Truth, Life and Way

Let’s open our bibles together to find John chapter 14. And find with me verses 1. John chapter 14, and I want to begin reading in verse 1. And if you can and if you’re able, lets stand in honor of the Lords word this morning. John chapter 14, and beginning in verse 1. Here is the word of the Lord…. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Heavenly Father. May your word be planted in our hearts this morning as we find the treasure of your presence. Help us in this hour find the way, and to know the truth to have everlasting life, in the name of Jesus. And all of God’s people said… amen. Grace is compelling. I read an article a few years ago that has impacted ministry for me and how I lead people to walk with the Lord. The article was about a pastor who had moved his family across the nation to Chicago and he began to get into the habit of going to Starbucks everyday. What’s amazing about moments like this, is that in everyday life, if you show up enough times to the same place enviably you will begin to learn names, and build friendships and relationships with others. And this one day, this pastor realized that there was another woman that had the same habit as he had. Everyday, at the same time, both of them would come to the same Starbucks and have coffee. And one day, they happened to be in line together side by side and one conversation began the journey to more conversations. Over time, this pastor and woman would meet at this Starbucks and they began to learn a lot about each other. She learned that he was a pastor and professor of religion and had moved his family to the area, and he learned that she and her husband were well educated self professing atheist. The pastor also noticed that although they were atheist, they were also wonderful, and loving people who were generous and kind. He also realized that they were remarkable parents that have the kind of relational gravity that draws people in. And one day, as this pastor was grading papers, this lady comes over and simply ask, what was the topic for your students. And so the pastor, says, “I had my students write about faith in the 21st century.” A thought sparked in her and she asked the pastor, “The way I see it, there are only two reasons people come to faith: they have some sort of crisis, or they are born into it.” And so the pastor paused, and thought to himself and he began to disassemble this statement from his atheist friend. And then he thought, For a self-proclaimed atheist, religious faith was being run through two filters. 1: Faith was either the result of some out-of-control situation in a person’s life that left them weak, vulnerable, exposed, and desperately grasping for God— 2: or it was outside their choosing, the result of their family of origin or nurturing environment. So the pastor leaned over to the woman and said, you’re right. But if you would allow me, could I offer you one more option? The woman nodded yes to the man, and so the pastor said to her, “Could we also experience faith because some people are compelled by it.”

When I read this story, I began to think about this phrase, being compelled by faith. And so I ask myself… Is the life I live compelling to others? What I mean to ask is this,.. do others see the faith in my life as compelling? We live in a world filled with choices. And paths, and directions.

And the truth is, we walk a lot of paths in life don’t we? When it comes to paths, grace meets us in different ways. Think about your life… and the paths you’ve taken… there are inclines and declines. there are sharp turns and tripping hazards. There can be both fear and excitement, and also purposes around each corner. In this current path were experiencing, we’re on a new journey as a church together, with a new pastor, and new relationships and new friendships. This is a new path and a new journey for you and for our family. It’s the same for the disciples. Throughout the gospels, they’ve been walking a path with Jesus that was leading Jesus to the cross. I don’t think they fully knew that. That they were escorting Jesus on the path to the cross. But in this moment, Jesus, was about to go into the high priestly prayers and reveal some of his prayers to the disciples about how he prays for the oneness with the father, and how he prays for the oneness to be known by his disciples and if you can believe it, even in these high priestly prayers, he prays for you and I. Just one of the reasons why I love the book of John, because Jesus prays for me and the makes my heart tender. But up to this point in the gospel of John, Jesus was standing at a crossroads with his disciples, and there was a choice that needed to be made. This intersection of grace and choice isn't new. Many thousands of years ago… hear what God said to Jeremiahs… This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV). What we come to realize, in our faith is that our faith is a journey. It’s a journey. It’s a journey that leads to many crossroads in life, and we called to ask, which is the good way, and to walk the ancient paths that are laid out before us. A journey where love leads and grace guides. And each one of us right now, is standing at a crossroads. And my question for you is this.. which way are you going to take? But here's the beautiful thing about grace.. Grace is an invitation. It’s an invitation to step out from where we’ve been and into the story of where Jesus is leading.

