Do you remember a time when you were waiting and not sure what the outcome would be in a situation you were facing? The Bible is filled with accounts of people facing uncertainty. One of these moments occurred when Jesus and his disciples gathered to celebrate the Passover Meal. It was a night of celebration that quickly turned into a night of uncertainty and then fear as Jesus was arrested before his crucifixion.

The celebratory meal took a turn as Jesus began talking about what was about to happen (see John 13). It was a heavy discussion, and Jesus himself was troubled (see John 13:21). But in chapter 14 Jesus began by encouraging the disciples, saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1a).

Whatever you might be going through today, Jesus knows, because he experienced it. He experienced loneliness, grief, betrayal, and being misunderstood. And he says to you as he said to his disciples, “let your hearts be troubled.”

What Jesus said next is the reason we can overcome these trials: “Believe in God; believe also in me” John 14:1b. Jesus continued to teach his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for us and that he is coming back again (see John 14:2-3). There is so much more than the trials of this life, so much more!

Then Jesus made this powerful declaration, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

Jesus made three self-identifying statements to his disciples that give us comfort today.

Jesus is the Way

Sadly today, many people are on the wrong path, and the result is eternal suffering andseparation from God (see Proverbs 14:12). Jesus doesn’t simply point out the way; he is the way!

Our pride tempts us to follow our own way. Our schedules are overwhelming and we make rash life choices that lead to pain. But Jesus offers us a much better way (see Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus says, “if you’re worn out, burned out, and you don’t seem to be seeing any breakthrough, come and join me because I am the way” (my paraphrase).

Jesus is the way for struggling marriages, those battling addictions, those with chronic illness, and for every challenge of life. Jesus promises peace in times of uncertainty.   

Are you living a life that follows Jesus as the Way? Or are you making your own way and hoping for the best?

Jesus is the Truth

We are inundated with lies within and without. Culture tries to convince us that truth is relative. The news media, AI, and social media are constantly bombarding us with blatant lies. But there is only one person with whom we will have perfect peace (see Isaiah 26:3). What is your mind fixed on? What consumes your mind? There is no shortage of things to consume our mind: politics, finances, health or even the Middle East (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).

But how do we do this? By daily adjusting our thinking and aligning our thoughts with the Word of God (see Philippians 4:8). This is where we will find peace.

Nothing changes until we face the truth. And the truth isn’t an opinion; truth is a person, and his name is Jesus. As we develop a personal relationship with Jesus, we discover the way to God and the truth of God that puts our entire existence into perspective.

As Christians, we are to be a people of the truth. Not just people who believe the truth, but we need to be people who are so indwelt with the presence of Jesus that it does not even occur to us to misrepresent ourselves or to tell a lie (see Ephesians 4:25). 

Are you allowing Jesus and his truth to indwell you every moment of every day, or are you swept away by the lies of the world, the enemy, and yourself?

 Jesus is the Life

Unless Jesus comes back first, we will all experience a physical death. Through Jesus, we need not fear death. But there are other deaths that we experience.

For some, hope seems to be dying. You’ve prayed, you’ve cried out, but there is no breakthrough.

Others feel like they are dying because of an addiction. You have given the enemy permission to steal your joy, kill your peace, and destroy your contentment.

There are some of you whose marriage seems like it’s dying, or your once-close relationship with your child or parent. Satan has slowly eaten away at the relationship and now it is dying.

But Jesus came to give us life, and there is nothing that seems dead that he can’t bring back to life (see 1 Peter 1:3). He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. In him we can have life because he is the way, the truth, and the life.

In our churches today, unfortunately we have Christians who do not fully realize this life in Christ. The degree to which we as the church are fully alive in Christ determines our effectiveness of bringing life and salvation to our community.

When we are led by the Spirit, we will be truly alive and dead to our old life. As a result, our community will be changed for the glory of God.

Are you truly alive in Christ? Or are you going through life as one who is just getting by, numbed by the cares and entertainment of the world?

Thomas a Kempis writes, “Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living.” Unfortunately, many people make the mental decision to agree with the gospel message intellectually without experiencing true transformation. They may pray the prayer of salvation but then slip back into a condition of passivity.

Watchman Nee wrote, “the difference between trusting and trying is the difference between heaven and hell.”

As we close this series called Knowing Jesus, do you know Jesus?

