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You can turn with me in your 
Bibles to the book of John, as we work our way through John's 
gospel. We're in the upper room discourse, chapter 14. Our focus 
will be verses one to six. Remember, Jesus has announced 
many times in his earthly ministry with reference to his disciples 
that he must go to Jerusalem, that he must suffer, that he 
must die, and that he must be raised again. And here immediately 
in our context, he mentions this specifically in chapter 13, with 
reference to his departure. Verse 33, he says, little children, 
I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me. 
And as I said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come. 
So now I say to you. So he takes this opportunity 
to encourage to exhort and to prepare the disciples for ministry 
after His death, resurrection, and ascension on high. It will 
be their task to go, therefore, to make disciples of the nations, 
to baptize them, and to teach them to observe all that Christ 
has commanded. We see that taken up in the book 
of Acts. So I want to read chapter 14, 
verses 1 to 6. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, 
believe also in me. In my Father's house are many 
mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to 
prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, 
there you may be also. And where I go, you know, in 
the way you know. Thomas said to Him, Lord, we 
do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? 
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one 
comes to the Father except through me. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our gracious God and Holy Father, 
we thank You for the God-breathed Word. We thank You that from 
Genesis to Revelation we have Your Word, Your mind, Your will 
revealed to us in the Old and New Testament. We thank You for 
Your providence and Your preservation of these scriptures. having kept 
them for our use and benefit here in the 21st century. We 
pray now for the ministry of the Holy Spirit who gave us that 
word, that he would come and guide us in our understanding 
of it, that you would impact and affect our hearts in a positive 
way, further conform us unto the image of your blessed Son. 
As well, God, we pray for any and all who are dead in their 
trespasses and sins, that they would see in this passage the 
way of access to the Father is through the Son, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And may they, by grace, believe on Him and know the joy 
of being found in Him. Forgive us now for all of our 
sin and all unrighteousness, and we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, Jesus 
is getting ready to depart from the disciples. He will, again, 
obviously be raised from the dead and spend some further time 
with them, but then He ascends on high, and from His station 
or position of glory at the right hand of the Father, He continues 
to bless, encourage, and use His disciples to propagate the 
glorious gospel and to see the church of Christ extended on 
the earth. But in this particular context, 
we know that the disciples are troubled. Jesus certainly knows 
that, so he addresses them accordingly in verse one. So this morning, 
I wanna look at verses one to six under two considerations. 
First, the preparation of heaven for the disciples in verses one 
to three. Jesus speaks about his departure, 
but it's not a departure where it's gonna terminate with him 
in the grave. It's a departure as a means for 
access to the Father's house and to prepare it for their eventual 
coming. And then secondly, we'll notice 
the access to heaven through the Lord. So the preparation 
of heaven and then the access to heaven. But note first with 
reference to the preparation, he does two things here. He first 
gives them an exhortation in verse one and then an encouragement 
in verses two and three. But notice the exhortation in 
verse one. not your heart be troubled. Why 
do you think he would say that? Because most likely their hearts 
are troubled. Why would their hearts be troubled? 
Because he's announced to them that from among them, one of 
them is going to betray him. And remember in the parallel 
accounts in the synoptic gospels, after Jesus announces the betrayal, 
the disciples, each one say, Lord, is it I? So certainly this 
is a perplexing and troublesome time for them in light of the 
fact that the announcement of the betrayal has been made, Judas 
has now departed. But not only that, Jesus has 
told Peter that he's going to deny him. Again, it probably 
would flood the hearts of the other disciples, not simply that 
Peter would do that, but that the potential for doing that 
is even in their own hearts. If, when he announces the betrayal, 
they ask, Lord, is it I? Certainly, the lesser than the 
betrayal, the denial, is certainly in the wheelhouse of the disciples 
as well. And then, thirdly, why might 
they be troubled? Because the Lord whom they love, 
the Lord whom they worship, the Lord whom they follow, is going 
to be away from them in a little while. In fact, the next day, 
he is going to be given up into godless hands, he's going to 
be crucified on the cross, and he's going to be laid in the 
tomb. So there are three really powerful reasons as to why these 
men could possibly be troubled at this juncture. And the word 
is simple. It means to cause inward turmoil. It means to stir up, to disturb, 
to unsettle, or to throw into confusion. And interestingly 
enough, we see it used of our Lord Jesus Christ in the immediate 
context. Notice in chapter 13 at verse 
21. When Jesus had said these things, 
he was troubled in spirit. as well in chapter 12 at verse 
27, with reference to the announcement of the hour. Verse 27, Now my 
soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this 
hour. But for this purpose I came to 
this hour. Father, glorify your name. We see it also at the graveside 
of Lazarus. The Lord Jesus was troubled in 
spirit, according to his humanity, at the reality that he's going 
to the cross. But interestingly, here in chapter 
14 at verse 1, it's not his trouble that he's looking to dissipate. 
