John 14:1-14 (Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Easter... please read first)
You need a little background on this Gospel lesson. Jesus and his disciples are in the Upper Room where Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, Jesus tells of his betrayal and denial, by the very same men that he loves. Jesus is going ahead to his death and resurrection. Jesus is in for a rough time.
Last week was about Jesus being the gate. This week Jesus is the Way. Jesus death is also the Way to the Father.
Life is not easy for Jesus or for any of us when we face death. I hear from this passage God speaking a message. Once again a personal message, yet a message that applies to any one. If the worst in life does come, there is nothing to be afraid of, because, Jesus will find you and bring you to himself. Jesus will not leave you or forget you. Jesus is always thinking of you... Even here in this passage of scripture where Jesus is willing to take that journey toward the death that I deserve, for the sin I commit, to lead me through my own death to my sinful self, to life in and with God through Jesus and what he is about to face.
Jesus speaks of his Father's house. God has dwelt with his people throughout time in houses, tents, boats, temples and in the flesh of Jesus himself. God comes to us to save us. God created a paradise for us and really wants us to live with him in paradise. But early on we had our own ideas and today we continue in our sinful nature attempting to save ourselves in our own ways.
God saves this sinful world and dwells with this world and creation in a boat... or ark. The world is saved through this dwelling with God. God comes to the Israelites and dwells with his people in a tent, leading his people enslaved not only to hard labor in Egypt but enslaved in their own sin. God lives with his people in the tabernacle to lead his people to union with him in eternity.
God lives with us to save us from sin, death and the power of the devil in order that we may be his own and live with him, and serve him, in everlasting blessedness, righteousness, and innocence, even as Jesus has risen from the dead and lives and reigns for all eternity. Sound familiar? See Luther's Explanation to the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed. Anyway, God dwells with his people and he came in the flesh of Jesus to dwell with us and save us from our destructive, sinful selves.
Jesus prepares himself as a house or a temple or a boat of salvation that we may rest with God a while and then as Jesus did, be on the way to the cross. We continue our life journey with God as we come to know the only true God.
Our union with Chris is the way of God, and the way to God. In Jesus we find the ultimate truth and the Way. It is through Jesus... the gate (remember?), that God brings us to himself and salvation and everlasting life with God.
But here, as with Jesus upcoming journey from the Upper Room, we find also that the Way leads through death, the death of our sin, dies upon that cross of Jesus, leading Jesus and his people to resurrection and life. Jesus had to die. Jesus had to suffer and die so that he could enter into glory.
In this passage we find that Jesus is IN the Father... We are IN Jesus... and Jesus is IN us.
Jesus is going to the Cross... the Tomb... to death... to resurrection... and to the Father. Jesus goes ahead of us to prepare a place (or a Tabernacle, House, Boat) for us. God wants life for you and me. Abundant, everlasting life.
Jesus came into our very own world that we may know how much God loves us. Jesus is the gate, the door, the Way to the Father's love. And the way to know God is to live with him. To live with Jesus.
Yes, Jesus calls me out that door to see for myself, with my own experiences and adventures with Jesus, to discover life with him in this world and into eternity. Day after day Jesus calls me and you to live now and forever with him.
My way and your way through Jesus door or gate is a walk each and all of us take. I walk that I want to take. A walk that I fear to take. A walk that leads to death. Yet... It's a walk I delight to take. Why? Because Jesus took this walk before me, and walks my walk with me, to lead me to him into a new world with God in everlasting life.
Open your eyes to the words Jesus speaks in this Gospel. As we see Jesus, we see the Father. As we see Jesus and the Father we see the Holy Spirit. As we open our eyes, we see God. Jesus leads us to himself in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And as Jesus is in us, his love fans out across this world. the Gospel of God's love for all the people is testified to, one by one. Each of us tell of living in Jesus and Jesus living in us. And it all comes from Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the life.
It's almost like a Gospel/Law conundrum. In the Gospel, we see God's love and gift of life... why?... because we can't free ourselves from our own sin and death. We need Jesus to lead in the Way that we may follow him through our sin that he took upon himself to a resurrection like his.
So, follow Jesus and live life in and through God, just as God comes to tabernacle with all of us in his wonderful house of flesh and blood in God,,, in Jesus... in the Father... and with the sustenance of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus prepares a place for us... in him... through him... and forever with him.
Lord, I follow your Way... your Truth... to Life with you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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