1. You Know the Way (verse 4).
2. We Don’t Know the Way (verse 5).
3. I Am the Way (verse 6).

Almost 31 years ago, our first child was born, our oldest, a girl, Carissa. We were a happy family of three, until fifteen months later when our second child was born, a son. We named him after his grandparents, Stanley and Ray. We called him “Stanley Ray,” but as a five year old, he preferred to go by his initials, “SR” this is what we call him to this day. Four years later, our third child was born, a girl. We named her Hanna. All of a sudden our parenting went from man to man to zone defense, as the children outnumbered the adults. Hanna proved herself to be the most athletic of our children. Four years after that, our fourth child was born, again a girl. We named her “Stephanie” after me. Of all of our children, she was by far, the most vivacious and energetic. Then, four years after that, our fifth child was born, a boy. Stephanie called him “David” from the moment she knew that Yvonne was pregnant. So we called him, “David.”

Our little family experienced much joy over the years. We have enjoyed many trips to the west coast during our summer vacation to visit Yvonne’s parents. But in the fall of 2012, our family changed forever. That’s the year when we took Carissa to Jackson Hole Bible College, for a gap year in which she would study the Bible for a year in Jackson Hole Wyoming. From the day we left Jackson Hole without our daughter, our family at home became 6 instead of 7.

Two years later, SR went out to Los Angeles to attend the Master’s University. A few years after that, Hanna went away. Then Stephanie. And now, this week, we will travel out to Jackson Hole Wyoming to drop off David, who will be attending a gap year at Jackson Hole Bible College, just like his sisters did.

We will return home as emptynesters. Next week, our thirty-one years with our children in our home will come to an end. My advice to you parents is this: Don’t blink, because it all goes by so quickly.

So, why do I tell you all of this? Because, this is close to the context of our text this morning, which comes in John, chapter 14. Our text this morning will cover verses 4-6. These verses land in the middle of John 13-17, which is called, “Upper Room Discourse,” where Jesus is giving his final instructions to his disciples before he leaves them.

Now, the disciples may not be on the verge of becoming emptynesters, but they are facing the reality of what Yvonne and I are facing, a loved one is leaving them. They are not losing their youngest child, but they are losing their loving leader, Jesus. They will soon face life and ministry on their own, without Jesus. The purpose of Jesus in the Upper Room Discourse is to help prepare them for that day when they will be alone, which is actually coming that very night.

So, let’s read our text, and look at how Jesus is helping them prepare for his departure. Let’s pick it up in verse 1, as this helps us get up to speed in the passage. Jesus, speaking to the disciples says,

John 14:1-6
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The title of my message this morning is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” taken straight from verse 6. This is where we will spend most of our time this morning. But let’s get there from the beginning of the chapter.

As I said before, Jesus is leaving the disciples. but it’s worse than that. Jesus had just said that one of the disciples would betray him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (John 13:21). Furthermore, he told Peter the strongest, most outgoing, most committed of all of the disciples that he would deny Jesus. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:38).

It’s no wonder, then, that Jesus begins chapter 14 with the words, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). They had every reason to be troubled. Jesus was soon to leave them. One of the disciples would betray him. One of the disciples would deny him. Jesus, knowing this said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). In other words, “Trust me. This is the way it has to be.”

Then Jesus proceeds to tell them of where exactly Jesus is going. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3). In other words, “Our separation is temporary. We all will be going to a better place. We all will be going to my Father’s house, which has enough rooms for all of you. And there will be a day when we all will be there together! It will be a glorious day!”

It’s like this with your children, right? You send them out, because you know that something better lies ahead for them. You don’t have children so that they stay with you forever! Psalm 127:4 describe children as arrows that are to be shot out, not kept in the quiver. We have seen this in the lives of our children. After next week, all of them have been shot as arrows from our home. Yet, there’s something that is better with them now that they are gone. Four of them are married, several of them have children of their own.

Now, we have other joys: in-laws and grandchildren. What used to be seven of us in the Brandon home is now 15 and counting! How blessed we are! Yet, this blessing hasn’t come by keeping the children at home. Rather, it has come by releasing them.

Similarly, the blessing of Jesus to the disciples, was not that Jesus would stay with them, but that he would leave them, and prepare a place for them (John 14:2). and that he would come again to be with them (John 14:3). Later, Jesus told his disciples,“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:4). Jesus is describing the better state of the disciples with him gone. The Holy Spirit will be with them! His leaving, though difficult, is better for them.

