Sermons
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Easter 5, May 3 - John 14:1–14
Other Lessons: Acts 6:1–9, 7:2a, 51–60 Psalm 146 1 Peter 2:2–10
We are still in the season of Easter, the joy and wonderment of the resurrection is still around, although it seems to be more subdued as the readings now start to shift toward his ascension. Jesus is seemingly leaving but he is not absent and he certainly is not leaving us as orphans as we will hear in next week’s reading. He “leaves” so that he may be with us forever, because that’s what the coming helper will do. The helper comes to us, works in us, and shows and brings us Christ in and from the word and sacraments. Nevertheless, before the helper comes, Jesus has to leave. And so on Thursday night just a few hours before his crucifixion, we have what we call the “Jesus’ farewell discourse” because he's giving his final instruction to the disciples before he leaves.
But because of this their hearts were troubled. They were uneased for various reasons. The tension with the Pharisees has been rising ever since Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead maybe just a couple weeks ago from this time in the story and everyone was wondering what the religious leaders would do to him. The threat of arrest and condemnation and execution is real and imminent. And it didn’t help that Jesus entered the city with such pomp so that all the people went out to greet and welcome him, even as a king, provoking the Pharisees even more!
If only Jesus would keep a low profile, only appear in public and crowded areas, then he should be safe, but then, in the previous chapter, Jesus mentions about a betrayer among them, but he won't tell them who it is. Even Peter who valiantly proclaimed his loyalty was quickly met with a prophecy of his own betrayal as well. It was probably the most awkward Passover meal with all that tension and unease in that room. The disciples definitely sensed something afoul is about to happen. Everyone is anxious even as they celebrate the Passover. But at least Jesus is with them, no one has ever been able to trap him whether in his deeds or his words. Surely, he will escape this time also, even if there is a betrayer in the group, and then they will leave Jerusalem and go back to Galilee up north and continue doing what they’ve been doing the last 3 years again.
But more shocking than the revelation of a betrayer among the 12 is the fact that Jesus is leaving them. Just a few verses before our text today, twice Jesus say to them: “Where I am going you cannot come. (13:33, 36)” This is the primary reason for their troubled hearts, Jesus will not be with him in a little while. Not only were they troubled and sad, but they were also confused and perplexed because they don’t seem to know where Jesus is going, nor do they know how to find him. That’s why we have this strange conversation that seems to be talking pass one another. Thomas says, “We don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus’ response seems to imply that he’s going to the father. So then Philip chimes in saying, “Just tell us who the father is, and that’s good enough for us.” (they probably thought that Jesus has a secret plan to leave to city to go to his secret hiding place where the “father” is, so that Jesus only needed to let them know who the father is, then they will know where to go, and how to get there using google maps!)
“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me.” You can hear the surprise in his tone. All this only shows that the disciples have completely no clue as to what Jesus is talking about. They should know who the father is and where he is going and also how to get there. He has told them many times. Their problem is not a memory problem but a faith problem. They still did not believe what he was saying. He has told them plainly where he was going, but they probably thought he was being metaphorical, symbolic, hyperbolic, that what he said must be interpreted and mean something else. This is the wisdom of the world and our own experience as well, which teach us that we need to first understand something in order to believe, but this is not the way scripture deals with us nor the way the spirit works. With the things of God, we need to believe the word to be true before understanding the word, for without faith everything is nonsense.
Why won’t they believe? What is really troubling their hearts? The answer has to do with where Jesus is going. Where is he going? He is going to the father. But how does he go there? This is what bewilders the disciples apart from faith. For to go to the father, one needs to die first, and not just any kind of death but death on the cross. This is what baffled the disciples and caused much vexation, for what Jesus says in these verses implies that his disciples too must go through suffering and death. No one wants that, who would be so foolish as to embrace suffering and death? The disciples know exactly what is coming for their master, and by extension, to them as well as his followers, and so their hearts were troubled.
And yet, this is the way to the father, it is through the cross, through death. This also is incomprehensible. Why should death and the cross be the way to the father? Why can’t we go to the father directly? Isn't he God? Isn’t he everywhere so that we can have access to the father anywhere, anytime? It makes no sense to us without faith because without faith we do not know sin nor understand the depth and gravity of sin that is in us, how it separates us from God and brings forth wrath and death. But for the disciples, this is unbelievable. How can they be so bad, so unacceptable that they cannot go to God without dying first? If they die, isn't it over? That makes no sense!
