Sermon May 6-7, 2023 - 5th Sunday of Easter

Title: The way of Jesus leads to life eternal!
Text: John 14:1-14

Facebook live: The way of Jesus leads to life eternal!

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

In our gospel today Jesus said to his disciples:

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 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? 3 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.

This text is often used at funerals. It is for comfort and hope. Death is real but so is Christ’s rescue.

What also is interesting is the context of the hope that Jesus gives here in the beginning of chapter 14, with the last line of verse that he says in Chapter 13, where he turns to St. Peter and says,

“I tell you the truth, [truly, truly] before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”

Not only then but now as well. We too disown the savior daily and not just three times.

It is daily. It is willful, and it is often, day in and day out until we die.

It is in that context that Christ’s - Let not your hearts be troubled - is truly good news and why it is so important that it be shared at times of great grief and suffering.

Peter was standing tall … thinking he knew all:

When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet Peter asked:

“Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

Then Peter said:

“You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have [no part of] me.”

Jesus tells them:

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

He tells them to love one another, to serve one another, to care for one another … because where he is going, they cannot come.

Not in their own strength at least.

And Peter in his own strength says:

“Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

But in reality, that’s you and that’s me.

We think we can stand.

In the midst of trial, in the midst of temptation, in the midst of sin - we fall, denying the Lord and the rooster crows that reality in our own lives.

If we think about our own confirmation, confirming what God did in our Baptism and living our lives connected to Christ and this truth - right in the middle of the Rite of confirmation - the question is asked:

“Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?

Do you intend to live according to the word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?
And finally, it asks:

Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?

To all of this we answer, “I do.”
In a sense saying like St. Peter:
I’ll lay down my life for you!
But, the confirmation rite adds one more “I do.” To these words we confess:
“By the grace of God.”

That is what Peter missed. His strength and our strength, as it is connected to faith, life, and eternal life … is in God’s hands and by his grace.

It is why we can let not our hearts be troubled!

I wrestle with so many who are confirmed members here and no longer come to church regularly. I pray for all who have left the fold that the Lord would draw them back to regular attendance and fellowship as we talked about last week with the Apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer as we gather together here.

Last Sunday, I participated in the installation of Pastor Vergin in Grand Haven. When t time came for the laying on of hands from the many pastors who gathered to offer a verse and blessing came. We each got an opportunity to place our hands of Pastor Vergin and bring a scripture and comment.

I shared Proverbs 3:5-6.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your path.

Pastor Moyer, from Faith Highland shared from John Chapter 1 where John the Baptist confessed, “I am not the Christ!” and then added,

“Aaron, you are not the Christ! But he knows you and has called you to lead this flock to know and to confess Jesus.”

As pastor’s we all need to be reminded this truth that:

Jesus is God and I am not!

As we prepare for the Ascension of Christ this coming week we are left with this reality. God has given under shepherds and by the Holy Spirit the work of God continues.

In chapter 13 Peter is confused and asks Jesus,

“Lord where are you going?”

Thomas in chapter 14 asks:
5 … “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

To this Jesus answers:

6 … “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It is really good news to hear that God has washed you and me and marked us as his.

He gives us pastors, as under shepherds to lead, teach, and point us to Jesus so we too can confess who Jesus is and follow him.

We all have been made partakers of eternal life.

It is God who through the means he has provided of Word and Sacrament will keep us all in the one true faith.

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 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? 3 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.

That is Good News for pastors;

Good News for you dear members;

And that is Good News for all the Lord will continue to call to himself through his word and gifts!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen