Introduction: Parents, I am sure you would agree with me that there are certain looks our children give us that sometimes dive us crazy. You know what I am talking about…
    •    that empty stare,
    •    that confused grimace,
    •    that ‘I have no idea what you are talking about’ look on their faces

when you ask a question they should known the answer to. You know they know the answer…you’ve gone over it a hundred times before. They just don’t remember that they know the answer. Because they are prone to forgetfulness. They need reminding.

Those of you who are reading through the Bible this year saw that very clearly in the Book of Deuteronomy.

    Time and time again Moses tells the Israelites
        •    remember to obey God,
        •    remember to love God,
        •    remember to worship God, and God alone.

    Then if that wasn’t enough, he also tells them
        •    do not forget to obey God,
        •    do not forget to love God,
        •    do not forget to worship God and God alone.

Because the Israelites forget. And God constantly reminds us in His Word because we forget too. And this happens in our text this morning with Jesus and His disciples.

Transition: Turn with me to John 14:5 (pg 823 in the bible under the chair in front of you) where we will hear Jesus make his strongest and clearest claim concerning the question that is on everyone’s mind…then and now ‘How do I get to heaven?’

1. John 14:5  ‘Honest’ Thomas
Read: John 14:5

Jesus just assured his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them and that he would return to take them to be where he is. Thomas, with that empty stare, without apology for contradicting him says something like this, ‘look Jesus, we have no idea what you’re talking about, why do you think we know the way...’cause we don’t.’ Thomas was honest and forgetful.

Thomas and the other disciples knew the answer, they were told over and over again by Jesus during  the past three years that he would leave them to go back to the Father in Heaven. They knew, but they forgot that they knew. And Thomas does the right thing….he asks Jesus again. And Jesus lovingly and clearly reminds them.

That’s a lesson we need to learn. Jesus doesn’t tire of us asking him things we should know. He loves us and makes the answer even more clear each time he reminds us.

Transition: So, what does Jesus tell them? Let’s look at the first part of vs 6.

John 14:6a   Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life
Read: John 14:6a

ILL: Have you ever been lost? Suppose you were in a city for the first time and you ask someone for directions (I mean your wife asks someone for directions). The stranger says to take the 1st right, then the 3rd left, go across the railroad tracks and past the used car dealer. Then you take the 2nd left and go straight until you hit a T intersection, then you go right. If you’re like me, you didn’t write anything down (so you look really cool). Then you take off, forgetting everything the stranger told you, only to get lost once again. At which time you blame it on your wife.

When you’re lost and you ask someone for directions, wouldn’t it be great if that person said ‘Come with me, I’ll take you there so you won’t get lost.’? That person becomes the way for us and we don’t have to worry about loosing our way.

That’s what Jesus does. He leads us like the Good Shepherd he is so that we won’t lose our way. Jesus already told us that he’s going to prepare a place for us in heaven. Doesn’t it make sense that he would also prepare the way for us to get there?

Jesus promises to lead us home…Let’s break that down.

    I Am the Way
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the way’. Just as that stranger in a new city walks with us to show us the way, Jesus is the friend we know and trust, and he takes us
             where we need to go, he just doesn’t give us directions.
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the way.’ How? Through his sinless life, his sacrificial death, his promised resurrection, his glorious ascension and his faithful promise to                      return.
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the way’. Because he has experienced the presence of the Father and the place of heaven.
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the way’

    I Am the Truth
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Truth’. He taught the truth, he lived the truth, but much more than that, Jesus is the truth, the standard by which all truth is measured.
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Truth’. And in him there is no deceit, no darkness, only the light of truth.
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Truth.’ He is all the truth anyone needs for salvation, life and godliness.
        •    Jesus said ‘ I am the truth’

    I Am the Life
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Life’. Do you think Lazarus believed that?
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Life’. It was God the Son who called everything into being. (John 1:1-5; Col. 1:15-20)
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Life’. Paul reminds us in the Book of Acts that in Jesus we live, move and have our being. (Acts 17:24-28)
        •    Jesus said ‘I am the Life’.

ILL: Theologian and writer Thomas A Kempis, paraphrasing this passage wrote:
         Follow thou me. I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no                 living. I am the way which you must follow; the truth which you must believe; the life for which you must hope.