It's not his trouble that he's trying to mitigate. It's not 
his trouble that he's trying to deal with. It's their trouble. He's always others-minded. He's 
always about serving. He's always about that love that 
he calls upon us to enact toward one another, that constant love. 
that self-sacrificing love, that love that is firm, that love 
that is sure, that love that values and prizes the other above 
itself. And so the Lord of Glory exhibits 
here in verse 1a this idea that he conveyed to us in chapter 
13 at verse 34. A new commandment I give to you, 
that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also 
love one another. By this all will know that you 
are my disciples, if you have love for one another." And he 
exemplifies that. He demonstrates it. Again, in 
his soul trouble, in his time of great travail, in his hardship 
and woe and suffering, he's not thinking about himself. He's 
not saying, well, I want you all to fawn all over me. I want 
you to make sure that these wretched, godless Romans don't nail me 
to the cross. No, he's concerned about their 
trouble. He's concerned about their soul, and he wants to comfort 
them and encourage them and stabilize them. So he not only gives this 
statement concerning the reality of their trouble, but then he 
provides the remedy for that trouble. Notice in verse 1, Now 
both those clauses could be taken as indicatives, which means it's 
true, or as imperatives, which means it must be true. I think 
it's both imperative. You believe in God, believe also 
in me. In other words, what's the way 
to deal with your soul trouble? What's the way to deal with your 
anxiety? What's the way to deal with your 
depression? It's to believe in God. It's 
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I'm not suggesting 
you don't go out for a walk and get some sunshine and some fresh 
air and eat a good meal. Remember Elijah under the broom 
tree? He's ready to check out. Lord, 
I've done my best. The people are still incorrigible. 
They're still godless. They still got Baal in their 
veins. What does the Lord do? The Lord says, get back up and 
get back out there, Elijah, and let those Baalists have it. No, 
he says, rest a while. Have some food. These are good 
remedies and good tonics to appeal to a man who's in the depths 
of depression and despair. You see it with Jesus in the 
midst of a busy ministry with reference to his apostles. He 
says, come apart and rest a while. You see it in the very design 
and rhythm of God's created order. He gives us a day to rest. He 
gives us a day to Sabbath. He gives us a day to cease from 
our regular and ordinary labors so that we can rest in him. But 
with reference to the ultimate aim, it's to believe in God and 
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the way to mitigate 
soul trouble in this present evil age. Now, I'm not preaching 
here as a guru. Just follow my example. These 
are lifelong lessons that we, by the Spirit, need to get a 
hold of. If we had learned these things 
30 years ago, we would have saved a lot of worry. But, alas, it 
doesn't always work that way. But this is Jesus' antidote, 
or the remedy, to soul trouble. And this isn't the only place 
you see this. Turn to the Gospel of Luke, in Luke chapter 18. 
Luke chapter 18. Look at how Jesus addresses the 
situation of anxiety. The issue of losing heart. Luke 
18 at verse one, then he spoke a parable to them that men always 
ought to pray and not lose heart saying, what's the contrast to 
losing heart? Prayer. What's the contrast to 
prayer? Losing heart. What should you 
do so that you don't lose heart? You're right, you should pray. 
But then notice as well in the book of Philippians, the epistle 
of Paul to the church in Philippi, specifically at chapter 4, same 
sort of an emphasis that if we are in trouble, if we are having 
trial, we ought to look outside of ourselves. In other words, 
the resources to mitigate your issues aren't usually to be found 
in yourself. Look outside of yourself to our 
blessed God. Notice in Philippians 4 at verse 
6, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication 
with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the 
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard 
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Again, it's not 
that there's no remedy provided for the soul trouble that we 
face. It's not that there's not a prescription given by our blessed 
physician to help mitigate the effects of life in a present 
evil age. It's just that we don't always 
use that. And so we need to listen to our 
beloved Savior when he says, you believe in God. You believe 
also in me." When he makes that statement, you believe in God, 
believe also in me, you know what he's also doing? He's highlighting 
himself alongside of the Father as the object of faith. This 
is a magnificent claim that isn't surprising in the gospel that 
starts off with the prologue. the beginning was the Word, the 
Word was with God, the Word was God. The Word became flesh and 
dwelt among us. No one has seen God at any time 
except for the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the 
Father, He has declared Him." So we're sort of set up and we're 
sort of primed and we're sort of ready for this declaration. 
But if you just fell into this book at this point, Who but one 
that has the same nature as the Father could ever arrogate to 
himself or suggest that he himself is the object of faith with the 
Father? It is a wonderful statement, 
again, attesting to the absolute glorious deity of our wonderful 
Savior. So the Word who became flesh, 
the only begotten Son of the Father, the object of saving 
faith. Thomas says that fact that he 
says, believe also in me, indicates that he is truly God. For although 
we are allowed to believe a human being or creature, notice the 
distinction. For although we are allowed to 
believe a human being or creature, we ought to believe in God alone. Therefore, we must believe in 
Christ as we believe in God. So Christ, right there with the 
Father, is the object of saving faith. But in this particular 
context, he's the object of comforting faith. If weak faith brings a 
sinner into peace with God, stronger faith gives stability to the 
believer in God. So oftentimes the problems that 
you and I face, the troubles that we undergo, it's not just 
a matter of fix those, but rather it's increase my faith, God. 
Remember many years ago, we received a prayer letter from China. And 
one of the things that they said is, don't pray that the burden 
be removed from us, but pray that our shoulders would be strong 
enough to carry the burden. I think that's a very good way 
to think of things, a very good approach to the difficulties 
that we face in this life. It's not just, God, get rid of 
this nasty person out of my life, but God, help me to trust in 
you in the midst of nasty people in my life. So the Lord Jesus 
gives them this exhortation to not let their hearts be troubled. 
Believe in God, believe also in me. But then after this exhortation, 
he gives them this encouragement in verses two to three. And I 
think this is designed or calculated or done so that they'll have 
more reason not to be troubled. It's not only that you ought 
not to be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me, but 
you need to consider what we have in store for you. You need 
to consider what the cross means. You need to consider what the 
hour means. You need to consider all of the benefits that accrue 
for those who, by God's grace, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 
So notice, he speaks of his departure in verse two, and then his return 
in verse three. Verse two, again, a familiar 
passage of scripture. I hope nobody's surprised this 
morning, wow, I never saw that before. I hope you've all seen 
this many, many times. Whenever I go to visit one of 
the older widows and I ask her, what do you want me to read from? 
It's always either Isaiah or John 14. John 14 has brought 
worlds of comfort to worlds of believers throughout the ages 
Look at what our Lord says verse 2 in my father's house are many 
mansions if it were not so I would have told you So what is he saying? My father, it's already talked 
about this in numerous times. He is the sent one from the father. He is the only begotten son of 
the father. He is the son, not by adoption, 
not by creation, but he's the son by nature. He has the same 
nature, the same essence as the father. This is an obvious reference 
to heaven. In my Father's house are many 
mansions. So just practically again, this 
isn't in the notes, but it's just come up in my own head here. 
If the mitigation of soul trouble is to believe in God, to believe 
in the Lord Jesus Christ, It is for the present and for the 
benefit that we now possess, but with a view to the future, 
with the understanding that we just sang at the outset of worship, 
surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my 
life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That's 
our future condition. That's where we're heading. That 
ought to be a help, if not a complete removal of, at least a help to 
mitigate some of that soul trouble that we face now. 2 Corinthians 
5.1, the apostle says, for we know that if our earthly house, 
this tent is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house 
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Jesus is obviously 
talking about heaven above. But notice the language in verse 
two, in my father's house are many mansions. The word literally 
is room or dwelling. But that old King James rendering, 
mansions, is a good gloss. If you kind of pay attention 
to what's happening in terms of civil government, I can't 
prove this, but I get this idea that they want us living in huts, 
300 square feet, if you're lucky. They want you eating bugs. They 
don't want you having cars. They want you having bikes, a 
little spiel. In my house, or my father's house, are what? 
Many huts? Many hovels? 300 square feet 
for you and your 10 people family to just knuckle under? In my 
father's house are many mansions. I think the idea is it's lavish, 
it's glorious, it is what God is. Remember when Solomon builds 
the temple, they spared no expense. You can hear people today, well, 
that was a lot of waste of money. You hear people like Judas, well, 
we shouldn't give that money, or she shouldn't have taken that 
perfume and poured it on the feet of the Savior. We should 
have taken that money and given it to the poor. Yes, that's certainly 
an application. But there are times when you're 
in the presence of the God of absolute glory and majesty, you 
spare no expense in the lavish amount of praise and adoration 
and worship you give to Him. When Solomon built that temple, 
you know what he was telling the pagan nations around? Our 
Yahweh is supreme. He is no ghetto deity. He's no 
dunghill deity. He is worthy of gold hinges at 
the doors of his house. This is the God of absolute glory 
and majesty. So what do you think he does 
with reference to his blood-bought children? Okay, check in, sign 
on the dotted line, get your uniform, get your hovel, and 
just knuckle under. There's many mansions. And notice 
the many there. I'm going to make the application 
at 14.6. 14.6 certainly teaches the exclusivity of the Christian 
religion. It does, and I've preached it 
that way many a time. It is contra-Jew, it is contra-papist, 
it is contra-Muslim, it is contra every religion that thinks that 
somehow all roads lead to heaven. So we emphasize and we maintain 
that no one can come to the Father except through me. But it's not 
only a verse that teaches the exclusivity of the Christian 
gospel, but the accessibility to the God of the Christian gospel 
through His only begotten Son. Yes, it's exclusive, but yes, 
the emphasis is upon coming into the presence of the Father, getting 
your many mansions, knowing the goodness of our Lord forever 
and ever, world without end. So what Jesus does is he says, 
don't be troubled. Believe in God, believe in me 
also. And then, to up the ante, I'm going to my father's house. 
Tomorrow, when he goes to the cross, he's going to die, he's 
gonna be put in that tomb, and then he's going to be raised 
again, and then he's gonna ascend on high. And the preparation, 
brethren, is probably not him going back to sweep, him going 
back to clean the garage, him going back to put chocolates 
on your pillow so that when you arrive, you have a nice warm 
experience. The preparation is the cross. How does He go to 
prepare a place for them? It's through His bloodshed. How 
does He go to prepare a place for them? It's through His resurrection. 
