, the heart is associated almost exclusively with emotion (think Valentine s Day). The ancient metaphor of the heart was broader, including what we normally think of as activities of the mind. So, heart is meant to convey that which is conceived as the center and source of life, especially inner life, the seat of emotions, wishes, desires, and moral decisions. The heart, then, is where we have our deepest thoughts or hold our hidden fears, those thoughts or fears we would not readily confess to someone else. Jesus always operates here, in the heart. He relates at the deeper levels, knows us fully, perceives what we really think, and understands how we really feel. Troubled carries the concept of a sea or other body of water being stirred up or agitated. Jesus call not to be troubled came in the moment of the shocking realization that Jesus had just predicted betrayal by His own disciples. Surely Jesus announcement would have made the hearts of the disciples toss out of control like a small fishing ship on the Sea of Galilee during a tremendous storm. The disciples cannot be blamed for having a difficult time processing this news. Most particularly, their own denial of Jesus would be hard to fathom. For the disciples, these troubled waters brought troubling thoughts. Jesus then challenged His disciples on the basis of their fundamental faith in God, that they should believe also in Me. The calming influence for the troubled seas of their hearts stood in front of them, even as He had that night they had been on the Sea of Galilee when the waves and the winds whipped up (John 6:16-21). That night He had easily solved the crisis of the external storm. This night He addressed their internal storms with an admonition to continue to have faith in Him. Such a faith in only a few days would include not only belief in the death of Jesus, but in His resurrection as well. Forgiveness and life result from this faith to which Jesus called His disciples. In John s Gospel, belief is not merely rational thought, such as agreeing with an idea. Belief is action. We pick up on John s distinctive framing of belief as action by noting that John never used the static noun belief in his Gospel. John only used the active verb, to believe. Thus, belief or faith in John s text is something someone does rather than what someone simply thinks. It is trusting. It is relating. The disciples were learning that belief in Jesus is trusting Jesus to secure their relationship. Even though they would betray Jesus, Jesus was calling for them to trust that He would guarantee the future of their relationship. Salvation depends on Jesus ability to secure the relationship, not the sinner s inability to avoid betrayal. Salvation is not jeopardized by sin. Trust in Jesus keeps your heart from being troubled. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 61
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 14:2-4 Notes 2 In My Father s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 14:2-4. ALTERNATE QUESTION: How would you state the promises in verses 2-4 in your own words? DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 49 of the PSG: What do these verses reveal about God s intention for our relationship with Him? SUMMARIZE: This passage contains significant teaching that was not immediately understood by Jesus disciples. The disciples would have expected Jesus to talk of an earthly kingdom over which He would reign. Jesus had a different kind of kingdom in mind. Jesus promised believers permanent residence in His Father s house. The phrase dwelling places emphasizes the location of the place being prepared for us and that location is with God. The grandeur of heaven is the presence of God! Jesus promised, I will come back and receive you to Myself. He would retrieve His followers, accompany them beyond death, and bring them into His presence as their eternal reward. SAY: Because of Christ s death, resurrection, ascension, and return, we re offered the ultimate peace: getting to be in God s presence for all eternity. 62 SESSION 5
THE POINT Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. John 14:2-4 Commentary We can trust in Christ because He is preparing a permanent place for us in heaven. Verse 2: Jesus repeatedly affirmed that He came from the Father in heaven. Here the disciples learned their relationship to Jesus was like having a residence in heaven: In My Father s house are many dwelling places. A place to reside means permanent relationship. This permanence could heal the disciples anxiety, especially Peter s, of having just learned they would betray Jesus. Jesus would transcend their betrayal; it would not end their relationship. Jesus was leaving, to prepare a place. Jesus would not prepare a place unless He was going to forgive their betrayal. The disciples certainly would not instantly have understood Jesus words about His Father s house to be about heaven. When first-century Jews conceptualized the kingdom of God as inaugurated by the Messiah, that kingdom always was thought of as on earth. In this coming kingdom, they thought, Jews still would live in their own homes. They simply would have the Messiah as their king over them, peace at their borders, and abundant crops in their fields. Thus, we have to anticipate that the disciples would have been confused by Jesus language. Do not assume this conversation would have been easy to grasp. A place in heaven would not have been their first thought. No part of their typical Jewish expectations would have prepared them for what Jesus meant. Verse 3: Jesus then answered the obvious question of how one would get where He was going. If He were going away to prepare a place for His followers, then I will come back, He declared, and receive you to Myself. His departure would be not only purposeful but also temporary. When the preparation of verse 2 had been accomplished, Jesus would be back. Notice the double-fold emphasis of the intention of Jesus return. On one side of the coin, it is to receive you to Myself. On the flip side, it is so that where I am you may be also. One is for Him; the other is for us. The hotel maid makes preparation for our arrival, but has no intention of being with us during our stay. Jesus prepares for our arrival specifically so we can share our stay together with Him. The story of Jesus is not complete even after His death and resurrection. A marvelous return awaits. Jesus return is a premier doctrine of the New Testament, and John s Gospel ends on a reminder of the return of Jesus (21:22). We can trust Christ because He is preparing a permanent place for us in heaven. Verse 4: Jesus then intrigued His disciples. Even while indicating that He would receive His own, Jesus still insisted, You know the way to where I am going. This insistence is captivating. It flies in the face of the obvious: Jesus had not made clear where He was going. Certainly He had spoken about His Father s house, but even that thought was pretty ambiguous for His disciples. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 63