He invites you into a personal relationship with himself that leads to abundant life (see John 10:10). He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Please contact me if you would like to know more about knowing Jesus.

Last week we celebrated Valentines Day, a day for the celebration of love. However, our capacity to love is tainted by our sinful nature; every human emotion suffers the effect of sin.

As we have been looking at the emotions of Jesus, his love is pure and untainted by any sin. His love is perfect, yet he commands us to love the same way as he loves (See John 13:34-35). Can we love like Jesus? Jesus displayed selfless and sacrificial love. Where does love come from?

God Is Love

This is a fundamental statement about the nature of God; thus, the essential nature of Jesus is love. Satan will constantly attempt to twist the understanding of the nature of Jesus.

The Bible says, “God is love”, the world says, “Love is love.” With the notion that love is something that we possess and define, ignoring the pure and essential nature of God as being the source of love. In John 14:7, we read, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Real, authentic love has its source in God. And loving others with this God-fueled love gives evidence that we have been born of God, we have been born again.

This is not only loving people who love us, but also those who are hurting us, annoy us, and even our enemies. This is the supernatural love of God because this is what He displayed on our behalf. Love is a fundamental aspect of God’s nature. All that he does is ultimately loving. God does have wrath, but He is love.

Dane Ortlund writes this, “For God to cease to love His own, God would need to cease to exist, because God does not simply have love; He is love.”

John 14:8 challenges us, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” We simply cannot love our enemies without the love of God empowering us to love. And the great news of the Gospel is that God made the first move, simply because we are not capable of loving this way. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” John 14:9.

You Are Loved

God loves us so much that He sent His only son to free us from the bondage of sin and the penalty of separation from God. Jesus was sent by the Father as the spotless lamb to be sacrificed to atone for our sins. Jesus walked into enemy territory to rescue sinners like us. We were not looking for God; he is reaching towards us. God took the initiative. God sent His Son to die (see Romans 5:8). Christian love is based on this. It is not simply excusing sin or allowing someone to do whatever they want. Christian love is standing in the gap; it is in the shape of a cross.

Do you know how much Jesus loves you? The love that Jesus has for you now is the same love that compelled Jesus to go to the cross. Knowing that we are fully and perfectly loved by the creator of the universe changes the way we respond to life’s situations and how we make choices.

Knowing that Jesus loves me…

Enables me to Love Others Well.

As we are in Christ, living by the power of His Spirit, then the supernatural love of God flows through us for the world to see. Displaying love is practical; it is action and costs us something, but this is the normal Christian life (see Romans 5:5).

Enables me to Love His Bride.

This is not the same as loving our neighbor. This is love within the church, which is what 1 Corinthians 13 is all about. By living out the love of God, we can display the nature of God for others to see. The attractional or seeker-sensitive church model is still prevalent in many circles; the church tries to have the best preacher, music, sound, lights and programs to be attractive to the community. However, the most attractive church is one that loves one another, how attractional are we?

Enables me to Endure suffering

Suffering is a sad and tragic part of living in a fallen world. We know that Jesus healed many people while walking the earth, and he still heals today in response to prayer. But what about the times when Jesus does not heal, when the suffering does not ease?

Knowing that Jesus loves us with a perfect love enables one to go through suffering (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).  If we know how much Jesus loves us, we will trust him to take us through suffering even if it takes all our lives.

Enables me to Trust Him for My Future

If we know that we are overwhelmingly loved by Jesus, the future does not hold any fear or anxiety for us. In Matthew 6:26-27, Jesus tells his disciples to not be anxious. We are prone to be anxious about the future, and the root of anxiety is that we don’t believe that we are deeply loved by the creator of the universe.

It Enables me to Trust Him with My Finances

In the same way as our future, we can trust the Lord with finances. When we have a need, we can go to him. When he tells us to give sacrificially, we don’t hold back because we know and believe that He owns it all and is able to provide for all our needs (see Psalm 37:25).

Enables me to Go Where He Leads

This is the same as trusting the Lord for our future, when the Lord opens the door or leads us to a big life change; a new career, move across the country, or the world as a missionary. Whatever He leads us to do, we can trust him because we are fully loved.

Do you know how much you are loved?

It affects every aspect of your life. You are deeply loved, more than you could possibly imagine.