How does He go to prepare a place for them? It's His ascension 
on high. It's the glorious gospel of Jesus 
Christ that is the means of preparation for their access and that reception 
of the many mansions that the Father has for His beloved children. It really does convey a wonderful 
image in terms of God's lavishness, God's graciousness, and God's 
goodness to the many who enter into His presence. So notice, 
the Lord then says, or highlights there at the end of the verse, 
I go to prepare a place for you. Remember that hell is a prepared 
place as well. Matthew 25, 41, they're cast 
into hell, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 
Acts 1.25, the commentary concerning Judas and his final disposition. 
Where does Judas go? He goes to his own place. His idea being is that we will 
be visited with judgment, consistent with our sin, lest we by grace 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. So he speaks to them concerning 
this departure, but then notice his return in verse three. And dare I say, for the Christian 
church, we have a very, very simple doctrine of the last times. It's right here. He goes and 
he comes back. You mean all these other... He 
goes and he comes back. This is as clear eschatology 
as you're going to get in the Bible. Well, where's the millennium? Where's the antichrist? Where's 
the devil? Well, this much we know, he goes and he comes back. He goes having accomplished his 
work on their behalf, and then he comes back to fetch them and 
bring them to those mansions of glory in heaven above. If 
your eschatology is that eschatology, you are consistent with the testimony 
of the church throughout its ages. We believe in the judgment. We believe in the resurrection 
of the dead. And our Lord Jesus outlines here, 
along with Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, 20 to 28, the simplicity 
of biblical eschatology. Jesus leaves And Jesus comes 
back. If that's all you know relative 
to eschatology, you know a lot, because that's absolutely crucial 
to understand. So notice, he talks about his 
return in verse 3. And if I go and prepare a place 
for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where 
I am, there you may be also. So the departure of Jesus through 
the cross, to the father's house, and that preparation that he 
affects by his own work, the reality is, is that he's coming 
back again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Notice 
in verse three, and if I come again, and I think that this 
is what makes heaven heaven, and receive you to myself, that 
where I am, there you may be also. Paul picks up on this in 
1 Thessalonians 4 at verse 17. He says, then we who are alive 
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds 
to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with 
the Lord. What makes heaven heaven? Is 
it the pearly gates? Is it the golden streets? Is 
it all the jewels? Is it all the stuff that bedazzle? 
It's Jesus. He's the darling of heaven. You 
will be with me. That's what he conveys. In light 
of, let not your heart be troubled, he is really upping the ante 
as to why your heart ought not to be troubled. In my father's 
house are many mansions. you're going to be in one of 
those. As well, it's going to be the case that you are with 
me, that you are always in the presence of the Lord God Most 
High. Look back at John chapter 12, 
specifically at verse 26. If anyone serves me, let him 
follow me. And where I am, there my servant 
will be also. If anyone serves me, him my father 
will honor. And then again in 1724. 1724, 
Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that 
they may behold my glory, which you have given me, for you love 
me before the foundation of the world. Turn to the book of Revelation, 
Revelation chapters 21 and 22. We won't go through everything, 
but just a couple of things to note. Revelation chapter 21, 
specifically. Quick reminder, 30 second reminder 
about what the Bible's about. We talked about this a little 
bit on Wednesday night. Is the Bible about the Daniel diet? 
No. Is the Bible about how you deal with your personal giants? 
No. Is the Bible about a billion 
other things preachers have told you it's about? No. What's the 
Bible about? God's glory in the salvation 
of sinners through Jesus Christ. You know what that ultimately 
ends with? God and His people dwelling together. In fact, one 
of the great themes in Holy Scripture is that, dwelling together. It's no accident that John 1.14 
speaks of the Incarnation in that language. The Word became 
flesh and did what? He dwelt among us. He tabernacled 
among us. When you go to redemptive history, 
you look at Genesis chapters one to three. Do you know what 
the glory of God manifested there is? It's communion with his creatures. 
It's the fact that God walked among them in the cool of the 
day. The great issue there was the forfeit of that communion. 
Obviously the rebellion against God, the plunge into sin. What 
did they lose? They lost that nearness of God. 
but God orchestrated a way to bring that nearness back, to 
bring that communion. He showed that he was gonna do 
this by the tabernacle. He wants Israel to make this 
sort of mobile tent that they can take out into the wilderness. 
Why? So that they can meet with God out there. And then once 
they get established in the promised land, what are the instructions? 
Well, Solomon, I want you to build this temple. Why? So we 
can best the pagans around us. Well, that too, but so that we 
can commune with Yahweh. It's all about God and his people 
dwelling together. It's all about temple. It's all 
about union. It's all about communion. And 
that's what Christ is promising. If I depart, I'm going to prepare, 
and then I'm going to come back, and I'm going to take you, and 
we're going to go up, and we're going to commune. Notice in Revelation 
21, specifically at verse 22, but I saw no temple in it. For the Lord God Almighty and 
the Lamb are its temple. Everything forfeit by Adam is 
secured for us by the last Adam. What we lost in Adam the first, 
we gain in Adam the last. We get communion, we get nearness, 
we get eternal bliss, and this is what Jesus is speaking concerning. in John's gospel to comfort the 
disciples in the upper room. Let not your heart be troubled. 