There’s another place in the book of John where we see Jesus interacting with people at the crossroads of life and it can be found in the first chapter. In the first chapter of John, John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples and they heard him say this, Look, the Lamb of God. And so, they heard John say this, and then they followed Jesus. Now, in verse 38, look nat how grace invites, and Jesus b begins this conversation. Jesus says, what are you looking for? And they said to him, Rabbi, where are you staying… Now, listen to what Jesus says. It’s found in verse 39.. Jesus says, Come and you’ll see. When Jesus says 'Come and see,' it's both an invitation of grace and an expression of love. He doesn't demand or force - He invites. That's what love does. Love his never meant to be forced. In John chapter 1, having heard about Jesus from John the Baptist, a couple of Johns followers run off to inquire of Jesus. They want to know a bit about the destination. So, they ask Jesus…. Jesus, where are you staying. Where will this take us? Jesus’s response… come and see. Don’t you love this. Jesus could have easily said, well.. we will get a lot of walking in. We will heal some people, probably be a bit hungry at times. Do a lot of praying. Jesus could have taken this moment and front loaded the calling with all the great things they will witness… the lives they will see changed, the amazing transfiguration and a dead friend rising from the grave. He could have said, I’m going to be crucified and then be raised up in three days. And to top it off, in 40 days or so after the resurrection I will place my spirit within you. Isn’t that compelling enough? But no, what does he do? He simply says,** come and see.** Come… witness for yourself. Because it was never about the destination as much as it was about the journey of the relationship. Just last week I had a meeting with a person and they asked about the church.. and I simply said, I can tell you all the great things I know and see for myself, but to get a perspective for yourself… why don’t you come and see. Truly, what we’re witnessing is this… the invitation to come and see is just a way to peak our curiosity. But it's so much more - it's an invitation to experience something that can't be adequately described in words or marketed with programs. This invitation isn't costing you anything... except perhaps your preconceptions. `There's no obligation, no commitment required up front - just an open door to witness something authentic. It's the same gentle invitation Jesus offered: not a sales pitch, not a list of requirements, but simply an opportunity to experience something real, and for themselves. And maybe that's why it's so powerful - because in a world of endless marketing and pressure to commit, this invitation stands out in its simplicity and freedom.

But at some point..when it comes to faith, and discisplhip.. a decision will need to be made… Look with me in chapter 1, and find with me verse 43: The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee, he found Philip and told him, to Follow me. Grace turns your life upside down with the call “Follow me.” You see, Grace doesn’t end at the stage of curiosity and invitation, at some point, it will call for commitment. If you Hang out with Jesus long enough, at some point, grace will meet you in a new way. That’s the thing about grace. It’s not a one-time event or simple transaction. Grace is the consistent, steady thread of God’s goodness and favor, inviting us, calling us—wooing us, if you like—into the fullness for which you and I have been created. Now, Here’s where things get real very quickly. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” this is where we experience “costly grace”. DO you know what costly grace is? Costly grace is grace that cost you something. For most of us, when we get an invitation what does it cost us? Sometimes it’s time. Sometimes its money for a gift. Sometimes it’s gas in our car to go. But if you ever think about it, these are things that minimally cost us something…. But when Jesus turns to them and says, Follow me. Here in this moment, they came face to face with everything that’s in the way. Here’s the moment when the call to follow we’ve come to recognize that we’ve been toting around quite a bit of luggage. Do you know the story of the rich young ruler? It can be read in Mark chapter 10… the rich young ruler approached Jesus with enthusiasm, knowing the law. … But Jesus, looking at him with love, put His finger on the one thing holding him back - his wealth. What started as curiosity became a crisis of commitment. The invitation to follow revealed the weight of what he'd been carrying all along - not just his money, but his identity, security, and status wrapped up in those riches. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Discipleship can tolerate no conditions which might come between Jesus and our obedience to him.”

