And we're going to read John chapter 14 from verse 1 through to verse 7. If this little reading is familiar to you, then that's because it's only a number of weeks ago that we were thinking about John 14, 15, 16 and 17. But here we are again and no apology for it because we can read these verses time and time again. John chapter 14, reading from verse 1. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whether I go, ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whether thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. Amen. May the Lord bless to us this reading from his word. If you have not done so before, I would like you to carry away with you from this little series of sermons on the I Am Sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like you to carry from them a greater appreciation of the significance of the Lord's own claims and assertions regarding his divine identity. We've spoken in the past about Moses meeting with the Lord, who spoke to him from the burning bush, and identified himself then at that time to Moses in the Old Testament as I Am. That was how God identified himself to Moses on that occasion. He called himself I Am. And we read in Exodus chapter three and verse 13, these words. Moses was concerned about the commission that God was giving to him from the bush as he spoke. Moses was anxious about it. And in verse 13, we read these words. And Moses said unto God, behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And then we read in verse 14. And God said unto Moses, I am that I am. And he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you. Who sent you? Who sent you, Moses? I Am hath sent me unto you. This was an astonishing revelation of the true nature of God. This was the beginning of God. Well, not the beginning. The Lord had been doing that from the very beginning. But this was part of the process of the revelation of God to his people. we begin to have key aspects of the nature of God set forth before men. Here we discover in this name, in this phrase, something of the eternality of God, the independence and immutability something of his power and authority. In short, we discover his essential deity. And afterwards, Moses having taken these facts, this understanding of the nature of God from the words of God. Afterwards, having seen something of that power demonstrated by the plagues of Egypt and the deliverance of the children of Israel, Moses was inspired in Exodus 15 to compose a song of praise to the Lord. And amongst other things, he says in that hymn of praise, Who is like unto thee, O Lord among the gods? Perhaps a reference there to all the gods of Egypt. Moses says, who is like unto thee? Who is like thee? Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. Thou stretchest out thy right hand, and the earth swallowed them. Thou and thy mercy has led forth the people which thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. And Moses concludes, the Lord shall reign forever and ever. Moses understood that he was worshipping the unchangeable, the eternal God. the Lord Jehovah, the essential word. And Moses knew the Lord God as the great I Am. That was the name that he had given to Moses. It seems very clear that the Lord Jesus Christ, so many thousands of years later, that the Lord Jesus Christ, in his lifetime, in his ministry, in his confrontations with the Jews, drew upon this understanding of Moses. When he was contending in his day with the Jews concerning Abraham, And the Lord declared in John 8, verse 58, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. So that the Jews were claiming a lineage, a line of descent, and thereby an authority from Abraham. And the Lord Jesus Christ says, before Abraham was, before Abraham existed, I am. And certainly the Jews understood that the Lord Jesus Christ was claiming to be divine. For we read, then they took up stones to cast at him. I am has always attached to the Lord in a special and peculiar way and that the Lord used this construction over and over and over again in speaking of himself and in revealing himself, his identity is no accident. It is intentional and it is for our education and our understanding. This ought to open a fresh view to us of all the Lord's I Am sayings. Consider with me the profound implication of the Lord's words to those of his day who had ears to hear when he says, I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the door. I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the way, the truth and the life. These are all aspects, revelations of the identity of our God. Manifestations of his character, his nature, his purpose, his attributes, his will. Let us not fail to grasp these meanings or indeed this context. Christ is clearly revealing his divinity and expressing his role as Messiah. He is confirming his covenant purpose as he who declares I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Announcing to his disciples and to his church, I am God the Lord. the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection, and the life. And here today, I am the way, the truth, and the life. By this single statement, I am the way, the truth, and the life, the Lord Jesus reveals his distinctive role as the divine mediator of the covenant of grace and teaches us that he is in himself the sole way of access into his Father's presence, the sole giver of the