You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are 
many mansions. If it were not so, I would have 
told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare 
a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, 
that where I am, there you may be also. The Geneva Bible says 
Christ went not away from us to the end to forsake us, but 
rather that he might at length take us up with him into heaven. So when he announces in verse 
33, chapter 13, little children, I shall be with you a little 
while longer. You will seek me. And as I said 
to the Jews, where I'm going, you cannot come. So now I say 
to you, that's probably the primary reason they're troubled. What 
is he saying now? It's to your benefit that I go. 
It's for your glory that I go. It's for your salvation that 
I go. I'm doing this for you. Greater 
love has no man than that he lays down his life for his friends. This is what Christ came to do, 
to secure the salvation of a great multitude that no man can number. So that's the preparation of 
heaven for the disciples. Let's look then secondly at the 
access to heaven through the Lord. Notice the Lord affirms 
what he has said in verse four. He underscores it. He seals the 
deal. He confirms it. He affirms it. 
Notice in verse four, he says, and where I go, you know, and 
the way you know. So there's a where and a way 
here. There's a where and a way that's gonna come up in their 
confusion, and it's gonna come up in his response to their confusion. So think where and way. Well, 
notice what he says specifically here in verse four. He says, 
and where I go, you know, and the way you know. Now, they should 
have known of the cross, because as I've said, he's taught them 
or told them on many occasions. It's very specific in Matthew 
16, Matthew 17, Matthew 20. It's specific here in John's 
gospel as well, John 12, and I, if I be lifted up, will draw 
all men to myself. He knows and he has communicated 
that the hour is upon him. So he is able to say to them 
with this affirmation or this certainty, and where I go, you 
know. And then he mentions, and the 
way you know. So again, where and way. Now note the confusion of the 
disciples. Oh no, they'd never be confused. 
Yes, they were confused often. They're representative of us, 
brethren. We shouldn't read this and say, 
I can't believe those guys didn't get this. How many things don't 
we get in light of a whole Bible, in light of sermon audio, in 
light of constant preaching and teaching and instruction and 
good books? How many times are we brought to this place to admit 
our confusion? Well, we don't usually admit 
it. We just continue confused and everybody else sees it, but 
we don't see it. It's kind of that bad breath 
thing. Bad breath is one of those things that everybody knows you 
have, but you don't know you have. So when it comes to this 
confusion, Thomas is speaking as one of the disciples. He says, we, and again, it's 
a where and a way issue. Notice in verse five, Thomas 
said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going and 
how can we know the way. Thomas shows up in John 11 as 
one who's willing to die with Jesus. Then he shows up in John 
20, 28 as the one who absented himself from that first corporate 
worship service when Jesus was present. Remember when the disciples 
saw Thomas, they said, Thomas, basically you should have been 
here. If I could read between the lines, that's what they said. 
Oh, we've seen the Lord. What's the implication? Thomas, 
you should have been there. He shouldn't have missed. Maybe 
they weren't that vindictive. I'm probably projecting here. 
But he is the man that is the greatest skeptic. And not just 
skeptic. We think of a skeptic saying, 
well, you know, I'm not really sure. No. Thomas says, unless, 
unless, unless. I will certainly not believe. You might meet a skeptic. Somebody's 
just doing, no, I haven't really heard much about Christianity. 
They're kind of agnostic. That's not really Thomas in John 
20. Thomas is demanding evidence 
to satisfy his own mind. Thomas is saying that if I don't 
see the evidence, then I'm certainly not gonna believe. And what does 
Jesus do? Jesus gently reproves him. He 
chides him. You've seen and you believe. 
Blessed are those who believe even though they haven't seen. 
So this Thomas is a zealous fellow. It's not always a zeal according 
to knowledge. We read about zeal in the last 
hour in terms of J.C. Ryle. We always got to make sure 
that our zeal is tempered by knowledge. Because this willingness 
to go die for Jesus, and we're not willing to live for Jesus, 
sounds like a zeal without knowledge. And when Thomas is here, he is 
expressing the sentiment of the other disciples. We don't know 
the where. We don't know the way. So notice what Jesus responds 
in this declaration. He first starts with the way, 
and then he goes to the where. But notice with reference to 
the way, verse 6, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, 
and the life. That's the way. The where is 
no one comes to the Father except through me. So let's just take 
a couple of minutes to unpack this. First, this is another 
I am statement with a predicate. There have been several in the 
gospel. There are seven total. Jesus says in John 6, I am the 
bread of life. John 8 and 9, I am the light 
of the world. John 10, I am the door of the 
sheep. John 10, I am the good shepherd. John 11, I am the resurrection 
and the life. John 14, the way, the truth, 
and the life. And then there's one final one 
in chapter 15, I am the true vine. So what does he mean here? Remember, he's talking about 
his going to the cross, his departure in that violent, bloody, horrible 
way is going to be the grounds upon which he enters into heaven 
to prepare for them mansions above. And it is from that vantage 
point that he will come again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead, to collect his bride and bring her up into that 
place where they are always present with the Lord forever. A place 
where there is no physical structure. There's no temple there. Why? 