The call to follow is the call to abandon authorship of our own story. Think about that… would you be willing to give up the fact that for how many years you've lived, are you willing to give up the authorship of your story? For 20, 30, 40, maybe 50+ years you've been writing your own narrative Making your own choices, planning your own path And then Jesus comes along and essentially says, "Hand me the pen” That's more than just a casual decision - it's a complete surrender of control. I was thinking about this yesterday during morning prayer,… I was thinking… where can we see costly grace vs cheap grace play out in real life? Cheap grace says "I'll follow Jesus as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans” Costly grace says "I'll change my plans to follow Jesus” Cheap grace wants the forgiveness without the transformation Costly grace embraces the uncomfortable process of being made new Cheap grace keeps Jesus at arm's length as a helpful advisor Costly grace invites Him in as Lord of every aspect of our lives

And you know, we see this exact struggle play out in Scripture, especially in Peter's life. Just look at Peter, in our Scripture this morning right when Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life, just a few scriptures before that, Peter stands up and tells Jesus in front of all the disciples, I would give up my life for you. I don't believe Peter knew what he's saying. "Have you ever said something that sounded right, but your heart wasn't really in it? It's like promising something without understanding what that promise really means. Think about it - Peter did this. He stood there and told Jesus, 'I would give up my life for you.' The words were right. The sentiment was right. But Peter didn't really understand what he was saying. He hadn't counted the cost. He was saying what he thought he should say, rather than what he was actually prepared to do. It's a bit like making a New Year's resolution - we say all the right words about changing our lives, but until our heart is truly ready for that change, they're just words. Or maybe closer to home - like when we tell God 'I surrender all' during worship. The words are absolutely right... but have we really considered what the word 'all' really means?” And here's what makes this moment even more revealing about Peter's heart. If you notice what Peter is saying, "I would give up my life for you"… Do you know what he's doing? He's only mimicking what Jesus had said earlier in chapter 10.… In all honesty, Peter was a good student But if you recall, Jesus said to the crowd after healing the blind man, "I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his LIFE for his sheep.” Meaning, Jesus would give his very last breath so that the sheep would be safe. Peter was willing to say it, but not live it. He wasn't willing to really give up his life. And Jesus calls him out and says in verse 38, "Peter, are you sure about that? Before the rooster crows three times you will deny me."

To often in our life as disciples we say the right thing, but with a wrong heart. Our mind says, I love Jesus…. But our heart says I still love my old life more. You see, to come and follow will will always cost you. It's not just about adding Jesus to our existing life. It's about surrendering our existing life to Jesus.

Why? Well look at verse 42 in chapter one. This is the best part.. Yes, faith cost you.. discipleship cost you. But look at what happens. When Jesus saw him, he said, you are Simon, Son of John. You will be called Cephas, which is translated as Peter. Grace transforms your life through the promise of, “You will be.” What started as a compelling invitation moved to a life-upending call that leads us to a heart-changing promise. When we follow Jesus long enough, our life will be changed. Have you ever noticed that the closer the people in the Gospel stories came to Jesus, the less they remained the same? Simon the fisherman becomes Peter the rock Saul the persecutor becomes Paul the apostle Mary Magdalene the tormented becomes Mary the first witness of the resurrection And this same transforming power is still at work today - taking who we are and reshaping us into who we will be The beauty is that Jesus doesn't just see us as we are, and where we are - He sees us as we will be. When we walk with Jesus, He gradually changes us from the inside out. If you're feeling stuck in old patterns, maybe it's time to ask Him to help you see where He wants to work in your life.. Because I would ask you, is it your way or Gods way? Christ is but the only way to battle sin in your life. There is no other way, or truth about it. Christ is the only way to battle sin. Not one way, Jesus is the only way. And it’s easy for a man or woman to break away from some sins. You can break away from swearing, you can break away from some drinking and evil habits and ungodly desires. But there is only one way to deeply root out our sin… and its Jesus. God wants to do something even deeper... And yes, this deeper work will cost you. You will not be the same.