Therefore they rightly say that they do not know the way because they do not believe and therefore do not know. They do not know where to go nor how to get there and above all, they do not believe Jesus nor know who he is. Therefore what he says in verse 6 is truly baffling: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He is THE WAY because as we heard last week, he is also the door, through which alone must the sheep enter and find green pasture. The sheep hear and listen to the good shepherd’s voice and they follow him. Only through Jesus must they find life. And this is the interesting thing, the way to the father is both death AND life. Yes, Jesus is going to the cross, he is going to death but it is also life for all who follow him in his way. There is life because his death atones or pays for the sins of the whole world. His death means life for the sinner. For all who follow him as the good shepherd, he lays down his life for them and gives them life, not as a dead person, but as the living one. Therefore he is THE LIFE. And we also remember what he said earlier in ch11 when he comforted Martha mourning the death of her brother Lazarus, saying. “I am THE RESURRECTION and THE LIFE.” He is the life because he dies and lives again. He is the life because he forgive sins and brings forth the dead to life, a life that lives to God. Therefore he is also THE TRUTH for he proclaims what is true and does it and completes it. The suffering, death, cross of Jesus becomes for us the way, the truth, and the life. And through Jesus and his cross, we can come to the father, to have full access with bold confidence to stand before him as his dear children.
Therefore this is also our way, our truth, and our life. We are going also to the cross, yes, to die. But we are not going there by ourselves and suffer by ourselves. This is the Christian life, or more specifically, the baptismal life, which is the daily dying and rising with Christ. We go to the cross so that we might die with Christ. We go to the tomb so that we might live with the ever living Christ. And so we go to the father, even now, as his beloved child with his son, to live in holiness and righteousness.
Easter is not just about victory over sin and death, but it is also about new life in Christ. Jesus is going to the cross, to the tomb, and to the father, and we follow him daily in this sane path. We do not dread it because it is a path of life with Christ and in Christ. It is a life that no longer lives to sin in fear, but we daily emerge as the new man in Christ, to live to God. This is the Christian life and journey, we are always living with Christ and walking with him in death and resurrection.
Other Lessons: Acts 6:1–9, 7:2a, 51–60 Psalm 146 1 Peter 2:2–10
We are still in the season of Easter, the joy and wonderment of the resurrection is still around, although it seems to be more subdued as the readings now start to shift toward his ascension. Jesus is seemingly leaving but he is not absent and he certainly is not leaving us as orphans as we will hear in next week’s reading. He “leaves” so that he may be with us forever, because that’s what the coming helper will do. The helper comes to us, works in us, and shows and brings us Christ in and from the word and sacraments. Nevertheless, before the helper comes, Jesus has to leave. And so on Thursday night just a few hours before his crucifixion, we have what we call the “Jesus’ farewell discourse” because he's giving his final instruction to the disciples before he leaves.
But because of this their hearts were troubled. They were uneased for various reasons. The tension with the Pharisees has been rising ever since Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead maybe just a couple weeks ago from this time in the story and everyone was wondering what the religious leaders would do to him. The threat of arrest and condemnation and execution is real and imminent. And it didn’t help that Jesus entered the city with such pomp so that all the people went out to greet and welcome him, even as a king, provoking the Pharisees even more!
If only Jesus would keep a low profile, only appear in public and crowded areas, then he should be safe, but then, in the previous chapter, Jesus mentions about a betrayer among them, but he won't tell them who it is. Even Peter who valiantly proclaimed his loyalty was quickly met with a prophecy of his own betrayal as well. It was probably the most awkward Passover meal with all that tension and unease in that room. The disciples definitely sensed something afoul is about to happen. Everyone is anxious even as they celebrate the Passover. But at least Jesus is with them, no one has ever been able to trap him whether in his deeds or his words. Surely, he will escape this time also, even if there is a betrayer in the group, and then they will leave Jerusalem and go back to Galilee up north and continue doing what they’ve been doing the last 3 years again.
