He is in the Father, and you are in him
John 14:1-14
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our text for this morning comes from the Gospel lesson. The main key is where Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." But I think there is something in this text which really brings all the 'I Am' statements in John together. Jesus says, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"
The first week in Lent I talked about how Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." This meant that Jesus is the Lord of all creation. He is God most high. Similarly, we can hear this as Jesus says, "I am the truth." Jesus makes it very clear after Philip asks his question, by saying, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." Then Jesus says, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"
Here we see the glory of the Holy Trinity. The Father and the Son are one. They are both the truth. They are together the Lord of all creation. One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is true God and true Man. He and the Father are one.
Many people get this all mixed up. They hear Jesus say, "I am the Way, the truth and the life." But lose sight of the things that bring it all together. Jesus is the creator. Jesus has defined what is truth, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Way to the Father, because he and the Father are one. He is the Way to everlasting life, because he is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the one who breaks down the barrier between God and man in his own flesh.
Jesus is the one who brought life into the world. Through the Word of God you were given physical life. Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, you died and rose again to new life. He has brought you from death to sin, and alive in Christ Jesus our Lord, as St Paul tells us.
Thus, when Jesus says, "In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." He is not talking about some mysterious place in the sky for you to dwell. But he is talking about putting all his enemies under his feet. He is talking about preparing the New Jerusalem to descend out of Heaven to a renewed earth. He goes to prepare for the harvest, when he will come to judge the living and the dead.
But this is just a lot of theological talk, or possibly rambling. What does this have to do with you? Many people will talk about the fact that even as Jesus has ascended into heaven he still cares for you. Jesus is still desiring to come and take you to himself. But if we see his coming as the Last day in judgment, then Jesus is going to come and bring that Mansion to us.
Maybe instead the real focus for our lives is to ask, What does it mean for us that Jesus is the way the truth and the life? He is the Way means that he has provided us with everlasting life. He has broken down the barrier between us and God. And he is the only way to everlasting life. For no one comes to the Father except through him. So we need to get rid of all the foreign gods. Anything that tells us we can get to everlasting life, or God apart from Christ needs to be removed.
Similarly, He is the Truth. If I want to know whether something is right or wrong, I can listen to the Words and acts of Jesus. Is alcohol wrong or evil? Jesus drank wine. Is stealing wrong? Jesus did not steal but freely gave. Is being unforgiving or hateful wrong? Jesus forgave even the people who were crucifying him, and said love your enemies. He is the Truth. Jesus who is one with the Father, explains and teaches us the hard truth. Even the evil dreams we have are sinful and unclean. The thoughts that nobody hears, God already knows the evil in your heart.
He is the Life. Apart from Jesus Life does not exist. If someone is living apart from Jesus, they do not have life. Apart from God we can do nothing. Apart from Jesus, we are dead in our transgressions. You are evil people. You are lost and condemned people. Thanks be to God, we heard last week that Jesus is the vine and you are the branches.
Jesus has claimed you to be his very own. He has claimed you, and gives you life. He has called you to hear the truth, and believe the truth. Jesus has provide you with the only way of salvation, so that you may live in the Father's house. That house has many rooms so that we may call others to know the love of God, that they may know the way the truth and the life.
But even more than all this. Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in him. Just as we are joined to the vine, and a member of the body of Christ, You are joined with your Father who is in Heaven. You can call upon your Father in heaven in all times of need, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And guess what the Holy Spirit will even help you to pray. This is what it means for us to know, Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life, and he tells us, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me."
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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