Jesus looks at Peter and he says, You will be… You see, Peter didn't just receive a new name. Jesus took authorship over his life, transforming him from who he was into who he was meant to become. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus keeps making this promise: 'You will be.' Not just different. Not just changed. But Mine. It's a promise of both transformation and belonging. Through Jeremiah, God whispers 'I have loved you with an everlasting love' - that's the foundation” Through Hosea, He declares 'I am the Lord your God... besides me there is no savior' - that's the relationship And Jesus promises 'I am with you always' - that's the journey” This is what Paul understood when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that anyone in Christ becomes a new creation. It's not just about changing what we do - it's about becoming who God always meant us to be. And here's the beautiful thing: this change isn't an act of your will. It is grace moving down into the core of who you are, transforming you from the inside out. But it all began with an invitation to come and see, that led to the surrendering call to follow, that takes us on this journey of transforming us into the milkiness of Jesus with the promise of you will be. My question to you is this… what crossroads are you at? Are you still at the "come and see" stage, just curious about who Jesus is? Or are you hearing that challenging call to "follow me," counting the cost of what it means to truly surrender? Maybe you're in that space of transformation, experiencing both the pain and joy of becoming new? Wherever you are, remember - Jesus sees not just who you are, but who you will be.

I want to end with this one last call to be missional… as Peter comes up… Throughout this journey we've talked about today, from 'come and see' to 'you will be,' we discover what Jesus meant when He said 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ He is the Way - offering that first gentle invitation of grace to 'come and see.' He is the Truth - that calls us to follow, even when it costs us everything. He is the Life - that transforms us from who we are into who we will be This is what grace does - it meets us on the way, shows us truth, and brings us into new life. And the beautiful thing is… that The final part of this journey is to live on the road to heaven as witnesses of this grace we receive to others. Grace sends us out to be witnesses and ambassadors with the command to “Go and do.” Through our lives, our actions, our attitudes, the words we speak, the social media posts we write, the love of neighbors, the justice we pursue, the dignity we extend, the forgiveness we give, the peace we make, and the joy we exhibit, people are given a glimpse of this compelling grace, thorough our lives that have received grace first. And let me just say this.. it’s not going to be easy. This journey isn't always easy. We'll encounter challenges and resistance, both within ourselves and from others. But remember - where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. Jesus is worth it. Because he is the only way, he is the truth and he is our life. How wonderful it is to know that love, came down to find us at the crossroads of life. Lost in our ways & hurting and needing life… and how wonderful it is, that he offers to walk this life with us, and in us. If your to ask me.. thats compelling!

Lets stand together… And now, as we leave this place, remember - we are called to Be Grace Made Visible. John tells us that "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, full of grace and truth." Just as Jesus made God's grace visible by walking among us, we're called to make His grace visible in our communities today. That's your mission this week… be grace made visible. Meet others at their crossroads, and show them the good way. Show them how to walk in it... that's relational evangelism. Just as someone once met you with grace, be that grace for someone else. Until next week: Go in grace, walk in love, and Be Grace Made Visible. Amen?

Father, We thank you for your grace that found us at our own crossroads. Thank you for not just giving us directions, but for walking with us on this journey. Lord, as we leave this place, help us to be living examples of your grace in a world that desperately needs it. Give us eyes to see others as you see them - not just as they are, but as they will be. Help us remember that just as you met us with "come and see," we too can invite others to experience your transforming love. Give us courage to live out costly grace, wisdom to surrender the pen of our lives to you, and faith to trust your authorship of our story. And now, may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory in Christ, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. In Jesus' name, Amen.

As you go this week: May grace find you at every crossroad May truth guide your every step And may the life of Christ shine through you Until all can see His grace made visible through your life. *