May it please Almighty God to
bless us together this morning as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to the Gospel of John
chapter 14 and we just read the first part of verse 6. So the Gospel of John chapter
14 and reading the first part of verse 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth and the life. Well, especially perhaps you
young people this morning to realise that these words were
spoken by Jesus in the upper room shortly before he was to
be crucified and they're covered in these 14th, 15th and 16th
chapter of John and they're very wonderful words and we should
realize that on this occasion Judas Iscariot had left the company,
he'd gone out and there were just the 11 disciples, the 11
believers who were left there and Jesus is speaking to them
and he starts by encouraging them with simple statement, let
not your heart be troubled. You may say, well why was that?
Well because to a believer our hearts are often troubled and
we're often perhaps troubled to know that we are a true believer. And it's good therefore if we
are concerned to know that we are a true believer. And Jesus came and he spoke to
them and he told them, I go to repair a place for you and I
will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there
you may be also and whither I go ye know and the way ye know and
then Thomas interrupts seems he was a bit fretful really and
he asked a question and he said Lord we know not whither thou
goest and how can we know the way And Jesus then responds with
these very simple and straightforward words, I am the way, the truth,
and the life. Now, all of us here this morning
need to know that is true. I want you each to understand
the relevance of it, that Jesus is the way. He is the true way. And He's shown us the way. You
see, you and I have a way. We have two ways. We have a way
of our natural life, and we have a way of our spiritual life. And all of us are aware of the
way of our natural life, but it would be a great blessing
if you and I know the way of our spiritual life. And if we
know the way of our spiritual life, we shall know the following
two statements, which says, the truth, we know the truth of God,
and the life, the spiritual life. We all have here today our natural
life. We all have a never-dying soul,
and we all need to know that we possess a spiritual life. Well, you may have wondered why
I read the 23rd chapter of Job. You may have thought, well, that
was a bit of an odd chapter to read. Well, it wasn't in actual
fact. It was a very relevant chapter
because it speaks about Job and Job desiring to know the way. Job was a man of God. And perhaps you young people
don't realise that Job is a very wonderful book and it gives many
words of instruction for us today in the day and age in which we
live. And Job commences by saying Even
today is my complaint bitter, my stroke is heavier than my
groaning. Now you may remember if you read
the early chapters in Job that God allowed Satan to come and
to destroy his family and virtually all his possessions. He was a
very wealthy man and the Lord permitted him to be accosted
by Satan who tried to make Job change his view of believing
in God. And that's exactly the same thing
the devil does today. He tries to make us disbelieve
the truth of God's Word. And believe me, he never gives
up until we pass out of time. He's always there trying to make
us disbelieve the truth of God. And you only have to look around
in the world today to realize how many billions of people Do
not believe the word of God, because Satan has told them,
it's not worth believing, it's not true, you can forget about
that, and you can just do what you want. Well, that's not what
God's word tells us. And here we have Job suffered
greatly, and you might think, well surely Job's gonna give
up his religion. Well, he was tempted to, but
by the grace of God, he never did. And here we have a statement,
a prayer. Oh, that I knew where I might
find him. We might think, well, surely
Job knew where to find God. Well, sometimes It seems as though
God hides his face. And perhaps we can't seem to
find God. You might think, well, surely
we can pray. Well, we can pray, but sometimes it just seems as
though there's a brick wall in front of us. And so he asked this question,
O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat. That means
he wanted to come even where God was. And he tells us what
he would do. I would order my cause before
him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which
he would answer me. and understand what he would
say unto me. He wanted to be directed by God
and he seemed to be a far off. And so he then comes and he asks
the question, will he plead against me with his great power? He understood that God had great
power. And it's good for us today if
we all realize that God has great power. And he does. He's able to do far more exceedingly
abundantly than we can ask or even think
the Word of God tells us. And so he says this, no, but
he would put strength in me There the righteous might dispute with
him. So should I be delivered forever from my judge. And then he just tells us what
he's doing. He's trying to find God. He's trying to find God when
he prays to God. And he just gives us a very clear
position. He says, I go forward. You know
what that is, don't you? And but he is not there and he
goes backward, but he can't perceive him. On the left hand, where does
work, but I cannot behold him. He hideth himself on the right
hand that I cannot see him. Well, it's good that we have
a simple description like that, because it may be like that in
your life and my life. remember Job was a man of God
but there he was he couldn't find God and sometimes it seems
like that but then you see he's able to
come and he makes a wonderful statement but he knoweth that's
God he knoweth the way remember what we have
here jesus said i am the way he knows the way god knows the
way that i take he knows the way that you take and i take
it's not hidden from god it may seem strange to us but then he
goes on to tell us when he hath tried me." You may say, well,
what does that mean? And what it means is this. Our
religion is tested where it's real. The devil wants you and me to
have a false religion, one that will not stand a test. But God gives us a religion which
will. stand the test. And so he tells
us here, he knoweth, God knows the way that I take, when he
has tried me, when he's tested my religion, I shall come forth
as gold. And what that means is this,
it means that all that is false in our religion, we'll lose. And that's a good thing. It'll
be burnt up. Sometimes we make wrong assumptions. Sometimes we think in our little
mind that this is a good way, and this will be the right way,
and this is God's way. But it may be because we want
it to happen that way. We want it to occur that way.
