The Way, the Truth, and the Life - 240410

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Clive Nash. Welcome to Let God Speak. In our series on the Gospel of John, we have dealt with the prologue or the opening thoughts of chapter one. Likewise, John, chapter one, verse 19 through two, chapter 12, verse 50, the book of Signs. Today we begin to study about the closing scenes in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. This section from John 13 through to John 20 is sometimes called the Book of Glory. We are making a start on that section. Think of today's discussion as about the three Rs, a ritual, a revelation and reassurances. We'll begin in just a moment. Well, on our panel today we have Rosemary Malkiewycz and Rod Butler. Good to have you with us, Rosemary and Rod. SPEAKER B Hello. SPEAKER A I'm looking forward to our discussion. But before we begin, let's take time to pray and invite the Holy Spirit to be here. Loving Father in heaven, we just thank you that you have given us an understanding of who you are through your son Jesus. And as we study a little more into his life today, we pray that we might get new insights into his character and may it be transformational as far as we are concerned. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER B Amen. SPEAKER A Well, I'm going to begin by reading John, chapter 13. I said we'll start with John 13 today. And verse one says, now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. So this is the first introduction to the thought of a ritual. Rosemary. At the celebration of the Passover, what new ritual did Jesus introduce to his disciples? SPEAKER C Well, first of all, from the verse that you read in John 13:1, it says there that Jesus loved his own to the end. And that is the first part we need to think of. Because everything Jesus did was because of his great love for us. And when it comes to the ritual that he introduced, if we look in verses three to five, we find out what that ritual is. And it reads like this in the Bible. John 13:3, 5. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside his garments, took a towel and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. So here Jesus is instituting what we call the ordinance of humility or the foot washing, where he goes on to tell his disciples to keep doing this. It's a memorial of him. And so in those days, the roads were very dusty. The streets, everything was dust. And they wore sandals, so their feet got quite dirty. When they would go into someone's home, usually a servant would come and wash their feet. When they came into the house, they would take off their sandals and their feet would be washed. But when they came to have the supper here with Jesus, nobody did the foot washing. So Jesus showed them by example how they should treat each other by humbling themselves and being prepared to be a servant. Even though he was their master, he was a servant to them. And if we look in Matthew 20:26 to 28, we can see again here the sort of thing that Jesus was trying to teach them. Matthew 26:28. And it says, yet it shall not so among you, that is to be rulers. But whosoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many, so Jesus told them this. But then he gave them a practical example where he, as the Master, as God in the flesh, would stoop down to wash their feet. SPEAKER A So, Rod, how did the disciples respond when they saw Jesus bowing down before them like this? SPEAKER B Well, as Rosemary said, this was the sort of job that normally a servant would do. We don't have the reaction of 11 of them, but we have the reaction of one of them, which was Peter. Now, Jesus says in verse 13, you call me master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. So Peter is aware that he's his lord and master with a towel around him, about to wash his feet. Peter's reaction, which we do have, is very strong. Whilst we don't know what the other 11 said, whether they were just passive or whether they just were amazed that here's the master getting down to wash feet. Peter, he speaks up and he says in verse 8, Peter saith unto them, thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Well, again in context here, the disciples had been arguing before this, who is to be the greatest? And here's their master washing their feet. So Peter, he was really taken back. But then when Jesus says this, he also then jumps in because he wants part of Jesus. So their reaction was mixed. But Peter's was very strong. SPEAKER A Yes, strong is a good word to use there. It certainly was A strong reaction, wasn't it, Rosemary? SPEAKER C Yes. If we think of Peter, he's always opening his mouth. He had to say something in every situation. He had foot in mouth disease. He was very impetuous and spoke up when he should have been quiet. And this is one of those experiences. If we look at John 13, nine, he said, Simon Peter said to him, lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. He wanted Jesus to wash everything. If Jesus said he had to have his feet washed. And the foot washing ceremony that Jesus instituted was, if you have your feet washed, if you're willing to humble yourself and allow someone else to do it or do it for someone else, you're actually showing a symbol of complete cleansing in the heart. The outward feet washing or foot washing is a, is a cleansing of the heart and