Because God and the Lamb are its temple. Communion and access 
and privilege will all be completely received and consummated in that 
glorious state. So notice what Jesus says here. 
He says three things concerning himself. First of all, he says, 
I am the way. Now, the way is in connection 
with the where. He's the way to the Father. We 
saw that in our studies in the book of Ephesians, chapter 2, 
verses 18 and 22. By the Spirit, through the Son, 
we come to the Father. In fact, look at the book of 
Hebrews, specifically in Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, 
we get the practical section after having exegeted the person 
of Christ as priest. In Hebrews 10, 19, the apostle 
gets very practical. And notice what he says, therefore 
brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood 
of Jesus, notice by a new and living way, which he consecrated 
for us through the veil, that is his flesh. And having a high 
priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true 
heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from 
an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. So when 
we look at Jesus' statement in John 14, 6, when he says, I am 
the way, the way to the Father is Jesus Christ, the Son. That's 
it. That's what we all need to know. 
That's what we all need to learn. There's one true and living God. 
There's one God who made the world. There's one God who governs 
the world. There is one God who is over 
all, that is to be worshiped, that is to be glorified, that 
is to be honored, that is to be praised. But because of our 
sin, and because of our rebellion, and because of our corruption 
in Adam, we don't honor him the way we ought. We don't praise 
Him the way we ought. We don't worship Him the way 
we ought. Rather, we seek out other things. We go after the 
creature, the things that He has made to be of service, to 
be of benefit, and to be of help. We turn those into idols, and 
we pant after them. We lust after them. We go after 
the good things that God has given to be enjoyed. We make 
those God. We find our comfort there. Let 
not your heart be troubled. What does man in sin do? to try 
to mitigate the trouble, he seeks out many devices. We don't like 
living with trouble, do we? And for the most part, we'll 
try to find ways to deal with that trouble. Well, there's one 
God-sanctioned and one God-approved way, and that's him and his son, 
the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything else will only compound 
the trouble. Well, I know I'll just go drink 
this, or I'll go smoke this, or I'll go do this, and all my 
problems will go away. Is that really how it works out? 
I know what I'll do, I'll amass wealth, I'll pile up money and 
all my troubles will go away. Is that really how it happens? 
No. You know it as well as I do. 
Those things are vanity. Those things are folly. Again, 
good things at times, God gives to be enjoyed by the creature, 
but when we worship and serve them and we neglect the creator, 
God overall, then we've got more trouble than we ever even imagined. 
So with reference to our beloved Christ, He is the way, His incarnation, 
His life of obedience, His death is a satisfaction for sins, His 
resurrection from the dead. And notice, He doesn't just show 
the way. He is the way. You see that? I can show you the way. The way 
is the cross. The way is faith in Jesus. The 
way is looking to Him and living. He is the way. Isn't it wonderful 
how in him is personified the various benefits that we receive? 
In Luke's gospel, Luke chapter two, there was a man by the name 
of Simeon. He was an old man and he's at the temple because 
the Lord or the Spirit had said, you're gonna see the Lord's Christ 
before you die. And we know the story. The Lord's 
Christ comes with his parents to be circumcised on the eighth 
day. So we read when Mary walks in with this little baby. I've 
always tried to picture this in my mind's eye. You mothers 
can be a lot like a mama bear, and that's good. God made you 
that way. Defend that baby. Defend that child. Father, same 
thing. You take out whatever threat 
is there launched against your spawn. That's your job. You had 
one job. You protect that. I just try 
to imagine the scene when Simeon marches over to Mary and takes 
the babe out of her arms. I don't get that she tried to 
claw his eyes out. There must have been something 
else going on in the spirit, you know, with reference to her. 
But listen to what he says when he takes the babe. Verse 27, 
so he came by the spirit into the temple. And when the parents 
brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom 
of the law, He took him up in his arms and blessed God and 
said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace 
according to your word. And then notice in verse 30, 
for my eyes have seen your salvation. Not just the way of salvation, 
but the salvation of God is in the person and the work of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. So when he says, I am the way, 
Have you noticed in the preaching of our Lord Jesus in the gospel 
records that he preaches the kingdom of God? That's the way 
he announces his ministry. Matthew 4, 17, repent for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand. He teaches in Matthew 13 parables 
concerning what? The kingdom. He talks about the 
kingdom a lot. after his death, after his resurrection, 
after his ascension on high. The apostolic preaching in the 
book of Acts isn't about the kingdom, it is, but it's about 
the Christ. In other words, the way becomes 
the emphasis instead of the where. Not that the where is unimportant, 
but the way now has dominated everything. In fact, one man 
makes this observation. He says, the presentation of 
Christ to men had been going forward, and the scheme on which 
it is set before us in the gospel collection marks the gradual 
manner in which the eye, looking for the kingdom, came to be fixed 
on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. All is founded on the 
Old Testament expectation of a kingdom of God. That's why 
Jesus comes and he preaches the kingdom of God. But, and he's 
commenting now on the apostolic preaching of Christ, but it is 
now explained that that expectation is fulfilled in the person of 
Jesus. So not that Jesus doesn't do 
that, he preaches the kingdom, he preaches the where, but gradually 
the emphasis is becoming on the way. It's Christ. It's the way. It's the salvation 
of God that is uppermost. So that when Peter falls into 
the pathway of that Ethiopian eunuch, and the eunuch's reading 
Isaiah the prophet, and Philip says, do you know what you're 
reading? He said, I'm not really sure. I need somebody to explain 
it for me. What happens? From this scripture, 
he preached what? Jesus. Acts chapter 10, to him, 
all the prophets give witness that whoever believes in his 
name will receive the forgiveness of sins. This is the grand termination 
of redemptive history. It is in the person of Christ. 