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE John 14:5-7 Notes 5 Lord, Thomas said, we don t know where You re going. How can we know the way? 6 Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud John 14:5-7. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What are the implications for today s culture of what Jesus said? DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 50 of the PSG: What does this I am statement teach us about Jesus nature and character? SUMMARIZE: The only way to know God is to personally know and follow Jesus; any other belief system or set of spiritual principles claiming to offer salvation are false. Jesus is the only Way to the Father. DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 51 of the PSG: How do these verses lead us to experience peace? (Note: Help your group to discuss this question in terms of peace in our day-to-day experiences as well as eternal peace.) DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 50 of the PSG on their own. Chaos or Calm? Peace is the result of placing your faith wholly in Christ. Which of the following areas feel like choppy waters in your life right now? Check all that apply. Navigating a big decision Managing finances Implementing education & career plans Strengthening current relationships Other: What truth from today s passage gives you the greatest sense of peace? Write it below in your own words. 64 SESSION 5
THE POINT Jesus is the Way to the Father; therefore, we can live in peace. John 14:5-7 Commentary We can trust in Christ because He is the only way to live forever with God. Verse 5: Where Jesus was going was unclear. He had not mentioned the path. Thomas sought answers to both questions: we don t know where You re going. How can we know the way? It is probably best here to understand Thomas as the disciple who voiced the thought that was on all the disciples minds. Peter had already revealed his confusion (John 13:36). In short order, both Philip (14:8) and the other Judas (v. 22) would indicate that they, too, were not clear on Jesus message and its implications. Likely the whole crew puzzled over Jesus words that night. Verse 6: The question brought up another of the famous I am sayings of Jesus. Jesus responded with one of the clearest affirmations of the New Testament, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Way in Jewish thought is often about a life to live, the manner or character of your life. Truth in this context is integrity. Following Jesus as the Way and the Truth is living a life of complete integrity, pleasing God in all things. The Book of Acts regularly shows early Christians referring to themselves as the Way, probably reflecting the direct impact of this statement of Jesus. This manner of speaking was Jewish and apparently well known in Jesus world. Jesus, however, made an exclusive claim. Jesus immediately narrowed the scope of participation directly to Himself. He added, No one comes to the Father except through Me. Jesus could not have been more restrictive. The path is knowing and following Jesus personally. This exclusivity eliminates any other claim to salvation. With His personalized exclusivity, Jesus also rejected any effort to reduce Christianity to spiritual principles or multiple paths to God. Only one way and only one truth exists for anyone s life Jesus. We must be careful not to grant exceptions where Jesus allowed none. While the Bible teaches us that God desires none to perish (2 Peter 3:9), it also records that Jesus Himself said, No one comes to the Father except through Me. It is only through Jesus we can come to the Father and know the peace He intends for us to experience. Verse 7: Jesus then moved to the language of knowing as a way to describe the personal relationship believers share with Him. He revealed, If you know Me, you will also know My Father. The phrase knowing God was covenant language for Israel s prophets (Jeremiah 24:7; 31:34; Hosea 13:4). The psalmist encouraged developing a way of life that allows one to know God (Psalm 46:10; 100:3). This type of relational knowledge does not have to wait on a future journey to God s house. Jesus brought this possibility into the present, From now on you do know Him and have seen Him. Catching a vision of Jesus dying on a cross and rising from the grave is seeing God Himself at work in eternal salvation. We can trust in Christ because He is the only way to live forever with God. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 65
5 minutes LIVE IT OUT SAY: Jesus is the Way to the Father. What will you do with this truth? GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 52 of the PSG. Turn from counterfeit peace. Spend some time this week identifying things in your life that you lean on to bring you peace. Confess to God your tendency to seek peace in things other than Christ. Ask Him for strength to trust in Christ alone. Memorize John 14:6. Commit this verse to memory and ask God to remind you of it the next time you find yourself feeling anxious or worried. Thank God for the access to Him we re given in Christ. Invite a person of a different faith to coffee or lunch. Ask this person to explain what his or her religion teaches about concepts like the way to heaven, truth, and eternal life. In turn, tell what Jesus has taught you about these issues. Wrap It Up SAY: Major decisions, distressing experiences, and unexpected life circumstances will come. That s when we plant our feet firmly on God s Word: Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Trusting in these truths yields peace that only comes from God. Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid (MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife). 66 SESSION 5