Let me just tell you this. God's way is a right way, and
God's way will be in such a way that you
and I won't be able to pat ourselves on the back and say well I went
that way I knew it was the right way and therefore you take credit
to yourself Job says when you tried me I
should come forth as gold that means he would lose all his self-righteousness
All his pride with choosing what he thought was the right way.
But that which God had chosen for him would shine forth. Gold shines,
you know. I'm sure you've all seen gold.
It shines, doesn't it? That's why we have a description.
You see, the way that God chooses, the way that God leads us in
His way will shine forth as gold. So let us remember this. As we
have this word, I am the way. The way of God is the right way. The way of God shines brightly. You and I might think, therefore,
that other ways might shine, but my friends, they'll lose
their shine. Yes, it will disappear, but that
which God gives never loses its shine. It may become dim sometimes,
We may be looking elsewhere, but we need to be kept. Do you
know what that means? Kept looking unto Jesus. And the Word of God tells us,
the author, the one who's begun a good work in us, and if he's begun that good work,
he will finish that work. So let us remember, that's the
way, and that's the right way. And that's why we have this little
account of Job, as he explains his situation. And he tells us
then, my foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not
declined. However difficult the way, however
difficult the path may seem, to have kept to the way that
God directs us in. My foot hath held his steps,
his way have I kept and not declined. We want to realise we're not
to decline the way that God leads us in. Even when it seems perhaps impossible, Perhaps very difficult, and yet
by God's grace to not decline. And then he goes on to say, neither, neither have I gone back from
the commandment of his lips. I have esteemed the words of
his mouth. more than my necessary food."
Well, you young people especially, we understand how we need food
and perhaps you're very fond of your food, perhaps you look
forward to your food, perhaps you're looking forward today
to your food, but here is a grand and important statement of which
the God's servant Job, he says this, Esteem that means we think
of something very highly We esteem it And he tells us I've esteemed
the words of his mouth God's words to our soul More than my
necessary food more important You know, it's an interesting
statement, isn't it? And that's interesting for you and me today.
You see, we've got up this morning. You've no doubt had breakfast,
you're no doubt hoping to have lunch later on. Well, is that
important to you? Of course it is. But this statement
is very important. It says, I have esteemed the
words of God's mouth more than my necessary food. You may think,
well, why is that so? Well, it is so because the things
that we have naturally, our natural food, we need day by day to keep
our body alive. But more important than that,
we need the words of God to our soul to keep our soul alive. and you may say well what's the
relevance there? the relevance is very simple
you and I have a body which is alive which will die you and
I have a soul which is alive for evermore then let's then
appreciate that the words of God for our soul are more important
than our natural food. It's a simple statement, isn't
it? You may say, well, that's very obvious. Well, it is obvious.
But it's a wonderful thing when God we might say applies his
word to our hearts, to our soul, and we realize the relevance
of it. And so we can come and understand,
I am the way, the way that Jesus leads us in. Again, we have to perhaps ask
ourselves the question, has Jesus led us Is Jesus leading us? Is Jesus leading you this morning
in the right way, the right way which leads to heaven? The way that leads to heaven
is the right way. It's not a broad way, it's a
narrow way. And Lord Jesus, when he spoke
what we refer to as the Sermon on the Mount, that's when he
spoke to the multitudes and it's recorded, In the early chapters
in Matthew, chapters 5, 6, and 7, and towards the end of the,
or the middle rather, the 7th chapter, Jesus is speaking to
them. And he says to them, in verse 13, Enter ye in at the
straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. That means it's a very easy way.
It's a broad way. Many people go that way. By nature,
you and I go that way. But then he tells us, because
straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it. So you see, there's two ways,
a broad way, an easy way, a narrow way, a difficult way. The broad way leads to hell,
it leads to destruction. The narrow way leads to heaven. And what a blessing it is, therefore,
if you and I are found going in this narrow way. Well, remember that. If we're
in the narrow way, we want to have words from God speaking
to our heart, to our soul, that we are in the right way. We're not wandering in the broad
way, the easy way, the way that the devil wants you to go in.