And he says as much here, I am the way, but he doesn't stop. 
Notice he goes on and says, I am the truth. He is the truth, brethren. This is a great thing for living 
in a day and age like we do. There's a lot of non-truth out 
there. And I know it's like that in the first century. We just 
get access to it immediately on five different sites. We're 
just glutted with misinformation and disinformation, only they 
don't think it's misinformation and disinformation. That's the 
big crime today, misinformation and disinformation, and that's 
our Bibles, right? This new Bill 367, you don't 
think it's Dr. Seuss they want to rid the society 
of. It's the word of the living God. 
Hate crime legislation typically targets the Bible. Let's not 
play games, that's what it's about. So that we have the truth 
is a good thing. That we have the truth and its 
embodiment in our Lord Jesus Christ is a good thing. We're 
not left to ourselves. We're not left on our own. I 
am the way, he says, and I am the truth. In other words, everything 
that Jesus has been telling his disciples is true. He's got veracity. He's faithful. He is going to 
bring to pass everything that he has said, specifically in 
verses two and three. Yes, I'm going to depart in a 
little while, but don't let your hearts be troubled. In fact, 
know that my departure means access to the Father, preparation 
of the mansions, and then I'm going to return to you again 
in glory to bring you to where I am. Brethren, that truth is 
what we desperately need in a sinful and godless age. And again, not 
unique to us, they lived in a situation very similar. But then notice 
he says he is the life. And this is a recurring theme 
in John's gospel. According to the prologue, in 
him was life, 1-4. He has life in himself, 5-26. 
He has the words of eternal life in 6-68. Remember all those would-be 
disciples fall away, and then Jesus looks at his inner sanctum, 
he looks at his 12, and he says, do you also want to depart? And 
Simon Peter says, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words 
of eternal life. In other words, He is the way, 
the truth, and the life. Notice as well, He is true God 
and eternal life, according to 1 John 5, verse 20. He gives life abundantly, according 
to John 10, and verse 10. And as well, at the gravesite 
of Lazarus, we learn He is the resurrection and the life. And 
so when it comes to this blessed one, he is the way to the father, 
he is the truth concerning the father, and he is the life that 
we need desperately. And with reference to that, he 
then ends on the where. So I am the way, the truth, and 
the life, then notice the where. No one comes to the father except 
through me. And that's it. That's the essence 
of our religion, isn't it? What's different about you Christians? 
Well, we teach one way of salvation. It's through God's grace, faith 
in Jesus Christ. That's it. That's what we have 
that is unique. I mean, there's a lot attached 
to that to be sure. Blood atonement, forgiveness 
of sins, the imputed righteousness of Jesus, it's a whole myriad 
of blessings and good things accrued by our Savior. But in 
essence, brethren, that's what distinguishes us. We're not an 
all roads lead to Rome sort of a religion. You just do your 
best, you pull up your bootstraps, you stop doing those things and 
everything's going to be okay. No, you're wicked. You're sinful, 
just like me. We deserve God's wrath and curse, 
both in this life and that which is to come. If we access the 
Father, it is because of the cross. If we come to the Father, 
it's because of his blood. If we come to the Father, it's 
because of the fact that he is the way, the truth, and the life. So he ends on that particular 
note. He speaks of the way, he speaks 
of the where, and as I mentioned previously, it's not only the 
exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus, but the accessibility 
to the Father through the Son. So I think it's easy to read 
passages like this and says, no one comes to the Father except 
through me. Oh, that means it's just such this mirror little 
window. No, that's not what it means at all. Why did we think 
that's what it meant? Because we don't read Revelation. We don't read that there's men 
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. We don't read 
that in that New Jerusalem, according to Revelation 7, there's a great 
multitude that no man can number. We don't read Matthew's Gospel 
when Jesus says that this is my blood in the New Covenant, 
which is shed for the remission of sins of many. We don't read 
that in my Father's house are many mansions. So yes, see the 
exclusivity in John 14.6, but brethren, as well, you know, 
amplify the accessibility of the Father through the Son. That's our message to a lost 
and dying world. That's my encouragement to anybody 
here this morning that is dead in their trespasses and sins. 