In John 14, we see Jesus comforting his disciples. Yes, there will be a separation, but there will be a day when he returns and all will be together again, in his Father’s house. We talked about this a few weeks ago, that it’s not so much that Jesus left his disciples to spend thousands of years to work as a carpenter to build a place for all of his disciples to stay. (He created the world by speaking it into existence. He can create everything needed in heaven with little trouble at all.)

The main reason why Jesus went away is that he needed to prepare the way for the disciples to be with him for eternity. This came through the cross. Apart from Jesus leaving and dying for their sins, there was no way for the disciples to come into his presence. This is the great reality of the gospel, that that the death of Jesus, becomes the path for our life! As we trust that Jesus died for our sins, we will join him someday in the Father’s house!

It seems as if in verse 4, Jesus is affirming to the disciples that they know all about this plan, and how it’s a good plan. Jesus says to them (in verse 4), "And you know the way to where I am going.” This is my first point:

1. You Know the Way (verse 4).

This is exactly what Jesus said to his disciples. "You know the way to where I am going." I say it to you, “You know the way! Don’t you?” You know that the way to the Father’s house comes through faith in Jesus? Don’t you?

I have been preaching though the gospel of John for over a year now, and this is John’s goal. He wants for you to know this. In fact, near the end of the book, John says so. Consider it once again, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).

This is the way to God. "You Know the Way," don’t you? The way comes through believing that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one who has come to die on the cross for the sins of his people! When you believe in Jesus, your sins are forgiven, and you come to have life in his name!

Every story in the gospel of John is pointing to this. John wrote every healing to show us that Jesus is the Christ with healing power. From the healing of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, to the raising of Lazarus from the dead, these all point to the power of Jesus to restore us to health and life in him!

John wrote every miracle to help us to see the power of Jesus. From the transformation of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana, to his feeding of the 5,000, these all point to the power of Jesus to provide for our every need! "You Know the Way," don’t you?

If you are new here, this is what we have been aiming at for the past year, to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may all have life in his name! Oh, church family, Believe in Jesus! Believe so that you might have life in his name!

Now, as the narrative progresses, we see Thomas pressing Jesus. Look at verse 5,

John 14:5
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Here’s my second point: 

2. We Don’t Know the Way (verse 5).

This is what Thomas was saying to Jesus, "We don't know the way!" By saying this, Thomas was professing his ignorance. He didn’t really understand what Jesus was talking about, about going away, and then coming back, then being with Jesus again. He didn’t have the hindsight that we have. Thomas wasn’t able to see beyond the cross to the resurrection as we can. How blessed we are to see the entire life of Jesus! But Thomas was living the story. He was in the midst of it, and he didn’t understand.

In fact, none of the disciples had the hindsight that we have. This is why Judas betrayed him. This is why Peter denied him. This is why Thomas used the 1st person, plural, “we” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” None of the disciples really knew what Jesus was up to. This is why Thomas used the first person plural, "How can we know the way?” (verse 5).

Jesus then gives us the great statement in verse 6,

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This is my last point. Jesus says, 

3. I Am the Way (verse 6).

It’s right here that we are going to sit for the rest of my message. We are going to dwell upon these words of Jesus, because they are so important to the heart of our faith. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Thomas asked Jesus, “How can we know the way?” (verse 6). Jesus said, “I am the way.” In other words, the way to God is not a path, it’s a person. The way to God is through Jesus. He is the way that we come to the Father.

In fact, Jesus is the only way that we come to the Father. Jesus clarifies this at the end of the verse, 6 Jesus said to him, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is why Jesus says that he is “the way.” Jesus isn’t merely “a way” to God. Jesus is “the way” to God. Jesus is “the only way to God.” Do you believe this? Do you believe that “No one comes to the Father except through [Jesus]”?

The disciples came to know this and believe this. In the early chapters of the book of Acts, we see Peter and John, healing a lame man, then preaching Jesus as risen from the dead (Acts 4:2), and the religious authorities did not like this. "They arrested [Peter and John] and put them in custody" (Acts 4:3), that is jail.

Then the next day, all of the religious leaders were gathered together to press Peter and John about their preaching activity. The elders, scribes, and even Annas the high priest was there. They questioned Jesus, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7). "How did you heal this man?" is what they were asking.

Peter addressed the authorities saying,

Acts 4:10-12
Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Do you believe this? Do you believe that "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Do you believe that “No one comes to the Father except through [Jesus]” (John 14:6).

