“I’m Leaving, but Keep Believing!” A Message from John 14:1-14 Matt Stephens Sunday, July 27, 2014 Harvest EFC

John 14:1 : “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” “I’m leaving, but keep believing!” Despite walking with Jesus for three years, sitting under His teaching and seeing Him perform numerous miracles, their understanding of His nature, identity and mission is still shallow. They were looking for the wrong kind of king and the wrong kind of kingdom.

Verse 1 (cont’d) Jesus aims to still their anxieties by asserting His sovereignty over the difficult journey of faith. JESUS IS SOVEREIGN OVER YOUR JOURNEY! 4 Aspects of Jesus’ ministry that demonstrate His sovereignty over your faith journey…

Aspect # 1: Our Heavenly Travel Agent (vs. 2a) Jesus is our heavenly Travel Agent! Verse 2: “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?” – Father’s house = Heaven – Father’s house is expansive / there’s room for us – True belonging

Aspect # 2: Our Royal Chauffeur (vs. 2b) Verse 3: “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.” Purpose: Communion!

Aspect # 3: He is the Road Jesus (v. 4): “And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas (v. 5): “Lord, we do not know where you’re going! How can we know the way?!” Jesus (v. 6): “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The way into the Kingdom of God is not a path, but a person!

Jesus is the Road (cont’d) Jesus (vs. 7): “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip (vs. 8): “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus (vs. 9): “Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?!”

Jesus is the Road (cont’d) Jesus (v. 10): “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does His works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on account of the works themselves.”

Aspect # 4: The Sender Jesus is our Sender (vv ) Our journey includes a mission. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; even greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Aspect # 4: Jesus, the Sender: Jesus empowers them with access to His divine power and authority. So-called blanket requests must be made within the parameters of Jesus’ mission and in a spirit of complete submission to His will.

Aspect # 4: Jesus, the Sender “Greater works”? – The miraculous works Jesus performed were symbols intended to point to the spiritual reality that Jesus is Lord of the cosmos. – The works of redemption (cross, resurrection, ascension, sending the Spirit) are the basis for the greater works of His disciples. – The works are greater in extent / evangelistic results.