But more shocking than the revelation of a betrayer among the 12 is the fact that Jesus is leaving them. Just a few verses before our text today, twice Jesus say to them: “Where I am going you cannot come. (13:33, 36)” This is the primary reason for their troubled hearts, Jesus will not be with him in a little while. Not only were they troubled and sad, but they were also confused and perplexed because they don’t seem to know where Jesus is going, nor do they know how to find him. That’s why we have this strange conversation that seems to be talking pass one another. Thomas says, “We don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus’ response seems to imply that he’s going to the father. So then Philip chimes in saying, “Just tell us who the father is, and that’s good enough for us.” (they probably thought that Jesus has a secret plan to leave to city to go to his secret hiding place where the “father” is, so that Jesus only needed to let them know who the father is, then they will know where to go, and how to get there using google maps!)
“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me.” You can hear the surprise in his tone. All this only shows that the disciples have completely no clue as to what Jesus is talking about. They should know who the father is and where he is going and also how to get there. He has told them many times. Their problem is not a memory problem but a faith problem. They still did not believe what he was saying. He has told them plainly where he was going, but they probably thought he was being metaphorical, symbolic, hyperbolic, that what he said must be interpreted and mean something else. This is the wisdom of the world and our own experience as well, which teach us that we need to first understand something in order to believe, but this is not the way scripture deals with us nor the way the spirit works. With the things of God, we need to believe the word to be true before understanding the word, for without faith everything is nonsense.
Why won’t they believe? What is really troubling their hearts? The answer has to do with where Jesus is going. Where is he going? He is going to the father. But how does he go there? This is what bewilders the disciples apart from faith. For to go to the father, one needs to die first, and not just any kind of death but death on the cross. This is what baffled the disciples and caused much vexation, for what Jesus says in these verses implies that his disciples too must go through suffering and death. No one wants that, who would be so foolish as to embrace suffering and death? The disciples know exactly what is coming for their master, and by extension, to them as well as his followers, and so their hearts were troubled.
And yet, this is the way to the father, it is through the cross, through death. This also is incomprehensible. Why should death and the cross be the way to the father? Why can’t we go to the father directly? Isn't he God? Isn’t he everywhere so that we can have access to the father anywhere, anytime? It makes no sense to us without faith because without faith we do not know sin nor understand the depth and gravity of sin that is in us, how it separates us from God and brings forth wrath and death. But for the disciples, this is unbelievable. How can they be so bad, so unacceptable that they cannot go to God without dying first? If they die, isn't it over? That makes no sense!
Therefore they rightly say that they do not know the way because they do not believe and therefore do not know. They do not know where to go nor how to get there and above all, they do not believe Jesus nor know who he is. Therefore what he says in verse 6 is truly baffling: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He is THE WAY because as we heard last week, he is also the door, through which alone must the sheep enter and find green pasture. The sheep hear and listen to the good shepherd’s voice and they follow him. Only through Jesus must they find life. And this is the interesting thing, the way to the father is both death AND life. Yes, Jesus is going to the cross, he is going to death but it is also life for all who follow him in his way. There is life because his death atones or pays for the sins of the whole world. His death means life for the sinner. For all who follow him as the good shepherd, he lays down his life for them and gives them life, not as a dead person, but as the living one. Therefore he is THE LIFE. And we also remember what he said earlier in ch11 when he comforted Martha mourning the death of her brother Lazarus, saying. “I am THE RESURRECTION and THE LIFE.” He is the life because he dies and lives again. He is the life because he forgive sins and brings forth the dead to life, a life that lives to God. Therefore he is also THE TRUTH for he proclaims what is true and does it and completes it. The suffering, death, cross of Jesus becomes for us the way, the truth, and the life. And through Jesus and his cross, we can come to the father, to have full access with bold confidence to stand before him as his dear children.
Therefore this is also our way, our truth, and our life. We are going also to the cross, yes, to die. But we are not going there by ourselves and suffer by ourselves. This is the Christian life, or more specifically, the baptismal life, which is the daily dying and rising with Christ. We go to the cross so that we might die with Christ. We go to the tomb so that we might live with the ever living Christ. And so we go to the father, even now, as his beloved child with his son, to live in holiness and righteousness.
Easter is not just about victory over sin and death, but it is also about new life in Christ. Jesus is going to the cross, to the tomb, and to the father, and we follow him daily in this sane path. We do not dread it because it is a path of life with Christ and in Christ. It is a life that no longer lives to sin in fear, but we daily emerge as the new man in Christ, to live to God. This is the Christian life and journey, we are always living with Christ and walking with him in death and resurrection.
