I. SERMON NOTES​

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Facilitator's Note: Introduce the message naturally in your own words. A brief recap, a thoughtful question, or an everyday situation can help. The aim is to help the group engage the passage afresh, rather than simply repeat the sermon.

Introduction: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”

Following Judas’ departure, Jesus told His disciples that the time of His glorification—His crucifixion—was near. He would soon leave them and commanded them to love one another as He had loved them (John 13:31–35).

Jesus’ announcement that He was leaving caused deep concern among Peter, Thomas and Philip. Peter wanted to know where Jesus was going and why he could not follow Him immediately. Thomas wanted certainty about the destination and the way to it. Philip wanted Jesus to show them the Father so that they could be satisfied.

Jesus recognised the anxiety behind their questions and responded: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1). The basis for overcoming anxiety is the trustworthiness and faithfulness of God and Jesus. Hudson Taylor explained that having faith in God means “holding on to God’s faithfulness”.

Jesus then gave three reasons why His disciples could trust Him and God.

1. Jesus was returning to Heaven to secure places there for His disciples (vv2-4)

 

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” and assured them that He was going to prepare a place for them and would come again to take them to Himself (John 14:2–4).

Jesus is uniquely qualified to speak about heaven because He came from heaven, where the Father dwells. Through His death on the Cross, resurrection and ascension, Jesus would accomplish God’s plan of salvation and lead those who have faith in Him to dwell with God.

Just as the best person to describe a country is someone who comes from that country, Jesus, who comes from heaven, is the one to trust regarding heaven and the God who dwells there. His departure was not leaving the disciples behind; He was making sure that those who believe in Him could dwell with God.

Thus, Jesus answered Peter’s concern about being left out of Jesus’ plans.

2. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (v6)

 

In response to Thomas, Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

 

• Jesus is the Way: as we follow Him, we will not get lost in life but will find our way to God and be guided by Him.

• Jesus is the Truth: as we obey Him, we will not be deceived but will know who God is and understand His ways.

• Jesus is the Life: as we receive Him, we will not remain spiritually dead but will have His life living in us according to the purposes God created us for.

These statements about Jesus are true whether we feel that they are or not.

The sermon emphasised Jesus’ statement that no one comes to the Father except through Him. The Bible Speaks Today Commentary explains it has all to do with “Jesus’ incarnation” for “If, in Jesus, God has come among us in person to reconcile his rebellious lost world, it follows necessarily that through him, and him alone, is the way to God…The exclusiveness of Christ’s salvation is simply the uniqueness of his divine person.”

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As God has come among us personally in Jesus to reconcile His lost world, salvation is through Him alone. Peter later declared in Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else.”

Thus, Jesus answered Thomas’ concern by giving certainty about the destination and the way to it.

3. The Oneness of Jesus and God the Father (vv10&11)

Jesus told Philip, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (John 14:10–11). His words and works reveal the complete unity between Jesus and His Father. As one commentator put it, “The truth of God filled Jesus’ words; the power of God produced his works.”

The sermon illustrated this through families, where children may speak and act like their parents, and through identical twins who may say or do remarkably similar things.

Because Jesus’ words and works are the words and works of the Father in Him, we can trust Jesus and God as faithful. 
This answered Philip’s desire to know the Father: accepting Jesus’ words and works enables us to know God because Jesus and the Father are One.

Living with Confident Faith

Jesus’ three reasons—His preparation of a place, His identity as the Way, Truth and Life, and His oneness with the Father—give His disciples a solid basis for confidence when anxiety comes.

The sermon illustrated this with a story of a young girl trapped in a burning house. Unable to see her father through the smoke, she was afraid to jump. Her father told her, “You can’t see me, but I CAN SEE YOU!” In the same way, God sees us even when we cannot feel His presence or understand what He is doing.

Philippians 4:6–7 reminds us not to be anxious, but to bring every concern to God through prayer and thanksgiving, trusting His peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, Jesus calls His disciples to continue His work: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it” (John 14:12-14). We are to point people to God, helping them find the Way, know the Truth and experience the Life of God through faith in Jesus. All this is for the glory of God as we grow in confident faith in Jesus, knowing God deeply and making Him known widely.