essential requirements for our acceptance with God. There is perhaps not a verse like this in the whole of the Bible. Now that's a bold statement perhaps. But I think this little verse in John chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. I think this verse stands out in gold letters upon the pages of our Bible. It has a message. for all kinds of people. And I dare say that this verse will soften a hardened sinner, challenge a self-righteous hypocrite, direct a lost soul, comfort the sad, encourage the weary, reassure the cheated and deceived, re-energise the disillusioned, defy an atheist, persuade a sceptic, and convince a seeker after truth. It will give hope to a tried and doubting believer. It will minister good gospel lessons to those who are growing in grace. It will accompany the dying saint to their final rest in heaven. And it will relieve the loss and hurt of those who watch them go on ahead. I do believe there are a thousand sermons in this one verse. And although I don't propose to preach them all, I'm convinced that it will continue to guide us in the old paths of gospel truth and continue to speak to the hearts and minds of Christ's saints in different situations with new lively power to meet new needs. So let's take the words of the Lord in this little verse and see if they will speak to us today. The Lord was preparing his disciples for his imminent death. And in order to reassure them that all was well and that everything was still fully under his control, he urged them not to be troubled at his departure. He was going to his father's house and there he would prepare a place, a mansion for them. Now these were tender words of reassurance. The Lord's phrase, if it were not so, I would have told you, is as if to say, you have nothing to worry about. Don't you know that if there was anything at all to cause you alarm, I would have told you about it long ago. That is the wonderful confidence with which a believer can face every day. and ultimately, that we can face our own demise and we can face eternity. Even the suffering and death of a dear friend, as was about to happen here, is all in the care of our all-wise and all-loving Saviour. Believe that, for it is the truth. Thomas was confused. I think I mentioned it before, we have much to be thankful for the confusion of the disciples because by their confusion, by their questions, we have so many blessed revelations and statements from the Lord. But Thomas was bothered. If the Lord is going somewhere, tell us, just tell us where you're going and we'll all follow, we'll all come. The only thing hindering us, says Thomas, is that we don't know the way to your father's house. Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way? And it was this innocent, spontaneous question that gained the church this wonderful verse of gospel truth. The Lord wasn't speaking of an earthly location. but rather of our heavenly destiny, our home in his father's house, a place comprising mansions and all such places as are suitable for Christ's bride's eternal glory and happiness. By his departure, he was referring to his death on the cross and thereafter his resurrection, ascension and entrance into heaven. With his own blood as an offering for sin, the Lord Jesus Christ was about to enter his father's presence as our great high priest and to open a door of access for all his redeemed people. And Christ's words to Thomas here are a summary statement of his work of salvation. They encompass everything the Lord has done to secure the deliverance of his people from sin, from bondage to Satan, from the curse of the law. They reveal the essential role that the Saviour performs and he only can to accomplish reconciliation between God and man. I am the way, the truth, and the life. 1 Timothy 2 verse 5 tells us, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. One God, one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Imagine an island. with a single bridge from the mainland to the island, or a mountain with a single path from the bottom to the top, or a dividing wall with a single door, a single point of entry. Christ is that bridge. Christ is that path. Christ is that door into the Father's presence and into our eternal rest. The Lord Jesus does not merely point the way to heaven like a signpost might. He does not simply declare the way like a preacher who speaks truth to the needs of men. These things are necessary, but Christ is the one to whom we point and the one of whom we speak. He is himself the way by the things that he suffered and the death that he died. He is not a way, but the way. He is the entire God appointed, God acceptable means of salvation for sinners like you and me. He's the way of salvation by his obedience and his sacrifice. Nor is there any other. He is the only way. Holiness demanded perfect obedience. Justice stipulated punishment for sin. The broken law sought restitution. Mercy sought a means of pardon. Grace looked for a substitute. And love found a way. God did, as a man, what no man could do for himself. He made a way of escape and that way is Christ. He is the door and he opened the door. He is the way and he leads the way. Here's another thing. The Lord Jesus Christ is the truth. Not only is our Saviour speaking truthfully when he tells us that he is the way, but he always speaks truth. because he is truth itself. When all deceit