Current Series: “I AM: changes who I am”
Title: Week 3 – “The Way, Truth and Life”
Main Thought: Jesus is the only way to God.
Scripture: John 14:1-7, Luke 19:10, Acts 4:12.
Message explanation: Have you ever been in a moment where a close friend is leaving and you? It is an abrupt departure and you cannot go with them. You feel confused, sad, your heart is breaking…
It is the night before Jesus’ death. Jesus knows He is about to face the cross. Despite what Jesus is about to face, He comforts His closest friends.
1. Jesus comforts His disciples (John 14:1-3). Greek for “believe” is to continue to believe even after he is gone. The disciples were perplexed! A few days before Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey with people singing, “hosanna!” Now everything is falling apart?!
The word for “dwelling” is rooms or “abiding places.” It was referring to a Jewish father who would build a new room onto His house for his son and new family. In the same way our Father prepares a place for you and me in Heaven. Jesus encourages them that He is leaving, but He will come back for them. He will return!
2. Jesus’ response to Thomas and the disciples (John 14:4-6)
John 14:5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
One of the most profound questions in all of the Bible. It is a question everyone person asks deep inside their soul. The world says there are many ways, but there is truly only ONE way.
John 14:6 – “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
I AM the way…BECAUSE I am the truth and life.
The Way– Jesus is the only way to be made right with God.Notice Jesus does not say, “I am A WAY” but He says, “I AM THE Way.” Jesus says I’ve DONE it for you. The world says keep “DOING” and you might make it.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
The Truth – Jesus is the truth that sets us free.
I have heard people respond to the question on what is truth? “Truth is whatever you want it to be, just as long as you MEAN it when you say it.”
It would be wrong if I said that 2+2 = 5. The truth is, Jesus is God. People struggle with Jesus being the only way. Many people today are falling into the belief that Jesus is their Savior but that other roads lead to Heaven.
The truth sets us free. John 8:31-32 – “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Story: Judas was all about obeying. But He did not love God. The outward signs were evident. Judas even took care of the money. Judas missed it in that He was outwardly obedient but had no relationship with Jesus.
The Life – Life is found when we lose our life IN Christ.Have you ever head someone say, “Now. THIS is the life!”? We tend to look at leisure as the end goal of life. If I can have this much $$, time off and more, then that’ll be the LIFE! If I can have more likes on my instagram, that’d be the LIFE.
Jesus taught us to live a life of service. We love people unto Christ. Help the hurting people (Luke 19:10).
We are in a hole of our sin but Jesus came to rescue us. Peter shared this same truth years later to the rulers in Jerusalem, saying about Jesus, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Jesus makes it clear that He does not show us the way, but rather, tells us that He IS the Way.
What are you going to do with about Jesus? Will you follow Jesus? If you know Him are you sharing with those who do not know Jesus?
Element of Fun: We played a “minute to win it” game with the Middle school students called, "Flip your lid." It was hard and none of the students finished the game!
Music: We are the Free, You Deserve, Your Presence is Heaven to Me, Jesus Paid it All, Our Hope (closing).
Favorite Moment: Seeing new students connect with other students. A highlight of the night was seeing student give over 60+ boxes towards Operation Christmas Child!
What’s Next: We finish the “I AM” series in John 15. We will discover the next statement of Jesus’ identity as the vine. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
Current Series: “I AM: changes who I am”Title: Week 3 – “The Resurrection and Life”
Main Thought: Jesus’ resurrection reveals hope eternally and in everyday pain. Scripture: John 11:17-24, John 11:25-33, 28-35, 41-44.
Message explanation: Up to this point in the book of John we have seen Jesus walk on water, heal the blind, heal the cripple, feed the 5,000 and more. Jesus has performed many miracles and now He is about to set up the pinnacle miracle! We are going to look at a family that Jesus loved.
I. The Death of Lazarus (vv. 1-16)
Jesus waits. Although Jesus cares for Lazarus, Jesus waits and doesn’t make it in time to heal him. Why doesn’t Jesus do what we expect and hope for Him to do?
II. Jesus meets Martha – Read John 11:17-27
John 11:17-24 “When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days.
Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
In a hopeless situation, Martha runs towards Jesus. She had learned to be dependent upon Him. Weeping at His feet, she looks at Him in brokenness.
John 11:25-27, Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”
III. Jesus meets with Mary – Read John 11:27-35
Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” So Mary immediately went to him. Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,[f] and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept."
Jesus is 100% God and 100% man - Jesus Wept. In John 11:33 it says Jesus was, “deeply moved. (anger, outrage, emotional indignation). It means in the Greek to silently bursting into tears in contrast to a loud cry. Jesus was not broken over the death of Lazarus, but the cause of sin is death. Jesus was broken over the effects of sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. It also says in Isaiah 53:3 says Jesus was a, “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Sin brings death.
IV. Lazarus and Jesus – John 11:41-44.
Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
Jesus has come and death has lost its grip. Jesus never attended a funeral. Jesus and death are in opposition, and Jesus always wins!
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Grieve toward God. Embrace the pain so God can heal you. Stop running and listen to God’s heart. Many find relief in working, school, drinking, depression, or just giving up. Our culture tells us to push away pain. Instead of moving towards the healing of God, we are drifting backwards away from healing. May and Martha were grieving towards God.
Testing our faith through pain:
- Bitterness (I can’t believe you allowed this God).
- Bargaining (Ok God…If you heal my friend/family I will…).
- Brokenness (Hitting your knees before God in surrender to His Will. It is resting our inability to handle the situation. In brokenness, God does not cast us out but carries us with His strength. Never measure God’s love for you based upon your health, circumstances or comfort. His love is constant and unending.
Connect in community.God never intended for us to walk through life alone. Community is about being present. Jesus’ words to Martha “I AM the resurrection and the lift’ changed everything! On this statement stands the entire foundation of the faith in Christ.
Forget the grave clothes. A relationship with Jesus offers life instead of death. Jesus, THE resurrection and the life conquered death completely for all time on the cross!
Have you found life in Jesus? If so, are you living with hope towards life’s situation and pain? Lazarus took off the grave clothes. What are some of the “grave clothes” you still have on?
Element of Fun: We played a "minute to win it" game with the Middle school students called, "This Blows." It was a fun game!
Music: We Unite, Your Love Never Fails, How He Loves, Your Presence is Heaven to Me (closing).
Favorite Moment: Watching students worship and be teachable in big group time and breakout groups.
What’s Next: We continue the “I AM” series into John 14. We will discover the next statement of Jesus’ identity as the way, the truth and life!