He wants you to go in the broad way. He doesn't want you to be
a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the last thing he
wants you to do. And therefore he'll try and tempt
you to go in the easy way. He'll tell you, well, you needn't
go in the narrow way. You can pass that by and go in
the broad way. Well, let's remember, Jesus tells
us, I am the way. And if we are a follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ, we will follow the narrow way, the difficult
way, but it's the way. that brings us at last to heaven,
to glory, forever and ever. What a wonderful blessing that
is. And then Job goes on to say,
but, he's talking about God, he is in one mind. God doesn't change his mind. You and I sometimes change our
mind. God is in one mind. And who can turn him? You and
I can't change God. We can't turn him around. He's
in one mind. He has a perfect plan, right
from eternity. Wonderful it is to think that
this is the God. The great God who has ordained
everything in this world that ever has existed and ever will. And my friends, this God knows
everything about you and me. He knows our thoughts. He knows
everything. He's a one mind. Don't think
you can argue with God. Don't think you can change God.
God will come. if you and I are his people and
guide us so that we are willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord tells us this, that
we as such are to take up our cross and follow Jesus every
day. Can't say, well, today I'm gonna
have a rest. I'm gonna follow the world. No, you and I are
gonna take up our cross daily. He is a one mind. Let's not forget
that. Job realized that. And who can
turn him and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth
a thing that is appointed for me. My friends, you young people,
God's appointed a way. You know what an appointment
is, don't you? You might have an appointment
at school, you might have an appointment with doctors or a dentist. You
know what it is, don't you? You know that there's the date,
there's the time. God has appointed everything
for you and me in my life. He performeth a thing that is
appointed for me. God's appointed things for you
and for me. What a blessing if he has appointed
for you and me a time of blessing. A time when we are willing to
follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And many such things are with
him. Therefore, am I troubled at his
presence when I consider I am afraid of him? And then we have
a grand statement for God maketh my heart soft. You and I, by nature, we are
hard hearted. You might say, well, what does
that mean? It means this. You and I say we will not have
God to reign over us. We are going to live our life. I've heard people say many occasions,
I'm going to live my life to the full. What they really mean
is I'm going to enjoy my life. I'm not going to do what God
wants me to do. I'm going to please myself. Well,
what a blessing if God makes your heart soft. Not hard, not rebellious, but
soft. To bow down before God, to be
willing and endow His power to do His will. For God maketh
my heart soft. I could ask you the question
this morning, couldn't I? Has God made your heart soft? Can you look in your life and realise there's a time when
you were hard and rebellious against God and you said, I'm
not going to have this man, this God to rule over me. But what a blessing if God, like
Job, is able to tell us, he's a man of God, God maketh my heart
soft. You and I won't do it. You and
I won't do it. You won't be able to. But God
can and God does. And it's a great blessing when
we have the evidence of your heart and my heart being made
soft. and the Almighty traveleth me. Well, there's just a few comments
then on this right way. Job. Job was blessed with a desire
to go in that right way. What a mercy it is when we have
that desire to do the same. Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way. He doesn't leave it there. God
helps us and directs us, and he says, I'm the way, the truth. God is true. God is truth. Often quote, as you know, in
the 17th John, a couple of chapters farther on, where Jesus prays
to his father. And you young people, it's good
to read that. 17th John, don't pass it by. Jesus is speaking to his father,
he's praying. to his father and he speaks to
his father and he says, Thy word is truth. That means the Bible
is true. And you and I can be thankful
for it. There are many lies today. Many
lies today. Most of the world tells lies. But the word of God is true. And because God doesn't change
his mind, you can rely upon the Word of God and bless him for
it. and thank him for it and indeed
rejoice in it. What a great and wonderful blessing
it is to have the truth of God in an earlier chapter, in this
first chapter rather, in the Gospel of John. The Word of God
tells us, and it's a wonderful first chapter in this Gospel
of John, in the 14th verse we're told, and the Word, that means
God, He was the Word, the Word was made flesh, He became flesh,
and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as though
the only begotten of the Father. This was John the apostle telling
us that when Jesus was with him with the disciples, three of
them went up to the mount and Jesus was glorified before they
became white and glistering and others were there, Elijah and
Elias spoke then and it was a wonderful time and that's what he's referring
to here but he comes and says this He is full of grace and
truth. Full of grace. Grace, as you
may know, is the free unmerited favour of Almighty God to unworthy sinners. And He is full of grace and truth. Truth, it's a wonderful thing
to realize that we have such a wonderful God, full of grace
and truth. Well, Jesus said unto him, I
am the way, the truth. And then he goes on to say, and
the life. Jesus gives life, spiritual life. We have natural life, we all
need spiritual life. You may remember, you may not,
but you may remember that in an earlier chapter, in the third
chapter of John, Jesus speaks to a man called Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a wealthy man and
he He came to Jesus by night, he was perhaps too embarrassed
to come to Jesus by day. So he came to Jesus by night. And he says, we know that thou
art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest except God be with him. Jesus answered and
said unto him, very, very I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again. He cannot see the kingdom of
God that means given life spiritual life It was natural life. We have natural life. We need
spiritual life to be born again and Nicodemus says how can a
man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time?
