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Sunday Sermons
4-20-08, Easter 5
Pastor Phil Lee
Title: "Look in front of your face!"
Text: John 14:1-14
Theme: the real, revealed Jesus is the way…truth…life, calling us to faith and good works
Introduction
How many of you wear eyeglasses? (ask for show of hands) Now, be honest. How many of you have gone looking for your eyeglasses when you were wearing them on your face? (ask for show of hands) I have!
And, of course, that experience is not unlike so many other experiences that we have. Sometimes we cannot see what is right in front of us!
Remember the two men on the road to Emmaus – Lk.24 – Jesus joined them on their journey, but they did not recognize him (until the breaking of the bread).
Look in front of your face! That is the theme of today’s Gospel, from John 14.
Point
In the preceding chapter – John 13 – Jesus gathers his disciples and washes their feet, teaching them that they should do the same for each other, that they must love one another as he had loved them.
In John 14-17, we move into what is known as The Farewell Discourse of Jesus as he prepares his disciples for his journey to the cross, and all that it will mean for them. It follows the genre of Testamentary Literature. It’s language you would use when making out a will – like the OT Patriarchs on their deathbeds, bequeathing stuff and wisdom to their progeny.
Jesus begins this section with his famous words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” And then he makes the promise that he would take his disciples to himself, so that wherever he is, they – and we – would be. It’s about total intimacy with Jesus.
The One who is the way of redemption and salvation, the One who is completely dependable for his word, the One who is both life and the source of life, encourages his followers – including you and me – to trust that he will gather us to himself as his own family for eternity.
Problem
But then, Thomas takes the practical, realistic role, and asks a fair question: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (“We have no idea what you’re talking about, first of all, and second of all, upon what basis should we have known?”)
And here the moment of revelation arrives for Thomas – and for us, too. The disciples are groping around aimlessly for a path, a truth, a life, and the path, the truth, and the life is staring them in the face! They just can’t see it!
“Thomas, brothers and sisters of GELC,” Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
But, along with Jesus’ disciples, we find ourselves looking for seven habits to learn or Ten Commandments to obey, when the answer lies in an intimate relationship with Jesus.
Look in front of your face!
Power
Thomas was intensely focused on knowing “the way,” and then Philip wanted to see the Father. They were both like people looking for their eyeglasses while their eyeglasses are right there on their faces! So, as he did with Thomas, Jesus essentially said to Philip – “Look in front of your face!” The answer is not in some esoteric code or vague spirituality or somewhere far off where you cannot attain it; no, the Word, the Christ, the Father, all of it is here and available to you right now.
Let’s not miss the power and force and courage of what Jesus said in the shadow of the cross. In a few hours, Jesus would have been killed by people who vigorously opposed the way of God, but he said: “I am the way.” In the face of the approaching victory of evil people whose lies would bring about his death, Jesus could say: “I am the truth.” And although his lifeless body would be put in a tomb so soon, he could say: “I am the life.” There is real courage in Jesus’ declaration. But, there is more than courage; there is deep understanding of the ways of God. The apparent victory of evil on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion would not be a final triumph. The real victor there at the crucifixion was the crucified One himself. (Leon Morris, Expository Reflections…John, p.494-495)
So, in today’s Gospel – Jn.14 – we hear part of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse, as he prepares his disciples for his journey to the cross. But, it turns out that Jesus has no possessions to distribute to his disciples as he prepares to leave them. Instead he gives his disciples – and us! – a powerful power: “Very truly, I tell you,” Jesus said, “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these…”
And what are those works that we are to do in Jesus’ name? Well, look in front of your face and you will see! If we look in front of our faces, what do we see? We see the world, our community, our neighbors, and one another!
Look in front of your face and you will see people suffering from gossip and verbal abuse and discouragement. And here is our work: Do not lie to one another (Col.3:9). Do not speak against one another (James 4:11). Do not complain against one another (James 5:9).
Look in front of your face and you will see people who are disconnected and lonely! And here is our work: Be devoted to one another (Rom.12:10). Honor one another (Rom.12:10). Bear on another’s burdens (Gal.6:2). Pray for one another (James 5:16).
Look in front of your face and you will see the brokenhearted! And here is our work: Be kind to one another (Eph.4:32). Bear with one another (Eph.4:2). Comfort one another (1Thess.4:18; 5:11). Encourage one another (Col.2:2; 4:8; 1Thess.5:11). Forgive one another (2Cor.2:6-8; Eph.4:32; Col.3:13). Care for one another (1Cor.12:25).
Look in front of your face and you will see people, known and unknown to you, Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, whites, former members of Glendale, burned out and struggling people. You will see those who suffer from mental and physical illnesses. You will see those who struggle with a sexual identity that is different than yours. Look in front of your face and you will see people for whom Christ died. And here is our work: Serve one another (Gal.5:13). Stimulate one another to love and good works (Heb.10:24-25). Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another (1Pet.5:5). Love one another.
Conclusion
Jesus says to you and me: “I go to prepare a place for you…” Don’t look anywhere else, for there is no one else! No Buddha, no Four Traditions, not even a Dali Lama.
Look in front of your face and you will hear Jesus, see Jesus, saying to you: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
And then Jesus says to you and me: Look in front of your face and you will see the world, you will see your neighbor, you will see your sister and brother, and you will hear Jesus say: “…do the works that I do…”
Yes, look. Look in front of your face! Amen.
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