Most everyone in the world does not believe this. Rather, most people think that there are many ways to God. "You simply need to be sincere in your pursuit of God in whatever way that you find meaning" is what they think.

I saw this come through loud and clear last night. We had our 40th high school reunion last night in DeKalb. Sixty, seventy, eighty people showed up. I saw a lot of old friends at the reunion. It was great to have so many conversations with people I haven’t seen for a decade or two. I have much to share about my evening last night.

Many conversations went like this: “Steve, what are you doing now?” Here’s my canned response, “About 25 years ago, I planted a church in Rockford. I’m still pastoring that church. What a wonderful job I have! I get paid to study the Bible and teach it to people. Each Sunday I stand and read the Bible, explain the meaning, apply it to our lives, and do it with the next verse and the next verse. And I point people to believe in Jesus, where forgiveness of sins can be found. What can be better than that?”

For the most part, people are kind and cordial to me, but few believe this. Of all of the people that I spoke with, only two or three mentioned anything about their church at all. I had only one in-depth encouraging conversation with a guy who is involved and engaged in his church. It turns out that he goes to Crossway Fox Valley, which has some relational and historical ties to our church. We both know several people in common at that church. We talked about Bible reading and evangelism. He was super-encouraging to me. But most of my classmates are cold toward the things of God.

Anyway, at our reunion, we gathered at a restaurant. The one who had organized the event approached me with a couple of requests. She said, “In organizing this event, I have had several requests: First, someone requested that we remember all of our classmates who have passed. So, I have a memorial book for people to see and sign. Second, Roger Miller is very sick right at Mayo Clinic. Someone requested that we raise some money for him. At our church, we often have a 50-50 raffle to raise funds. Is there any way that you can make these announcements to everyone?”

So, I surveyed the room. And I found a spot where I could stand on a chair and address everyone in the two rooms in which we had gathered. So I stood up and whistled and quieted everyone down and got everyone’s attention. I mentioned how I was asked to make a few announcements. I then mentioned about how were were a class size of about 230, and that almost a tenth of us have passed away. I asked everyone to shout out names of those who have died. And names were shouted out, which I repeated. Richard Bonney, Dan Butts, Steve Tueke, Mark Bradbury, Scott Burkett, Mark Smurz. I said, “If anything this teaches you, it should teach you that life is short. How kind of God to allow all of us to live and be here with our old friends!”

Then I told about the fund-raiser for Roger Miller. Then I prayed, thanking God for such a gathering. I prayed as a pastor, that many here would believe and trust in Jesus, who alone give salvation.

But by their lives, you can see that most of them are not believing in Jesus alone for their salvation. Most of those who are there understand who I am, and they are cordial and polite to me. One of my classmates said, “Thank you for that thing that you did. It was short. It was sweet. It was very nice.” I could tell that she didn’t quite know what to do with what I said.

Now, one old friend brought his spouse, he introduced me to her. She explained how she grew up Catholic, but her husband was Greek Orthodox. She said how the “religion” of those churches are so misguided. I agreed. I said, “Our church is nothing like this.” I said, “We just believe the Bible without a bunch of religious stuff.” I told her about today’s podcast^[1] and Psalm 50 and the judgment of God, especially upon those who act religious.

She asked about me a church recommendation where they live. They live in St. Charles, so I gave them a recommendation. She then told me of how she had been reading and studying a bunch about the Bible. Then she asked a strange question about the Bible. She asked if the King James version had all of the books of the Bible in it. I couldn’t quite tell what she was getting at, so I talked about Bible translations, and how there are some nuances, but most every translation today is trustworthy.

Then, she revealed her cards. She said that she believed that buried deep underneath the Vatican are a bunch of lost books of the Bible that should be included in our Bible. I told her, that I don’t know about that, but the Scriptures we have are sufficient. And they directed us to believe in Jesus alone. I told her how I’m preaching this morning on John 14:6, where Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

She totally disagreed with this. She said, “I have talked with God. I have experienced God. I have come to know that we are all fractals of God.” I said, "Well, this isn’t what Jesus said. Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" She said, “No. I guess we will have to agree to disagree.”