into his mother's womb and be born. And you may realize that
sometimes Jesus doesn't always answer a question in the way
that we expect. This is how Jesus answers that
question. I say unto thee, accept a man,
be born of water and of the Spirit. He cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of flesh is
flesh. And that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must
be born again. All of us here today, all of
us must be born again, must be born again. If we're not born
again, if we don't know the truth of God and if we don't know the
life, God-given life, spiritual life, we are not born again. And my friends, the terrible
thought is, if we're not born again, we won't go to heaven. Worse than that we will go to
hell and as I've tried to explain to you in a number of times It's
not just for a year It's not just for a hundred years. It's
not just for a thousand years It's not just for a million years
It's not just for a trillion years It is forever and ever
and ever and ever There's no return There's no coming back. Forever and ever, you and I will
spend eternity there. Well, what a blessing it is,
if therefore God has indeed given you and me life, spiritual life,
and it only comes from God. You and I can't give it to ourselves. Jesus said, remember this, I
am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. This is the great
God that you and I are blessed to be able to hear of, blessed
we are able to deal with, and blessed that you and I are able
to pray to. And as Nicodemus came to God
and God spoke to him in these very simple ways and He told
Nicodemus this, The wind bloweth where it listeth, or wherever
it will. We had a bit of a windy night last night, didn't we?
The wind blows. You can stand in the wind and
it comes. You don't know how it's come.
It comes to you and it passes by. You don't know where it goes.
And that's the illustration that Jesus gave to Nicodemus. The
wind bloweth where it listeth. Now here is the sound thereof,
but canst not tell when it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every
one that is born of the Spirit. It's the work of God. It comes
into our heart. We don't know how, but it comes
there by the blessed Spirit of God. And how needful that we understand
this great truth that we have here. I am the life. God gives life. God gives eternal life. And this is the essential thing
that you and I need to possess before we pass out of time. We are in time, time for all
of us will end. And then we enter into eternity
where there is no time. No day, no night. Eternity. In heaven, it's glorious light
with no night. No darkness. Eternal light. In hell, there's no light. Eternal darkness. Terrible, isn't
it? and yet wonderful if you and
I possess this light this light and this light comes by realising
the work of God in our heart that we are utterly unworthy
because we have sinned against God because we have walked contrary
to God and it's good if the Holy Spirit shows us that we have
walked contrary to God We've pleased ourselves. We've pleased
ourselves. And God hasn't dealt with us
as we deserve. God's been gracious to us. He's
been merciful to us. And what a mercy, therefore,
if he's given us life so that by his grace, he has taken away
our sins. There's no sin in heaven. There's
no sin in heaven. You and I won't get heaven with
any sin. We need all our sin to be taken
away. And how has that been done? It's been done by the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. How did he do it? He died in
your place and my place. upon that cross at Calvary. He
bore the punishment due to you and me. He bore the punishment
instead. And what a great blessing for
you and me to know. And if we are a true believer,
we will know that Jesus has indeed died for us. He's taken away
our sin. He's taken our sin away. by paying
the price, and that price was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. We read some beautiful words.
The Apostle Peter tells us, redeemed, that means the price paid with
the precious blood of Christ. Well, may all of us know by the
grace of God, the free and merited favor, the wonder and the glory of such a truth
as this, as Jesus said unto him, to Thomas, and may he say to
each one of us, I am, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father,
but by me. Well, may we rejoice today in
what Jesus has done Realizing that we left ourselves, are lost
and ruined sinners. And realize that salvation is
of the Lord. The saving of our soul is of
the Lord. Jonah came to that realization. He was in the whale's belly for
three days and three nights. And then the Lord came to him
and caused him to pray. He caused him to come to that
truth Great statement. Salvation is of the Lord. May each of us know the saving
of our soul is of the Lord. Amen.