Jesus reminded Thomas the same way he reminds us when we have forgotten.
    •    Lynette, the answer to your problem is not found in rules and regulations, it’s not found in a series of commands but in a relationship with me.
    •    Only in me Lolita, only with me Jim will your heart cease to be troubled.
    •    Only in me Claire, only with me Bill will you cease your wandering.
    •    Only in me Roy, only with me Anna will you find real meaning in life.
    •    Only in me Ed, only with me Michael will you find the way that leads to eternal life in heaven with the Father.
    •    Only in me Walt, only in relationship with me Dan.

Listen and remember, Jesus never leaves the important stuff ‘out there’. He always brings it home…personal, intimate…right to your heart.

Transition: He even bring close to home those things some don’t want to hear. But need to hear.

3. John 14:6b  Jesus is the ONLY Way
Read: John 14:6b

Today many have said it doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. They will tell you all religions lead to heaven in the end.

ILL: Following the Sept. 11th attacks then NYC Mayor Rudy Guilliani spoke before the United Nations. And in his speech he mentioned that in a typical weekend he would visit an Islamic mosque on Friday and a Christian church on Sunday. Then he said that both groups worship the same God but in different ways.

Was he right? Do Muslims and Christians actually worship the same God just in different ways? I guess what I am asking is this.. Is Jesus the only way to heaven? Or is there more than one way? Considering the increased religious diversity in the US (Muslims now outnumber Methodists here in the US) how can Jesus make such a claim?

Jesus just said ‘I am the truth’ Do you believe it? If we believe Jesus is truth then we must believe what he says. And Jesus is very clear ‘No one comes to the Father except by me.’  So that there is no misunderstanding Jesus is saying that he is the only way to eternal life in heaven.

Peter says the same thing in the Book of Acts  ‘Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’

And the Apostle John writes ‘This is the record that God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life, and he who does not have the Son does not have life.’ (1 Jn 5:11)

But many will say
    •    ‘Christianity and Jesus are fine and it’s great that you have a way to God, but I have my own way and the Muslim has his own way and the Buddhist has hers.           All roads lead to God if we a sincerely seeking him.’

One of the problems with this statement is that sincerity doesn’t equate to truth.

ILL: I can sincerely believe that I can fly but what do you think will happen when I jump out of an airplane at 10,000 ft. w/o a parachute? I will sincerely be spread out over a county or two when I hit the ground at 120mph.

The truth is, I can’t fly. Even if I sincerely believe I can.

Some will say
    •    ‘Do you mean I am going to hell just because I don’t believe the way you do? That’s bigoted and intolerant.’

Certainly people may call Christianity bigoted and intolerant because of it’s belief that Jesus is the only way to heaven. But consider for a moment that biblical Christianity is the most pluralistic, tolerant, embracing of all other religions in the earth.

    •    A Christian can keep their native culture and language and still faithfully follow Jesus.
    •    God accept anyone in to his family: slaves, free, Gentiles, Jews, rich, poor, intelligent, mentally challenged, man, woman, white or people of color. All are                  accepted but on the common ground of faith in Jesus Christ.

Some will say that’s narrow minded to teach that Jesus is the only way to eternal life in heaven. I agree that the way is narrow, but it’s still truth all the same.

ILL:
    •    Think of the phone company. If you want to call someone you have to dial their exact number, including the prefixes and in the exact order.
    •    The IRS is also narrow they require that you state your income accurately. They don’t except a wild guess on our part.
    •    And if you go to Pat’s steaks in S. Philly, you will have to order your steak sandwich in just the right way, their way, or you will be sent to the back of the                  line…I know, it happened to me.

The way is narrow, the way is exact, but the way is open to all who will come, to all who will believe in Jesus. The Apostle Paul tells us ‘Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved’ That’s not narrow minded, that’s free and embracing. That’s grace.

Conclusion

So…do you know the way to eternal life in heaven? What I am really asking is ‘Do you know Jesus? Are you in relationship with him by faith?’

Jesus is the way, he gives direction to those lost in the busyness of life.

Jesus is the Truth, he gives a solid foundation on which to place your faith, he can be trusted.

Jesus is the Life, he created you, he sustains you by giving you each breath you breathe, he gives you eternal life in heaven forever in his presence.

You can’t get any of that on your own, you can’t get there by being a Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness or new age follower... Jesus is the only way.

Friend, don’t be afraid to ask Jesus for directions to heaven…he will take you there himself…one day.