Sermon
10th May 2020 – 5th Sunday of Easter:
John
14:1-10 – Trusting in Lord Jesus – The “I AM”
Last
Sunday Jesus made a bold statement about himself saying – I am the Gate for the
sheep.
Today
he is making another bold statement about himself saying – I am the way, the
truth and the life.
Why
do I say that they are bold statements?
It’s
because Jesus was using a phrase that the people of his time knew was more than
just an introductory phrase.
I
AM is used by John’s Gospel 7 times in regards to Jesus making bold statements
about himself.
I
AM the true vine.
I
AM the bread of life
I
AM the light of the world
I
AM the resurrection and the life
I
AM the Good Shepherd
And
our 2 from these past 2 weeks:
I
AM the Gate for the sheep
I
AM the way, the truth and the life.
And
John being a scholar of wisdom has not coincidently used 7 statements but
intentionally with 7 being what we sometimes call a Holy Number aligned with
the 7 days of the Creation period.
I
AM is the name that was given to Moses when God revealed himself to him to take
to Pharaoh to release Israel from slavery –
Moses
said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what
shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to
say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
I
am in the Hebrew was translated as the name which Israel knew God as Yahweh and
wherever you see LORD in the Old Testament all in capital letters.
And
it is why we refer to Jesus as Lord Jesus – given the name that is above all
names that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord.
Jesus
used the name “I AM” on other occasions.
When
he walked on the water to the frightened disciples who thought they were seeing
a ghost – he said to them - “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” – But in
the original Greek translation it says – Take courage – I AM.
When
Jesus was being questioned by the Jewish leaders he said to them: “Truly,
truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
They
knew this was blasphemy and it says - they picked up stones to throw at him.
Jesus
says to his disciples today – do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust
in God, trust also in me.
He
is saying that because the disciples will soon see Jesus go to his death.
Even
though we are now in the time after Jesus’ death, our Gospel reading was
written just prior to his death so they would not lose faith in God when he is
crucified.
So
he says – keep trusting God even though it looks like he has lost control.
Keep
trusting me – even though you will see me be put to death.
And
then he explains just what it is that we are trusting.
He
says that he is coming to take us home to be with him.
That’s
God’s plan for us – it’s always been God’s plan for us.
Our
difficulties arise when we believe that this here – today – is God’s plan for
us.
Because
if this is God’s plan then we can all agree that it’s not a very good plan.
It’s
a plan that has been affected by suffering, crime, death,disease and anything
else that prevents us from enjoying life.
And
all these stem from our disruption to God’s plan through sin when the knowledge
of good AND evil were permitted to enter into creation.
And
sadly it is these things that can stop us from seeing clearly what God is
doing.
And
that’s what makes up the conversation between Jesus and Thomas:
Jesus
says - you know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas
said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the
way?”
So
Jesus explains the way – I AM the way, the truth and the life.
Forget
about all the rest of the ways the world is trying to tell you is the way to
life.
They
will all let you down in some way or another.
Trust
in me, he says.
No
one can come to the Father except through me.
No
amount of money, no amount of success, no amount of fame will achieve what God
has planned for you.
Trust
in God, trust also in me.
And
when we trust in God then we are able to face even the most difficult of
circumstances – even death.
In
our first reading we have in fact the first death of a Christian – Stephen the
martyr.
Because
he dared so proclaim Jesus as the Son of God he is put to death in a most
violent and brutal way – stoned to death.
And
what is interesting about this is that he is able to, before he takes his last
breath, able to pray for those putting him to death that God would forgive
them.
And
that’s what faith does in the life of a Christian.
So
certain of the amazing and glorious place that awaits him he wants none of them
to miss out.
He
says that he sees the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God and he wants them to see it too even though they are about to put
him to death.
And
he knows the only way that they can see it too is if God forgives them for what
they are about to do.
That’s
what trust in God looks like.
When
we know that OUR salvation is assured through Jesus and we will do anything to
have others receive it – even forgive them for the harm they do to us.
And
that’s what Jesus is trying to teach his disciples.
Trust
God.
Trust
Jesus.
Trust
what they are doing even if we don’t understand by our human understanding.
None
of us understand what’s going on at the moment in regards to church services –
but we trust God.
Remember
when Jesus was being arrested and Peter tried to defend Jesus by taking out his
sword and cutting off the ear of one of the mob.
Jesus
told him to put away his sword and trust what God is doing.
Don’t
you think that I could call on my Father, and he will at once put at my
disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Likewise,
if God wanted his churches opened today – don’t you think he could send a
multitude of angels and open them immediately?
Again,
the message of Jesus today – trust God, trust Jesus.
Peter
reminds us that it’s not about the physical church building.
Yes
it would be great if we could all be back together again – and we will be.
But
until then Peter reminds us:
You
are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.
Like
Thomas, at the moment we don’t know the way to where we are going.
But
what we do know is that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
And
we come to the Father through HIM.
I’m
looking forward to the day, hopefully soon, when we can be back together around
the Lord’s Table.
But
I think I’m going to have a new appreciation for the people of God – God’s
chosen race – the royal priesthood.
I
too am missing the sacrament but we could easily resolve that like some have
done through remotely consecrating the bread and the wine.
But
is that what’s really important?
No,
it’s the priesthood of all believers – you and me.
As
Peter again reminds us:
Let
yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.
I’m
not suggesting the sacrament isn’t important or essential but let us understand
WHY it’s important.
Our
salvation is secured through Jesus.
But
it’s important because it is uniting the spiritual house – the priesthood of
God – by the one cup and the one bread.
But
until that day we can gather around the table – we are still the priesthood of
God and the spiritual house built by and on the rock that not even the gates of
hell or any coronavirus can overcome.
Dear
friends, let our hearts not be troubled – trust God, trust in Jesus.
In
our Father’s house there are many rooms – and in none of them can evil ever
enter so they will always be open.
And
when Jesus is ready he will come and gather us to be with him.
Until
then – we are the royal priesthood, God’s chosen race – God’s spiritual house
with Christ as our cornerstone.
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