Bible Study - Connected (4) - A Life of Trust - John 13:36-14:6 - March 20, 2022

 Bible Study – Connected (3) – A Life of Trust – March 20, 2022

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled, “Living Life Connected to CHRIST.”

Our focus scripture is John 13:36-14:6.

We can trust JESUS because HE is the way, the truth and the life.

JESUS was more than saying HE is the way, the truth and the life, HE proved it. JESUS willingly gave HIS sinless life to atone for the sins of mankind. HE always pointed to GOD, HIS FATHER. HE died and was resurrected by GOD. HE revealed Himself to HIS disciples after HIS resurrection and spent 40 days with them and over 500 people.

Has any world religion proven that their way is authentic? NO!!!

Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. A person must be born into the family of GOD by placing his or her faith in JESUS CHRIST and what HE alone did for all who will place their faith in HIM.

Faith in JESUS equals Spiritual birth in GOD’S Family.

As we study today’s lesson, we see that GOD’S Word never sugar coats anything. The Bible reveals truth and forgiveness and restoration through faith in JESUS. Let’s explore!

Let’s read John 13:36-14:1:

³¹ When he (Judas) had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. ³² If God is glorified in him,^[g] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

One almost gets a sense of relief when Judas left the gathering. Now, this is an, I think. I get the sense that JESUS was relieved to know that HIS time had come and HIS purpose for coming to earth will be realized and fulfilled in the next few days.

Judas was on a mission to betray JESUS. JESUS knew that HIS time had come. HE would give HIS sinless life to pay, in full, for all the sins of mankind when HE shed HIS sinless blood. Yes, JESUS paid the price for sin which opened the door to the presence of GOD. Yes, JESUS opened the door to GOD but every person must accept, by faith, what JESUS did for him or her. In doing so, that person is Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, never to be unborn. Once a child of GOD always a Child of GOD.

³⁴ “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

What did JESUS mean by “just as I have loved you?” JESUS willingly gave HIS life that others might live eternally with HIM and GOD. JESUS set the example.

JESUS had stated, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

Peter’s Denials Predicted

³⁶ “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?”

Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.” JESUS’ disciples had followed JESUS most everywhere but now JESUS was telling them that HE is going where they cannot go. Gee, why not? JESUS disciple expressed his love and commitment to JESUS.

³⁷ “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

JESUS had told Peter in Matthew 16:13-20: (Amplified)

¹³ Now when Jesus went into the ^[c]region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I say to you that you are ^[d]Peter, and on this ^[e]rock I will build My church; and the ^[f]gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth ^[g]will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth ^[h]will have [already] been loosed in heaven.” ²⁰ Then He gave the disciples strict orders to tell no one that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

The main question each person must answer for himself or herself is “But who do you say that I am?” 

Salvation is personal and individual.

Matthew 17:1-8:

17 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. ² And His appearance changed dramatically in their presence; and His face shone [with heavenly glory, clear and bright] like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. ⁴ Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good and delightful and auspicious that we are here; if You wish, I will put up three [sacred] tents here—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and ^[a]a voice from the cloud said, “^[b]This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased and delighted! Listen to Him!” ⁶ When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” ⁸ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Peter had witnessed some astounding events in his walk with JESUS. But did Peter know the real purpose of JESUS? Had Peter defined JESUS’ ministry according to his own thoughts? When the rubber hits the road only truth survives.

Peter thought he had it all figured out and was ready to fight and attempted to do so as we read in John 18:10: ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

Peter was part of the inner circle. He witnessed that which was beyond human thought. Ooh yes, Peter was ready to fight but that was not GOD’S redemptive plan. Peter had made some false assumptions that needed to be corrected. We know that Peter witnessed JESUS being beaten and humiliated. GOD’S only SON treated like a criminal.

Many of us build air castles about who GOD is and what HE will and will not do. When troubling times come, we are disappointed when GOD does not respond to an issue like we think HE should have. Peter was in this situation. We must pause and reflect and ask GOD to forgive us and to reveal truth to us.

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe^[a] in God; believe also in me. 

That is the time when we must trust GOD, when times are dark.

Let’s finish Peter’s journey as we read in John 18:15-

¹⁵ Simon Peter and ^[d]another disciple were following Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the [residence of the] high priest; ¹⁶ but Peter was standing outside at the door. So, the other disciple (John), who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter inside. 17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the servants and the officers had made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹ Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where all the Jews habitually congregate; and I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question Me? Question those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said.” ²² But when He said this, one of the officers who was standing nearby ^[e]struck Jesus [in the face], saying, “Is that how You answer the high priest?” ²³ Jesus replied, “If I have said anything wrong, make a formal statement about the wrong; but if [I spoke] properly, why did you strike Me?” ²⁴ So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

²⁵ Now Simon Peter was [still] standing and warming himself. So, they said to him, “You are not one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you with Him in the garden?” ²⁷ So Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

But we learn more when we read Matthew 26:75 - ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the [prophetic] words of Jesus, when He had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly [in repentance].

What does a Christian do when he or she sins? He or she repents. Yes, Peter sinned and repented and went on to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and preach with thousands coming to a saving knowledge of JESUS.

GOD still needed to work in Peter’s heart to rid him of his early Jewish training before he would be completely usable by GOD. This is found in ACTS 11: 5-9:

⁵ “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a trance, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. ⁶ When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. ⁷ I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’

⁸ “‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing impure or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But a voice answered from heaven a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call impure.’

GOD was preparing Peter to minister to the Gentiles.

The early Jewish training forbade Jews from eating these unclean things. But GOD was telling Peter to get beyond his early training under the Law and embrace the New, which is GOD’S Grace through JESUS.

Many Spirit-born Christians have religious baggage from their early walk with JESUS. Ask JESUS to reveal these notions so that our Spiritual feet will be upon the solid rock of JESUS.

As I have mentioned a number of times Experiencing GOD helped me to deal with many stumbling blocks in my relationship with GOD. We all get notions which are not sound and do not hold up when we encounter issues in life. JESUS desires for us to have our feet planted solidly upon the solid rock. Back to our scripture, JESUS was teaching HIS disciples -----

Let’s read John 14:2-3:

² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 

JESUS was giving HIS disciples a glimpse of Heaven. Heaven is not defined by limited space but will always have enough room for all who accept JESUS as his or her Savior.

Let’s read John 14:4-6:

⁴ You know the way to where I am going.”^[b]

⁵ “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[c] my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

The key words are “you know the way to where I am going.” They knew HE was going to Heaven to sit at the right-hand of GOD. So, they knew the destination. Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” Thomas might have thought, since, we do not know specifically where you are going in Heaven. Heaven is vast and we need to know specifically your destination.            

JESUS made it clear in verse 6 to all, ⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[c] my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

In John 10:30 we read, “³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

When we get to know JESUS, we also know the FATHER. But the only way to the FATHER is through faith in JESUS. Why? It is because JESUS is the visible person of GOD in WHOM we can look fully into HIS wonderful Face. We can bounce in an out of HIS very presence 24/7 and we can call HIM, Daddy.

Peter denied JESUS not once but three times. But he repented. Those who think they have committed such sins that GOD would never forgive them, well, get over it. That is Satan’s lie. Confess your sins and ask HIM to forgive you and to restore you.

What does 1 John 1:8-10 tell us:

 ⁸ If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Don’t let Satan rob you of the joy of your salvation. JESUS loves you and gave HIS sinless life just for you. Rejoice and embrace it for eternity. Blessings!!!