John 14:1-14 Jesus Teaches That He is the Way to Heaven

John 14 is another familiar chapter in the gospel of John.  Jesus teaches about heaven, and importantly, that he is the way to heaven.

V1-5 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye 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 whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"

Jesus begins this teaching with a very comforting statement, "let not your heart be troubled."  This comes after Judas has been exposed as the one who will betray Jesus.  But now Jesus is comforting his apostles.  They already believed in God and had looked forward to the promised Redeemer, and now Jesus says that they are to believe also in him.  Then he tells them something about  heaven, referring to it as "my Father's house".  Jesus saying "I go to prepare a place for you" refers to his work of redemption on the cross.  If Jesus had not shed his precious blood to atone for sin, and taken upon himself the penalty for sin, had he not died and been resurrected, we all would die in our sins and have no hope of heaven.  But Jesus is going to the cross to prepare a place in heaven for those who believe on Him as the Christ, the one and only Saviour.  Then Jesus promises that  he will return and receive those who believe on him unto himself.   This says nothing about a "secret rapture in the air", just that Jesus will come again for his own.  Jesus says that they know the way to heaven but Thomas, ever doubting, wants to know "how can we know the way?"



V6-7 "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."

Jesus answer to Thomas' question could not be any clearer.  He is the only way to heaven.  There are religions that claim that they know the way to heaven, but they do not see Jesus as God in the flesh, they do not see him as the Saviour of the world.  Jesus says he is the truth.. In John 1 Jesus is the Word of God become flesh, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Jesus says he is the life.   By him all things consist, whether they be things in heaven or things in earth.  He is before all things.  (Colossians 1:16-17)  Jesus then says something more difficult, that if they had known him, they should know the Father also.   Colossians 1:14-15 teaches that in Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, and that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.  Who has seen him has seen the Father.

V11-14 "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very work's sake.  Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;  because I go unto my Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Soon.  If ye  ask any thing in my name, I will do it." 

In John 10:30 Jesus had said "I and my Father are one"    John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Philippians 2:6 says "who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."    Then Jesus said that they should believe on him for his works.  How many times had they heard him preaching the gospel, how many times had they listened to him teaching.  How many times had they been witnesses of his miracles.  For these things they should believe on him.  But then Jesus says that those who believe on him will do greater works.  What can this mean other than that those who believe on Jesus will carry the gospel throughout the world.  At first by mouth, but now through computer, the gospel is spread by believers who have a heart to spread the word of God.  For example, because of the computer I am able to read sermons by Charles Spurgeon that were preached 150 years ago, and are as applicable today we they were then and they are full of the gospel.   When we ask for something, it will be accomplished according to the will of God.

In the next post Jesus speaks of the Comforter to come, none other than the Holy Spirit.
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