I said, “That’s OK. You can believe what you want. But you just need to know that what you are saying, isn’t what Jesus said. You are disagreeing with Jesus, who said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" And while I was saying this, she was pursing her lips and shaking her head back and forth as if to say, “I totally disagree.” Again, she repeated, “No. I guess we will have to agree to disagree.” She again repeated the “we are all fractals of God.” Then, she mentioned about these missing books of the Bible that are deep underneath the Vatican someplace. And she abruptly left our conversation and walked off to speak with someone else, anybody else. And our conversation was over.

After the conversation, it really struck me of where her faith lies. It lies in these undiscovered, undisclosed books supposedly buried deep under the Vatican, rather than in the revealed word of God, that we have before us.

For such people, we ought to have sorrow in our heart, not pride in our knowledge of God or disdain for such people and their false hope. During the days of Jeremiah's ministry, there reached a point when God's hand of grace upon Judah was finished. He wrote, "My joy is goine; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me. ... The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jeremiah 8:18, 20). May this be our hearts toward those who are lost.

Truth be told, this is where many people in our society are when it comes to their religious belief. They just don’t believe what Jesus says here, that Jesus is the only way to God, and that "No one comes to the Father except through me.” Most people today don’t believe that Jesus is 6 the way, and the truth, and the life.

Now I understand the world's standpoint of view and how foolish this appears to be. Leon Morris, said it well in his commentary. “‘I am the Way,’ said one who would shortly hang impotent on the cross. ‘I am the Truth,’ when the lies of evil people were about to enjoy a spectacular triumph. ‘I am the Life,’ when within a matter of hours his corpse would be placed in a tomb."^[2]

Jesus is the one who gives life, because he is the true one. He is the only way to God.

This has been clear throughout the gospel of John. Do you remember John 3:16? The most famous verse in the gospel of John? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). But if you read on, you see how exclusive Jesus is. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:17-18). In other words, if you do not believe in the name of Jesus, you are condemned in your unbelief. This is because Jesus is the only way to God.

The very last verse of John 3 says the same thing. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Eternal life comes through faith in Jesus. But it’s not that Jesus is merely one way to God, as if you can have eternal life through him, but there are also other ways to have eternal life as well. No. If you don’t believe and obey the Son, you will not see life! Instead, God’s wrath will remain on you.

This is what Jesus says in John 8:24, "Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." Belief in Jesus is the only way to the Father! You must come through him! Jesus is the way to God! This isn’t merely the gospel of John, this is also taught throughout the Bible.

In John’s epistle, John wrote, "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12). This is very explicit and very clear. If you have the Son you have life. If you do not have the Son, you do not have life. Jesus alone provides the life, because he alone is the truth! “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

This is Paul’s testimony as well. "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Again, there is only one man who will mediate between us and God. It is the Lord Jesus. He’s the only way between us and God.

This comes down to understanding our sin, and how our sin has separated us from God. As sinners, we are due the judgment of God. We need to have our sins forgiven. But “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). It’s the shed blood of Jesus where forgiveness takes place. As the writer to the Hebrews says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). The sacrifice of Jesus was necessary to take away our sins. That’s why John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). For apart from the sacrifice of Jesus, we are all dead in our sins!

This is really why Jesus is the only way, because only he provided the sufficient sacrifice for our sins. It you try to get to God through some other means, rather than Jesus, you need to deal with your sin problem. How are you going to have your sins forgiven (or even removed)?

People may claim that have reached some sort of state of enlightenment to bring them nearer to God. Such a claim is fine and well, but what will they do about their sin? Jesus is the only one who can remove our sin from us, as he is the one who died for those who believe. We must have our sins atoned for. That's why believing in Jesus is so crucial.

Apart from the sacrifice of Jesus, we are dead in our sins. That's why Jesus is the only way. It says in Hebrews 10:14, "For by one single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." It's by the one offering of Jesus, the one death upon the cross, that we are justified by faith in Jesus.

Finally, when Jesus said, "I am the way," this should come as great encouragement to you, as you don't need to find another way. You don't need to go on a quest to find your own way to God (which will prove to be fruitless). Instead, you simply need to trust Jesus, when he said, "I am the way. ... No one comes to the father, but by me." We trust in the resurrected Lord that this is true.

Certainly, you can read about others trying to attempt to get to God their way. But in the end, I trust that you will find that only Jesus can justify us through his death, burial, and resurrection. This should be a great comfort for you.

Are you trusting in Jesus? Are you trusting in Jesus alone!

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on August 10, 2025 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] Here is the podcast episode that I was referring to: Read Thru the Bible - Psalm 50.

[2] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 570.