it reminds us of our baptism where we are immersed in the water and then our sins are washed away. And so when we come together and we wash each other's feet, it is a bit like a mini baptism where we remember our consecration to God, our humbling of ourselves before God and acceptance of him. And it's all about being humble before God and before others. SPEAKER A It seems like an old fashioned sort of concept, doesn't it, you know, getting down, because, you know, we have enclosed footwear these days and it's not really a necessity. So is this ritual something that we should still be following today, Rod? SPEAKER B Yes, absolutely. Yes. This is the ritual of service, of being a servant, servant ministry. And you know, you think Jesus could have, he could have said, well, to remember me, remember my deeds, or do something else. But no, he said, remember me by washing feet, by my service to humanity. And you know, if I read verses 14 to 17, it says here, if I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I've given you an example that ye should do as I've done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. So if Jesus, our Lord and Master, washed the feet of his servants, then it's to remind us of our humility to serve our fellow man. SPEAKER A Yeah, it's quite a direct command, isn't it? Yes, there's no doubt about it. It's an imperative that he's putting there. Let's move on to the next chapter. And this is a chapter of John's Gospel that I really love especially these opening verses here in John chapter 14 and verses 1 to 3. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions or many rooms. 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 to myself. That where I am, there you may be also. So, Rosemary, what made Jesus give this revelation? This is the second hour of our study. Today we had the ritual, and now here's a revelation. What made Jesus give that revelation? SPEAKER C Okay, let's look at John 13:36. We'll go back to the previous chapter. And Simon says, simon Peter said to him, lord, where are you going? And so Jesus then opens to him where he is going. And in these verses that followed those, Jesus was actually giving the disciples an understanding of the sufferings and death that he was going to experience and the fact that they too, were going to experience these things themselves. Because he said that he was going to lay down his life for their sake and that they were actually going to do the same thing, and especially of Peter, because Peter had a terrible death of martyrdom, and most of the disciples did as well. But if we go and look at John 21, verses 18 to 19, we hear here what Peter had to say to John. He says, most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This he spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. And so here Jesus was signifying to Peter that he was going to actually be crucified himself. But he was crucified upside down. And in the desire of ages. Page 792, we have this quote. It says, Jesus made known to Peter the very manner of his death. He even foretold the stretching forth of his hands upon the cross. Peter was not disheartened by the revelation. He felt willing to suffer any death for his Lord. And this, of course, is after Jesus. Death and resurrection. SPEAKER A Yeah, and many martyrs have actually expressed a similar thought, haven't they, over the centuries? You know, glad to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ their master. Just let's look at verse 37 there in John 13, Peter said to Jesus, lord, why can I not follow you? Now I will lay down My life for your sake. So, Rod, what did Jesus predict about Peter's actions during the forthcoming trial of Jesus? SPEAKER B Well, if we read the next verse, verse 38, Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow till thou has denied me thrice. Now, this is a really important point here because Peter is the one who's impetuous. He speaks up, he's got overconfidence, and he believes that he can withstand in his own strength to resist anything. And unfortunately, the tragedy is that this prediction comes true and he does deny Christ. But Jesus, in his love, restores Peter. And we'll come across that in a future programme, he restores Peter to the ministry. And it's a powerful story. But Peter here, he's full of overconfidence, unfortunately. SPEAKER A So when Jesus says, let not your heart be troubled, he's probably referring to the idea of, you know, he was going to leave them and that there were troubled times ahead and so on. And so how reassuring, Rosemary, how reassuring do you think this promise of Jesus would have been to his disciples? SPEAKER C Well, I think one of the things we've got to remember too, is that when the Bible was written, there were no chapter breaks, no verses, it was just complete text. And so what we call chapter 13 and chapter 14 actually flowed into each other. So when he said to them, where I am going, you cannot follow me, he then backed that up with a promise that even though he was going away, he was going to come back and take them to be with him forever in heaven. So this was to do with his second coming. In the Andrews Study Bible, on page 1404, it says there is a double meaning in John, Jesus will come one spiritually through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. And we can look at verses 16 to 18 of John 14 for