Come to the way, the one who is truth, the one who gives life 
freely by his grace for his glory. with the sure promise that one 
day you're not gonna be in this cesspool of sin. You're not gonna 
have to deal with the remaining corruption that so easily entices 
us. You're gonna be in Emmanuel's 
land. You're gonna be with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. 
You're gonna be with the spirits of just men made perfect. You're 
gonna be in that blessed state wherein there is no unrighteousness, 
wherein God is all in all. That's the promise of our Lord 
Jesus in John 14, one to six, to everyone and anyone who believes 
on him. Salvation by grace alone, through 
faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. In conclusion, one, comfort 
of the church. We need to be comforted in these 
trying times. Again, the way of comfort, yeah, get your exercise, 
diet, sleep, all those things. You get older, kids, you start 
learning. Yeah, I guess my mom was right. I should have taken 
naps more. There is that difficulty to even secure a good night of 
sleep as you get a bit older. So, you know, get it while you 
can. All that's good. Take care of the outer man. You've 
heard me preach on depression before. Before you get to the 
spiritual ABCs, there's some physical ABCs. If you're not 
eating properly, you're not sleeping well, you're not exercising, 
you're probably not going to feel well. I'm not a doctor, 
or the son of a doctor, but general revelation certainly seems to 
alight in that direction. But as well, spiritually, read 
your Bibles. Pray. Seek God. Grow in the understanding 
of our blessed Lord. Know scripture. Hide it in your 
heart like the psalmist so that I might not sin against you. 
The word of God is valuable. We prize it. We praise it. The 
exercise of faith is the antidote to trouble. Cyril of Alexandria 
said, an untroubled mind is a great help to courage. It's interesting 
because this passage and tonight's passage go hand in glove. Tonight's, 
the whole armor of God, Ephesians chapter 6, 10 and following. What do you think Paul wants 
for the Christian church? Just, you know, lay down, kowtow, and 
just get walked all over. You just let the devil have his 
way with you. There's a devil out there. He's roaring about 
like a roaming lion. He's seeking whom he may devour. 
You know, just hide from him and perhaps you won't get bit. 
That's not Paul's attitude. Paul's not down with sort of 
a low-T approach to ecclesiology or gospel propagation. Be strong, 
stand firm in the power of the might of God most high. And when 
it comes to this soul trouble, vanquish it by faith. Listen 
again to Cyril. Faith then is a weapon whose 
blade is stout and broad. It drives away cowardice that 
comes from thinking about possible suffering, and it renders the 
darts of the wicked utterly ineffective and utterly useless in their 
temptations. He's right. He's absolutely positively 
right. Just like Paul's right in Philippians 
4. Just like Jesus is right in Luke 18. Very often the remedy 
for our problem, it's right there. We don't always access it. Let 
not your heart be troubled, brethren. Believe in God, believe also 
in Jesus. The stability of our spiritual 
blessings through our Lord Jesus Christ are bound up in faith. Again, weak faith brings a sinner 
into peace with God. A bit of a stronger faith stabilizes 
the believer against the onslaughts of life. That's a good thing. So read, pray, buck up, attend 
church, and seek by God's grace to grow in these things. And 
then the glorious expectation of life in the Father's house 
and being in the presence of the Lord forever. At some point, 
brother, I think you gotta just adopt the mindset, and this may 
sound fatalistic. I don't think it is. Okay, whatever 
they throw at me, I'm gonna persevere, because I don't think that's 
fatalistic. I'm gonna persevere. Why? Because my end is in glory. See, it's just cost analysis. It's risk reward. What are you 
gonna do to me? Take from me the prize of Jesus 
Christ? They can't do it. Once you're 
in the hand of God Most High, there's nobody who can pluck 
you out. There's nobody who can snatch you. Shared one time, 
it was either a Sunday morning or Wednesday night. My father 
had a piece of wisdom that I never quite understood. He said, they 
can kill you, but they can't eat you. Took me several years 
to realize, yeah, they can. There's just that many sick and 
twisted people in the world. Don't know what that sort of 
wisdom nugget was calculated to promote, but it perplexed 
me. But in terms of our nuggets of wisdom, we have glory in our 
future. Whatever this world throws at 
us, whatever issues we got to deal with or contend with, whatever 
machinations the civil authorities have down the road, ultimately, 
brethren, we will be where he is. He will receive us to himself, 
and we will dwell in that place where God and the Lamb are the 
temple. And let us end on a great consideration 
of that Lamb. He is the way. You need salvation, 
it's through Jesus. He is the truth. You need a sure 
word, it's in the scriptures. And He is life. The only antidote, 
the only corrective, the only remedy to our spiritual death 
is the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the life that He freely 
gives. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for our Lord 
Jesus, the one who is the way, the truth, and the life. And 
we bless you that by your grace, we've been able to access the 
Father through the Son. And we are confident that as 
this gospel goes forth today, it will run swiftly, and it will 
be glorified, and it will accomplish the purpose for which you sent 
it. And we pray, even in our own midst, both young and old, 
would come to our Lord Jesus Christ in faith and know the 
joy of being found in Him. And we ask through Christ our 
Lord. Amen.