and all dishonesty and all pretense and all lies have been exposed for what they are and only truth remains, there will be the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's prophets of past ages spoke truthfully to their respective generations as they revealed God's will and declared his gospel. However, our saviour Jesus Christ does not merely tell the truth. Our saviour is himself the truth. He is God who is holy, righteous, wise, and good. He cannot lie. He is pure, perfect, and just as God, and innocent, impeccable, and utterly without sin as man. Everything in Christ's person Everything in his character, his walk, his words and his dealings as the God-man with God, his Father, is upright and honourable. And everything in his person and character and walk and words and dealings with men in this world is honest, truthful and just. Christ's doctrine is true. His words are reliable. They are dependable and worthy to be accepted and believed. As a preacher, I tell you the truth only insofar as I am faithful to Christ and his gospel. but we all may rest in peace upon the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He is ever faithful and totally trustworthy. Let me make just a little aside here if I may. If ever there has been a time other than now in the history of the world when it has been harder to tell truth from deceit, I don't know when that was. It has been said, a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. Well, I guess with the internet, it can now, that lie can now be right around the world and have collected lots of likes on its way. There are many kinds of lies concocted for many different reasons, but there is only one person who is truth and therefore is always truthful. As believers, we need to be on our guard not to believe or promote or propagate lies. but we can always trust the Lord Jesus Christ. There is bondage in lies and there is liberty in truth. Pilate asked ruefully, what is truth? And the Lord Jesus Christ told us, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. and everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. And finally, the Lord Jesus is the sole source of spiritual life and eternal life. Jesus saith, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. He is the sole source of spiritual life and eternal life. which is his own life in his people. By his death, the Lord Jesus gave himself for our life and secured everlasting spiritual life for all for whom he died. We already know Christ in the new birth as the resurrection and the life. We spoke about that last week. He says to Martha at the entrance to the tomb of Lazarus's burial, I am the resurrection and the life. And he brings spiritual resurrection from the state of spiritual death into which Adam brought himself and his children. He brings us from that state of death in conversion to life, to resurrection life, to new life in Christ. He gives his own life to his people. And this is the life that we shall possess and enjoy in the mansions of Christ's Father's house. earthly, natural life is fleeting in this world. We have a few years at best, some have a few more than others, but all of us are frail in mind and body. Our weakness is our mortality. But our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of permanent life, eternal life, everlasting life. He promises joyful, meaningful existence beyond the grave in his Father's house for all his people forever and ever. Who would not cherish such a hope? Who would not? desire and long for such a promise as that. Then look to Christ and live. Trust Him and live. Follow Him and live. By bringing these three attributes together in this single I am statement, the Lord Jesus is telling His church and people and telling the world He is the true exclusive way to heavenly glory and eternal happiness. He himself is the way of salvation. And this strikes a blow against the self-righteous who try to use personal obedience and good works as a way to obtain peace with God. only in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, can any come to peace with God. For, says he, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. The psalmist David knew this. He looked to Christ, even That thousand years before the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, David had an eye by faith to what the Lord would do and the promises to be obtained by him. He says in Psalm 16, verse 11, which is clearly a messianic Psalm, thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fullness of joy. at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore thou wilt show me the path of life in thy presence is fullness of joy at that at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore David who wrote those words is enjoying those pleasures at the right hand of God right now. He is there right now enjoying those pleasures at the right hand of God of which he spoke. What? 3,000 years ago. I believe that. I believe it because he who is truth said it was true. David is living eternally in the fullness of joy. And Thomas, for all his naivety in the moment, is sharing Christ's joy with David in the company of the angels and all of the redeemed who have gone before. and soon you and I will join them if we know the Saviour. Would you not like to be in that number? Trust Him and it will be so. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Amen.