that, and 2 literally at his second coming. And so it is the Holy Spirit who draws us to Jesus, tells us about Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to repent and to turn from our sins and surrender to God in faith. And it is through the Holy Spirit that his work in our lives continues to prepare us for that second coming. So that's where the Holy Spirit comes into the work of Jesus. SPEAKER A Yeah. So even though Jesus would not be with them for very much longer. Yes. They still have a divine presence assisting them. So this promise about Jesus going to his Father's house to prepare a place for us, for you and for me, Rod, how confident are you that Jesus will fulfil that promise. SPEAKER B We're very confident. I mean, as humans, when we make promises, the frailty of humanity, we try hard, but sometimes our promises fail. We can't rely on them totally. But in this particular case, this is what Jesus is saying. And for example, Psalm 19:7 says, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure. So this is Jesus speaking. So you can take to the bank. If he said this is what he's going to do, he will do it. And we can have total confidence that he will come again. And, you know, we only have to look around to see what's happening in the world to know that the signs are taking place that tell us he's coming back. And we also have to remember that Jesus ministry didn't end on the cross. He had to go back to heaven. There was the resurrection. There was also his work as a high priest in the heavenly sanctuary. These are all taking place and they're soon to end. And he will come back to bring his reward with him to give us eternal life. SPEAKER A Yeah, it must have seemed like a long time till the first advent. And to us, it probably seems a long time till the second Advent, too. But the second advent is just as sure, isn't it, as the first advent of Christ. We come to our third hour now to reassurance. And I'm looking at John, chapter 14 and verse 5, Thomas said to Jesus, lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way? So what reassurance did Jesus give to Thomas Rosen? SPEAKER C Okay, the very next verse, Jesus says, in verse six, Jesus said to him, I, Thomas, said, how do we know the way? Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So Jesus is the way of life. Jesus is the only way to the Father, the only way to salvation, the only way to eternal life. Jesus is forever truthful, not just the truth. And he is the life, the eternal life giver. And so when he says this, he's saying, I am the way. You can get there through me. There's no other way to get there. And so these are very important words. It's so reassuring, not just for Thomas, but for all of us, that Jesus says this. And this is one part where there are the seven I am's in the book of John concerning Jesus. SPEAKER A So, Rod, so what did Jesus mean by saying no one, no one comes to the Father but through me. What do you mean by that? SPEAKER B Well, Jesus is the ladder connecting heaven to earth. And the only way we can get there is through that ladder, through Jesus. And if we look at verses 14 and verses 7 to 9, which I'll read, it says, if you'd known me, you should have known my Father also. And from henceforth you know him and have seen Him. Philip said unto him, lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus said unto him, have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me? Philip, he that has seen me hath seen the Father. And how sayest thou then shewest the Father. Here's an example where Jesus is sort of saying, I represent the Father. My character is the Father's character. And because he is the ladder connecting us with heaven, he is the only way we can get there. The Father Himself is shrouded in light. Psalm 104. One says that we can't access the Father directly. We have to go through Christ. That is the only way. SPEAKER A Thanks, Rod. So, Rosemary, how did Jesus express this, this intimate relationship between Himself and His Father? SPEAKER C Okay. In John 14, 10, 11, he says, do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak of my own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. Or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. So Jesus is. And Paul says that Christ is in us. So if we believe in God, if we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we actually have Christ dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. But Jesus came to reveal what God is really like, because Satan had done a very good job of lying to humanity. And Jesus revealed that God is actually love. And he did this through his words in verse 10 and through his works in verse 11 of what we just read. So Jesus is consistent in his life and in his words, he lives what he says. SPEAKER A If we go back to the opening chapter of John John chapter one and verse 14, he says here that word, the word this is Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Notice that Grace and truth. And then in verse 17, the thought is repeated. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. So is he referring here, Rod, to truth about facts or. Or is he talking about a person or both? SPEAKER B Truth refers to both. Truth are the facts, but also truth is a person and it's Jesus Let me read, Clive. John 8, 31, 32, it says, then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples in Indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Well, in verse 31, it says, if you continue in my word. So if we. His word is this. It's the Bible. If we continue in that, it says that we will know the truth. So this will reveal to us the truth. So it'll reveal to us history, it'll reveal to us prophecy. It'll reveal to us the character of God, all the things that we need to know, and it'll make us free. Because if you have the truth, you've got nothing to worry about, because you know the truth. So it's both facts, but it's also knowing Jesus Christ, who is the Word. SPEAKER A Yeah, and this is a complete antithesis to the devil, isn't it? You know, he's about binding us, you know, with lies and so on. Deception. SPEAKER B The same chapter in verse 44, it says, the devil is. He's a liar and the Father of lies. SPEAKER A From the beginning. SPEAKER B Worry about error. SPEAKER A Yeah. So what about the Holy Spirit? Rosemary, If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, is the Holy Spirit the same as that? SPEAKER C Well, the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead. He is God, along with the Father and the Son. And let's look at a couple of verses about this. We'll look at John 15:26. Jesus said, but when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me. And on the Previous chapter, chapter 14, verses 16 and 17, Jesus went on to say, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper, that he may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. So the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. He can only speak truth. And he speaks about Jesus. He shows us Jesus. And Jesus is the truth or the way, the truth and the life. SPEAKER A Yeah. So they both share the same divine characteristics. Right. I'm going to put an interesting thought to you. When Pilate, just jumping ahead in the narrative of John, when Pilate said, what is truth? Could he well have also said, who is truth? SPEAKER B He could have. He could have. That's interesting. You know, Pilate was being interviewed by Pilate, was talking to Jesus. He had all the crowd outside clamouring to crucify Christ. And Jesus makes his statement about truth. And then Pilate says, what is truth? So Pilate actually doesn't engage in accepting Christ's truth. And he had a good chance to do so. He yielded to the crowd. Now, the book Desire of Ages, written by Ellen White, says from that time, there was no peace for him. And this is interesting. If you reject the truth and you follow lies, you won't have any certainty. You've got no rock to anchor to. So you don't have any peace. And Pilate certainly didn't have any peace. In fact, if you look at Pilate's history, he killed himself. He died of suicide some years later. So it's a tragic story. SPEAKER A Yeah. So, Rosemary, speaking personally, where can we go for truth today? SPEAKER C Okay, we can only go to the Scriptures because. Because this is what Jesus said concerning himself in Scripture. John 14:39. Sorry, John 5:39. You search the Scriptures for, in them you think you have eternal life. And these are they which testify of me. So the Scriptures testify of Jesus and verse 46. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me. So the Scriptures are all about Jesus, and Jesus is truth. So if you want to know truth, go to the Bible and you'll find truth. There's one more verse which I want to read. It's Luke 24:27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he, Jesus expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So this was on the road to Emmaus after he had resurrected and he was teaching two of the disciples where to find the truth of him in the scriptures. And their eyes were opened that this was indeed the Messiah. SPEAKER A Yeah. Before we close our discussion, let me just refer to one other I am statement. It's found in John 8:12, where Jesus said, I am the light of the world. How does that resonate with you, Rod? SPEAKER B Well, truth and light are very much connected. If you have light, you have full visibility of what's actually there. You see it as it really is. And Jesus is the truth. We get to see God through the character of Christ and his love for humanity. So following the light also leads us to truth. That's how they're connected. SPEAKER A Yeah. Good to know that we have a saviour who is the way, the truth and the life, isn't it? And also the light of the world shining on our pathway. Well, my guest today were Rosemary Malkiewycz and Rod Butler. I'm Clive Nash. It's good to have you with us today to go through this thought. You know, today we sometimes hear people say today that there are many ways to heaven. But Jesus denies that. He says he is the way. He is the only way. There is only one path of salvation and that is through believing in Jesus Christ. God's plan of salvation is simple and clear. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. I invite you to follow Jesus fully and trust him now and every day. Well, we're glad you joined us today on Let God Speak. If you were blessed by this programme, why not tell your friends? Remember, all past programmes plus teachers notes are available on our website threeabnaustralia.org email us if you wish on lgsbnaustralia.org au. We hope you'll join us again next time. And until then, may God richly bless you. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.